Top officials impressed by Cricket Academy

DUBAI — Top cricket officials and visitors were impressed by the state-of-the-art facilities at Global Cricket Academy at Dubai Sports City.

By Liaqat Ali

Published: Thu 14 Oct 2010, 12:13 AM

Last updated: Mon 6 Apr 2015, 1:21 PM

Sri Lanka Cricket Board President DS De Silva said: “It is the best facility I have ever seen and will be a boost for cricket in the region.

“Sri Lanka is also planning a facility like this and it will ready in six months time. He was hopeful Sri Lanka can reach final in coming World Cup being played in the India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.”

As part of the plan to create the best training facility in the world, the ICC GCA is reproducing a variety of pitch types, which will replicate the playing surface conditions of the UK, subcontinent and Australia. The work involves importing specific types of clay, soil and turf using varying preparation and agronomic practices to replicate the characteristics of each surface.

The ICC GCA boasts some of the world’s top coaches under the directorship of former Australia wicketkeeper Rodney Marsh, including other former Test players Mudassar Nazar from Pakistan and Dayle Hadlee of New Zealand.

Together they will help train and develop the best talent in world cricket as well as local players so as to improve the standard of the sport across the UAE.

Marsh Said: “The three coaches will implement specific elite programmes, provide coaching education courses and support grassroots development to make the ICC GCA a centre of excellence, innovation and education for world cricket.

“In general, the ICC GCA will be an important focal point for international cricketing excellence and education. Situated in Dubai Sports City, the academy will provide a unique environment for coaching, game education and training in outstanding facilities with some of the games best coaches.”

The ICC GCA will also afford the opportunity to players, coaches, umpires, curators and administrators from across the ICC’s 105 Members to benefit from programmes and courses, creating a vibrant and integrated cricket community.

The ICC GCA is a strategic partnership between the ICC and Dubai Sports City (DSC). ICC is the manager of the facility while DSC is the owner.

The academy includes an indoor training facility featuring a fielding area and seven lanes with varying surfaces (i.e. some conducive to spin, others replicating a seam-friendly pitch and others that are harder and faster. Each lane is monitored by mounted cameras for technical analysis and/or fault detection and correction. Ball tracking technology cameras will be available to record each delivery.

Other indoor facilities include class rooms, meeting rooms, a technology suite and a gymnasium.

In addition there are 38 floodlit outdoor practice pitches, including 28 turf, that replicate playing surfaces in Asia, Australia/South Africa and the UK. There are two floodlit cricket ovals with five Australian and five Asian pitches on each.

The ICC GCA will conduct and host a diverse range of activities that will benefit both the local UAE cricket community and a wide variety of international stakeholders. These activities fall into four categories – or programming pillars – namely training, events, development and education

ICC and other international tournaments will take place at the ICC GCA, including the upcoming ICC Intercontinental Shield final in December 2010 and the ICC Pepsi World Cricket League Division 2 in April 2011.

Local teams, companies and associations within the UAE will be able to hire the ICC GCA grounds to play local tournaments.

Junior and senior leagues can also be hosted.

liaqat@khalejtimes.com