DUBAI // The UAE will take its first steps towards professionalism at the start of next year when full-time, central contracts are introduced for the first time.
Aaqib Javed, the head coach, is identifying up to five players who he thinks would be suitable for the first Emirates Cricket Board deals.
“We are building towards a professional set up, with full-time players hopefully starting in January,” Aaqib said.
“It will not be all, but some. Every country started like this. I look at it as a progression. We have made it a semi-professional team already because now they have conceded cricket is their first love.
“They used to play for fun, it was just another tour. Now this is the first step towards professionalism.”
The need for central contracts has become a necessity, given the packed calendar. Over the course of this year, for example, most leading national team players are likely to be on cricket duty for approximately three months.
Even being granted leave to play relies on understanding employers, let alone being paid their wages uninterrupted.
Six players took unpaid leave from their day jobs to play at the World Cup. Their salary was covered instead by the ECB for the duration of the competition.
That was less than might have been the case. Companies such as Emirates Airline and United Bank Limited continued paying their employees despite their extended absence from the workplace.
“People have started realising the UAE cricket team is something to look up to,” Aaqib said.
“They are happily releasing their players to play for the UAE. They have seen them in two World Cups, and the Emirates were really excited because their management were really appreciating them for playing in the World Cup.”
Having players contracted to the ECB has been made possible thanks to the ICC high-performance funding increase that was earned when the UAE earned full one-day international status last year.
Immediately, the thoughts of the players turned to the idea of going full-time.
“To play cricket professionally would be good,” Amjad Javed, who works in the cargo department of Emirates, said at the time.
“The standard of cricket in Dubai is very good, and to get the chance to do that on a professional level is definitely something I would like to do.”
The identity of the first centrally contracted players is likely to depend as much on their current employment conditions as their importance to the national team.
While outstanding players such as Javed, Mohammed Tauqir and Khurram Khan have generally played cricket as a sideline to their professions, others were recruited to their day jobs primarily on the strength of their cricket.
Mohammed Naveed, for instance, landed a job in the accounts department of UBL because he would strengthen their staff cricket team.
The same went for Swapnil Patil, whose employment as a receptionist for Yogi Group was based on his talent as a wicketkeeper batsman.
Given Yogi no longer have a staff team, Swapnil would presumably be a prime candidate for one of the new central contracts.
Aaqib expects the move to have a significant impact on cricket here.
“It is not only about the time you spend as professionals, it is the mindset,” the coach said.
“Sometimes, when you first priority is your work, when you play for the country or your team you are still confused as to what is your first love, and what you actually depend on.
“If you lose, you can always satisfy yourself by saying: No, I am not a professional cricketer, I gave my best, but I am a banker. It is like an excuse.
“Once you clear that and thing you are a professional, you take more responsibility. Other players will look up to them and that will push them to perform better.”
pradley@thenational.ae
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The specs
Engine: 77.4kW all-wheel-drive dual motor
Power: 320bhp
Torque: 605Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh219,000
On sale: Now
Day 3 stumps
New Zealand 153 & 249
Pakistan 227 & 37-0 (target 176)
Pakistan require another 139 runs with 10 wickets remaining
The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre supercharged V8
Power: 712hp at 6,100rpm
Torque: 881Nm at 4,800rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 19.6 l/100km
Price: Dh380,000
On sale: now
What is double taxation?
- Americans living abroad file taxes with the Internal Revenue Service, which can cost hundreds of dollars to complete even though about 60 per cent do not owe taxes, according to the Taxpayer Advocate Service
- Those obligations apply to millions of Americans residing overseas – estimates range from 3.9 million to 5.5 million – including so-called "accidental Americans" who are unaware they hold dual citizenship
- The double taxation policy has been a contentious issue for decades, with many overseas Americans feeling that it punishes them for pursuing opportunities abroad
- Unlike most countries, the US follows a citizenship-based taxation system, meaning that Americans must file taxes annually, even if they do not earn any income in the US.
UAE v IRELAND
All matches start at 10am, and will be played in Abu Dhabi
1st ODI, Friday, January 8
2nd ODI, Sunday, January 10
3rd ODI, Tuesday, January 12
4th ODI, Thursday, January 14
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The biog
Name: Salvador Toriano Jr
Age: 59
From: Laguna, The Philippines
Favourite dish: Seabass or Fish and Chips
Hobbies: When he’s not in the restaurant, he still likes to cook, along with walking and meeting up with friends.
FINAL SCORES
Fujairah 130 for 8 in 20 overs
(Sandy Sandeep 29, Hamdan Tahir 26 no, Umair Ali 2-15)
Sharjah 131 for 8 in 19.3 overs
(Kashif Daud 51, Umair Ali 20, Rohan Mustafa 2-17, Sabir Rao 2-26)
TO A LAND UNKNOWN
Director: Mahdi Fleifel
Starring: Mahmoud Bakri, Aram Sabbah, Mohammad Alsurafa
Rating: 4.5/5
OPINIONS ON PALESTINE & ISRAEL
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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TEACHERS' PAY - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
City's slump
L - Juventus, 2-0
D - C Palace, 2-2
W - N Forest, 3-0
L - Liverpool, 2-0
D - Feyenoord, 3-3
L - Tottenham, 4-0
L - Brighton, 2-1
L - Sporting, 4-1
L - Bournemouth, 2-1
L - Tottenham, 2-1
Armies of Sand
By Kenneth Pollack (Oxford University Press)
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
THE SPECS
GMC Sierra Denali 1500
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Power: 420hp
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Price: Dh232,500
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
The specs: Macan Turbo
Engine: Dual synchronous electric motors
Power: 639hp
Torque: 1,130Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Touring range: 591km
Price: From Dh412,500
On sale: Deliveries start in October
Info
What: 11th edition of the Mubadala World Tennis Championship
When: December 27-29, 2018
Confirmed: men: Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Kevin Anderson, Dominic Thiem, Hyeon Chung, Karen Khachanov; women: Venus Williams
Tickets: www.ticketmaster.ae, Virgin megastores or call 800 86 823
