MTS Cricket Tour to the UAE
The MTS U15 cricket teams embarked on a pre-season tour to Dubai on Thursday 28th March. This tour served as an excellent platform for the three U15 teams to kickstart the 2024 season, engaging in high-quality cricket matches and unique team building experiences
The A Team
writes Will F (Divs)
The A team started the tour at the Vision Cricket Ground, located right in the heart of the desert. Our first game was against New Hall. Winning the toss and opting to bat, MTS posted an impressive total of 216 runs from 40 overs. Aahil B's (Divs) stellar knock of 72 runs off 70 balls was a highlight of the innings. A strong performance in the field resulted in New Hall being bowled out for 86, with Will F (Divs) taking 3 for 15 and Aarav M (Divs) taking 4 for 14. It was an excellent win, acting as a strong start to the week.
The next morning, the A team trained at the Sevens ground, featuring a fielding masterclass with Mr Davies. Later, the team enjoyed a meal at Five Guys before an exhilarating 4x4 desert safari, adding a memorable cultural experience to the tour. On Sunday the A team had a more leisurely start, leaving for the Abu Dhabi sports hub at 11am. We then faced Tonbridge, undoubtedly our toughest game of the tour. We lost the toss and were put into bat first. We posted a respectable total of 208-10 from 38 overs, with Ravin A (Divs) achieving a top score of a well-made 68. We then swapped to the field, where our performance started well with Roshan P picking up the first wicket with his second ball. This however, brought Tonbridge’s captain to the crease. This was a costly early missed chance, as he anchored his side to the win making 98 not out,. The game concluded as a 5 wicket loss with 3 overs to spare, which was a disappointment, but a nonetheless valuable learning experience.
The next day, the squad enjoyed a thrilling day at the Wild Wadi Waterpark, where a firm favourite was Jumeirah Scarer. The evening after was spent exploring the iconic Dubai Mall and witnessing the mesmerising Dubai Fountains.
On Tuesday we left early for the Abu Dhabi Sports Complex, where we were scheduled to play RGS Newcastle. RGS opted to bat first, sending us out into the field. The MTS boys put in their best team performance, bowling RGS out for 114. In particular, Will F. (Divs) took 6 wickets for 8 runs. Zac W. (Divs) kept well, taking an extraordinary catch. The top order batted aggressively, comfortably chasing down the target in just 16 overs, securing another impressive victory for MTS. After the game we had a short trip to our new accommodation, the Traders Hotel, which had its own private beach. That evening, we went for a swim at the beach ahead of a mid-tour ‘fines’ session.
On Wednesday we had our final game versus Zayed Academy. Nayan P (Divs) . bowled well earning himself 2 wickets. The remaining wickets were shared across the bowlers, dismissing Zayed for 165. A special mention goes to Eliel E (Divs) . for a spectacular catch at mid-wicket. In the evening we went to the Yas Marina F1 circuit, where we cycled around the track.
The tour concluded with a visit to the magnificent Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, offering a glimpse into the rich cultural heritage of the region. Reflecting on their achievements, the team celebrated three victories out of four matches, with Ravin A (Divs) . emerging as the leading run-scorer (153 runs) and Will F (Divs) as the leading wicket-taker (12 wickets).
Thank you to all the staff who made this amazing trip possible.
The B Team
writes Lakshya S (Divs)
After a long 8-hour flight to Dubai, the Bs landed in the UAE to immediately be sent out to the Sevens ground for some training. Spirits were high as we started our first training session and got our first feel of cricket in the extreme heat. Afterwards, we were treated to an amazing lunch at the ground. Once we reached the hotel we were given plenty of down time to rest. After, we visited the Dubai Festival City Mall for the first time before dinner.
The next day started with an early wake up call to play our first game in the UAE. As we reached the ground, we were taken aback by the amazing pitch that was in front of us, fir for a professional team. We lost the game by a narrow 8 runs, and key performances with the ball included Sid E (Divs) and Avi P (Divs) with the batting being Lakshya S(Divs) , Amay M(Divs) , Nathan B and Krish B. However, despite a loss, the team could not be happier as when we reached the hotel, we left for an amazing 4x4 Desert Safari and BBQ meal, where (in the middle of nowhere), we were allowed to do camel riding, sand surfing and watch a show, with a live performance by an Arabian dancer.
The next day began with some tired faces as we left to play a second game against G – Force academy. This was another loss as we were unable to get to their score, losing by 42 runs with key performances with the ball coming from Mihir S and Nathan B and with the bat coming from Lakshya S (Divs), Avi P (Divs) , Yash K(Divs) and Nathan B (Divs) once again. Once we came back to the hotel, we were allowed once again to venture into the massive Dubai Festival City Mall before dinner.
On Monday, everyone was excited to go to the Wild Wadi Waterpark. Once we arrived, we had six hours to have fun on all the rides, and as there were mostly no queues, everyone had fun exploring the water park. After finishing, we then rushed back to the hotel to go to the Dubai Mall and fountains. This mall was massive, and despite most of the items on sale being out of everyone's price range, the boys enjoyed watching an amazing water show in front of the Burj Khalifa before going back to the hotel.
Tuesday started with lots of packing, as today, we were travelling to Abu Dhabi for the remainder of the trip. After this, we went out to the amazing Kite Beach, where we enjoyed amazing food and a lovely beach where the team made the most of the time getting some slip practice before the game under the lights.
Then we travelled to Sharjah to play the Desert Cubs under floodlights in a T20. This game would be a turning point in our preseason, as we got our first win beating them by 12 runs, with key performance with the ball coming from Amay M (Divs) and Veer S(Divs) and with the bat coming from Nathan B (Divs), Amay M(Divs) and Yash K (Divs) once again.
On Wednesday, we travelled to the amazing Sheik Zayed Mosque to take a tour and relax in the underground mall built underneath the mosque. After getting back to the hotel, the team had fun on the private beach, playing football, rugby and slip catching in the sea. We did this before going to the amazing Yas GP circuit, where we cycled around the spectacular track for an hour taking in the scenery before, leaving to go back to the hotel.
The next day we once again rushed to play our last game of preseason against Zayed academy. Carrying on our form from two days ago we beat them comfortably by 43 runs. Key performances with the ball came from Aryan, Avi P(Divs) , Lakshya S(Divs) , Sid E (Divs) and Amay M (Divs) and with the bat coming from Nathan B (Divs), Lakshya S (Divs), Avi P (Divs)and Ayan P(Divs). When we reached the hotel, we once again had some time to relax on the beach before having an end of tour awards evening on the beach. This was a great way to finish off a great tour as the next day we had a flight to travel back to London.
The C Team
writes Rien D (Divs)
Our first game of the tour against the Excellence academy was filled with anticipation. Unfortunately, we lost the toss and were put out to field in the scorching heat. Barnaby GS(Divs) . made the first breakthrough by dismissing captain A. Mustafa(Divs) . The rest of the top order displayed mature batting performances, all scoring controlled 50s. Despite this excellent bowling effort from our team, the Excellence Academy managed to score a respectable 291/6 off their 30 overs. Towards the end of their inning, we were able to take a flurry of wickets, with Neev H(Divs) . claiming 2 and Aaron S (Divs) and Aaryan P (Divs)taking 1 each. In our pursuit of chasing down this mammoth score, Rien D (Divs) . and Aaron S(Divs) were sent into bat. Unfortunately, Rien D was run out early on, but Scott managed to score a controlled 30 runs. However, we then experienced a series of wickets fall rapidly. Charlie P(Divs) and Hector L(Divs) came together and formed a 30-run partnership, displaying maturity on a turning wicket. Despite their efforts, we were eventually bowled out for 87 runs. Although it was a loss, the game provided us with valuable lessons on playing both spin and pace in Dubai, making it a fantastic learning experience.
The final match of our Dubai tour pitted us against the formidable Volcano Academy. Despite losing the toss, we were determined to put up a strong batting performance. Unfortunately, our opener Zain K (Divs)fell early to Akash M's bowling. However, Keshav S (Divs) stepped up and scored an impressive 22 runs in no time. Our momentum was halted by a series of dismissals, until Charlie P(Divs) arrived at the crease and contributed a crucial 20 runs. It was then Neev H (Divs) turn to shine as he delivered an outstanding batting display, scoring 27 runs from just 22 balls. This helped us achieve a what we believed was a defendable total of 127 runs. In the midst of our continued determination to defend our runs, Aaryan P (Divs)and Hector L (Divs)were entrusted with opening the bowling. Despite commendable efforts from our entire bowling unit, we were unsuccessful in containing the remarkable batting duo of Sahil S(Divs) and Arman G (Divs)Their onslaught of boundaries allowed them to surpass our total in 14 overs. Despite the defeat, we were able to learn as a team about our great resilience. This is something that we hope to carry forward into the upcoming season.
We would like to express our gratitude to Mr Wilson, Mr McGowan, and Mr Roots for their invaluable advice throughout the tour. Their guidance will surely benefit us in the season ahead.
