U A E C R I C K E T . C O M

Al Rawabi Inter-School Cricket Tournament 2000-2001 Open Draw was held in the Darbar Hall of Indian Sports Club on 21-10-2000 in the presence of Mr. Ninan Mathew the Dy. Sales & Marketing Manager. Mr. Flanner Ray, the Chief Consultant of Al Rawabi Dairy Co. and officials of Dubai Cricket Counci. The Tournament is organized by Dubai Cricket Council.

While welcoming the sponsors and guest Mr. Hayat Yar Khan said that the support from Al Rawabi to stage the Inter-School Cricket Tournament has been helping the development of the domestic cricket at the grassroot level. "It is an accepted fact that Al Rawabi Inter-School Cricket Tournament is the breeding ground for the UAE born students to build up their career in cricket and eventually play at national level" Mr. Khan said. The General Secretary of Dubai Cricket Council Mr. Vikram Kaul stated that in the next couple of years cricketers in Dubai would be playing all their games on natural turf wickets on the lands being allocated by the Government to the Council. Nine grass grounds and a stadium with club house is planned in the plot.

"With the support being extended by the Government we have a better future for cricket in Dubai" Mr. Kaul said. He thanked Al Rawabi Dairy Co. for extending their support to the Council's programme. "There are thousands of families in the country who their children to schools in the UAE. We have 32 schools from all over the Emirates participating in this tournament and we believe Al Rawabi made the right choice by picking Inter-School Cricket for promotion of their Dairy products" Mr. Kaul added.

Chief guest Mr. Ninan Mathew of Al Rawabi assured that Al Rawabi intends continuing to nourish the young cricketers and reiterated the Al Rawabi support to the game with the famous slogan "nothing but Cricket, nothing but Al Rawabi" to thundering applause from packed audience. Mr. B.S. Shetty, the Admin. Coordinator of Dubai Cricket Council said that the Al Rawabi Inter-School Cricket is already a house hold name and the goodwill generated by Al Rawabi is something that can not be undermind by any competition. He said the inaugural match will be played on Thursday, 2nd November 2000.

Mr. Ninan Mathew and Mr. Flanner Ray picked the draws in turn to place the 32 participating school teams in 8 groups to play initially on round robin league basis. Two top teams from each group will qualify for the knock out stage commencing from pre-quarter finals. While explaining the playing conditions Mr. Shetty said a full tournament schedule is being drawn up and the final match is expected to be played on 28.02.2001.

Click here for Team Groupings.

Monday, October 23, 2000.
source : UAEcricket.com.

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