Registrations for the inaugural edition of Sport360°’s National School League (NSL) officially open today on a first-come-first-served basis with registered teams having the opportunity to receive coaching at Dubai’s ICC Academy for the competition.
Backed by Emirates Cricket Board (ECB), the league, to begin on October 17, will allow students to play competitive cricket in a unified league against other schools in the UAE.
A total of 24 teams will compete in two age groups – under-13 (15 overs) and under-15 (T20) – in a round-robin format on turf wickets at ICC Academy, 7he Sevens (Dubai), Sharjah International Stadium and the Abu Dhabi Cricket Stadium Nursery Ground.
The schools will be divided into four groups according to their geographical location – Abu Dhabi and Al Ain, Old Dubai, New Dubai and Sharjah and Northern Emirates – and each side will be guaranteed five group matches with the top two advancing to the knock-out stages.
Since its unveiling last week, schools, students and parents have expressed an interest in the league which has already been hailed as pathbreaking by ECB chief David East and UAE national coach Aaqib Javed.
All registered schools can train a maximum of three times (one hour each) at the ICC Academy, which will host the knock-out stages.
ICC schools programme and experience officer Sam Charnley believes it’s a great chance for teams to prepare for this unique league.
He said: “Not many schools get the chance to play on turf wickets at all. Practicing on a turf wicket will prepare the players prior for the tournament as well as receiving world-class coaching from the ICC Academy.
“We have had schools booked in for coaching sessions before but there’s nothing for them to go on from there. So this obviously can give the children the opportunity to take what they have learnt from training into a match scenario in a great tournament like NSL.”
Only schools can register for the league by emailing nsl@sport360. com or calling 052 244 3906.