The Sport360° National School League’s group stage came to a close last week and it certainly lived up to its expectations with thrilling encounters, plenty of runs and wickets taken as well as the tournament’s first ever century.
Backed by the Emirates Cricket Board, 43 teams from 31 schools competed across the under-13 and under-15 age groups in a first-of-its-kind competitive unified league. Students spoke of their excitement in taking part in the inaugural event at the official launch at Dubai’s ICC Academy in October, and ‘NSL fever’ only became more fervent throughout the seven-week group stage.
The teams were divided into under-13 and under-15 categories and competed in three regional groups – Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah.
All were battling to clinch one of the two qualifying berths; group winners claiming automatic entry into the quarter-finals, while the second and third-placed sides would enter a play-off stage to reach the last-eight.
With everything to play for and knockout spots up for grabs, a total of 11,612 runs were scored while 628 wickets fell in the group stage. In the under-13 age category, Abu Dhabi Indian School, GEMS Modern Academy, DPS Falcons (both Dubai) and Gulf Asian Challengers (Sharjah) won all their matches to book their places in January’s quarter-finals.
Hoping to join them in the knock-outs are eight sides vying for four remaining places. In the under-13 Abu Dhabi group, Efians Army, who won their last two matches to finish runners-up will meet Merryland School.
In Dubai Group One, Winchester Cobras, with three wins out of four, will take on IHS Knights, who won two and lost two in their four matches.
Dubai Group Two runners-up DC Sixers with nine out of a possible 12 points take on Deira Daredevils, who finished with a two wins, two losses record.
And the final play-off match in the Sharjah group sees Our Own Zenith, who suffered one loss in their five matches, take on PAK Hawks Sharjah.
While the under-13 age group threw up some entertaining matches, the under-15 category was no different. It also saw DPS Falcons’ Vivek Lakkoju enter the record books by becoming the first centurion in NSL history when he smashed 110 runs off just 70 deliveries against Repton Royals, to help his team finish runners-up in Dubai Group Two and set up a play-off match against IHS Knights.
DIA Wolves pipped them to the quarter-finals by a better run-rate with both sides winning three and losing one match.
In Dubai Group One, JC Heat won all four matches to top the standings, while WIS Warriors and TMS Amateurs will meet in the play-off stage.
PAK Hawks won an enthralling encounter against Abu Dhabi Indian School to maintain their win streak and advance to the quarter-finals while the latter, who had held a perfect record before that defeat, will prepare to take on Efians Army.
And with a perfect record, DPS Sharjah booked their quarter-final spot while Our Own Zenith and PAK Hawks Sharjah, who both shared an identical tally of two wins, one draw and a loss, will meet to be other representative from the Sharjah group.
With UAE coach Aaqib Javed saying that the NSL is a perfect opportunity for him to scout players for future under-16 teams, some students have shined.
Topping the standings in the under-13 with the bat is Thasin Rehman of GA Challengers with 240 runs and two half-centuries to his name, while in the under-15s is DC Sixers’ Devansh Popley, who has smashed 200 runs with 96 his highest individual score.
Varun Ravi currently holds the purple cap having taken 10 wickets for GEMS Modern Academy in the under-13s while PAK Hawks’ Haji Rehman leads the standings with nine scalps.
With the emphasis on attracting more students to taking up sport, coach Adam Crossley, whose ISC Abu Dhabi Unicorns side fell short of qualifying, praised the NSL.
He said: “It’s been a fantastic experience. From my perspective as a coach the tournament has been organised very well and the players have enjoyed playing the games and seeing the newspaper every Sunday – hopefully we can look forward to being back again next year.”
