BANGALORE: Less than a year after the controversial Bodyline series that England won 4-1 in Australia (1932-33), Douglas Jardine led the first side to tour India, then still the jewel in the British Empire’s crown. But unlike the team that had beaten India at Lord’s in 1932, this had few household names.
Bryan Valentine may have finished his seven-Test career with an average of 64.85, but unlike Hedley Verity, the legendary left-arm spinner who was killed in WWII, or Jardine himself, his wasn’t a name that rolled easily off the tongue. It was his punishing first innings hundred, however, that paved the way for a nine-wicket victory in the first Test at the Bombay Gymkhana.
As the years passed, and India became independent, the attitudes toward touring what VS Naipaul called the land of a million mutinies didn’t change. Len Hutton, Fred Trueman, Peter May and Brian Statham were among the titans who never played a Test in India. It was not until 1976-77 that an almost full-strength team led by Tony Greig toured, and won 3-1.
Australia were different. In the 1950s, Indian cricket fans were privileged to watch the likes of Neil Harvey, Alan Davidson and Richie Benaud. A decade later, Bob Simpson, Billy Lawry and Ian Chappell also toured. Yet, as Gideon Haigh has written so eloquently in The Summer Game, touring India then was such a harsh exercise that most viewed it as a hardship assignment. And after they won 3-1 in India in 1969-70, Australia didn’t send a strong side for close to two decades. Greg Chappell, Dennis Lillee and Rodney Marsh never played a game in India.
It is in this context that India’s membership of cricket so-called Big Three should be viewed. Having been treated as second-class citizens for so long when England and Australia set the sport’s agenda, India have replicated that behavior since taking the administrative throne themselves.
Consider a simple example. In November 2000, India’s players took the short flight across the eastern border to be part of Bangladesh’s inaugural Test. The invite for Bangladesh to tour India for a Test didn’t go out till earlier this year. This, despite the India-Pakistan rivalry being waylaid by political differences, and India-Sri Lanka coming to epitomise viewer fatigue.
Much was made of India, England and Australia trying to carve up the ICC’s financial pie among themselves nearly four years ago. That attempt may have been rebuffed, to an extent, but little can be done to alter itineraries that are increasingly centered around matches between these teams. When it comes to games, South Africa are added to this list of heavy hitters for the simple reason that they have been competitive in most conditions over the past decade. Once they lose the box-office appeal of AB de Villiers, Dale Steyn and Hashim Amla, it could be a different story.
In the current cycle of matches, scheduled between the 2015 and 2019 World Cups, India will end up playing 23 of 46 Tests against England, Australia or South Africa. By the end of the ongoing Ashes, Australia would have contested 17 of 35 games against the other three. The figures for England will be 23 of 43, with a five-Test home series against India to come in the summer of 2018.
In the new Future Tours Program that is currently being chalked out and ratified, India will play 19 home Tests between 2019 and 2023. As many as 12 of those will be against England, Australia and South Africa. The away figures are 12 out of 18. The numbers for England and Australia will be similarly skewed.
Much has been made of India’s readiness to host Afghanistan in 2018-19 for their maiden Test. But that will ultimately mean nothing if the seeds of a meaningful and regular rivalry are not sown. “It is with us the prerogative of how many do we play and with who,” said Rahul Johri, the chief executive of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), in a recent interview with ESPNCricinfo. “We are looking at good content for the Indian fans, the cricketers, for the broadcasters, for all the stakeholders. It is our responsibility to ensure the best possible content and context.”
Hopefully, he and his fellow administrators will remember the days when India dined off scraps from the top table, and ensure that they don’t treat Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and other nations where there is immense passion for the game, with the same callous disregard.
Don’t count on it though.
India, Australia and England are calling too many shots in Test cricket
India, Australia and England are calling too many shots in Test cricket
Inconsistent Al-Hilal drop more points with time running out for title hopes
- A 1-1 draw at Ettifaq leaves the defending champs 7 points behind Saudi Pro League leaders Al-Ittihad with only 7 games left to play
DAMMAM: Second-place Al-Hilal fell further behind in the Saudi Pro League title race on Friday as they were held to a 1-1 draw at Ettifaq.
With just three wins from their last nine games, the defending champions are seven points behind league leaders Al-Ittihad with only seven games left to play.
It was a game coach Jorge Jesus will know the Riyadh side should have won, especially after spending much of the second half on the attack.
Ettifaq, driven forward by the in-form Gini Wijnaldum, enjoyed a bright first half and took the lead on the stroke of half-time with a spectacular opener. Joao Costa found the ball far from the Al-Hilal goal and the 20-year-old unleashed a fierce shot that flew into the net.
The visitors emerged from the break full of purpose, with Aleksandar Mitrovic shooting straight at the goalkeeper from the edge of the area.
Just three minutes before the hour mark, they were level. Sergej Milinkovic-Savic set Renan Lodi free down the left and the full-back reached the byline before pulling back a short ball to his Brazilian compatriot, Malcom, who fired high into the roof of the net from close range.
It was suddenly anybody’s game but the visitors were undoubtedly in the ascendancy. Just three minutes later, the 19-time champions almost took the lead with the same move, except this time Marcos Leonardo got on the end of it and could not quite wrap his foot around the ball at the near post. Next, a Kaio Cesar shot from the opposite side of the area was well-blocked.
Deep into injury time, Abdullah Al-Hamdan came close with a flying header, only for his attempt to land on the top of the net. Al-Hilal left frustrated, while Ettifaq remain in eighth place.
Earlier, Al-Ahli moved into fourth spot with a 2-0 win at bottom-of-the-table Al-Raed. Franck Kessie scored in the first half from the penalty spot, then Gabri Veiga, returning to action after a lengthy absence through injury, sealed the points midway through the second half.
SEF arena inauguration heralds exciting new era for Saudi esports
- The state-of-the-art facility includes event halls, venues, the SEF Academy, workspaces and more
RIYADH: Esports in Saudi Arabia is set for an exciting new era following the official opening of the new SEF Arena.
The Saudi Esports Federation center in Boulevard World, Riyadh, is a state-of-the-art complex designed to revolutionize gaming and esports in the Kingdom.
Spanning 25,000 sq. meters, it boasts dedicated esports venues, event halls, the SEF Academy, SEF Studio and collaborative workspaces and is purpose-built to support every phase of a player’s journey from grassroots level to the international stage.
The inauguration is a landmark achievement in Saudi Arabia’s journey to becoming the global capital for competitive gaming, in line with the ambitions of Vision 2030 and the Kingdom’s accelerating digital economy.
Turki Al-Fawzan, CEO of SEF, told Arab News that with the Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman’s vision in esports, the federation was capable to thrive.
“This isn’t just a venue; it’s the beating heart of an ecosystem. It’s where ambition meets opportunity, and where champions are made. We want Saudi Arabia to be known as the ‘Land of Champions,’ a winning nation where talent is discovered, nurtured, and elevated to the world stage,” he said.
“We are lucky to have a sector strategy on a national level..with that strategy, it’s very ambitious and we have an infrastructure which enables us to achieve all these strategies…I compare it always with Silicon Valley for gamers”
At the heart of SEF’s vision is the gamer’s journey. Starting with the SEF’s School League, players can progress through a structured system that includes the SEF Academy, high-performance coaching, training, and mentorship, taking them from casual player to full-time professional.
Al-Fawzan added: “From watching Twitch streams at home to competing in the Saudi eLeagues and ultimately representing the Kingdom on the global stage, this is the structured journey we’ve built for our youth. It all starts right here, at the SEF Arena.”
The arena is also home to the Saudi eLeagues, where more than 2,800 active players compete across tournaments including the Saudi eLeague Elites, Saudi Women League, Saudi Fighting League and Saudi Challenger League, making it a year-round venue.
To support its mission of developing local talent, the SEF has signed groundbreaking Memoranda of Understanding with Saudi Arabia’s largest esports clubs and stakeholders — Team Falcons, Twisted Minds, R8, and The Ultimates, as well as Savvy.
These will help expand opportunities for Saudi players, creators and organizations across both local and global circuits, while also facilitating knowledge exchange and driving industry innovation.
Delivering a comprehensive and high-performance environment, the SEF Arena will deliver a comprehensive, high-performance environment, providing players, teams and publishers with the tools and infrastructure they need to thrive. With world-class training, live broadcasting capabilities, and immersive fan experiences, it sets a new standard for esports development.
Al-Fawzan said: “We are laying the foundation for the future of esports in Saudi Arabia. This is our legacy, our promise to the next generation of champions. Let’s make history, together.”
The opening comes three months before the start of the second Esports World Cup in Riyadh.
Musaad Aldossary, co-founder and chairman at Falcons Esports, said the SEF Arena’s facilities will help all esports players flourish in the game.
“The experience that the players play in high level facilities and infrastructure will help them match in any global facility…For us it’s always helpful whenever there’s multiple tournaments, multiple teams, and multiple players because then we will have options and the best players will hopefully land in Falcons.”
Rawan Albutairi, chief of partnerships and corporate affairs at Saudi Esports Federation, highlighted the impact of women in esports, which make up almost 49 percent of youth gamers.
“We want to convert that percentage into real elite players and again… Availing platform for women to really put a footprints and really excel is something that is very important. I think the future is bright with everything happening in Saudi and the Esports federation, it’s absolutely instrumental to lead the way and leapfrog not just locally, but also internationally.”
Albutairi said there are many opportunities for women in the esports industry.
“The whole ecosystem (has) professions such as being a commentator, moderator, and just really exploring the opportunities in the ecosystem is something that can be available and will be available here at the SEF Arena.”
Norris turns on the heat at sweltering Bahrain practice
- World championship leader Lando Norris topped the timesheets in a baking hot opening practice ahead of Alpine’s Pierre Gasly at the Bahrain Grand Prix on Friday
SAKHIR: World championship leader Lando Norris topped the timesheets in a baking hot opening practice ahead of Alpine’s Pierre Gasly at the Bahrain Grand Prix on Friday.
It was hunt-some-shade time on a sweltering afternoon in the Gulf kingdom — 35 degrees celsius and track temperature nudging 50 degrees.
As a consequence the relevance of the opening session on the rest of the weekend will be minimal, with second practice later Friday, Saturday’s qualifying and the race itself all staged at sunset and in cooler temperatures.
That was one main factor in teams using ‘FP1’ to give a half dozen rookies a shot as a ‘Friday driver’ as per the governing body’s guidelines.
As a result, four-time world champion Max Verstappen, one point adrift of Norris in the driver’s standings after his win in Japan last weekend, had some down time with Ayumua Iwasa taking the wheel of his Red Bull.
Dino Beganovic was handed the keys to Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari.
Other new faces were Fred Vesti (in for Mercedes’ George Russell), Luke Browning (Williams/Carlos Sainz), Felipe Drugovich (Aston Martin/Fernando Alonso) and Ryo Hirakawa, in for Ollie Bearman at Haas.
Williams team principal James Vowles explained the reasoning behind running Browning rather than Sainz, third to Verstappen in last year’s race for Ferrari.
“It’s much, much warmer than it will be so it is unrepresentative, and (Sainz) has done many hundreds of kilometers around here. It’s always painful, but it is less painful to run a Friday driver here.”
Browning had a scary moment with his temporary teammate Alex Albon, the pair coming close with a quarter of an hour left of the session.
The stewards immediately announced they were investigating the incident and summoned both drivers to appear at an inquiry before second practice.
“Wow that was close,” said Drugovich who had a close-up view of the incident in the Aston.
Kimi Antonelli was reporting loss of power in his Mercedes over the team radio early on with the Italian teenaged rookie, who has made such a bright start to his career, forced back into the garage, missing almost the entire session.
Ferrari have brought upgrades to Bahrain but Lewis Hamilton was quickly complaining about lack of balance.
With tire compounds set up for the cooler evening temperatures drivers were complaining of lack of grip.
Liam Lawson described it as “shocking” in his second run out for RB after being demoted by Red Bull.
Hamilton was asked if he wanted to have another lap before a quick return to the pits but the reply was short, sharp and an unambiguous ‘no’
“It feels horrendous, mate,” said Hamilton.
Alpine, the only team arriving at this desert track still pointless, will have been encouraged by Gasly’s effort in jumping to lead the timesheets late on.
But Norris quickly asserted control with a lap of 1min 33.204s, from Gasly at 0.0238
Seven-time champion Hamilton’s afternoon improved as he ended up with the third quickest time after switching to the faster softs.
Yuki Tsunoda replaced Lawson as Verstappen’s teammate last weekend and the Japanese driver came in ninth ahead of McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, winner in China.
Meet Ali Al-Shabeeb, the Geordie Saudi who scored at Wembley and dreams of SPL move
- The 24-year-old spoke to Arab News about growing up in Newcastle, playing for Darlington and almost signing for Al-Qadsiah
LONDON: When Ali Al-Shabeeb starts talking, his Geordie accent is unmistakable. Although he was born in Dammam, Al-Shabeeb left Saudi Arabia when he was 8 years old to move with his family to Newcastle. He went to school there, stayed in the northeast of England to go to Northumbria University, and now plays football there too, for FC Darlington.
“When I first came here, I did not speak an ounce of English,” Al-Shabeeb told Arab News. “My dad was studying for his PhD, so he brought us all across, but I didn’t even play football then. I was a tennis player.
“But you can’t grow up in Newcastle without seeing the love and joy that football gives people, and so of course I started playing and kept improving to the level that I was able to think about having a career in the game.”
Picked for the prestigious English Universities side while studying at Northumbria, Al-Shabeeb recalls facing the likes of ex-Manchester United players Mason Greenwood and Angel Gomes in youth football tournaments.
Al-Shabeeb was still at university when he made history in 2021. Playing for non-league Consett AFC, the young Saudi forward helped his team reach the FA Vase final at Wembley Stadium, the iconic home of England’s national team. Although Consett lost the final 3-2, Al-Shabeeb became the first player from the Kingdom to score at Wembley.
“If I’m being totally honest, I had it in the back of my mind the night before,” Al-Shabeeb recalled, smiling. “Sitting in the hotel, I remember thinking, ‘You’ve actually got a chance to score at Wembley tomorrow.’
“I didn’t have any nerves going into the match, and then I scored the first goal of the game. It was surreal, incredible. When you think about all the players who have scored goals at Wembley, it is difficult to believe and hard to describe how it feels.
“The only disappointing thing was it was during COVID-19, so there were no fans. I wish my family could have been there and we could have enjoyed playing in front of a big crowd.”
News of the Wembley goal made it all the way back to the Kingdom, and Al-Shabeeb soon found himself being approached by Saudi clubs about a professional contract.
The most exciting offer came from Al-Qadsiah, who were then playing in the Saudi First Division. Al-Shabeeb was set to sign for the club, but then the deal fell through when a groin injury was identified in his medical. Since then, Al-Qadsiah have enjoyed a meteoric rise and are currently third in the Saudi Pro League table and the King’s Cup semifinals.
“It’s a hard pill to swallow if I’m being totally honest,” Al-Shabeeb admitted. “Qadsiah would have been the right environment for me to improve and develop in Saudi Arabia. But these things happen in football, and I’m thankful for the opportunities I’ve had.
“Still, I honestly believe if I had signed for Qadsiah then I would still be there now. I think playing in English football has given me knowledge and experience that no other Saudi player has. I can handle myself physically but have the technical ability too.”
Al-Shabeeb ended up having surgery on his groin and moved to the Kingdom in the summer of 2022, joining Saudi First Division side Al-Sahel. He later played for Al-Qaisumah too, coming up against Michel’s Al-Qadsiah on their way to winning the Saudi First Division title last season.
“It was funny going back home to Saudi Arabia because there were four foreign players in the squad, but everyone would see me as a foreigner more than a Saudi player,” Al-Shabeeb said.
“I always got on really well with the foreign players — we had Brazilians and Portuguese — because I think we had a lot more in common. But of course, I speak Arabic too, so I really found myself to be a bridge between the two sets of players in the dressing room. It’s a nice position to be in when you can be that connection.”
Al-Shabeeb struggled to find his feet back in the country of his birth, and he felt his development was stifled as coaches regularly came and went.
“I didn’t have anyone to take me under his wing to show me the ropes,” he said. “I used to ask my coaches how I could develop, but it was more of a ‘keep your mouth shut and move on’ type of approach; no one seemed to like me asking these questions.
“Things didn’t quite click at either club, and that’s why I moved back to Darlington. I needed to get my love for the game back, and that’s exactly what has happened.”
At Darlington, Al-Shabeeb’s coach is Steve Watson, the former Everton, Aston Villa and Newcastle United defender who spent 14 seasons in the Premier League.
“Steve is a guy that has reached levels that me and my teammates wish we can. He’s also very honest and straight up. He took me in with no hesitation, and even though I felt pressure coming from a professional club in Saudi Arabia, he just let me play football.
“Even though we are in a league where teams like to kick it long, Steve wants us to play out from the back and actually play football. That’s what suits me best.”
Darlington play in the National League North, the sixth tier of English football, but Al-Shabeeb feels his experiences this season have left him better equipped to move back to Saudi Arabia.
“There are a few teams that have shown an interest from the Saudi First Division, and that is probably the best step for me right now,” Al-Shabeeb said.
“Obviously I would love to play in the Pro League, but there are so many great foreign players moving to Saudi Arabia now; in the First Division, there are more spots on the teams for Saudis, so it’s better for me.”
Al-Shabeeb admits it will be a wrench to leave Newcastle, his home for the majority of the past 17 years. But there remains an inextricable link between the city and Saudi Arabia; Al-Shabeeb has seen firsthand how the city has changed since the Saudi Public Investment Fund bought Newcastle United in 2021.
“It has been amazing since the takeover,” Al-Shabeeb said. “When I first came to Newcastle in 2008 and people asked where I was from, I’d say, ‘Saudi Arabia,’ and they’d respond with, ‘Where is that?’
“I remember I would just say, ‘Near Dubai,’ as more people had that as a reference point in the Middle East. There were never any other Saudis in school; we were the only ones.
“But since the takeover, I have seen so many more Saudis in Newcastle, it’s mad. The city has a lot of love for Saudi Arabia because of how well the team is doing. Now when people find out I’m from Saudi, there is more of an understanding and of course people also love that I sound like a Geordie!”
Dubai World Cup 2025 sets new attendance record
- Over 65,000 racing fans attended the festival at Meydan Racecourse
DUBAI: The 29th edition of the Dubai World Cup at Meydan Racecourse last weekend attracted a crowd of more than 65,000 racing enthusiasts to set a new record for the venue.
This year’s event also raised the bar in terms of prize money with $30.5 million up for grabs across nine world-class races. The prestigious Group 1 $12 million Dubai World Cup, sponsored by Emirates Airline, was claimed by Hit Show, trained in the United States by Brad Cox, adding another thrilling chapter to the sport’s rich legacy. There were also winners from the UAE, UK, and Japan, underscoring the event’s international allure.
“This year’s Dubai World Cup meeting was nothing short of phenomenal,” said Ali Al-Ali, CEO and board member of Dubai Racing Club. “Attendance surged by 18 percent compared to 2024, a testament to the dedication of our incredible team, sponsors, and partners — and to the growing global excitement surrounding racing in Dubai.”
Meanwhile, the Dubai World Cup closing ceremony put on a drone and light show that broke three Guinness World Records — for the second consecutive year:
• Largest aerial image of a mammal made by multirotor/drones
• Largest flying LED screen formed by multirotor/drones
• Largest aerial image of a trophy formed by multirotor/drones
The Dubai World Cup was broadcast by 37 channels in 170 countries, with event airing for the first time on Australia’s Channel 7 public TV, joining major networks from the US, South America, Africa, Europe, Southeast Asia, Japan, Hong Kong, and the UAE’s own Dubai Racing and Yas TV.
The Dubai World Cup will celebrate its 30th anniversary on Saturday, March 28, 2026.
