Oman organizes first-ever tournament for Arabs

Oman Cricket Board is organizing a first-ever cricket tournament solely for the indigenous population of the country. The Omani Summer Cricket Tournament is being played in order to broaden the appeal of the game so that a new source of cricketers for the national team can be created.

Three teams of local Arab Omanis will compete in the tournament, which has so far received good coverage in the local press. Cricketers have also been appreciated for playing in temperatures, which have reached the high 90s Fahrenheit. There have been high scores too in the Twenty20 event, which is being played on Thursday and Friday afternoons at the Oman Aviation Club IV grounds. The final will be played in the third week of September.

Oman Cricket Board also has plans to play other Arab teams in the region. Of its neighbours, Saudi Arabia is closest to fielding a team of Arab players.

"It's a good move by Oman to bring in Arabs to play cricket," said ACC Development Manager Bandula Warnapura on its website.

"Oman aims to field a team for the Asian Games next year, should it feel it has reached the right standard. Its action will encourage other countries to take up cricket with the locals, which can only be a good thing in the long run", added Mr. Warnapura.