Qatar's native boys take to cricket

Migrants and their children have been almost exclusively representing the Arab countries in international cricket. For the simple reason that Arabs hadn't and haven't been exposed to it. That is changing. Oman have a policy dedicated to involving those of Arab origin in competitive cricket, Kuwait have had a couple of notable Arab players, UAE have increasingly active Arabian cricketers and now Qatar are recruiting potential new players from the local schools.

As with China, developing cricket in Arabia is a test of cricket's appeal and of cricket coaches' ability to teach. Coaches which, in the main, have been created by the Asian Cricket Council.

The Qatar Cricket Association (QCA) have gone to the first of 102 Independent Schools in Qatar, the Al-Razi Preparatory Independent School for Boys in Duhail, a suburb of Doha. National coach Tahir Mahmood took 30 under-16 boys through the basics of cricket. 19 of them were then selected for further 90 minutes a week coaching sessions at the school.

QCA General Secretary Manzoor Ahmad reports that "the nineteen boys expressed their pride at being selected, saying it was an honour for them and their school." Mr. Ahmad added that the Qatar Olympic Committee Secretary General Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman al-Thani has expressed his desire to see the game of cricket promoted among Qataris and Arabs. The QCA will be visiting other schools.