Dubai Sports Tour, Boy’s Cricket Report
The Year 7 & 8 cricket squad embarked on an unforgettable sports tour to Dubai, where they experienced a combination of high-quality cricket, cultural exploration, beach sport and thrill-seeking activities.
Settling In
The team adapted well to their desert environment, making the most of the warm climate and excellent facilities. The first day featured a valuable training session, allowing the boys to acclimatise and get match ready. On the second day, a morning beach trip provided an opportunity for swimming, volleyball and relaxation before an exhilarating desert safari in the afternoon. This included dune bashing in 4x4s, sandboarding, dune jumping and traditional dancing. The following morning, the group visited a mosque, gaining insight into the local culture and traditions before preparing for their first match later that day.
Match 1: 20:20 vs G Force Academy at Sevens Ground
Our first fixture took place under the floodlights at the renowned Sevens Ground against G Force Academy. Arriving early allowed us to get in a solid fielding and bowling warm-up. We bowled first and made a strong start, taking early wickets. However, their fourth and fifth batters built a steady partnership, running well between the wickets despite the large boundary limiting their scoring off the bat.
With everyone given a chance to bowl, we unfortunately conceded too many extras, which proved costly. Chasing 132, Digby and Divot opened with aggressive intent, with Digby striking the ball cleanly. However, Divot was caught early after hitting to the same fielder twice. Tommy and Digby then built a strong partnership, manoeuvring the ball well and running aggressively. As their disciplined bowling and sharp fielding applied pressure, we lost quick wickets in the middle order, with only Tommy continuing to add runs. Despite outscoring them off the bat, the lack of extras from the opposition and their fielding intensity meant we fell short, finishing on 117 and Tommy scoring a 66 not out.
Exploring Dubai
The next day was a mix of cultural and team activities. A boat ride along the river gave the boys a different perspective of Dubai, followed by an “Apprentice-style” challenge in the bustling souks, where teams had to negotiate the lowest prices for specific items. A highlight of the day was a traditional lunch with a local guide, who shared insights into Emirati culture and customs.
Match 2: 35-Over Game vs Academy Team
On Monday, after moving to a new hotel, we faced another academy side in a 35-over match, starting at 9:30 AM. Opting to bat first, Tommy and Digby opened with a defensive approach against tight bowling and energetic fielding. As we attempted to increase the scoring rate, wickets began to fall, with Tommy caught out while looking to push on. Divot tried to stabilise the innings, but as pressure mounted, mistakes crept in, and we were all out for under 100. Though we bowled with greater discipline, the opposition batted with intelligence, capitalising on gaps and running well to reach our total comfortably.
After lunch, we played a short-format 10-over game. Learning from our earlier performances, the team showed marked improvement in all areas. Batting was more confident, bowling was tighter, and fielding was more responsive, despite the opposition striking the ball hard. Rotating the bowling and batting order allowed more players to gain valuable experience, contributing to a strong all-round performance.
Day 6: Beach, Cancelled Match & Football
The team enjoyed a relaxed morning at Al Mamzar Beach, playing beach football, swimming in the sea, and digging an impressively large hole in the sand. Despite the overcast weather and light rain, the boys embraced the calm atmosphere and had a great time. That afternoon, we travelled to Sharjah English School to face the Desert Cubs. A short training session in the spitting rain gave the boys some preparation, but unfortunately, the match was called off due to the wicket becoming too tacky and slippery. With the Desert Cubs players needing to leave to study for exams, we organised an 8-a-side football match under the floodlights; Tom Williams declared the unexpected football match a birthday miracle.
Day 7: Wild Wadi & Dubai Mall
A well-earned rest day saw the team visit Wild Wadi Water Park, where they tackled thrilling slides, (not so) lazy rivers, wave pools, and surf machines. The excitement levels remained high throughout, with the boys making the most of every attraction whilst searching for Wayne Rooney who was rumoured to be in the area.
In the evening, we headed to Dubai Mall, where we visited the giant aquarium before enjoying a fantastic meal at Carluccio’s. With a prime spot overlooking the Dubai Fountains, the boys watched the spectacular light and water show at the base of the Burj Khalifa, a fitting way to round off an incredible day.
Final Matches: Two 20-Over Games vs Hampstead CC
On our final full day, we left early for a desert-based fixture against another touring team, Hampstead CC, playing two 20-over matches.We bowled first in both games, showing a dramatic improvement in discipline by conceding far fewer extras. Our fielding was outstanding, with sharp catches and intense pressure leading to key wickets. Tommy lead the team well, adapting fielding positions and bowling order to minimise our opponents score.
In both matches, we mixed up the batting order, focusing on tactical play and aggressive running between the wickets. Each game came down to the final over, with almost no wickets remaining. Despite the opposition’s intense bowling, the boys remained composed, securing two thrilling victories with little room to spare. The hard-fought wins were well deserved, and the celebrations reflected the team’s determination and growth over the week.
Final Thoughts
This tour provided the perfect blend of sporting challenge, cultural enrichment, and team bonding. The boys embraced every experience, learning valuable lessons both on and off the pitch. The improvement in their cricket, particularly in fielding and game awareness, was evident as the tour progressed. More importantly, they developed resilience, teamwork, and confidence in unfamiliar environments.
A huge thank you to Mr. Jervis for organizing such a fantastic tour, which engaged and challenged everyone. The boys returned home with incredible memories, valuable cricketing experience, and a deeper appreciation for the sport and the world beyond it. Alex Gurran
Dubai Sports Tour, Girl’s Netball Report
The girls had a hugely successful Netball Tour in Dubai with a tournament and 3 matches over the duration of their stay.
We travelled to the Abu Dhabi Cricket and Sports Hub on the Saturday to compete against local clubs and other touring teams. Winning our group with ease we went onto play the other winners of groups and were joint 1st on points at the end of the tournament. Unfortunately, we had let lots of goals in against Emmanuel U13A team, and so finished 3rd overall on goal difference. With a day to recover on the Sunday we had a boat trip along the Creek, an apprentice challenge in the Souks and a cultural experience eating local food and learning about some of the traditions of the locals. We had matches against other schools on the next 3 days including Brighton College, Kent College and Jebel Ali School We beat BC 15-6 and played a couple of Emmanuel teams at KC who we beat and drew against. The last match was more challenging and despite being 6 goals down at one point, we got it back and lost by just one goal to finish 21-22
With desert safaris, camel riding, sand surfing, beach trips, a cultural experience and time to relax by the pool it was a wonderful experience for all and the pupils were a real credit to the school. Sharon Porritt
All images to be found on our school Flickr account
