Abu Dhabi tour diary - part 2
Monday: According to Chaos Theory, if a butterfly flaps its wings at any given moment it can set off a chain of events with worldwide repercussions.
When a Czech goalkeeper flapped at a cross during yesterday's Carling Cup final, condemning his side to defeat, one feared effect was for the health of the Abu Dhabi CC Chairman's XI Cricket team, who are hosting a daunting-looking Lashings World XI at the Sheikh Zayed stadium at 6.30 pm tonight local time.
The Chelsea-loving chairman of Lashings, David Folb, might have been expected to send his side out to get some payback, with the Abu Dhabi CC Chairman's XI in the firing line, but instead Folb cut a philosophical figure as he prepared for the game, his pain doubtless assuaged by the 27 degree temperature and the surroundings at the Emirates Palace, to which the word opulent scarcely does justice.
"I'll be happy as long as we perform tonight," Folb admitted. "Obviously I don't want to lose, but as long as we perform I'll be happy enough. I can see the bigger picture with the football, it's about time somebody other than the big four won something."
Even if it's Tottenham.
Tonight's Twenty20 fixture may not be the anticipated stroll for a World XI who traditionally make short work of the opposition. On paper the Lashings side are the obvious favourites as their 14-man squad consists entirely of internationals, most of whom are in their late thirties or early forties and all of whom know which end of the bat to hold.
Yet as the team's player/coach John Emburey pointed out yesterday, the success of the UAE's national team against county opposition means this is anything but a foregone conclusion and Abu Dhabi will have the advantage of youth, which will be particularly helpful in the field.
That the game is taking place at all is largely down to the Emirates Palace's Andy Elliott, who experienced a eureka moment last summer.
Toying with the idea of how to promote the hotel as a world class venue, Elliott says a light bulb went on inside his head, or rather the word Lashings came to him.
One trip to http://www.lashings.com/ later, Elliott was on the phone to Folb, who flew to the UAE three days later.
If the negotiations weren't quite as swift, the end result will be seen tonight, under lights at the stunning $22 million national cricket stadium. Log on to http://www.lashings.com/ tomorrow to find out the result.
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