10-year-old girl picked for UAE cricket team

Esha James is only ten years old, but she has clinched a place in the UAE Under-19 team for the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) Under-19 Women’s Cup to be played in Kuwait. Esha bats left-handed and bowls right arm medium pace and is the youngest member of the squad. “I began playing from the age of five with my father (James Samuel). I live in the Gardens and my father is a member of the Gardens Cricket Club. Every Friday I go along with him and enjoy our holiday playing cricket. He taught me the basics of the game,” remarked Esha, who is a Grade 6 student of Winchester School in Jebel Ali. Samuel, sensing her keenness for the game, gave her all the encouragement she needed. “She liked cricket a lot and always came with me for the matches. Seeing me play she too began playing with the boys in the ground,” he said. Esha makes sure to watch all the cricket matches on television she can. “My favourite players are Dale Steyn, Jacques Kallis and Lasith Malinga. I want to be a good cricketer,” said Esha, who got picked up for the Under-19 trials in Sharjah following her performance in the Max Talent cricket tournament for girls. “I was thrilled to get coached by former Indian player Kalpana Venkatchar and UAE coaches Kabir Khan and Hyder at the camp. I am so excited at being picked from among the probables for the team,” added Esha, who will leave for Kuwait for the eight-nation tournament starting on February 1. Esha also participates in athletics and plays football too. Her agility and fitness played a big role in her being selected for the UAE team. “Esha will turn 11 only in April and if she loves to choose a career in cricket we will provide her all support,” said Samuel.