Abu Dhabi’s second cricket stadium set to become UAE’s fourth international stadium with elaborate plans to boost the game

 By K.R. Nayar

Abu Dhabi’s Tolerance Oval, which will be ready for play by September 2021, will be a 12,000 capacity stadium with all modern amenities. This venue, which is adjacent to the Abu Dhabi Zayed Cricket Stadium, will be an addition to serve the global cricket community and boost domestic cricket. Matt Boucher, the Chief Executive Officer, Abu Dhabi Cricket, explains in depth the ambitious plans for the new stadium.

Tolerance Oval 

Abu Dhabi as a cricket venue created history during the last 11 months as the busiest cricketing centre in the world.  The Abu Dhabi Cricket (ADC) organisation which has the slogan “every day is game day” fully lived up to its motto. They organized international matches in all formats of the game and served global and domestic cricket with 81 ICC-approved international matches, and, with the support of the Emirates Cricket Board, the UAE hosted a total of 123 matches.

Come September and they will now further boost their activity with a 12,000 capacity second cricket stadium – to be called Tolerance Oval, adjacent to the busy Zayed Cricket Stadium. Inspiring their activities is His Excellency Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, the UAE’s Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, and Chairman of both, Emirates Cricket Board and Abu Dhabi Cricket Club, who stated: “The UAE has illustrated its deeply rooted value of tolerance and coexistence in playing a vital role in international cricket during such a challenging year. The hosting of such a large amount of cricket in the context of the pandemic is a testament to the UAE’s leadership in the hosting and organising of high calibre, global tournaments. Abu Dhabi Cricket has further bolstered the UAE capital’s flourishing reputation as an unmissable cricketing destination this season.”

Work on the elaborate plans for transforming Tolerance Oval has commenced to ensure that the stadium is ready by August  30 and available for action from September.

Speaking to krbuzz.blogspot.com Matt Boucher, Chief Executive of  Abu Dhabi Cricket, said: “Tolerance Oval will be an asset of great pride adding to our global cricket hosting credentials. We expect it to be ready by August 30 this year and will be seeking International Cricket Council accreditation for it.”

Matt Boucher, CEO Abu Dhabi Cricket 

Elaborating on how Tolerance Oval will serve the cricketing community, Boucher said: “The extensive perimeter grass banks around the playing area will deliver a spectator capacity of 12,000, directly adjacent to the boundary LED advertising screen perimeter. It will be a tight viewing arena so fans can get right up and close!”

Boucher then explained about the pitches, which are being created with utmost attention to ensure top class cricket. “The actual Oval was built seven years ago and has undergone an extensive renovation in the last four months. We’ve triple-leveled the outfield, installed new perimeter spectator grass banks, expanded the boundaries to 75-metres from the centre, increased to 9 centre block clay wickets - five of which are global broadcast-ready via a new set of 7.5-metre height camera gantries.”

When asked about the lighting to ensure continuous day and night cricket, Boucher said: “Brand new international standard 2,100 lux Musco TLC LED lights have been installed. We have also improved the scoreboard and sightscreen facilities.”

Tolerance Oval as a ground has been serving the sports fraternity since its inception. “We’ve used the Oval for community multisport and junior activities over the past 24 months, which has been wonderful and exactly what our business and our community partners required at that time. We even hosted 7 Asian Football Confederation teams on it for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup training requirements! But we really wanted to focus our cricketing master plan on providing world-class, cricket-dedicated facilities for domestic playability and international training and playing purposes. This results in 3 dedicated full-size cricket ovals and up to 25 international grass nets for domestic rotation and for our international guests, while our Zayed Cricket Academy kids are lucky enough to overlay onto all the surfaces throughout the season. Work on the new Tolerance Oval began at the start of May this year as part of a long-term strategic vision from Abu Dhabi Sports Council,” said Boucher, who pointed out that the venue has been set up with the aim of serving the game in a big way.

Abu Dhabi Cricket complex  

“The new ground will be ready for international play from September 2021. We haven’t undergone renovation with a particular event in mind, but it’s definitely ready as a fourth UAE venue for any multi-format tournament from September 2021 onwards. We’re extremely grateful to be a venue for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup and are excited at the season ahead.”

In the past, Abu Dhabi has hosted the Dream 11 Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020, the Alubond Abu Dhabi T10, HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) 6, and international teams like Afghanistan, Ireland, UAE, and Zimbabwe across Test, One Day Internationals, T20s, and T10 formats.

The coming season is even more exciting with the IPL to be held in September and to be followed by the T20 World Cup, 2021, and the Abu Dhabi T10. The Tolerance Oval is also being designed to ensure that all bio-secure protocols are delivered. There will be a separate team bus entrance for Covid bio-security. There will be two dedicated entranced changing rooms and shower rooms, a catering hall, an ice bathroom in every changing room, and a 40-foot cabin for commentary boxes and LED control rooms, TV Umpires, ACU, and the scorers.

“We will be ready for an incredibly exciting Covid-secure season ahead. We can’t wait!” remarked an excited and confident Boucher.