Power-packed Ajman Titans outgun UAE Bulls in exciting Abu Dhabi T10 rehearsal

By K.R. Nayar
Reporting from Abu Dhabi Tolerance Oval

Ajman Titans lit up Monday with an exciting eight-run victory in their first practice match against the UAE Bulls, igniting their preparations for the Abu Dhabi T10 tournament at the Tolerance Oval ground in the Abu Dhabi Zayed Cricket Stadium.

Electing to bat first, the Titans’ power pair Alex Hales and Aneurin Donald strode out with purpose. Donald set the tone instantly, launching the first six of the match—an effortless, towering straight hit off Fazalhaq Farooqi. The memories of his blistering 13-ball half century for Derbyshire against Yorkshire in the Vitality T20 Blast in July 2025 came rushing back as he unfurled his clean, fearless hitting. He began with a boundary, followed by a six, then another boundary and another six, before James Coles finally ended his fiery innings on 23—much to the Bulls’ relief. In a 24-run opening stand with the aggressive Alex Hales, Donald dominated with 23 of those runs.

With Donald’s departure, the towering 6ft 5in Hales took command. Batting with a brand-new bat—its plastic cover peeled off moments before he walked in—Hales unleashed one six and two crisp boundaries in a 12-ball cameo of 20 before Waven Powell caught him off Mir Hamza. One-drop batter Will Smeed could not stretch his stay for long, falling as Coles’s second scalp.

Bulls' Kieron Pollard sportingly acknowledges Ajman Titans' victory 

Then came the elegant power of Rilee Rossouw and the purposeful strokeplay of Dan Lawrence. Rossouw, a familiar run-machine in T10 leagues, and Lawrence shifted gears with authority, hammering 29 runs each. Rossouw fell to Farooqi, but Lawrence stood firm, unbeaten on 29. Joe Clarke added an unbeaten 7, steering the Titans to a competitive 123 for 4 in their 10 overs.

The Bulls began their chase brightly. Tom Moores cracked 16 in a steady 34-run opening stand with Phil Salt. But Akif Javed, steaming in with serious pace, shattered Moores’s stumps—an effort that earned loud applause from skipper Moeen Ali. Salt looked dangerous on 22 before India’s Test spinner Piyush Chawla produced a clever delivery that resulted in a catch to Haider. Hopes rested on Rovman Powell, but Chris Green cut short his stay, bowling him for 20.

At 73 for 3 in six overs, the Bulls still had firepower in the middle. The hard-hitting Kieron Pollard and the composed Iftikhar Ahmed launched a determined effort to reel in the target. Pollard remained unbeaten on 18 and Iftikhar finished unconquered on 29, but the Titans’ disciplined bowling held firm. Bulls fell short, managing 115 for 3 in their 10 overs.

A photo of sportsmanship. Bulls's Bravo and Ajman skipper Moeen 

Ajman skipper Moeen Ali had padded up but chose to bat lower down the order to give his top-order batters much-needed exposure, and hence did not get a chance to bat. Coach Mickey Arthur, ever the meticulous planner, was seen noting down key improvement areas in his notebook and simultaneously recording observations on his laptop. Professionalism and purpose echoed through the Titans’ camp.

What added a warm finishing touch was the sight of Titans’ top players and Bulls’ stars sharing smiles, handshakes, and hearty laughter—a snapshot of sportsmanship that lit up the morning just as brightly as the cricket itself.