We had seven fabulous days in Dubai: playing cricket, bonding as a group and creating lots of good memories. Throughout the week we played and won six matches, whilst also exploring different aspects of Dubai, including the Burj Khalifa water fountain show, the Atlantis water park, the Dubai mall and desert dune sand surfing!
Day 1
On Friday we left the school at 3pm and travelled straight to Heathrow airport. We were a team of fourteen girls, all feeling excited and nervous. Miss Newlyn, Mrs Hudson and Mr Bennett-King accompanied us. We had a delay flying out of Heathrow but Miss Newlyn helped us pass the time with some innovative games. The delay made the turnaround time in Egypt very tight, forcing us to run to our connecting flight. Despite most of us only sleeping for a couple of hours when we landed in Dubai we travelled straight from the airport to play our first cricket match against the UAE Blues women’s team in 32 degree heat. Despite the circumstances we started the tour with a strong winning first game. This included a very good pairing between Petra and Bella, who scored a collective total of 100 runs.
Day 2
After a long and busy first day in Dubai, on day two we all enjoyed a relaxing morning by the pool, before our second match in the evening against a challenging UAE Under 17 side. We played at the 7s stadium under floodlights, and went on to win our second game.
Day 3
This was a chance to explore the city and visit a Souk. Between us we bought a wide range of goods, varying from camel milk soap to Dubai t-shirts and pearl jewellery. After a great morning of bargaining, we travelled to the Atlantis waterpark.
Day 4
In the morning we played a match against Dartford Grammar School boys, with a strong win which took the boys by surprise! Special mention to Poppy who got three wickets. In the afternoon we travelled in 4x4s to the desert where we surfed on the sand and went offroading across the desert in an adrenaline fuelled ride. Some of us got henna tattoos and rode camels. In the evening we watched the sunset and ate a traditional meal under the stars in a stunning open air camp. It was a day of memories that will stay with us forever.
Day 5
We played matches against Mayfield and Haileybury schools. These added to our win total, making it five out of five.
Day 6
In our final game of the tour, we played the UEA Under 19s development squad. We had another great win, ending what was already an amazing tour on a high note. The match included standout bowling performances from Evie, Laila, Helena and Bella. We finished off the day with a trip to the Dubai mall, which is the largest mall in the world. At 7.45pm we all watched the Burj Khalifa light and water show.
Day 7
We left Dubai early in the morning, to fly back home. Thankfully there were no delays on the way back and we got home on time. Well done to all the girls who competed, you were all amazing. And finally, a special thank you to Mr Bennett-King, Mrs Hudson and Miss Newlyn for organising this trip and making it such fun. We will never forget the hilarious games you thought of. It wouldn’t have been the same without you.
Results
Game 1 v UAE Blues – Ipswich won by 10 wickets
Game 2 v UAE U17s (floodlit) – Ipswich won by 6 wickets
Game 3 v Dartford Boys – Ipswich won by 9 wickets
Game 4 v Mayfield – Ipswich won by 115 runs
Game 5 v Haileybury – Ipswich won by 57 runs
Game 6 v UAE U19s – Ipswich won by 75 runs
