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Ryan Hinds interview: Helping move UAE cricket forward
Wings CC’s all-rounder Ryan Hinds is one of many players in the UAE domestic circuit who has played professional cricket around the world.
Representing West Indies, he made his Test debut against Pakistan in Sharjah in 2001 where he scored a half-century. He made another 14 Test appearances for the Caribbeans scoring 505 runs claiming 13 wickets.
In the ODI format, he was part of the triumphant 2004 ICC Champions Trophy squad that beat England at the Oval.
The 33-year-old explains to Sport360° about how he wants to promote cricket in the UAE, his career highlights in Dubai and his hopes of playing for West Indies again.
How did you find yourself playing in the UAE?
I was recommended to Wings CC by former England batsman Roland Butcher and ex-West Indies captain Jimmy Adams. I was then contacted by Wings owner Neeraj Ramamoorthy when I was in Barbados in early 2013.
Ramamoorthy told me of his plans of how he wants to grow cricket in the UAE, and I was impressed. He told me about the history of the club on how they were playing in the B Division in 2010 and winning promotion into the A Division in 2012.
It was something that interested me and moved to Dubai in March 2013 to play for Wings CC on a year-by-year contract.
How impressed were you with Wings’ plans?
I was very impressed with the overall structure of the club. When I came here I didn’t know what to expect as it was my first time in the UAE. I was impressed of the standard of the game in the UAE, as it’s very high.
It’s disappointing that the matches we play are not recognised as first-class cricket but there are no easy games. The domestic game has certainly improved and with overseas players coming here it can only help the standard of UAE cricket.
How does playing in the UAE compare to other countries?
There is a lot more competitive cricket played here. I had the opportunity to play in England, where we usually play on weekends and the same when I was in the Caribbean.
There are so many different tournaments here that you sometimes have to play in different Emirates every two or three days but that is fine for me as all the tournaments are perfectly organised.
What are your long-term targets that you want to achieve with Wings CC?
There is no real long-term targets as such. When I speak to Ramamoorthy, I can tell he is very ambitious and excited to make Wings CC a big club in the country, and I share the same vision.
We are trying together to set up an academy as Wings CC want to develop cricket in the UAE because it’s not quite recognised as opposed to other sports in the country.
How competitive is cricket in the UAE?
It’s of a very high standard. Some top internationals have played here including Kamran Akmal, Shahzaib Hasan and Charles Coventry. Once you can attract those type of players then the standard of cricket is very high.
I realise the cricket in the UAE is attractive and for example Wings players come from a wide range of countries and that adds to the competitiveness of the game.
It’s definitely good to play in as it improves the game and I hope more people can be attracted to the game because it’s of the very highest quality.
What would you say has been the highlight of your Wings career so far?
There have been so many highlights so it’s difficult to pick, but winning the Superstars T20 for the second straight season is something special because to win any tournament back-to-back is great.
We played in the tournament since it began and we’ve not lost one match, and to win any tournament back-to-back is a remarkable achievement.
Also winning the Danube Test is also a highlight as I was Man-of-the-Series award. It gave us an opportunity to play two-day Test cricket which is not familiar around the world.
You’ve played against some top international players. Who have been the most difficult cricketers you’ve faced?
There are many but Sachin Tendulkar is definitely right up there. He is one of the greatest players to have graced the game.
England were hard to beat when they came to the West Indies after they won the Ashes in 2005, and Andrew Flintoff clearly showed how good he was with his all-round abilities.
I would also say Shoaib Akhtar, Graeme Smith and Jacques Kallis because they were players who were on top of their game, piling the runs and taking the wickets.
What would say is the highlight of your international career?
Winning the ICC Champions Trophy in 2004 at the Oval in London. West Indies hadn’t won a recognised ICC trophy for a long time, and to come to England and to win against England in their own back yard was a formidable achievement for West Indian cricket.
Do you still have hopes of playing for West Indies again?
My focus right now is to help Wings CC promote cricket in the UAE and help it become one of the most successful teams in the country.
In that way, by playing for them, I would like my performances to be recognised and hopefully it will warrant me to represent my country again.
Now the cricket season is over, what are your vacation plans?
I will head back home to the Caribbean as I will have a five-week break before the new season begins. I will spend some time with the family before going to the UK as next month I will be playing for my local side Empire Club when they take on MCC at Lord’s. I will be there for a two-week tour so it’s not really much of a break.
