Ross Whiteley flies out on Tuesday to begin a second stint of T10 League action in Abu Dhabi – on a ground that will be familiar to the Worcestershire CCC all-rounder.
Whiteley will take a break from the County’s winter schedule to play for Karnataka Tuskers in the 10-day competition.
He previously played for Maratha Arabians in Sharjah two years ago and is looking forward to seeing how T10 cricket has evolved since that initial tournament.
But the surroundings will be something he is used to as the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium is where Worcestershire have played on several occasions during their pre-season camps for several years.
Whiteley said: “Were you surprised to get the call? I was actually. I didn’t really know the draft was on and I was away on Cyprus and sat down for dinner when I got a call from my agent.
“It was really late at night and I thought’ something’s wrong here’ and I answered it and it was a nice surprise!
“It was a bit of a shock, I wasn’t expecting it but I can’t wait to get back and play in that tournament again.
“What is it like playing T10? It is actually great fun. You don’t really have much time to think with it being cut in half from the T20.
“The experience I had the last time I played….I probably played in some of the best games I ever played in.
“We had a game against the Sri Lankan X1 when they scored 125 and we knocked it off from the last ball.
“We played in some great games, exciting for the crowds, and it seems like all the players enjoy it as well.”
Whiteley added: “When I played, it was the first season of it and I’m not sure anyone knew how to play it. I guess that was the same when the T20 first came out.
“I missed it last year so it will be quite interesting going back and seeing the new ideas that people have got how to play it. It is exciting.”
Pat Brown, currently in T20I action for England in New Zealand, will also be part of the Tuskers squad while Moeen Ali is the ‘Icon Player’ for Team Abu Dhabi.
Whiteley said: “Browny is obviously doing fantastic this winter. He’s already had some great experiences so this will be another one to add to his collection.
“It will do him no end of good playing in all these different sorts of conditions. When I played, it was in Sharjah and a postage stamp of a ground.
“It will be good fun for him and it is always nice to play with a team-mate.
“We’ve played on this (Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium) ground during pre-season, We normally get one game on the main ground and, having had a few pre-seasons there now, it is almost going back to something we know.”
