Hot cricket prospect: Another famous McCaffrey?

This is not a case of "like father like son", far from it. Other than the family name, 16-year-old George McCaffrey has also inherited his famous father Rob’s towering height, but that’s where the similarities end.

While Barclays English Premier League fans across the region are used to seeing McCaffrey senior present top flight football on Showtime, young George is dreaming of his own time in the spotlight one day as an international cricketer for England.

And having recently arrived in Dubai from the UK, he believes the emirate can play an important role in getting him there.

"It’s been fantastic. The cricket’s been great and the weather as well," said George on the sidelines of a net session conducted by former New Zealand batsman Lou Vincent at Dubai College.

"Back in England, it’s always raining and you can never quite play a proper game, so that’s why I came here."

Dubai’s weather is not the only reason. George has enrolled at the Dubai British School where he will study his A-levels for two years.

But a lack of cricket there has pushed him to hone his skills at Dubai College which will serve as his temporary training base till the ICC Global Cricket Academy is up and running at Dubai Sports City.

"Hopefully I’ll be able to train at Dubai College and when the academy opens, I’ll join them as a net bowler. That’s the main reason I came here; it’s all about the cricket," said the lanky right-arm leg-spinner.

SMILE

At least as far as height goes, it is Rob who has to look up to his 6ft 7in son.

And flashing that broad smile you see on Showsports, he said: "I thought it was just too good an opportunity for him to miss with the weather so bad in England and the ICC Academy coming up here.

"This will give him a chance to keep playing throughout the winter. And he also helps me out at Showtime where he’s learning a bit about television."

Before touching base in Dubai, George was playing for North England and had undergone a stint with Cheshire apart from training with home county Lancashire. Now he has his sights set on bigger goals.

"When I return [to England] in two years, hopefully I’ll be ready for the county level and then hopefully, I’ll play for England one day," he said.

"That’s why I’m here – to improve my game. I really want to push on to the next level."