Couple of quick notes:
I played softball in Riyahd, Saudi Arabia and the "field" was hard brick-like dirt with big chunks of rock. The infield was an absolute nightmare and any diving or sliding ended with blood-letting. Ouch! So I kinda feel for the Dubai ground.
In Turkey I played pitcher and 1B. I was good enough pitching that a team dominated by cops from Izmir (a NATO base on the Med) asked me to go play softball with them in a tourney in Germany. So last August I drove out to Izmir from the capital, jumped on a plane with the Izmir team and flew to Ramstein for a big tournament featuring teams from all over Europe (England, Germany, Italy, and then our little Izmir team).
We lost all but one game. The champions came from RAF Croughton (spelling?) and we did get to play them as they were in our group. They hit the 12 HR-rule limit in the 3rd inning.
Then, after they were done having their fun with us, the ump says, "All homeruns from now on are outs." The batter then lines one right at me! The ball catches my shin and I'm stung pretty bad. The next batter comes up and asks me if I'm okay. I say I am and he rockets one right at me again! They can't hit homeruns anymore, so they take it out on me. It was a nightmare of a pitching game, and I was honestly afraid for my life once they couldn't hit homeruns anymore! Oh, by the end of the inning, one guy put one right at my head and I snag it out of the air by pure luck, saving my life, and getting the out.
Anyway, I'm thread-jacking. I'm getting into softball season here in Louisiana, and my team is full of homesteading good-ole boys....they don't like me and my California attitude. But I'm no the team and waiting to see how they react.
Good luck with you and I'll be reading.