"Dad would have known. He was a walking encyclopaedia when it came to stuff like that."
Known as "Unners" in New Zealand cricketing circles, the ex-Hawke's Bay senior men's cricketer in 1989 took a five-wicket bag against the touring Australia team in a first-class county cricket match for Somerset.
The former Cornwall Cricket Club member's outstanding domestic match in New Zealand was for the CD Stags against Otago in Palmerston North in 1988-89 when he took 10-152 in the first-class match.
"Any wicket in first-class matches you have to earn it and be part of a team and you have to do something to help to win it," he says, sporadically stopping to address staff members or take phone calls on a regular working day.
The pristine pitches and parks of domestic cricket here are now a far cry from his career exploits in the Middle East.
A little more than two years before he arrived in Doha, Unwin was teaching at an American Abu Dhabi school.
However, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka workers are a constant reminder of cricket.
"You have hordes of people playing cricket here in every carpark square and dusty little corner you can find."
The enormity of the code's effect in the Middle East is an experience in itself.
"It's an amazing experience talking to them," he says, adding even a conversation with a taxi driver in Qatar is uplifting in the country's Friday/Saturday weekends.
"Most importantly they've learned over here that we're better New Zealanders multi-culturally because there are terrible things going on in the world," says Unwin but still impresses that it's vital to experience the big OE before making such judgment calls.
He suspects he has been a model Kiwi ambassador, hopeful some of it has rubbed off on the Qatari children at his school and their parents. The similarities in Maori and Arabic cultures fascinates him.
"The greetings and things like that are similar so it's been a huge learning curve for me," Unwin says.
No doubt it's a great time to be a New Zealander and the spin-off from the co-hosted ICC World Cup here is out of this world.
The impact of the cup is even felt in the corridors of his school where a few "very proud" South African staff have had friendly jousts.
"I've got my New Zealand tie on now," says Waipawa-born Unwin. "So it's all good banter and I'm pleased it was a close game and not a blowout."
The Kiwis' four-wicket semifinal victory at Eden Park, Unwin believes, has been a great advertisement for cricket, especially in the Bay.
"It's disappointing that teams are struggling with numbers there [Bay]," he says, expecting the Black Caps' glorious summer to reignite the code at the grassroots level.
His mother, Diane, of Hastings, has also been riding the wave of the World Cup.
"Mum's fit and healthy and loves seeing me there," he says with a grin, wondering if sometimes he overstays his welcome with once-a-year, six-week visit here in June.
He annually seeks refuge in the Kiwi winter to escape from the 50C climes of a stifling Qatar summer.
That doesn't stop the ex-Manawatu age-group and Hastings High School Old Boys pivot from playing rugby for the Doha veterans' team who take on other counterparts in the Gulf, including the highlight of a sevens' tourney at the Dubai Sevens.
"You get what you expect life is like and realise sport's one thing that transcends everything - culture, religion or socio-economic status."
Having found a platform in the Middle East, he has relished hopping to exotic locations such as Jordan, Greece, Egypt and "sailing the Nile" as well as Canada.
It has dawned on him how New Zealand "is the bottom of the world and that's what makes it so special".
Of course, there are always the trappings of the big city life but it is exactly what accentuates everything Kiwi.
He is contemplating returning home for good in perhaps a year or two and coaching cricket again is on his agenda.
"I've done my travel and training at work. It's never easy leaving behind family and friends to take that big step," Unwin says.
That is not to say the Middle East doesn't offer world-class events such as championship tennis and golf "for next to nothing. It's cheap as chips".
He also quashes stereotypical prejudices about the Middle East.
"When you go into the unknown you tend to hear ridiculous stories.
"You know, people are concerned about safety, alternate religion and how you'll cope in that environment but it's just like anywhere in the world," he says although he hastens to add coping with the heat in summer is another matter.
The former Central Districts Hinds women's coach reflects on his two-year coaching stint as "something I really enjoyed, making a difference".
Nurturing individuals to watch them flourish is the ultimate reward although he feels women don't often get the recognition they deserve.
"They put in as much time and passion, if not more, than men so I would like to see that grow with the talent we have in Hawke's Bay."
He is eternally grateful for the opportunity to land jobs in the Middle East with another year to go in his six-year contract at the school.
The financial benefits are tremendous in tax-free Qatar with accommodation free and a flight home annually.
"Not too many places get that," says Unwin, mindful principals' jobs are difficult to find in New Zealand.
It doesn't bother him if he lands an equivalent job in the Bay when he returns as long as he's at the coalface.
"I miss the contact with pupils sitting in my office here.
"It's great to see children add value to society."
UNNERS STATISTICS
Paul Unwin's premier men's club statistics from a career spanning 1990-2007:
BATTING
Innings: 171.
Runs: 4083, 36 not outs.
Highest score: 100 not out.
Average: 30.2.
Catches: 80.
Honours board: Third highest run scorer.
BOWLING
Overs: 2122.
Matches: 474.
Runs conceded: 5880.
Wickets: 297.
Best figures: 6-40.
Average: 19.07.
Honours board: Highest wicket taker at Cornwall, with Jono Hall seven wickets behind him.
