The Hindu : MRF Pace camp concludes

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Feb 20, 2003

Sport

Sport - Cricket

MRF Pace camp concludes

Chennai Feb. 19. MRF Pace Foundation's special camp, where as many as 105 aspirants comprising both the Foundation's trainees and the boys from the National Cricket Academy's different zones, concluded here on Wednesday.

Australian pace bowling guru Dennis Lillee, who presided over the camp, said though the boys in the under-15, 17 and 19 age-groups were promising, certain technical flaws had been noticed in their run-up. The flaws were: excessive rocking of the shoulders, arms across the chest in the running stride, and incorrect angle of approach to the wicket.

These shortcomings, according to Lillee, led to difficulties in the delivery process such as: jumping `in or out' at the crease, both arms crossing the straight line in the load-ups, and over balancing in the delivery stride, resulting in the ball being `pushed' rather than `bowled'.

Lillee noted that these problems had been corrected to a significant extent. The Aussie great also said every bowler had been tested physically and technically, and added a comprehensive medical report would be sent to the NCA shortly. "The MRF Pace Foundation now looks forward to the next stage in the association with the NCA when the potential bowlers, short-listed, continue their development through, both, the NCA and the Pace Foundation."

Lillee acknowledged the help from former West Australian all-rounder Ian Brayshaw at the camp, who, he said, enabled the boys learn more about the art of swing bowling.

He observed that Irfan Pathan (Baroda) and Sreesanth (Kerala) were now ready for higher honours while, Gujarat's Munaf Patel, recommended by former Indian `keeper Kiran More, had displayed "exceptional pace and accuracy for someone who has played so little cricket."

Munaf and Sidharth Trivedi, also from Gujarat, Athish Yadav (Delhi), and Yadvinder Singh (Punjab) have been inducted into the Pace Foundation for full time coaching, while G. Chaitra (Karnataka), Jesuraj (Tamil Nadu) and Abhishek Choudhary (Delhi) have graduated.

Lillee said his next visit to the Pace Foundation would be in June, when a seminar for the coaches would be organised.

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