Re: Pace Bowlers to be sent to Indian Academy
BY WAHEED KHAN
KARACHI: The ad-hoc committee of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has given approval for having extensive and specialised training camps for fast bowlers and opening batsmen and former Test captains Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis will be asked to help out the invited pace bowlers.
Sources in the board said that the board as part of its strategy to develop the existing pool of pace bowlers had already decided to send three bowlers to the MRF pace academy in Chennai.
“But apart from sending bowlers to the MRF academy the Chairman has also got approval for setting up of a camp for pace bowlers during the summer,” one source said. “And the idea is to invite Wasim and Waqar to attend these camps and help out the bowlers,” the source added.
Wasim and Waqar who formed the best opening attack for Pakistan ended their careers in 2003 with nearly 800 Test and over 800 one-day wickets.
Both have complained that the board was not willing to use their experience in coaching assignments after talks between Waqar and the board to sign him on as bowling coach before the Indian tour failed.
The source said other leading former pace bowlers would be invited to help out the boys in the camp. "There is also approval for having a extensive camp for opening batsmen in the summer and before England comes to Pakistan in October.
“The reason why the board has decided to award special monthly stipends to the second line players is to ensure most of them are not forced by monetary considerations to go in the summer and play league cricket,” he added.
He explained that the board wanted the leading performers of the domestic season available for these two camps which would also be supervised by national coach Bob Woolmer.
“The schedule of these camps would be decided after the board has final discussions with Woolmer and the national selectors,” the source stated.
Woolmer is currently in England to attend the wedding of the Pakistan team trainer Murray Stevenson and also to be with pacer Shabbir Ahmed as he undergoes tests in Chester on his suspect bowling action.
“Woolmer will come to Pakistan with the report on Shabbir’s action after which the schedule of these specialised camps would be sorted out,” the source said.
He said already the board was faced with a problem as Najaf Shah who was to be sent to the MRF academy had left for England to play in league cricket. Beside Najaf, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Irshad were the two other bowlers shortlisted for the Chennai academy.
“But now the board is looking for a replacement for Najaf Shah as its reserve choice Yasir Arafat is also playing for Scotland.”
The board has now also decided that the bowlers would be sent to the MRF pace academy only for the duration of time that former Australian fast bowling legend Dennis Lillie is in Chennai to work at the academy.