Australian great fast bowler Dennis Lillee is helping India find fast bowlers. In a unique scheme run along scientific lines, prospective pace bowlers in the age group of 15 to 19 years are to receive round-the-year training. The first of the five-year programs began in early July. Finding an Indian fast bowler is a bit akin to the needle and the haystack situation. Lillee is, however, convinced it need not be if a proper effort is made to groom pace bowlers after spotting them at a young age.
In a country that has not had a genuine quick since Muhammad Nisar opened the bowling in its first-ever Test in 1932,. It calls for great optimism to be able to launch such a program. Dennis Lillee bubbles over with enthusiasm when discussing the prospect of some of his wards breaking new ground. Just before coming over to join the Northants, Lillee spent a grueling ten days in Madras under an unkind April sun to sift the talent that had been placed before him. Lillee shortlisted 12 candidates who will live together and train together for at least one year before they are reassessed.
The Madras Rubber Factory, a leading manufacturer of automobile tires, came forward of its own volition to get this scheme going. The company expects to spend £160,000 over the next five years in direct costs alone to keep the program going. All the students of the ‘Pace Foundation’ are to be put up in a rented house. Their education costs and living expenses are to be borne by the company, which has also promised to absorb those who wish to take up a job rather than study. T.A. Sekhar of Madras is Lillee’s assistant, and he will run the program with the help of sprint coaches, dieticians, and physical trainers.
Dennis Lillee of Tasmania and Northamptonshire is expected to visit Madras periodically to assess progress and give direction to the program. The physical trainer of the successful Western Australian team, Daryl Foster, has already charted out the exercises and weekly schedule of the trainees. In short, no expense is being spared to get this scientific scheme off the ground.
On the recommendation of the media, Lillee has also included two cricketers who are older than the target group the Foundation is aiming for. They are Robin Singh, the Trinidadian who had a very good season (with the bat) for Tamil Nadu, and D. Vasu, a left-arm bowler of potential. If one of the two breaks into the test ranks soon,. It is expected that the foundation will have a short-term return to show too.
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