Aussies in for spin

Chennai, Sept 20: What is common between Australians Greg Blewett and Mathew Elliot? The answer is simple: both are poor players of spin. What is the remedy? Take the bull by its horns by tuning up their technique against some of the best in the trade, i.e., the Indian spinners.

Yes, the two Australians along with six spinners are landing in Chennai on Sunday night for a few sessions at the MRF Pace Foundation, which boasts of different kinds of wickets. Watching Blewett, Elliot & Co. would be two of the greatest Indian spinners of yesteryears, S. Venkatraghavan, now a highly-reputed umpire, and Bishen Singh Bedi, a self-declared universal coach. Sources said former Aussie stumper Rodney Marsh, who is the coach of the Australian Cricket Academy and who is keen that his one-time wards should get over their problems before they embark on the Pakistan trip, wanted this arrangement and had a long talk regarding the programme with Pace Foundation coach TA Sekhar.

Marsh is believed to be in interested in theyoung Australian spinners taking lessons from the two acknowledged masters. In fact, Marsh wanted to romp in Bangalore-based Errapalli Prasanna too but the master of flight cried off citing `personal reasons.’ When contacted by The Indian Express, Sekhar said the Australians are eager to hone their skills.