SA turns to India for spin success
30 May 2008
Since South Africa's return to international cricket in 1992 the country has been blessed with enviable fast bowling strength and depth. Many have, however, regarded spin bowling as the Proteas' Achilles heel. Cricket South Africa hopes that is about to change.
The national body will, in a bid to further improve the state of spin bowling in the country, send seven promising spinners and two coaches to India, to hone their skills.
The training camp will be held at the Global School of Cricket in Mohali, Punjab, under the tutelage of Devendar Arora who coaches India spinning star, Harbhajan Singh. The other coaches include Narendra Hirwani and Umesh Patwal.
The seven spinners are Corbyn Dolley, Keshav Maharaj, wicket-keeper/leg spinner Daryn Smit, Aubrey Swanepoel, Thandi Tshabalala, Roelof van der Merwe, and Jonathan Vandiar. The players will be accompanied by national selector and spinning co-ordinator, Shafiek Abrahams and Nashua Dolphins' coach, Yashin Ebrahim Hassan.
Dubai sponsor
The trip has been made possible by Dubai businessman, Shyam Bhatia, who has agreed to sponsor this initiative. He has been described by Cricket South Africa (CSA) as a friend of South African Cricket.
Bhatia was born in India, lives in Dubai, and is a cricket benefactor. He fulfilled a dream by publishing a book called "Portraits of the Game" in which he used the extensive illustrations by former Western Province wicketkeeper and a renowned portrait painter, Richie Ryall. The book raised over $200 000 for cricket causes around the world.
He says it is cricket that made him what he is today and sport knows no boundaries, religion and colour. Bhatia has also donated $10,000 to the cricket boards of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, South Africa and the West Indies for the coaching of under-privileged children.
'A way of saying thank you'
"I have cricket to thank for so much of my success. It has opened so many doors for me, and this is a way of saying thank you to the game," Bhatia said.
"I hope that this sponsorship will lead to more people from other countries contributing to changing the lives of young talented and often under-privileged cricketers all over the world.
"It is a privilege to be involved. I am so pleased to be able to help, and India is the perfect place for young spinners to learn their trade. Your strength is in fast bowlers, ours, because of the conditions, is in the spinning department."
'So grateful'
CSA CEO, Gerald Majola said: "I am so grateful for this wonderful sponsorship, which could help us develop a string of exciting young spinners and help us develop a spinning culture. Shyam is a good friend of South African cricket and his generosity is much appreciated."
Vince van der Bijl, General Manager of CSA cricket development said: "This venture helps us complete the spinners' programme we have set up with the national co-ordinator Shafiek Abrahams, who will be going with the spinners to India in June.
"It is ideal. We will not only learn from the experienced masters of spin, but our young bowlers will be given the opportunity of playing in the intense heat and on the very different wickets. That experience, too, for the future tours of the sub continent, is very much part of this plan."
The team will leave for India on 3 June and return home on 15 June, in time for the Mutual & Federal SA Cricket Awards which will take place in Johannesburg on 17 June.
Source: Cricket South Africa
