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Wednesday, Sep 29, 2004

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Sport - Cricket

Tough task ahead for a rusty Mumbai

By Our Special Correspondent

GETTING READY FOR THE AUSSIES: Mumbai captain Sairaj Bahutule (left), Ajit Agarkar and Vinod Kambli at a training session at the Brabourne Stadium on Tuesday. — PTI

MUMBAI, SEPT. 28. Ranji champion Mumbai, which gave its worst performance last week in Mohali when it capitulated to Rest of India by 290 runs, will have its task cut out when it attempts to dent the Australian morale in the tour game starting on Thursday ahead of the Test series.

Speaking after the team's first training session at the Brabourne stadium coach Chandrakant Pandit attributed the downfall to two reasons: his team was playing after a break of four months and seamer Munaf Patel's shoulder disability on the first day weakened the bowling.

Nonetheless, Pandit has realised that he cannot afford to underestimate the potential of a three-pronged spin attack in leg-spinner Sairaj Bahutule, who is also the captain, left-arm spinner Nilesh Kulkarni and off-spinner Ramesh Powar.

"I have something in my mind. I am not into mind games. It's basically playing to the team's strength. The priority is to make sure that Mumbai plays well," said Pandit.

In 1998, Mumbai fielded three spinners in Kulkarni, left-arm spinner Rajesh Pawar and off-spinner Rajesh Sutar against Australia. Three years later, it used Kulkarni, Bahutule and Powar.

Tendulkar's absence

Bahutule said his team was getting used to playing without Sachin Tendulkar, who is expected give a pep talk to the players on Wednesday morning.

"Sachin's absence has provided a chance for another player. As cricketers we look forward to performing well against an international team."

Bahutule, who figured in the Chennai Test of 2001, said his bowling had improved after he sought Shane Warne's help.

"I have had the opportunity to interact with Warne. His inputs have definitely helped me. I asked him the changes I have to make with the grip and about variations."

Tendulkar, meanwhile, confirmed he would be visiting the CCI on Wednesday morning to meet the Mumbai team. When told that Australian leg-spinner Shane Warne is confident of him (Tendulkar) playing all the four Tests, Tendulkar said: "I will be meeting him (Warne) tomorrow.''

Tendulkar said the affected part of his left elbow was `healing'. "I will have to wait and follow what the doctors tell me. One fine morning everything can appear fine. But nothing can be said about tennis elbow.''

It would be interesting to see if Australia fields Warne. Coach John Buchanan has gone on record saying that Warne was weighed down by `attacking and defensive' roles on the previous tours and that Australia would be better off if Warne bowled an attacking line.

User-friendly

The Australians are also making use of computer software to assist them in their preparations. Talking about it Tim Nielsen, the team's assistant coach and computer/performance analyst, said, "The computer software for dissecting the players' performance is user-friendly. You don't have to go to Bill Gates to learn how to use it."

Nielsen's job involves assisting coach John Buchanan in training, helping players prepare physically, compiling data of Tests and one-day internationals for the team and review meetings. According to Nielsen, he has with him database of all Tests and one-day internationals Australia has played since 1999.

He said it was `just another tool' to help the players and that they were consciously trying not to overuse it. "Players like to see themselves play, rather than hear about it. The computer vision software is better than video analysis because you can just pull out a performance of one player and see an entire innings of 150 in five or six minutes.

"You don't have to go back and forth. We feel that it captures whatever we want. As digital TV comes in, probably we will get different angles taken at the same time. That's the next level. In a rugby game in Australia you can see a `line out' from three different angles. Once the digital thing comes in the batsmen and bowlers can see themselves from three different angles," said Nielsen adding that Cricket Australia was `pushing hard for a central database.'

According to Nielsen, Australia's opener Justin Langer uses the software quite a bit as do Michael Clarke and the younger players. "Justin is the sort of player who is always looking to improve. He will watch himself, talk about it and probably go across the whole range of options.

"The older players like Shane Warne and Darren Lehmann talk to each other, see themselves in action on television and then talk to their coach. It's all up to the individual player,'' said Nielsen.

The Australian team had its second three-hour training session at the Brabourne on Tuesday. "We are trying to get used to the heat and compact our sessions as much as we can without blowing ourselves," said Nielsen.

Latest addition

Yoga trainer Kate Turner is the latest addition to the Australian team. The others are physio Errol Alcott, physical trainer Jock Campbell and masseuse Lucy Frostick.

The Australians feel that yoga will keep them mentally strong for the four-Test series. Alcott told the visiting Australian journalists that some players "feel mentally tired after a long session," and that yoga would help them calm their nerves and sleep well.

Turner, who arrived here on Monday, will be with the team throughout the four-Test series.

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