Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
Pitching it elsewhere
|
Former Test cricketer Roger Binny is thriving on a new challenge in the second innings of his cricket life
|
Roger Binny has cast his flannels away, but has retained enormous zest for cricket -- Photo: V. Sreenivasa Murthy
ROGER BINNY is best remembered as a utility man who could do a bit of everything rather tidily on the field.
But his lasting cricketing imprint lies in that Indian epic of 1983 when in the final of the third World Cup, simple faith triumphed over invincible might, contrary to overwhelming world opinion at the time that West Indies was unbeatable. Binny had swung his bat and turned his arm over to good effect on that unforgettable afternoon at, where else, but the Lord's.
Binny's cricketing days are long over. His career statistics did not in the end do justice to his true potential. He has cast his flannels away. Yet, he retains that enormous zest he had for the game. He is now playing a flourishing innings, which does not require a bat, but demands patience, perseverance, and above all unflinching commitment. He is out to develop the game in the most cricket-impoverished countries such as Brunei and Thailand. The man who thrived on challenges during his playing time continues to thrive on one more in the second innings of his life.
Like many stalwarts before him, Binny is determined to give something back to the game, which has made him what he has gone on to be in cricket or otherwise. That is the kind of inspirational thrust, which has taken him on this latest adventure. After spending a few fruitful years grooming the Indian junior side, Binny has slotted himself in to this Asian Cricket Council (ACC) Development Programme, which is aiming to spread cricket in countries where it is yet to be passionately embraced.
Bangalore is Binny's home. But, nowadays, he hardly finds time to be home. As ACC's Development Officer, he has an operation zone that stretches from Singapore to Brunei through Malaysia and Thailand. Schedules being so hectic, he could, at best, squeeze in a trip or two, a year back home, say, for a couple of weeks.
"I have been spending nearly 200 to 250 days in a year away from home. I am enjoying what I am doing, but my only regret is that I miss watching our youngsters. I keep track of their progress through the net, sometimes through the television and newspapers. But nothing like being there to watch them live."
At times, a sense of guilt nags Roger Binny that he is not spending as much time as his son Stuart Binny's cricketing pursuits demand. "I keep talking to him. Sometimes, I feel guilty that I am not spending as much time as I ought to have with my son. But he has the talent and he has to push himself up now," Roger said in a chat with The Hindu. Of course he was in a tearing hurry to leave for Chennai. A week later he is off to Singapore at the start of another round of frenetic travel.
The spotlight turned on Binny when he melded and welded a national Under-17 team into a winning unit. When the side won the Asia Cup in Dhaka last year, Roger was looked upon as the logical choice to work with the Junior side. But the Level 3 course on cricket development Roger successfully did in Australia brought about a change in direction.
His intention to work on cricket development projects found its way into the Net. Roger Binny's rewarding moment came when the ACC offered him a job as Development Officer. Now, he forms a trio with Rumesh Ratnayake of Sri Lanka and Iqbal Sikander of Pakistan. The three together handle cricket development in Asia.
"It is a long-term project. What you need in abundance is perseverance and patience because progress is very slow." Unlike India or Pakistan, cricket is a relatively unfamiliar pursuit in places such as Brunei and Thailand. Singapore and Malaysia are slightly better because of the large expat population there. "Our aim is to bring about overall development of cricket in these regions. Ultimately, we want the locals to take care of the game in all forms. That is why we have programmes for umpires, officials, and even scorers, apart from regular coaching sessions for the youngsters."
Binny is confident in a few more years Singapore and Malaysia would develop into fairly good cricket playing nations. He is impressed by the response the "kids" are showing in Thailand. He says hundreds of school kids have now been drawn into the game. Mind you, these kids had no clue about cricket to begin with. All they have started with is a bat and a ball. They knew nothing about the game. They have neither seen it nor read about. You will be amazed. There are nearly 300 kids who are regularly attending coaching sessions at the Royal Bangkok Club which, thanks in the main to the British Colonial influences of the past, has a cricket playing facility. Brunei, Roger Binny feels, is still quite backward. But, he feels, in good time cricket is bound to find favour among the younger population here.
Roger says it will take a long time for these places to get into the lucrative cricket acts, but once they do, he feels his job is done. "I am sure Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Nepal, which unlike other places has solely indigenous people playing the game, will be on the fast track of development in the next six to seven years."
Roger feels a greater urgency has been infused into Test cricket by the proliferation of one-day games. While the batsmanship has improved a great deal, the Indian bowling stocks are still low. "We have to work a lot on our bowling," is Roger's well-meant message to Indian cricket.
The kids of Ching Mai may be starting from scratch. But, one day there could well be a Thai all-rounder who could do a bit of everything on the field just like the master he learnt the art from. That day may not be too far.
H.S. MANJUNATH
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
|
