Ajantha Mendis's Carrom Ball Signals End of Bent
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14 Tuesday 12th May, 2009 Ajantha Mendis’s Carrom Ball signals end of bent arm ‘doosra’ none - surprisingly for a coun- try whose players do not hesi- tate to ignore, tread or overstep Meet the rugby clubs the line in various aspects of cricket such as sledging, over- rates, intimidation etc. An unfortunate develop- ment is that locally and indeed all over the world, young play- ers are emulating their bent arm idols and learning the wrist ‘doosra’. Coaches are being asked to teach the ‘doos- ra’. Do these coaches not know the bent arm ‘doosra’ is a no Back to the drawing ball according to the law? Despite the reporting of ‘doosra’ bowlers for suspect board for CR bowling, there is the call from some quarters including ex- by Ravi Nagahawatte ing new things,” he said. cricketers to “legitimize” the He said that CR&FC’s ‘doosras’. Daryll Cullilan of Ceylonese Rugby & hopes largely depend on the South Africa said: “Bowling the Football Club (CR&FC) coach younger players in the side. ‘doosra’ is a skill and it makes John Carrington sees the “Till the seniors recover from the game more interesting.” Longden Place club failing to their injuries, the young play- But throwing a baseball is a win the league plum for more ers in the side will get a fan- skill (although some purists than a period of 10 years tastic opportunity of wearing might disagree), so why not go being enough of a the CR&FC jersey. the whole hog and allow this challenge to The seniors’ too? Terry Jenner, Shane accept an invita- Coach understanding of Warne’s bowling coach says: tion to coach CR rugby and the Ajantha Mendis “Why should we bend the rules this season. Carrington needs of the club for something that is not legal? “To coach a impressed is fantastic. And .This is not a coincidence. CC mystery spinner who burst A top local umpire has team that has most importantly, The Backstop The problem for off-spinners onto the cricket scene last year declared that chucking is preva- been constantly with the seniors spend who bowl the ‘doosra’ is that and whose meteoric rise to lent in schools cricket and the placed second or islanders’ time with the jun- they rotate the wrist inwards international acclaim and most “popular” is the off-spin- third in the iors to educate towards the head to get the back respect, is an off-spinner whose ner’s ‘doosra’. But “there is no league champi- rugby skills, them on rugby,” of the wrist facing the batsman arm action is impeccable- point in no balling or reporting onship for a long but says he said adding, “I to deliver the ‘doosra’ leg-break. indeed the army bowler’s arm is the offence.” Instead the time and working see Ashen This automatically bends the rifle straight! umpires just notify the school towards the goal there’s a Karthelis as a elbow. The reader can try it by His ‘doosra’ is different from coach in private. of making the load of home strong leader”. cocking the wrist away from the the other bowlers: while they Is this the legacy we wish to team win the According to head for a leg-break and towards rotate their wrist to change from give to our children and the tournament was work to do Carrington, the the head for the off-break. The off-spin to leg-spin; Ajantha future cricket generations? For exciting enough players attend former has a straight elbow and bowls with a straight wrist but a country that is renown for its to come down to rugby practices in the latter has an elbow bending uses his middle finger to impart gentle people and cultures, its Sri Lanka,” Carrington, a the morning and do their outwards. leg-spin to the ball. His “car- traditions of fairness and the New Zealander, told ‘The individual fitness training The result is that when an rom” ball is actually a finger common way and its awards for Island.’ schedules in the evening. off-spinner such as those named spinning ‘doosra’. the ‘Spirit of Cricket’, it may be Carrington said that he “The players have limited by Roy Bishop above, bowls a “back of the Ajantha developed this deliv- fitting that Sri Lanka set in was impressed by the interest time for training, so I can’t wrist” doosra, the elbow flexes; ery on his own in the streets of motion the call for the teaching shown by Sri Lankans say that their training meets orld cricket has in the greater the “rip” imparted Moratuwa and as earlier and adoption of Ajantha’s finger towards rugby. However, he my full requirement. There is recent years seen the on the ‘doosra’, the larger the described by this writer, he is ‘doosra’ instead of the current warned that CR&FC would also the period of concentra- Wadvent of the ‘doosra’ - elbow flexion. the cricketing offspring of bent arm ‘doosra’. have to start learning how to tion of the players to be con- the off-break that turns as a leg- Not surprisingly, by just another humble village lad: It would be feather in the cap play rugby all over again if sidered, because no more can break. Cricket also in the recent using published images of these Sonny Ramadhin, who first dis- for the SL Cricket Board, its they are to win the champi- be taken in after the players past has witnessed the reporting ‘doosra’ bowlers and by measur- covered this delivery in a sugar coaching section and the onships. stop concentrating,” of various off-spinners (but no ing their elbow flexion above plantation village in Trinidad Umpires’ Association to lead Carrington, who has been explained Carrington, who leg-spinners) from various shoulder height in the delivery some 60 years ago. the way in this important devel- in the island since February has been contracted to coach countries for suspected bowling swing one can get an idea of the So why does a bowler risk opment and to fight for its adop- this year, ensured the team rugby and also oversee the actions (chucking). large degree of elbow bend the stigma of being reported for tion by the ICC and the MCC. tasted victory in the Western fitness of the players. Since the reporting of imparted by bowling the ‘doos- chucking by bowling the bent Just as a humble village lad Province Rugby Tens. He said Carrington believes in the Muttiah Muralitharan for a sus- ra’. arm wrist ‘doosra’ when he can started the “mystery” ball a his approach to coaching wonders of having pool ses- pect bowling action and his Taking published images of bowl the “Ajantha Mendis” fin- long time ago and another CR&FC would be to take one sion for players after a hard clearing by the ICC’s tests at the Botha, Murali, Samuels and ger ‘doosra’ and achieve the humble lad of Chinese lineage match at a time. He said he days training. He said the University of Western Australia Amjal, the average elbow bend same leg-spin with a straight gave us the “chinaman” ball, knew little about Kandy players weren’t new to ses- there has been an increase of is around 60 degrees (*). And for arm? maybe our Moratuwa lad may Sports Club, given the fact sions in the swimming pool international off-spinners bowl- the big ‘doosra’ ripper’s of Currently, off-spinners all one day be best remembered for that he is coaching a rugby but unlike in the past they ing ‘doosras’ and being report- Botha and Murali the elbow over the world are learning to the ‘Mendis doosra’ that ended team in Sri Lanka for the first were getting used to doing a ed: Marlon Samuels, Johan bend is 70*. bowl the wrist ‘doosra’, except the era of the bent arm off- time.However,he said,he workout in water. Botha and Saeed Ajmal. Ajantha Mendis, the Army in Australia where there are spinners. believed Kandy SC was beat- He said he was amazed at able. “I think it’s this win- the skills displayed by school- ning atmosphere that’s carry- boy rugby players in Sri ing Kandy SC through,” he Lanka. Unlike other expatri- Mobitel-Relay Carnival said. ate coaches employed in Sri Carrington’s coaching Lanka, he has had the oppor- assignment in Sri Lanka has- tunity to have a closer look at Kantale’s Naleem on course to emulate junior record holder Radeeshan n’t been a bed of roses. To the country’s rugby set up, begin with, his pre-season given the fact that he was by Reemus Fernando Facts planning was affected, assigned with duties as Sri Born as the youngest in a family of Name: M. S. M. Naleem because the Sri Lanka Rugby Lanka coach when the team nine children M. S. M. Naleem is mak- Date of Birth: 4th January 1991 Football Union (SLRFU) contested the Asian Five ing a break with tradition in the agri- delayed finalizing the fixture Nations in Dubai. Having Schools: Al Tharik College, Kantale culture oriented region of Kantale to calendar for 2009. Then he spent many months here, he (Previous) take part in one of the grueling disci- had to deal with the injury suggests having an Under-21 St. Joseph’s College, Trincomalee: plines of athletics, as he follows close- worries of players, mostly his tournament to benefit school ly on the footsteps of former national (Present) seniors. According to leavers, who wish to take to record holder Ravindran Ratheeshan Events: Decathlon Carrington, a good number of club rugby and also to have to dominate the decathlon at junior Victories at National Level: Under-16 the club’s seniors are nursing more coaching academies.