Pics: Abhijith N Kolpe
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (ANK)
Mangaluru, Feb 1: The department of physical education in association with SAC Digital Media Cell conducted a ‘Crick – Chat’ with international cricketer David Johnson and soft launch of St Aloysius Cricket Academy here at St Aloysius College on Tuesday, February 1.
Rector of St Aloysius institutions Fr Melwyn Pinto blessed the St Aloysius Cricket Academy.
Speaking at the interactive session, cricketer David Johnson said, "I started with tennis ball cricket. Now there are a lot of facilities compared to the 90’s. I played against Australia where the test cap was given by Sachin Tendulkar. Playing for a country will always be a special feeling. Nowadays, it has become a batsmen’s game. In Indian pitches you don’t get much opportunities for the bowlers who need to work hard to pick wickets."
He further said, "BCCI needs to work on shaping up the fast bowlers. Now we have Bumrah, Shami, Siraj but what about the future? Hardly do we find fast bowlers in U-17 or U-19 sections. After Sourav Ganguly took charge of BCC and Rahul Dravid NCA, lot of camps were conducted in all the states which motivates the young budding cricketers to come forward."
"Due to too much cricket, players feel the mental stress and take long breaks from cricket. Starting T20 for U19 will affect their game, T20 is just fun, but the ultimate is the test cricket where you need to be like Laxman or Dravid who play for five days while Sehwag too has done good in test cricket. However such players will not last long in test cricket," said David Johnson.
There has been a major transition in women’s cricket with lot of facilities and good coaches, he opined adding that earlier no one used to bother about women’s cricket.
Principal of St Aloysius College Dr Praveen Martis said, "The young budding cricketers need to be passionate, disciplined and work hard to make it big.
Rector of St Aloysius Institutions Fr Melwyn Pinto said, "You need to have discipline like Rahul Dravid right from the beginning. That quality must be developed."
Manoj Fernandes compered the event.
President of Karavali Cricket Academy Shanthi Mohan, Vice president Sabitha Misquith, Dayanand Bangera, J P Shetty and others were present.