The close association between the MRF Pace Foundation in Chennai and the Australian Cricket Academy (ACA) in Adelaide has led to many budding youngsters getting a taste of international cricket. Trainees from both sides have gone to both India and Australia to further their cricketing knowledge with the help of valuable stints at both these ambitious projects. On Tuesday, visitors to the MRF Pace Foundation were greeted by the sight of nearly a dozen young Australian players having a workout. Their chief objective? To become better players of spinners and to further their knowledge of the subtle art of spin bowling.

``The Australian team has not done well for years now in India. We want the youngsters to get acclimatized to the playing conditions and the wickets here and to get used to the great strength of Indian cricket - spin bowling,'' explained Wayne Philips, the former Australian wicketkeeper-batsman who has accompanied the wards in his capacity as assistant coach to Rodney Marsh at the ACA. ``The boys are aware of the great opportunity the present trip gives them to improve their knowledge of spin bowling and to become better players of the balls that turn.''

Yes, the boys are really fortunate. For they will be playing against and learning the craft from two of the all time greats, Erapalli Prasanna and Bishen Bedi. In his 60th year, Prasanna is a little more rotund than he was in his playing days. But he made the most of his vast experience while instructing the young boys, who were willing listeners. ``Concentrate on length. The rest - line, turn, flight - will fall into place,'' was the first bit of advice he gave them. And there is little doubt that Bedi, who will join the trainees on Wednesday, will dwell roughly on the same theory.

Philips, who turned 42 last month, had a fairly distinguished playing career. A batsman known for his breezy hitting, he scored a century in his first Test innings, and altogether played 27 Tests, hitting 1485 runs at an average of 32.28 with two centuries and seven fifties. He also held 52 catches, most of them as wicketkeeper. He played in all three Tests against India in the 1985-86 series `Down Under' and also visited India for the series of five one day internationals in 1984. He also played 48 ODI's scoring 852 runs with six fifties. Currently he is enjoying his stint with the ACA, with whom he has been four years. ``We try and give the young boys all the opportunities that they can possibly get. We have taken them to New Zealand, Zimbabwe and South Africa and we thought a visit to India will improve their cricketing outlook. We certainly hope that from the eleven boys who have made this trip one or two may go on to represent Australia.''

Some of the visiting trainees have already made their mark. Brad Hogg from Western Australia has played one Test, against India at New Delhi in 1996. Corey Richards of New South Wales has played 40 first class games while Michael Clarke, also of NSW, was the captain of the Australian under-19 team that took part in the World Cup in Sri Lanka in January this year. In fact eight of the boys have played first class cricket. They are in the age group 18 to 24 and will be at the Pace Foundation for a week.

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