On first glance, it looked like any other training camp. A group of mediumpacers charge in and bowl at one net while the spinners give the ball a tweak at the adjoining net. The men standing around in coloured track suits and sun glasses are clearly the coaches responsible for the session. A closer look however, makes it amply clear that this is not just any net session. The coaches in question are former India stumper Syed Kirmani, former Karnataka player J Abhiram, former Tamil Nadu and South Zone medium pacer Bharat Kumar and well known coach CS Umapathy. The group practicing comprised the South Zone wing of the National Cricket Academy.

What made the practice session different was the manner in which the coaches directed proceedings. While one stood right behind the bowler's arm another was just square of the wicket, in line with the batsman. With the batsmen having to face a stream of medium fast bowling, playing on the back foot, cutting and pulling was given enough emphasis. Every time a batsman played a pre-determined stroke there was a quick mention from one of the coaches.

Another thing that made the session refreshingly different was the kind of advice the boys received. When one youngster padded up to a ball well wide of the stumps, Kirmani was quick to pipe in, "Never play with your pad young man. In this net I want to see you use your bat always." Now, that's the kind of advice that will hold a batsman in good stead. In today's cricket, padding up is almost an open invitation to be given out lbw.

Every coach you speak to will at some point whip out that famous line, "Practice does not make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect." A look at the nets at the South Zone Cricket Academy assures you that the coaches have taken this maxim to heart. After all, the habits you pick up in the nets are those that can make or break you at a later stage. The emphasis at Chepauk is firmly on getting the boys to do things the right way.

For their part, the youngsters seem keen to learn even under the sweltering Chennai sun. With a morning session lasting three to four hours and the evening session lasting about three hours, the day is a tiring one. Not that these boys are not used to hard work. Many of them have already made names for themselves, having done exceedingly well in age group cricket. Ambati Rayudu, a wristy batsman from Andhra impressed India Under-15 coach Roger Binny so much that the former Indian allrounder went so far as saying that Rayudu was ready to play first class cricket at the age of 15.

Steve Lazarus, ASK Varma, PAVN Raju, G Shankara Rao and T Suman have all been in the news, having played a three-day game against the touring England Under-19 team recently. Shankara Rao is no stranger to a cricket field, with brothers Gnaneshwara Rao and Venugopal Rao playing age group tournaments for Andhra for many years now. Another lad whose name is famous without him playing a major game yet is Stuart Binny. He bowls mediumpace, not quick enough to be called fast and yet just quick enough to trouble batsmen with a bit of seam and swing. He bats in the middle order and is capable of some lusty hitting. Yes indeed, pretty much the same profile as father Roger Binny!

For the group that have been selected to make up the South Zone Academy, this is a solid opportunity to further their credentials. Apart from some rigorous training, a good report from this group of coaches will go a long way in furthering the cause of a young cricketer.

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