Chennai: On the occasion of the Silver jubilee of the MRF Pace Academy, the management today announced the appointment of Glenn McGrath, as its Director. Glenn McGrath one of the most feared pace bowlers in the modern era adds another feather in his glittering career as he takes over as the Director at the MRF Pace Foundation. Ranked among the best of modern day bowlers who have graced the game, Glenn McGrath will succeed fellow Australian, the legendary Dennis Lillee, who vacated the post after a successful stint of 25 years which saw the foundation grow from humble beginnings in 1987 to become one of the premier pace bowling academies in the world.
The MRF Pace Foundation enjoys a rich legacy. Over the last 25 years it has remained true to its founding ion that of identifying and nurturing young fast bowlers. Proof of the quality of the academy lies in the agreements that it has with leading cricket playing countries such as Australia, England, New Zealand, West Indies and Sri Lanka to train their pace bowlers. As a part of these international agreements, the MRF Pace Foundation sends its trainees to England for special bio-mechanical testing and to Australia to play with the Junior Australian Cricket Team in the Emerging Players Tournament.
MRF Pace Foundation was the first coaching facility in the world dedicated to pace bowling and is perhaps the only privately funded sport development initiative in India which has continued un-interrupted for 25 years. During this period the Foundation has played host to several Legends of World Cricket, including Jeff Thompson, Greg Chappell, Ian Chappell, Joel Garner, Rodney Marsh to name a few.
During his playing days Glenn McGrath was the back-bone of the Australian pace attack and a major contributor to their domination of world cricket for over a decade. His consistency enabled him to be one of the most economical and dangerous fast bowlers of his time. He played a major role in Australia’s hat-trick ODI World Cup triumph’s and holds the record for the most number of wickets in the Cricket World Cup. Glenn McGrath was adjudged Player of the Tournament in the 2007 World Cup. And his final appearance for Australia at the age of 37 is proof enough of his longevity at the international level. In his career Glenn McGrath has taken 563 test wickets and 381 ODI wickets. He also holds the record for dising the most batsmen for ducks in test cricket (104).
“It is a great honour for me to work with the MRF Pace Foundation, I know it won’t be possible to replace someone like the great Dennis Lillee. His legacy will be hard to live up to, but I will try my best to fulfill my role as the Director at the Foundation. MRF Pace Foundation’s contribution to world cricket is immense; I have trained under Dennis Lillee at the Foundation and have experienced first-hand the world class facilities on offer” said Glenn McGrath.
According to K M Mammen, Chairman and Managing Director, MRF Limited, “Having retired in 2007, Glenn McGrath’s legacy and prowess at the international level will be fresh in the minds of aspiring young fast bowlers making him the ideal choice to replace Dennis Lillee. I am certain that Glenn McGrath’s mere presence at the foundation will inspire the youngsters to fulfill their potential and become the stars of the future. Dennis Lillee has been instrumental in setting us on the right path and making us the best pace foundation in the world.”
Dennis Lillee as Director at the MRF Pace Foundation has been instrumental in shaping the careers of some of the best known pace bowlers across the globe. As many as 56 bowlers who trained under him at the MRF Pace Foundation have gone on to play for their country. This list includes 16 Indian and 40 foreign fast bowlers. Some of the Foundation’s greatest talents include Glenn McGrath, Zaheer Khan, Brett Lee, J Srinath, Chaminda Vaas, Mitchell Johnson, Mohammed Asif, and Irfan Pathan.
Speaking on the occasion, Dennis Lillee said, “It was an extremely hard decision for me to leave the Foundation. Chennai is like a second home for me, I will definitely being at the Foundation, working with the staff and trainees which was an integral part of my life for the past 25 years. It has been a long journey. We had to begin from scratch, building facilities at the MCC and slowly developing it into a world class academy. Our efforts and hard work have paid off and it pleases me to see bowlers trained at the foundation, leading the Indian attack. Glenn McGrath is the perfect choice to carry the vision of the Foundation forward. I am happy for him and wish him all the best in his new role. I am certain that the MRF Pace Foundation will produce many more international fast bowlers under his guidance”
In its silver jubilee year, MRF Pace Foundation is all set to enter a new and exciting era as one legend hands over the baton to another.
By Indian Sports News Network
