McGrath to coach Australia's 'Gen-Next' in India

Melbourne, May 29 (IANS) Cricket legend Glenn McGrath will run his eye over the next generation of Australian pace bowlers next month when a contingent from the National Cricket Centre (NCC) travels to India for specialist preparation at the MRF Pace Foundation in Chennai.

McGrath is a coaching director at the academy which will welcome a group from the National Performance Squad as well as other targeted players. Australia's spin coach John Davison will take a group of batsmen and spin bowlers to India on Sunday for the first phase of the camp before they are joined by four promising pacers and NCC head coach Troy Cooley for the second half.

It will be the 19th year of the exchange between Cricket Australia (CA) and MRF with a reciprocal arrangement in place to enable two promising Indian fast bowlers and a coach to attend the NCC later next month.

Cooley said the trip would provide some players with their first experience of cricket in India while for others it would enable further refinement of their technique in differing conditions to Australia.

"Being successful away from home is a key ambition for us when it comes to developing our young players, so being exposed to the conditions in India provides them with an incredibly valuable experience," he said.

"Having Glenn McGrath along will be a wonderful learning opportunity for the young pacemen we are taking along, and also more broadly for the rest of the group. It will be the first time we have taken the spinners along at the same time and they’re looking forward to challenging themselves in the conditions," a press release said.

Among the players taking part in the exchange include Australia A batsman Cameron Bancroft and paceman Andrew Fekete who will both tour India in July with the A squad. Young spinners Jonte Pattison, Riley Ayre, Mitch Swepson and all-rounder Ashton Turner will travel in the first group that leaves on Sunday along with batsman Kelvin Smith. Fekete and young pacemen Billy Stanlake, Liam Hatcher and David Grant will join them later next week.

The MRF exchange runs from June 1 to 17 with the players suiting up for a two-day match featuring just spinners, and three one-day games with pace and spin attacks.

Players attending: Cameron Bancroft, Jonte Pattison, Ashton Turner, Kelvin Smith, Riley Ayre, Mitch Swepson, Andrew Fekete, Billy Stanlake, Liam Hatcher, David Grant.

Coaches: Troy Cooley, John Davison, Andrew Weller.