US Consul General hails Lillee's efforts at Pace Foundation

Chennai, Jan 29 (UNI) The MRF Pace Foundation, where former Aussie pace hero Dennis Lillee is coaching youngsters to represent India as fast bowlers in international cricket, today had an unlikely visitor in Consul General of United States David T Hopper.

Mr Hopper later told newspersons he had heard so much about the Foundation that he wished to learn first hand, the training being imparted by Lillee to potential talents in fast bowling.

''The United States has a very old connection with cricket although the sport has not caught on there. It was in America that the first international official Test match was played as far back as 1850 between Canada and US,'' he recalled.

Asked about his favourite cricketer, Mr Hopper said it was India's Anil Kumble.

''He is a very diligent cricketer and seems to be a good captain,'' he added.

Mr Hopper said Sachin Tendulkar was also known to youngsters in the US although cricket was not a tradition vis-a-vis sports like baseball.

''But the sport is attracting youngsters now. I know it is not as easy to strike a cricket ball with the bat like the baseball being hit with a baseball bat,'' he observed.

The US official also interacted with Chief Coach, Former India Pace Bowler T A Sekhar and the Mammen Brothers, who had set up the Foundation with the noble idea of unearthing fast bowling talent for Indian cricket.

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