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http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=156662
A few metres away from the media glare that surrounds the Asian Archery championship at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, a bunch of cricketers —- wearing the familiar green & gold jersey —- are sweating it out silently, no pun intended.
That’s the Australian Deaf cricket team, here in the capital as part of their week-long preparation ahead of World Cup, that kicks off with a match against hosts India, starting November 17 in Lucknow.
It’s not just the typical Australian approach towards training and fitness — the stylish glares and zinc cream included — that they stand together with their main team as world champions. It’s the entire cricket set-up that allows the deaf cricket clubs to prosper along with the ’hearing clubs’, and more importantly creating an atmosphere where deaf cricketers play along side regular cricketers.
“Almost 80% percent of our cricket team members play for ’hearing clubs’ back home, and there’s no differentiation between them,” says team manager Tony Clews. Clews and other members have Michael Webb, the interpreter, to help them out communicating on this tour.
Take for instance, Kym Daley. The 24-year old fast bowler is from New South Wales and has played first grade cricket back home. He’s played a few games for the state second XI side and is hoping to break it soon into the main team. “I was offered a contract by the NSW association in 1999-2000 and have also played for the NSW Under-23 side,” says Daley.
Although he couldn’t get through Brett Lee just before the team left for World Cup, Daley remembers how Lee, Glenn McGrath and the legendary Jeff Thompson were instrumental in him building him up as a fast bowler “step by step.” “I have an ability to whip up good pace and they helped change my bio-mechanics, ensuring that I don’t injure myself. I have been working with them, and I need to develop my bowling a bit more, play on different wickets to break in there.”
Skipper Andrew Watkins — he’s also got his twin brother playing in the team — plays first grade cricket and turns out for minor county in England during the off-season. But the foremost question is, how do they co-ordinate with other team players turning out for ‘hearing sides’?
Clews says: “Few have problems mingling with other team members because there are different ways of communicating. A few players in the side have grown up with them so they understand what we try to say, sometimes through interpreters or maybe written down messages, but normally everyone in the main side are comfortable with deaf cricketers. We have grown up deaf, so know how to adapt and rise to the challenge. We have to find out own way out.
Though the focus is entirely on cricket, they did find time to visit the Ferozeshah Kotla ground in the morning and try organise a practice game with the Delhi Ranji side.
It’s the venue where their coach John Webb played a Test against India way back in 1978. He’s earned the Baggy Green cap just like any other Australian Test cricketer but more than that, he’s happy to have mingled with schoolchildren of the nearby deaf and mute school.
“It was a touching experience,” he agrees before he gets back to cricket talk. “We came here one week in advance than other teams to get acclimatised to the conditions. We have quite a lot of all-rounders and some can bowl spin as well,” he says.
And then there’s team physio Tim McCudy. He’s a hearing person among the batch of deaf people. “It’s the other way around,” says Clews. “And he’s having first hand knowledge about life of a deaf cricketer, he’s been great help to us.”
A few metres away from the media glare that surrounds the Asian Archery championship at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, a bunch of cricketers —- wearing the familiar green & gold jersey —- are sweating it out silently, no pun intended.
That’s the Australian Deaf cricket team, here in the capital as part of their week-long preparation ahead of World Cup, that kicks off with a match against hosts India, starting November 17 in Lucknow.
It’s not just the typical Australian approach towards training and fitness — the stylish glares and zinc cream included — that they stand together with their main team as world champions. It’s the entire cricket set-up that allows the deaf cricket clubs to prosper along with the ’hearing clubs’, and more importantly creating an atmosphere where deaf cricketers play along side regular cricketers.
“Almost 80% percent of our cricket team members play for ’hearing clubs’ back home, and there’s no differentiation between them,” says team manager Tony Clews. Clews and other members have Michael Webb, the interpreter, to help them out communicating on this tour.
Take for instance, Kym Daley. The 24-year old fast bowler is from New South Wales and has played first grade cricket back home. He’s played a few games for the state second XI side and is hoping to break it soon into the main team. “I was offered a contract by the NSW association in 1999-2000 and have also played for the NSW Under-23 side,” says Daley.
Although he couldn’t get through Brett Lee just before the team left for World Cup, Daley remembers how Lee, Glenn McGrath and the legendary Jeff Thompson were instrumental in him building him up as a fast bowler “step by step.” “I have an ability to whip up good pace and they helped change my bio-mechanics, ensuring that I don’t injure myself. I have been working with them, and I need to develop my bowling a bit more, play on different wickets to break in there.”
Skipper Andrew Watkins — he’s also got his twin brother playing in the team — plays first grade cricket and turns out for minor county in England during the off-season. But the foremost question is, how do they co-ordinate with other team players turning out for ‘hearing sides’?
Clews says: “Few have problems mingling with other team members because there are different ways of communicating. A few players in the side have grown up with them so they understand what we try to say, sometimes through interpreters or maybe written down messages, but normally everyone in the main side are comfortable with deaf cricketers. We have grown up deaf, so know how to adapt and rise to the challenge. We have to find out own way out.
Though the focus is entirely on cricket, they did find time to visit the Ferozeshah Kotla ground in the morning and try organise a practice game with the Delhi Ranji side.
It’s the venue where their coach John Webb played a Test against India way back in 1978. He’s earned the Baggy Green cap just like any other Australian Test cricketer but more than that, he’s happy to have mingled with schoolchildren of the nearby deaf and mute school.
“It was a touching experience,” he agrees before he gets back to cricket talk. “We came here one week in advance than other teams to get acclimatised to the conditions. We have quite a lot of all-rounders and some can bowl spin as well,” he says.
And then there’s team physio Tim McCudy. He’s a hearing person among the batch of deaf people. “It’s the other way around,” says Clews. “And he’s having first hand knowledge about life of a deaf cricketer, he’s been great help to us.”