· The event marks 25 years of tie-up, which has benefited trainees from both the countries over the decades, including Glenn McGrath, Brett Lee, Mitchell Johnson, Josh Hazzlewood, Zaheer Khan, T Kumaran, and Varun Aaron
· The arrangement enables trainees from Australia to visit the Pace Foundation every year. Similarly, trainees from Pace Foundation get to visit the Australian Academy
· MRF Pace Foundation is the only coaching facility in the world dedicated to pace bowling
Mumbai, July 17, 2017: MRF Pace Foundation, India’s premier coaching facility dedicated to pace bowling established by MRF Ltd, India’s No: 1 tyre manufacture, is celebrating 25 years of its tie-up with Cricket Australia.
This is a unique partnership which over the years has benefitted trainees from both the sides. The collaboration started in 1992 when the legendary Australian cricketer Dennis Lillee was the Director of MRF Pace Foundation. It is notable that Glenn McGrath, the current Director, was among the trainees who first visited the Foundation in 1992 in the first batch of the programme.
The arrangement has enabled trainees from Australia to visit the Pace Foundation every year and, similarly, trainees from MRF Pace Foundation get to visit the Australian Academy. As a result of this exchange programme, when the Australian trainees visit the MRF Pace Foundation, they get to play in different climatic conditions and learn to bowl in Indian pitches that are generally dry and with low bounce, which is not conducive for pace bowling.
At times, a full-fledged team with batsmen and spinners from Australia visit Pace Foundation and play some matches to experience what it takes to play cricket in Indian Sub-continental conditions. Many Australian cricketers have benefited from this programme such as Glenn McGrath, Brett Lee, Mitchell Johnson and Josh Hazlewood, to name a few.
In return, trainees from MRF Pace Foundation visit the National Cricket Centre, Cricket Australia. In earlier days, they had the opportunity to be a part of the Australian Academy Team and participate in the Emerging Players’ Tournament, which includes teams from South Africa, New Zealand and India. This helped trainees to learn to bowl in different conditions, and in bouncy Australian pitches.
Currently, two trainees from MRF Pace Foundation visit the National Cricket Centre in Australia every year, where they get tested for 3D bio-mechanical analysis and get to train and play matches with other trainees. Many Indian cricketers have benefited from this programme such as Zaheer Khan, T Kumaran, and Varun Aaron, to name a few.
Gracing the function to mark the occasion were Mr. KM Mammen, Chairman & Managing Director, MRF Ltd; Mr. Arun Mammen, Vice Chairman & Managing Director MRF Ltd; and Mr. Rahul Mammen, Managing Director, MRF Ltd.
Speaking about his association with MRF Pace Foundation, Glenn McGrath, Director, MRF Pace Foundation, said, “It is delightful to know that I made it to the Foundation as a trainee in the first batch of this programme. Life has come full circle, where today I am still with the Foundation, not as a trainee but as its Director. It’s a great feeling.”
Speaking about the occasion, Mr. Rahul Mammen, Managing Director, MRF Tyres Ltd., said, “We are indeed happy to have this collaboration with Cricket Australia. It’s a great opportunity for trainees from both sides to explore and get experienced playing in varying climatic and surface conditions. Also, it gives us an opportunity to benchmark our training capabilities alongside the training methodologies adopted in Australia. We would be happy to continue this tie-up, which at the end of the day benefits the game of Cricket.”
About MRF Pace Foundation
MRF Pace Foundation is a sports development initiative by MRF Ltd, India’s No: 1 tyre manufacture. Founded in 1987 by the late Mr. Ravi Mammen, MRF Pace Foundation is theonly coaching facility in the world dedicated to pace bowling. Legendary Australian player, Dennis Lillee, was appointed as the first Director in same founding year.
With an aim to serve the country in the field of cricket, the Foundation has been identifying and nurturing talent across the country. Some of the big names that the Pace Foundation has hosted in the past are legends like Jeff Thompson, Greg Chappell, Ian Chappell, Joel Garner and Rodney Marsh to name a few. Celebrated Australian Cricketer, Glenn McGrath has been a guiding force at the Pace Foundation, playing the role of Director in the academy.