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Youngsters should be allowed to get a feel and love for the game-Mike
By Aubry Kuruppu
In Kandy these past few days, a Britisher, Michael Griggs by name, has been doing his bit to improve the standard of cricket at St. Anthony's College, Katugastota. Mike, a level three coach of the E.C.B. Coaches' Association was very forthright and forthcoming about how his association with the Katugastota school began.

Having holidayed in this serendipitous isle for two weeks in 2001, Mike returned the next year for the International coaches conference. Through contacts established thereat, he did about a week's coaching at the Quadrangular Catholic Schools' - St. Peters, St. Joseph's, St. Anthony's and St. Benedict's. On his third visit to the island, he will be working with the first three schools named above, with St Sebastians thrown in for good measure.

His cricket-playing background is modest, but he has compensated by going full steam ahead in coaching. Mike was one of the first to become a level three coach. A staff coach of the ECB, he has conducted level one courses in Essex and Middlesex. Above all else, he had aspirations of coaching abroad and his endeavours on foreign fields have been quite fruitful.

Being the Chairman of the Selection Committee of the England women's team, Mike feels that the level of difficulty in coaching men and women is about the same. However he is very candid about the fact that the fairer sex is much more receptive to fresh ideas and inputs. In a sense, women are like his charges here and he thinks working with them is a real pleasure.

As to the correct age for a youngster to start cricket, Mike is not dogmatic. His opinion is that the lads should be allowed to get a feel and love for the game and that technical coaching can wait until the child is eleven or twelve. Englishmen in general are guilty of over-coaching. Positiveness should be encouraged. As far as unorthodoxy goes, he doesn't generally condone it, but admits that it pays in certain circumstances. But if a bowler has a 'mixed action' which could cause him injury, Mike feels that then unorthodoxy should go out of the window.

I couldn't resist mentioning the recent disappointing English tour. There was a tinge of sadness, yet he remained upbeat that over the last couple of years, English cricket has enjoyed more highs than lows. He feels that today's players live more of the good life and are in consequences softer and less strong than their counterparts of three or four decades ago.

English cricket's top tier has about 400 professionals while, in contrast, the Aussies have only around 90. As to why the top ten has remained the property of Australia after the last six or seven Ashes series, he offers the interesting explanation that it's a reflection of how good the Aussies have been. He is emphatic that Junior cricket in England is in good shape. They are very competitive at under 15 and 19 level. Thereafter they tend to become jaded, and be part of the treadmill. Ian Bell, Michael Powell (Warwickshire), Andre Strauss (Middlesex) and Simon Jones are mentioned as four players who could help England emerge from the doldrums.

Dwelling on England's abysmal paucity of quality spinners, Mike says it is because the conditions and the wickets prepared suit the seamers. Spinners are not encouraged. By the same token, English players find life difficult on subcontinental turners.

Flintoff, he says, is a big star and it would be a shame if he's bowled into the ground. His batting has certainly come on by leaps and bounds. Trescothick's lack of footwork may cause his downfall at times, but his head is in line and in the correct position. Harking back to Michael Atherton's square drive, Mike offers the opinion that the front foot was not near the ball but that the position of his head was very good.

What awaits England in the Caribbean? The key to containing Lara is to keep the ball up and for the seamers to bowl a disciplined line. When, frustrated, the Prince of Trinidad tends to lash out.

When talking about umpires and technology, Mike asserts that, at the moment, they've just about got the balance right. The field umpires should have more scope for decision-making technology does have a part to play in run out and stumping decisions.

Speaking frankly about the Anthonians with whom he has just concluded a week's coaching, Mike is emphatic that there is no lack of talent. It is only a slight lack of self-confidence. This year could be a learning curve. He would like them to be positive, to plan their game and to have the correct body language. In two years time he is certain that they will be calling the shots.

In conclusion, Mike Grigg, a physical education teacher in a prep school just outside London, has, like Steve Waugh, one last frontier to cross despite its mystifying amalgam of poverty and politics, he would like to coach in India. It could be challenging and tough, but it will be well worth the effort.

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