Young South African spinners for lessons in India

Seven promising young South African spin bowlers will attend a two-week course on spin bowling in Mohali, Punjab, next week.

The players will leave on June 3 for the sessions, to be conducted by Devendar Arora, Narendra Hirwani and Umesh Patwal. They will be accompanied by national selector and spinning coordinator Shafiek Abrahams and Yashin Ebrahim Hassan.

The seven spinners are Corbyn Dolley, Keshav Maharaj, Daryn Smit, Aubrey Swanepoel, Thandi Tshabalala, Roelof van der Merwe, and Jonathan Vandiar.

The trip is sponsored by Dubai-based businessman Shyam Bhatia, who was born in India.

Bhatia, who published a book on cricket titled Portraits of the Game, said cricket made him what was he is today and sport knows no boundaries, religion or colour.

"I have cricket to thank for so much of my success. It has opened so many doors for me and this is a way of saying thank you to the game," he told reporters in Johannesburg.

"It is a privilege to be involved. I am so pleased to be able to help and India is the perfect place for young spinners to learn their trade."

Bhatia has also donated US $10,000 each to the cricket boards of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, South Africa and the West Indies for cricket coaching of under-privileged children.

Gerald Majola, CEO of Cricket SA, expressed gratitude to Bhatia, saying "the wonderful sponsorship could help develop a string of exciting young spinners and a spinning culture".