Master Class Session 7
Mar 30 2007
Majesty with Mahela Jayawardene!
Sri Lankan skipper Mahela Jayawardene would not have wanted to extend his stay for two reasons. First, with the World Cup fast approaching, he would have liked to get back and catch up on last minute training. Second, his team had just lost a closely fought series 1-2 to the hosts. That would surely hurt any captain of a touring team.
But Mahela was in Mumbai for a very special reason. The players at the Cricket Star Academy were privileged to meet one of Sri Lanka's most talented and prolific batsmen in a Master Class session. Mahela quickly got into the thick of things, chatting with the boys. They were given an opportunity to bowl three balls each to him. Naturally, they came back with memories to savour.
While Samandeep Singh gave the least number of runs, two other boys found themselves at different ends of the spectrum. While Piyush Negi sarcastically said that he came in first from the bottom (having given away the maximum number of runs), S Prabhu was elated. The animated wicketkeeper-batsman was excited because he managed to get Mahela's wicket. Perhaps another in the mould of Robin Uthappa who is adept at all forms of the game?
But it was the interaction with Mahela Jayawardene that spurred more than one boy to aim to reach the pinnacles of world renown.
