Murali clone flown into help Kiwis says report

By Channaka de Silva (www.dailymirror.lk)

The visiting New Zealand team has flown down a teenager from England to Colombo to help the team’s preparations because the youngster “apparently can bowl Muralitharan's famed doosra with the same worst action ever to pass muster” according to a report in New Zealand media.

New Zealand’s ‘Dominion Post’ revealed that an unheard-of 19-year-old named Maurice Holmes who is a Kent 2nd XI bowler had been called in to help Kiwis combat the threat of Muttiah Muralitharan and Ajantha Mendis in the upcoming Test series which begins in Galle on August 18.

Holmes had been discovered by the New Zealand team when he bowled to the New Zealanders at the nets during the Twenty20 World Cup in England in June.

New Zealand Cricket's General Manager, Geoff Allott had said skipper Daniel Vettori felt he could be helpful to their cause in Sri Lanka.

"The guys were blown away by how close he was to Murali and there are very few people who can do that so we thought, ‘why not’," Allott said.

"The proof will be in the pudding of course but we viewed it as worthwhile. He can bowl the doosra and we have to look at ways of improving."

Allott had described the cost of the exercise as "really nothing more than a return airfare".

"The thing is Saqlain Mushtaq is always working with the batters and bowlers. He is a busy man, so Maurice is able to do a lot of the grunt work." Allott had said.

Allott said the feedback from the New Zealand players about Holmes had been very positive.

Holmes, who is on a gap year between secondary school and college, left the New Zealand camp yesterday to return to England.

Holmes had said he never initially studied Muralitharan's technique. "I never knew he bowled like that, it just felt normal for me."