Hick to mentor Oz batsmen in art of playing `marathon` innings

Sydney: Former England batting enigma Graeme Hick will be mentoring emerging Australian batsmen from this winter and teach them the lost art of playing marathon innings.

The Brisbane-based Centre of Excellence (COE) batting coach Stuart Law and head coach Troy Cooley have recently recruited Hick as a consultant in the hope Australia`s emerging batsmen can profit from the wisdom of his 25-year first-class career. Stating that the COE wants to focus on getting batsmen to build and score bid innings , Hick, who played 65 Tests for England in a 41,000-run first-class career, said that he is looking forward to mentoring the batsmen. However, the batting legend, who once scored 405 not out in a county match for Worcester, admitted that today`s cricket, like society, has become obsessed with the quick fix, adding that today`s players get praise even if they play only a few exciting shots like a reverse sweep or a switch hit. Hick further said that many young players of today now like being flashy and are probably more concerned about playing the reverse sweep than batting a long time. Hick, who spent much of his career battling the suffocating pressures of life on the fringe, said that he sees clear similarities between his own career and those of many current Australian players, adding that today`s players try to cement their place as well as play for the team. ANI