Jhulan egged by ICC nomination wants to break into 100 wkt club

Kolkata, Sep 9 (UNI) Being the only cricketer from the country from either version of the game to be nominated for the ICC players' choice of best cricketer, has only fuelled Jhulan Goswami's desire to excel and complete a century of wickets in the ODIs as soon as possible.

Talking to UNI, Jhulan said, ''The nomination came as a big surprise and certainly I feel deeply honoured and humbled. It can only motivate me to try harder and bowl better. I am on cloud nine and even if I fail to bag the award I will have no regrets'' ''Now my goal is to reach 100 wickets milestone as soon as possible and raise fears in the mind of the batters across the globe,'' she said.

Asked about her bowling style, she said, ''I hit the seam quite hard and try to move the ball. I concentrate on my line and length particularly.'' Goswami made her international debut against England on home soil in 2002 and her progress has been steady since then. The profile of Indian women's cricket has risen, especially since they reached the 2005 World Cup final in South Africa. And Goswami is keen to do her best to ensure the team continues to move forward, especially away from home.

She is a breath of fresh air to women's cricket, having come a long way from the dusty lanes of Nadia in West Bengal through the MRF pace foundation to the international circuit. The genial smile that accompanies the deliveries can be disenchanting when the rattle of the woodwork thunders the batters all over.

Incidentally, Jhulan is the only cricketer from India to be nominated for the International Cricket Council's Women Cricketer of the Year Award. But her immediate goal is to break into the elusive list of hundred club. ''Am just four short of 100 wickets in the one-dayers. I want to get there as soon as possible,'' she said.

After a training programme at the MRF Pace Foundation in Chennai, under the hawk eyes of Dennis Lillie and T A Sekhar, Jhulan is ready to take on the world.

This Glen McGrath fan has already claimed 10 wickets in a test match against England in 2006 in Taunton.

Bowling at 120 km per hour, faster than few of the top line bowler's in the men's game, she is the fastest woman on earth with the cherry in hand. But Jhulan is not satisfied having bagged 10 wickets in a Test. Now she wants to compliment her speed with an unerring line and length to make her invincible.

''Glenn McGrath is my idol. I idolise him for his consistent ability to maintain an impeccable line and length. He can bowl such long spells, and is always dot on.

''He is like a bowling machine. I only hope that one day I'll be able to bowl like him,'' said the new kid on the block.

''I am never bogged down by the situation. No matter who is at the other end, I just do my job. Being quick is my forte and I love to intimidate the opposition,'' she said, when quizzed on her forte.

Jhulan has 33 wickets from eight Tests at an average of 16.36, in one-dayers, she has scalped 96 victims from 79 games. She is also no mark with the bat with 263 runs in Test matches at an average of 29.22. In ODIs she has 3820 runs.

UNI