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Issues with my league form....

Barley

Cricket Spectator
I have a bit of a problem.

I am in my early 30s and play for a team that runs 3 league sides. I rejoined them 2 seasons ago after a 5-6 year break from league cricket.

Over the last couple of years, I have generally played in the 1st team (about 90% of my league games). I have had a few good scores for the 1sts in those 2 years, but my form has generally - to put it mildly - been patchy (i.e. poor). However, throughout that time my Sunday friendly form has been exceptional. Generally the standard on Sundays is lower, but sometimes the attacks are decent and I will face bowlers at least as good as anything I come up against on a Saturday. On other occasions, I have actually faced some of the same guys who seem to give me problems on a Saturday... only to smash them apart when I come up against them on a Sunday.

After a terrible start to my league season this year, I was dropped to the 2nds for this weekend just gone. To give some historical context, I have generally played my whole league cricket life (prior to my 5-6 year break AND since) at a higher standard than our 2nd team's current league, and generally had a fair bit of success. In other words, I should have no problems scoring runs for our 2nds.

As it was, I was all over the shop. An absolute bag of nerves, I looked poor and was out for 5. On Sunday, I captained our Sunday XI. The opposition bowling attack was as good - if not better - than the attack I faced on Saturday, and it was on exactly the same pitch as I batted on on the Saturday.

I was fluent and confident. I drove well, cut well and my shot selection was good. I only ended up with 24, but I felt a lot better and was caught on the boundary attempting to push the score on.

I'm slightly concerned that I get overly affected by a lot of the chirping and sledging on Saturdays (the oppo on Sat were VERY gobby) and I definitely feel a different mindset. Any suggestions on how I can get over my league nerves? Any suggestions as to how to shut out the opposition sledging?

Has anyone had the same problem as me, and how did you overcome it?

Thanks :)
 
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J_asonR

School Boy/Girl Cricketer
I think the problem in this case is upstairs (in your head). Seems to me like you have the ability to play a lot of the bowlers you'll face in league but maybe the fact that it is league and the pressure might hinder your decision making when batting.

I had a similar situation when I first got into Adult cricket, I could easily face the adults I was playing against but it was simply the fact that they are adults, and I felt I needed to prove myself to my older teammates that make me get out in a lot of cases.

I could be completely wrong as I don't know what kind of mental state you're in on each day, but this could be a factor.
 

Barley

Cricket Spectator
I think the problem in this case is upstairs (in your head). Seems to me like you have the ability to play a lot of the bowlers you'll face in league but maybe the fact that it is league and the pressure might hinder your decision making when batting.

I had a similar situation when I first got into Adult cricket, I could easily face the adults I was playing against but it was simply the fact that they are adults, and I felt I needed to prove myself to my older teammates that make me get out in a lot of cases.

I could be completely wrong as I don't know what kind of mental state you're in on each day, but this could be a factor.
I think you have it right. Its all mental. Any suggestions as how to overcome these mental blocks?

I have tried a lot of "positive visualisation" in the days leading up to matches, but this has actually made my form WORSE, as it is getting me thinking about the league stuff all the time and getting wound up about it. Maybe I need to just forget cricket completely in the week.
 

Jarquis

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Just strip it down to the basics. See ball hit ball.
That's basically what it comes down to.
Forget about who the bloke bowling is, forget about what team he plays for, forget about the context of the match and what competition it's in.
Just bat.

Easier said than done mind you.
 

J_asonR

School Boy/Girl Cricketer
Just strip it down to the basics. See ball hit ball.
That's basically what it comes down to.
Forget about who the bloke bowling is, forget about what team he plays for, forget about the context of the match and what competition it's in.
Just bat.

Easier said than done mind you.
Exactly the way to do it!

Don't completely forget cricket during the week, otherwise we'd have one less person on this forum.. But don't take it as the be all and end all.. You've got to be relaxed in everything you do in cricket I think.. When batting the relaxation will improve timing and flow of the shots.. It's the same with bowling, a bowler with a stiff action normally lacks consistency.

In league, the bowlers that I've faced like to try and rush the batsmen into a false sense of security, they'll be a couple of steps into their run up before you're even set up at your crease for the next ball.. Take your time, your the batsmen and the one calling the shots (quite literally).. If this is the case, just step back and take a breather.. Survey the fielding positions, anything you can do to bag that few extra seconds will help.
 

Barley

Cricket Spectator
Exactly the way to do it!

Don't completely forget cricket during the week, otherwise we'd have one less person on this forum..
Ha! We net twice a week, so it won't be a case of forgetting it completely. But I think I need to take my focus away from the Saturday game a little bit. "I have a weekend of cricket to look forward to..." is really all I need to be thinking about on a Friday. Nothing more, nothing less.
 

Barley

Cricket Spectator
Exactly the way to do it!

Don't completely forget cricket during the week, otherwise we'd have one less person on this forum.. But don't take it as the be all and end all.. You've got to be relaxed in everything you do in cricket I think.. When batting the relaxation will improve timing and flow of the shots.. It's the same with bowling, a bowler with a stiff action normally lacks consistency.

In league, the bowlers that I've faced like to try and rush the batsmen into a false sense of security, they'll be a couple of steps into their run up before you're even set up at your crease for the next ball.. Take your time, your the batsmen and the one calling the shots (quite literally).. If this is the case, just step back and take a breather.. Survey the fielding positions, anything you can do to bag that few extra seconds will help.
Trotty style! Good call.
 

YorksLanka

International Debutant
i would also say its good when the bowlers are sledging you becuase unless they are just a complete tool and doing it randomly, they are worried about you/rate you and want to get under your skin to get you out quicker.. Everyone deals with it in their own way but i find completely ignoring them tends to wind the bowlers up a bit more=> more loose balls that i can put away => them going quiet / being taken off..thing is ultimately they are gonna get you out but as you all say, its in your mind to control your innings
 

The Coach

Cricket Spectator
Had a few of my players suffer with this over the years and there is no single solution that works for every player. You firstly need to establish if its the sledging / banter that's getting to you or nerves as the approach to resolving is very different.

Some players thrive on banter and it makes then stronger - eg KP, others can be destroyed by it. If you are the latter, maybe consider the "bubble". With this, whenever you put your batting helmet on you are in the "bubble" - in this state, you can only hear and speak to your batting partner [and the umpires] all other "noise" is like a foreign language which you cannot comprehend and therefore have zero interest in = tottaly ignore.

If its nerves that are the problem, this could be routed in a multitude of possible sources and needs a conversation with a good coach to give you some ideas for dealing with it.
 

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