7 Warning Signs You’re Falling Out of Love with Cricket
Cricket is a game of passion. Darren Talbot has been playing for years. He noticed recently he might be getting a bit jaded. But he rekindled his love.
Here are his 7 warning signs, and one solution to the problem of falling out of love with playing cricket, especially as you enter the autumn of your career.
1. Praying for torrential rain on a Saturday morning
Those dark and dreary Saturday mornings are the worst when you’re not sure if it will or it won’t rain and you have a 50 mile round trip away game. There’s nothing worse than sitting in a dressing room for 2 hours to be told the games off or coming on and off and pulling the covers on and off. Is it really worth it?
2. Offering to drop down the order
Well you’ve had a good run. You haven’t been scoring the runs of late. Maybe it’s time someone else staked a claim?
3. Turning your back on the captain when he’s looking for bowling options
Feeling a bit stiff for a second spell skip! Not sure it’ll help when they’re only 1 one down on this flat track and flailing the ball to all parts at 8 an over! Can I stay at slip? No? Thought not.
4. Telling the captain he should “give the youngsters a chance”
It’s a youngsters game these days, the way they try to hit every ball to the boundary. I’m not getting any younger. Maybe I should just play on a Sunday and help you out if you’re short?
5. Dropping out midweek with a phantom injury or lame excuse
The old rheumatism keeps coming and going (and I do have tickets for the Lord’s Test on Saturday), plus there’s my neighbour’s son’s dog’s birthday party to attend.
6. Deciding not to bother buying a new bat for the first time in 20 years
Hardly ever get a chance to use in anger these days. I’m sure it’ll last another season. Don’t suppose I’ll need too many more bats now.
7. Bored of playing the same places with the same players
You need a change of scenery. Have you thought about a cricket society with overseas tours? A change is as good as a rest they say.
Last February, we competed in the Indoor Winter Cup in Vienna against teams from Austria, Holland and England and my thirst for playing again was rejuvenated.
What was great was not only the fantastic feeling of realising you can still contribute and cope physically on a cricket pitch but also to meet so many like-minded individuals in some unusual settings.
This February we are back in Vienna again. In July we are off to Estonia to play 3 day/night matches but in daylight as they are so far north it’s light until close to midnight or after!
These matches are often a decent standard so even if you’re still playing and enjoying cricket regularly, there’s something there for you. Plus we need some youngsters to fly around the boundary.
So if you’ve fallen out of love with cricket, want to have a final swansong or just fancy a new challenge, why not join us?
For more information email me, Darren Talbot, at touregs@twenty20cricketcompany.com or call on 07912 873591. You’ll soon wonder why you ever felt bad about the game.
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Comments
I'm constantly amazed how many players seem reluctant to play if there's the slightest hint of drizzle and would apparently rather just sit in the pavilion staring at the wall.
I was like that, once. I gave up league cricket for a couple of years and moved to a new club. Now I'm always the first on and the last off the pitch.
I think it helps to be an all-rounder, even if its just as a specialist in a particular fielding position. Its a far more interesting game if you're involved through all 80/100 overs.
I guess we all have moments where we think "what's the point" when you are out for your third duck in a row and the family complain they never see you.
For me it's a matter of remembering why you love playing in the first place and then adapting the way you play around your life. If touring works for you better than playing every weekend then go for it. You can still do well even if you play once a year if you prepare right.
I think batsmen are particularly susceptible to this. A bad run and you feel like you're paying £5 each week for the pleasure of 6 hours of umpiring and fielding.
That's one reason why I always encourage the players I coach to focus on being multi-skill cricketers: not only does it make them more useful to their captain, it also makes the game more enjoyable in the long run.
I quite enjoy batting down the order though. I either have to bat out for a draw or hit the winning boundary off the last ball...
A change of club/location is a great way to combat these issues. I think for many of us it's the camaraderie as much as the cricket which keeps us going back week after week and over time your mates do tend to drift away, play up or play down and then you find yourself surrounded by virtual strangers. Sometimes starting again somewhere else is easier and more beneficial than trying to break into your own club's new cliques.
That's where touring has helped me. I've actually been able to surround myself with not only with my mates but also people who are similar to me and camaraderie has become the most important thing. The cricket becomes more relaxing as a consequence and not surprisingly performances are all the better for not being too stressed!
I can't see myself going back to club cricket now. I don't need to.
It sounds brilliant actually: if you could get regular, good quality games it would be good alternative to Club cricket.
DonBradmansDuck - email me at touregs@twenty20cricketcompany.com and I'll give you details!!!