This 5 Step Post-Season Review Creates Independent Thinking Cricketers
I love the post-season time of year. players are reflective about the season just gone and, in the UK, we see this as a hugely important development phase leading up to Christmas.
As always, we start with a good review that puts things into a stark light. The immediate period at the end of a season is the perfect time to do this. Here is how I go about it with my players.
Our post season review meetings have 5 elements to them:
What Grass-Roots Cricket Coaches Can do to Save Test Cricket
How, as coaches, do we keep promoting the virtues of the ultimate format, Test cricket?
ODI and T20 cricket are both brilliant formats that have helped to develop broader interest levels in cricket across the globe whilst opening our eyes to advancements in fielding techniques, batting options and athleticism.
Test match cricket is a very different game to watch now because of the shorter formats and that's a good thing.
However, the challenge for me is to keep India interested in playing longer format cricket. The dominant Indian performances in the ODI series against England are a stark contrast to the pitiful 3 day capitulations that we saw at the back end of the Test matches.
This has nothing to do with ability, as the Indians have excellent players within their Test Team. To me it comes down to the attitude that the BCCI and has towards Tests. This rubs off on the player development system and, most importantly, upon the players.
We all know that if India lose interest in Test Match cricket, then the format will start a rapid slide into extinction.
So what's the solution?
Cure the Mid Season Slump with These Simple Tips (Part 2)
Last week we looked at a couple of trusted methods to turn mid season slumps into season ending purple patches.
But keeping a team firing right until the end of the summer is tough. The run in can seem endless, especially with poor form to cast doubt on ability. If last weeks strategies aren't completely doing the job then these additional upgrades will get your players right on track.
Stay Focused During Boring Nets with a Competitive Edge
I was chatting to Matt Dawson - Head Coach at Cricket Asylum - about the problem of young net bowlers "messing about".
I'm sure you recognise this: The session starts well but as attention span wanes, young bowlers tend to start entertaining themselves. The try to distract each other, run in while finishing a conversation or decide to "bowl leg spin" all of a sudden (and it goes into the side netting).
Of course, fun is a key aspect of training - especially in teenage players - but training time is limited and for most the goal is also to get better at cricket.
So how do you deal with it?
Matt's answer was insanely simple.
Cure the Mid Season Slump with These Simple Tips
Everyone wants to finish their season with some strong performances so they can w̶a̶l̶l̶o̶w̶ ̶i̶n̶ ̶n̶o̶s̶t̶a̶l̶g̶i̶a̶ ̶f̶o̶r̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶l̶o̶n̶g̶ ̶w̶i̶n̶t̶e̶r̶ ̶p̶e̶r̶i̶o̶d̶ help their side complete their targets.
I know that many of your players will feel that this is completely out of their reach as they are stuck in a mid-season slump with the ball or the bat. Without intervention, a player relies on luck to get them back into form yet with appropriate mental and technical a player can be back on track for a late season purple patch.
Here are some mental tips that have worked for me with players as they go from slump to superstar.
Learn as Fast as Moeen Ali with These Spin Tips
Alistair Cook called England all-rounder Moeen Ali the fastest learner that he has ever played with. England's spinning sensation has gone from barely-used in his debut to take 19 wickets in the series against India.
So what exactly is it that Moeen has learnt?
What's in Your Kitbag to Improve Your Cricket?
Coach Sam Lavery talks us through his perfect cricket coaching kitbag, and what's most essential when space is at a premium.
Imagine taking a current kit bag back 20 years.
Not only would some pieces of kit be questioned, but others would be completely unrecognisable. So what are the options that coaches carry in their modern day kit bags, and what do they have tucked away in the store cupboard back at HQ?
I’ve spoken to 10 coaches ranging from a few at First Class and International level, through to school and club coaches. Here's what they said.
Could the England Rugby Coach Catapult your Cricket Club into a Glorious Future?
In the last few weeks I have worked alongside England Rugby's Head Coach, Stuart Lancaster. Stuart has turned the fortunes of the England Rugby team round since he took the post in 2012.
What can we learn as cricket coaches from his story of success?
The main focus areas in his first years in the job have been lessons that can be easily transferred to a cricket club:
How Moving House Reminds Me of Great Fielding Plans
I'm moving house. While I was chucking out all sorts of rubbish in preparation, I stumbled across a fielding outline document.
The file underpinned England's fielding team at the 2007 World Cup. I put it together with key fielders within that group which included Paul Nixon, Paul Collingwood and Jimmy Anderson.
Coach Mental Toughness with the 7C Approach (Part 2)
Last week we looked at mental toughness for cricket and discussed the first 3 C's: Competitiveness, confidence and control
Now let's complete the set.