Here's an article that looks at the strategies used by NFL football players to deal with the huge pressure of playing in professional sport. It's simplicity can be applied perfectly to cricket:

1. "Pressure is a reflection of ambition. Rather than viewing the pressure as a negative, look at it as a great opportunity. It means that you know what you want, and that you actually have a chance of obtaining it.

2. "Preparation guarantees nothing. You can control your preparation. What you can't control are outcomes.

3. "Anxiety comes when we don't know what to expect. Will you be able to perform early in the morning on no breakfast after a bad night of hotel-room sleep? That's what you need to prepare for. If you know you can do it, your anxiety level will diminish.

4. "You can only have a few priorities, or it's no longer a priority. Great coaches and athletes create finish lines. There's a reason 90-day diets work. That's all we're focused on.

"If all of the above sounds incredibly simple, well, that's the point."

While the focus is on professional American football, nothing changes when you put on whites in your match. You still need to learn how to deal with pressure: You might get out first ball. You might be needed to bowl the final over with six needed to win. You might be under a skyer on the boundary.

So the lessons, for me, are equally simple.

First, in practice, set things up for imperfect situations. Do middle practice where things are going awfully wrong. There are really only four situations. Learn your plan for getting out of the hole.

Second, during games, work on your specific role in the team and stick to it. It will give you clarity and reduce anxiety. Also, remember that if you are feeling pressure, it's a sign that you have an opportunity to succeed rather than feeling you are about to fail. Avoid words like "try", "but", "why" and "don't" and reframe your thinking with "will", "and" and "do".

And finally, work to recognise when the tension is influencing your technique - you are "tensed up" - and develop a way to let that tension go. It's hard work, but with the right focus you can get back to smooth, flowing movements that are the hallmark of a confident player.

How do you deal with stressful cricket moments?