The Cricket Thread

[Ken 119]

Warner just doesn't have the nuance/intelligence to connect with anybody over here and for that he's been castigated for a long period of time. As a test match cricketer he is starting to become top notch, which makes the comments he's made about others who have proven themselves over a long, long period of time way out of line, others have achieved more than he. While he does say what most believe over here, icluding me, it isn't for him to make public about. Blame management for that. But with his attitude it comes back to the fact he is generally a fucking moron, which will never change, who is too comfortable with his keep due to the coin he has earned in the IPL - a detriment to the fundamentals of traditional cricket in my opinion.

[Tooj 17]

5Live have got a series of podcasts called 5Live Specials, and they did one yesterday on depression in cricket, which is worth a listen.

 

They've also done one called Project Ashes and an interview with Broad.

 

Not worth subscribing to, cos there's too much rugby shit, but worth checking in from time to time to see what the latest episodes are.

 

First aired in 2011.

[Tooj 17]

@@Ken - have a read of this.

 

http://www.espncricinfo.com/the-ashes-2013-14/content/story/692537.html

Fun turns to fear for Jonathan Trott

A joyous debut century is now a world away for Jonathan Trott as the complexities of international cricket catch up with him

A couple of weeks after Jonathan Trott's Test debut, he remarked that the experience of playing in the game, even before his match-defining century, had been "the most fun" he had ever had.

But somewhere in the intervening years the fun has disappeared. Instead of fun, there is fear. Instead of joy there is anxiety. It was telling that Alastair Cook spoke of the Ashes as being like "a war". No one enjoys wars.

Trott might seem, at first glance anyway, an unlikely candidate for a stress-related illness. He took to international cricket with apparent ease. Having scored that century at The Oval against an attack similar to that which he came up against in Brisbane over the last few days, Mitchell Johnson and all, he moved to the upper echelons of the world rankings in both ODI and Test cricket and made a habit of producing nerveless innings when they were most required. It all looked as if it came so easily.

But stress does not discriminate. Perhaps you can care too much. Perhaps, if you try too hard, you are more likely to fail. Perhaps a period of success can build not just confidence, but expectation and pressure.

Cricket means a great deal to Trott. With a cricket coach for a father and a cricket player (Kenny Jackson) as a big brother, he was steeped in the game from the start. It seemed natural when he breezed through the age group teams in South Africa and moved to England to pursue his career full time.

He flourished. With nothing to lose, he made a habit of producing match-turning contributions and seemed to have the perfect temperament. As he explained, when he was batting well, he hardly thought at all. He just played each ball on its merits and had the hunger to do so all day. He made a century on debut in 2003 and soon became a fixture in a strong Warwickshire side.

But then came the first of the serious setbacks. In the summer of 2007 he lost form so completely that he barely managed 20 and, at times, looked unrecognisable from the Jacques Kallis-like batsman who had previously dominated. It is not easy for a perfectionist to accept failure.

He reacted the only way he knew how. He worked harder; he pushed himself more. He could be seen in the nets as early as 7am on the day of games.

And the more he pushed, the more he failed. Even on nights away from the game, he could be seen practising his trigger movements and back lift in the glass of restaurant windows, in bathroom mirrors on holiday, in clothes shops and coffee bars. He talked of the absurdity of a game in which, when in the best of form, you can play and edge a ball to slip but in the worst of form you can miss and survive. He talked of "worms in his head" that were eating away at his confidence and forcing him to overthink something that had once been so natural. He talked about giving up the game and pursuing a different career.

But he found a way through all that. Partly through the support of Ashley Giles and partly through the support of his wife, he found the stability to deal with the inevitable setbacks that occur in a career as a batsman. He learned to accept that, as long as he had prepared well, he had to accept the occasional failure.

To prevent those intrusive thoughts entering his head, he settled upon a formula. He would make that famous trench in the pitch between deliveries; he would fiddle with his pads; bend his knees; check his boots and gloves. Anything it took to ensure there was no time to let those thoughts creep back.

He was mocked by some. They found him compulsive and robotic, missing the point that it was a tactic to deal with an excess of emotion. It was a tactic to avoid the dark thoughts that have always circulated but have only now settled upon him.

It worked, too. He produced some magnificent innings for England. Innings that shaped matches and series; innings that earned him respect from opponents around the world. Great innings.

"You should talk to me after I've failed," he said, one day after making a century. "There's no point talking to me after I've got runs. You won't learn anything that way. I don't think anything when I'm scoring runs. It's when I'm not scoring them that you could learn something."

There were some setbacks along the way. They were always away from home; nearly always towards the end of a long tour. Without his normal routine and without the comforting influence of family and home, there was no one to tell him it was one bad innings or one bad game; no one to limit the scale of the failure or remind him of the perspective. No one to tell him to turn off the TV and get some sleep. The England management knew this and managed it well. While there are times the England camp can be somewhat cliquey, there is no more anyone could have done - players and support staff - to be supportive and sympathetic in the last few days.

Why has the situation now peaked? The struggle against Mitchell Johnson in Brisbane may have been a catalyst but it is not the cause. It may have unmasked the problem, but it is not the underlying issue. It is more likely that this has been an accumulative issue which has been building and subsiding for many months. Maybe this Ashes series, coming so soon after a high-pressure tour to India, a Champions Trophy campaign that meant more to this England team than many realise and then back-to-back Ashes series have taken their toll.

When he should have been relaxing, ahead of this tour, he returned to the nets for extra sessions to ready himself for the challenge he knew lay around the corner. When he should have been sleeping, he was worrying. He simply needs down time. Time not to think about batting. Time not to think.

It would be simplistic to blame David Warner for this. But, in time, perhaps we should reflect on whether there is anything about the England set-up - its intensity and its relentless schedule - that contributes to this problem. The fact that Trott, Marcus Trescothick and Michael Yardy have all suffered a broadly similar issue within seven years is remarkably coincidental. Several others, including Andrew Flintoff and Matthew Hoggard, have struggled to up hold the pretence when all they wanted to do was stop.

Perhaps those of us in the media should reflect, too. Some of the comments following Trott's second innings were disproportionately harsh. They questioned not just Trott's ability and technique, but his bravery and his masculinity. There is always pressure on journalists to find the most memorable description and it often seems as if the Devil has the best lines. But we do need to remind ourselves that sports personalities - usually young people with their dreams and livelihoods at stake - are as fragile and flawed as the rest of us.

For a man of Trott's background - raised in a macho environment where fears and insecurities are to be denied - to ask for help is a major undertaking. There is a certain bravery in doing so. He knows some will mock him and accuse him of weakness and that will hurt him. But there's a certain selflessness in his actions, too. He could have battled on, living on reputation and not allowed anyone else an opportunity in his place. But he knew he wasn't in the mood to help the team as much as he would have liked. He knows there is no guarantee of a return to the side.

In time, Trott will come to realise he is a lucky man. Whatever happens in the rest of his career - and it would be disingenuous to pretend that this may not be the end of his international career - he has touched heights that few manage. He has played some great innings; he has won games for his country; he has been part of a team that reached No. 1 in the world in all formats and he has won the ICC Player of the Year award, arguably the highest accolade in cricket. He has achieved a great deal.

More importantly, he has a healthy, happy family who love and value him. In the weeks ahead, he will have time to spend with them and the "worms in his head" will gradually fade away. There will be regrets and there will be pain, but there will also be a realisation that he has handled a horrible situation as well as he could and that his blessings far outweigh his problems.

 

[Ken 119]

Pretty good insight there. Not only can they develop stress-related illnesses as with Trott and Trescothick, but they are susceptible to developing obsessive compulsive disorders as well. Hope the poor fella recovers.

 

...and on a much lighter note;

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/cricket/new-song-taunts-english-selection-policies/story-fni2fnmo-1226769415898

Edited November 27, 2013 by Ken

[essembeeofsunderland 811]

I'm no cricket fanatic but i don't think he's been worthy of a test place for a long time.2 centuries in his last 40 innings if my research is correct.Prior to the recent test match at Chester le Street i popped down to watch them train and did notice he was a miserable so and so. Swanny the Blyth mag was great with the youngins who were hunting for autographs.Pieterson lost his rag a bit when some kids wanted their mates to take photo's of each other with him. `Quickly quickly' he barked at them.

[Kid Dynamite 7025]

Good game at Durham like

[essembeeofsunderland 811]

I couldn't afford the entrance fee so i watched them train.Michael Clark did his best to avoid autograph hunters even though there were only a dozen or so hunting.3 makems were there with their makem shirts on but thats what they are like.

[Tooj 17]

 

You stay classy Australians.

[Kid Dynamite 7025]

I know from experience that casual racism is seen as acceptable in Australia in 2013. The backwards bastards

[Ken 119]

Don't know why CA caved in and removed that tbh. Who gives a fuck what Piers Morgan thinks and says.

[Dr Gloom 21912]

on paper honours are about even after day one. time to wheel out the old cliche but the first hour tomorrow will be crucial. aussies have a strong tail but england have a new-ish ball. skittle them out for 350 and it's game on.

 

but england have to chalk up a first innings lead to have any hope of winning the match and they're not in the greatest nick. with that in mind, aussies have their noses in front. we needed a couple more wickets.

[essembeeofsunderland 811]

It all depends on whether England shit themselves again with the bat

[David Kelly 1244]

Had Carbury not fumbled that easy catch we'd have been in a good position. After the first test though I'm wary of getting too excited. Time for Cook, KP and Prior to stand up when we get in!

[Tooj 17]

If we have another shocker with the bat it's about time that Gooch did one.

[Monroe Transfer 0]

It's absolutely shite

[Ken 119]

skittle them out for 350 and it's game on.

 

Game over.

 

Well it looks like a draw at best which means your lot will have to turn it around big time (if you avoid a loss here) after you get your arses kicked in Perth, and win back-to-back tests in Melbourne and Sydney. Not impossible, but highly unlikely. Oh well, you've had a good little run...

Edited December 6, 2013 by Ken

[Gemmill 44811]

Oh dear. Cook gone for fuck all.

[Dr Gloom 21912]

this is the test match we had to win to have a chance in this series. we'll do well to draw this now. don't fancy us at perth at all.

[desmondTUTU 0]

Hardly any surprise staying up that late to play

[Ken 119]

Not a good morning, lads and lasses, I've got to say. The signals from this England side are that they have given up the fight. Your middle order are gutless - how can you crumble as easy as they did on such a slow wicket? Poor Monty being used as target practice by the Aussie quicks - but at least he stood firm and showed some resistance. Same from Bell, who should be at first drop, Root who took a few for the team, and Carberry who was unlucky to get out from a top catch. But there is very little else to heap praise on apart from those shiny aero-dynamic helmets some wear out to the middle.

 

I can see a 5-0 series result looming here.

Edited December 7, 2013 by Ken

[catmag 337]

We've been fucking spineless overnight.

[Gemmill 44811]

wtf are Australia batting for?

 

England just look like total cowards with the bat. Fucking Mitchell Johnson man.

[Tooj 17]

Shameful and disgusting effort from us.

[Ken 119]

wtf are Australia batting for?

Having a rest, Gemmill, it's a marathon not a sprint. The third test match starts 3 days after the end (if it lasts five days) of this one.

Need to ensure they are fresh not only for the coming onslaught in the second innings but also on a beautiful bouncy WACA wicket next week. Looking forward to that? Don't think Cook and co are

 

And as a outside observer I think it may be time to part ways with Andy Flower too btw and get in an Englishman who can put the fire back in their bellies. Worked for us getting rid of Mickey Arthur and bringing in Darren Lehman, the turnaround has been quite spectaculor. If I were a supporter of the Poms I wouldn't be too happy with the way Flower intimated that he and Lehman should get together to speak about sledgegate which he was given the cold shoulder to, and also calling for us to not bowl so many bouncers is an embarrassment and just shows weakness which has permiated through to the team. But of course as an Australian I'm just loving this!

Edited December 7, 2013 by Ken

[desmondTUTU 0]

well, the rest of them may as well come back home now.

 

lord knows what the aussies think at the moent