Topic: Help. I need therapy. Cricket Therapy. (Read 2954 times)

KarlPennington · « **on:** April 17, 2015, 01:25:22 PM »

Ok. So our first league game is tomorrow. I have been netting in various ways since November. I think I've improved, my confidence has definitely improved in the nets and I think I've gained a little more respect from my teamates... BUT the nerves (and the accompanying thoughts) have already started to take hold. 'What if I get a duck? what will people think? The senior players who haven't seen my progress in nets will just have their belief confirmed that I'm rubbish and I'll get dropped next week. I'm not going to bowl tomorrow so if I get out early it's going to be a long day and an even longer week waiting to bat again. I will have wasted �10 subs that I can't afford and my average on the clubwebsite is going to drop even further.'

As the thoughts circulate the pressure builds. I read somewhere once to try and visualise yourself playing a positive innings but all I can visualise is the ball hitting the stumps, me getting trapped LBW, getting caught out and walking back past my team mates to the changing rooms too embarrassed to give me eye contact.

These nerves, this cycle of thoughts will keep on swirling until I get to the crease tomorrow at which point all the things I have learned in nets, all the positive stroke play I have practiced, all the confidence I have gained will desert me and once again I'll be stood like a rabbit in the headlights as the bowler starts his run up.

During the bowlers approach my negative self-talk will be suddenly and desperately replaced by positive affirmations. 'Relax, you are more than capable, stay solid, play straight, no need to panic, back yourself...'

Inevitably the ball will be full and straight ( I never get a rank full-toss first up or a long-hop, always full and straight) The same ball I will get a hundred times in nets. I know to watch the ball, I know to play straight, I know that I don't need to score of this ball, I know to wait for the bad ball especially so early in my innings.

What happens next is a mystery. My adrenalin kicks in, my eyes light up, the thought of getting off the mark consumes me and I play the shot I have never, ever, ever played in nets - the cross batted lofted hoik over mid-wicket... I miss, the ball hits the stumps. Thanks for coming, you've been great.

So I guess what I am asking is, how can I be relaxed and confident at the crease, how can I take my mentality in the nets into a match situation. How can I consider myself a peer of my teammates and my opponents and not like the biggest idiot on the field?

All advice welcome.

TangoWhiskey · « **Reply #1 on:** April 17, 2015, 01:48:32 PM »

Come play for my side, subs are only �8 and ducks guarantee you a bat the next week for our viewing pleasure!

Silver Bullet · « **Reply #2 on:** April 17, 2015, 01:54:31 PM »

Quote from: KarlPennington on April 17, 2015, 01:25:22 PM

Ok. So our first league game is tomorrow. I have been netting in various ways since November. I think I've improved, my confidence has definitely improved in the nets and I think I've gained a little more respect from my teamates... BUT the nerves (and the accompanying thoughts) have already started to take hold. 'What if I get a duck? what will people think? The senior players who haven't seen my progress in nets will just have their belief confirmed that I'm rubbish and I'll get dropped next week. I'm not going to bowl tomorrow so if I get out early it's going to be a long day and an even longer week waiting to bat again. I will have wasted �10 subs that I can't afford and my average on the clubwebsite is going to drop even further.'

As the thoughts circulate the pressure builds. I read somewhere once to try and visualise yourself playing a positive innings but all I can visualise is the ball hitting the stumps, me getting trapped LBW, getting caught out and walking back past my team mates to the changing rooms too embarrassed to give me eye contact.

These nerves, this cycle of thoughts will keep on swirling until I get to the crease tomorrow at which point all the things I have learned in nets, all the positive stroke play I have practiced, all the confidence I have gained will desert me and once again I'll be stood like a rabbit in the headlights as the bowler starts his run up.

During the bowlers approach my negative self-talk will be suddenly and desperately replaced by positive affirmations. 'Relax, you are more than capable, stay solid, play straight, no need to panic, back yourself...'

Inevitably the ball will be full and straight ( I never get a rank full-toss first up or a long-hop, always full and straight) The same ball I will get a hundred times in nets. I know to watch the ball, I know to play straight, I know that I don't need to score of this ball, I know to wait for the bad ball especially so early in my innings.

What happens next is a mystery. My adrenalin kicks in, my eyes light up, the thought of getting off the mark consumes me and I play the shot I have never, ever, ever played in nets - the cross batted lofted hoik over mid-wicket... I miss, the ball hits the stumps. Thanks for coming, you've been great.

So I guess what I am asking is, how can I be relaxed and confident at the crease, how can I take my mentality in the nets into a match situation. How can I consider myself a peer of my teammates and my opponents and not like the biggest idiot on the field?

All advice welcome.

I have the same problem as you... I get nervous when walking to the crease.

A lot of your nerves are not about being rubbish... Sounds like you're being nervous about being nervous. I will suggest a few things :

1. Do what Sehwag does. As the bowler is running in, sing a song or hum a tune to yourself. That's it. Every ball, for the rest of your innings. It will automatically clear your head and you'll be too busy singing to be actually thinking about anything else.

2. Before your innings, don't try to suppress your nervous energy. Don't try to talk yourself into thinking positive. Research shows the more you try to suppress your negative feelings the harder it becomes. Instead just describe your feelings to yourself. "I am feeling very nervous, my mouth is drying up because I'm afraid I'll get out for nought." I haven't personally tried this, but research suggests that describing your own negative feelings to yourself has a significant effect on moderating them.

That's all I can help you with. I doubled my average last year but still struggled with this certain games... The first tip helped significantly...

mp07 · « **Reply #3 on:** April 17, 2015, 02:12:58 PM »

Just do some deep breathing before you go in. I try to do some meditation night before to relax myself, I def. sleep better after that

Seniorplayer · « **Reply #4 on:** April 17, 2015, 02:25:37 PM »

A few nerves are a good thing it helps you concentrate your mind. In fact i would be more concerned if any of my team weren't nervous at the start of there innings.
As an opener on arrival at the crease i say to myself watch the ball if in doubt get foreward but if it is possible I will always leave the ball outside off stump till I have hit the ball in the middle of the bat once that's achieved the nerves are gone.

KarlPennington · « **Reply #5 on:** April 17, 2015, 02:34:06 PM »

Good advice.

I'll have a game of Tiger Woods 2007 tonight to take my mind off cricket. Tomorrow I will accept and embrace my nerves whilst humming a tune at the crease.

Here is something else though. Me personally, I play better when I'm playing aggressively. My timing is Ok and I've got a bit of strength in my shoulders so I'm one who can clear the boundary rope. Which in nets is fine but on match day the risk of losing my wicket sends me into my shell, I become a very defensive player but my defense is rubbish so doing this is detrimental to my performance. I almost feel like I wish somebody would give me a green light to go out and look to score from ball 1.

smilley792 · « **Reply #6 on:** April 17, 2015, 02:55:47 PM »

I used to get nervous, hated waiting to bat, would be on edge. And it would effect me in the middle. Although once of the mark I'd then be fine.

A few times I'd score big would be midweek, when I'd literally arrive, pads on and go straight from changing rooms to middle as a wicket fell

Then I was asked to open, dreaded it, and insisted other guy took strike. Again once of mark fine.
Until I sunday game when I opened with an u15. He was petrified, so I had to take the strike. Was nervous, what's he gonna now, what will he do, Arrrggggggghhhh.
But Nice loosened from the bowler shrot and wide, slapped for 4 through cover.

Randomly I've been fine since, still open, and always try to take strike, and even if I go in down the order, I'm very rarely nervous.

It's crap advice, but all I can offer is, get out there and in as soon as is possible, and crack on, the nerves will soon subside with some runs, and if you bat better aggressively, be aggressive. Tis your game.

TangoWhiskey · « **Reply #7 on:** April 17, 2015, 03:06:07 PM »

I take your like as acceptance on my offer and a signature on on a contract to come play for us. First game is next Saturday, 2pm start. You're opening. First game is free but bring your �8 for Sunday as I've marked you down for a double.

SLC · « **Reply #8 on:** April 17, 2015, 03:28:10 PM »

The effects of nerves are very similar to bring excited. So just rename your feelings: tell yourself you feel excited, tomorrow you've got a chance to score runs and do well (you really have!).

And another thing if that doesn't help - no one else cares about your scores as much as you do - in a week's time most of your team won't remember how you played.

AndrewS · « **Reply #9 on:** April 17, 2015, 03:29:30 PM »

I've got my first game in about 12 years tomorrow - wasn't nervous until I read this. Now a quivering wreck

But seriously, I get nervous walking in to the net or out to the square but then it goes. Generally try and get bat to ball early and will know fairly quickly whether I'm in good nick and how to play from there on.

ProCricketer1982 · « **Reply #10 on:** April 17, 2015, 03:32:09 PM »

Relax, cricket is supposed to be enjoyed.

As someone else said, no one else cares whether you score 100, or 10 outside your group of mates. You can play premier league or div 8. It's utterly irrelevant as no one will 'make it' anyway. Remember you are paying to be there so just enjoy it and see what happens.

Leave the idiots to worry about the level they play at and worry over avgs etc. I remember, chances are they'll get less time actually playing in the top leagues and have all the worry.. Oh and still won't make it.

Each ball as it comes, play with a smile and don't take it seriously

Seniorplayer · « **Reply #11 on:** April 17, 2015, 03:38:48 PM »

Quote from: KarlPennington on April 17, 2015, 02:34:06 PM

Good advice.

I'll have a game of Tiger Woods 2007 tonight to take my mind off cricket. Tomorrow I will accept and embrace my nerves whilst humming a tune at the crease.

Here is something else though. Me personally, I play better when I'm playing aggressively. My timing is Ok and I've got a bit of strength in my shoulders so I'm one who can clear the boundary rope. Which in nets is fine but on match day the risk of losing my wicket sends me into my shell, I become a very defensive player but my defense is rubbish so doing this is detrimental to my performance. I almost feel like I wish somebody would give me a green light to go out and look to score from ball 1.

Maybe Karl you should bat when possible when there s runs on the board or quick runs are required .Also with regard to defence practice with your bat in front of a mirror with your pads and gloves on at taking a big stride forward with your head in front of the pad and bringing your top hand down so that it brushes the top of your front leg pad doing this will stop you being bowled between bat and pad also unless the match situation demands it leave balls alone that you don't need to play until you are in. Good luck.

KarlPennington · « **Reply #12 on:** April 17, 2015, 03:40:08 PM »

TangoWhiskey - I'm there it's not every day you get an offer to join a new team based solely on your ability to guarantee a duck

TangoWhiskey · « **Reply #13 on:** April 17, 2015, 03:59:24 PM »

Quote from: KarlPennington on April 17, 2015, 03:40:08 PM

TangoWhiskey - I'm there it's not every day you get an offer to join a new team based solely on your ability to guarantee a duck

Maybe I miss informed. As a distinctly average group of cricketers, quite often the most enjoyable part of the day is the beer afterwards, particularly if someone managed to snare a jug or two. In any rate, ducks are presided over with glee as a topic of jest for the after party and the after party only, they have absolutely no bearing on whether you'll be in next week or not!

KarlPennington · « **Reply #14 on:** April 17, 2015, 04:10:31 PM »

To be fair to my club, they probably have the same mentality. I just get too intense about such things as village cricket

I just need to lighten up, enjoy, see ball, destroy (see even had to throw destroy in there

)

Author Topic: Help. I need therapy. Cricket Therapy. (Read 2954 times)

KarlPennington

Help. I need therapy. Cricket Therapy.

TangoWhiskey

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Silver Bullet

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mp07

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Seniorplayer

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KarlPennington

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smilley792

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TangoWhiskey

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SLC

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AndrewS

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ProCricketer1982

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Seniorplayer

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KarlPennington

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TangoWhiskey

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KarlPennington

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