Topic: Captaincy issues (Read 4030 times)

mohawks94 · « **on:** June 28, 2015, 09:53:15 PM »

Any advice/opinions on this are much appreciated!

My situation is as such. I am 21, in my second season captaining my clubs Sunday and Academy teams, with whom I have enjoyed a fair bit of success, despite generally having a very young team, mostly under 14s. In today's game (I have said what happened in the 2015 season topic), I had one adult (not including myself), one u18, one u17, two u15s and five u14s, most of whom I know well and had sorted the batting and bowling plans to suit this. Unfortunately I have had issues today with the under 18 and the under 17, which spoiled a very good win for my lads for me.

Firstly the u18. He batted 5 and got 23, then opened the bowling and got 6 overs. I didn't particularly want to open with him, but he doesn't get much to do most Saturdays and arguing with him is like banging your head on a wall, so I let him open up. However, I have apparently gone 'power mad' as captain, despite the fact I have been getting as many people involved in the game as possible. This started after he moved fielders when he had finished bowling into positions I didn't want them in. As soon as I saw this I moved them back and told him to stop moving my field around.

Now the u17. He opened the batting, but got a duck. He then nagged me basically from the time he came back to the pavilion until I went out to bat to let him open the bowling and bowl pace. He is an off spinner. Then, for the entire innings, he was nagging to let him bowl pace, and it came to a point that I rather bluntly told him to shut up and get on with it, and that I would bowl him only if he bowled spin. When the u18 heard me saying at drinks to him that if he bowled pace I would take him off, I got the 'power mad' comment. I feel my insistence was justified as in one over of spin, he took two wickets to finish the game off, but there was a bad atmosphere after the game from the two players mentioned.

These two are reasonably established league players, so I expect them to set an example to the others who aren't playing in the 1s or 2s. However, I felt that they were trying to undermine me, were just outright defying my instructions, or at times were trying to bully me into letting them get their way. I know I am learning more every game I captain, and that it is impossible to keep everyone happy (the u17s brother batted 10 and didnt bowl as my other bowlers ran through the opposition and I can understand why he was annoyed.) I have said to my mum, who sorts out the teams for me, that I don't want the u18 playing the next few games as I am fed up with his attitude, but the other lad was out of character.

Any advice on dealing with difficult team mates? I am generally quiet but a thinking cricketer and try to lead by example, demanding respect by proving myself as the leader with bat or ball, leading a young team playing a decent level of innovative attacking cricket, but today was the most frustrating game I have captained (7 in total in the last two seasons with 4 wins, 3 losses) because of the way some of my senior players acted, and they made my job a lot more difficult than it needed to be today.

smilley792 · « **Reply #1 on:** June 28, 2015, 10:18:28 PM »

I had a similar situation. But not sure my method will work.

Few years back I was first team opening bowler that could bat abit(as opposed to first team opening batter who barely bowls now)

But on a wed I was skipper and didn't bowl as would rather people have a game and practice what was needed on a sat.

2nd game of season we came across a team with a pro(playing 3rd divisions on a wed night).
He was slapping my bowlers about so ran out of options and bought myself on. Kept him quiet with some Yorkers and next over he slapped a loose one straight down deep covers throat.

Come the return fixture I wanted to ensure he didn't get a good start so planned to open bowling and not really bat.
But came in at no.5 at 18 for 3. And rescued us to 195 for 6.
Knowing with a pro batting and a short boundary it wasn't safe. So still wanted to open the bowling.
On hearing this the usual opening bowler called me a "power mad monkey" followed by "he's had his bat now wants his bowl, guess you'll be at slip for rest of game to"

I respond by only communicating with him in monkey noises(I do a good monkey impression) for the next 4 weeks. Wednesday and Saturdays. If ever he'd try talk to me or I needed to talk to him, I'd merely go "ugh ugh ahhh ahhh".

Not had a problem with him since in 5 years!

kenbriooo · « **Reply #2 on:** June 29, 2015, 06:09:40 AM »

I think in this instance it may be best to let any silly teenage comments just wash over you. However I would be prepared to say to both of them that YOU are the captain and you will decide what is best for the team and if they don't like it they will not be selected. It seems to me that both chaps were given opportunities to take part so they cannot complain about that so I think you'd be talking from a strong position. However you must be able and willing to replace them.

Unfortunately as captain or in many other parts of life you'll have to spend time with idiots that say and do stupid things. You'll learn in time when to truly be concerned about comments made your way and when to not even acknowledge them.

Rob580 · « **Reply #3 on:** June 29, 2015, 08:18:41 AM »

Either of these are better options than getting your mum not to pick them next week.

Then you're just begging for more grief...

mohawks94 · « **Reply #4 on:** June 29, 2015, 01:54:30 PM »

Neither of them are playing this weekend coming, we aren't asking one and the other is unavailable. Makes things a bit easier for me as we have loads of people available who will play in the right spirits rather than making my job harder. We don't have a league fixture on Saturday, so I am able to get away and have a relaxed game down south and a fun game Sunday, and let the whole thing blow over before our next fixture

Seniorplayer · « **Reply #5 on:** June 29, 2015, 05:10:48 PM »

Listen to what your teammates have to say but dont take any nonsense from anyone Captain the side your way.
Learn how to stand up for yourself without being sucked in as
there's absolutly no point in making silly noises and throwing your arms around on the field.

Mtown Don · « **Reply #6 on:** June 29, 2015, 09:42:11 PM »

Reading between the lines, I don't think it's a coincidence that the two players in question are the next most senior in the side and a few years older than the rest. They won't want to seem as though they are in a 'kids' team for their own benefit so either play captain (position of authority) or bowl with a different action (not really trying) to distance themselves a bit - childish but understandable.

For your part, I'm sure you are doing a good job with the development side but if you have older players in the team try to talk to them more as adults and give them more responsibility than the younger ones (maybe vice captain or 'I need you to bowl spin as you're my banker today'). I'm sure they would respond better; if not then a development side isn't for them and you probably are better off without

Kez · « **Reply #7 on:** June 29, 2015, 11:19:23 PM »

Quote from: mohawks94 on June 28, 2015, 09:53:15 PM

This started after he moved fielders when he had finished bowling into positions I didn't want them in. As soon as I saw this I moved them back and told him to stop moving my field around.

Its not your field, bowlers are a strange breed and need consulting. It could have been a plan he was working on, to me its shoud be give and take between a bowler and captain working out the best method possible.

And secondly at the age of 21 can you not sort your own team out?
is it that difficult to send a group email or text and the chase a few players later in the week?

TangoWhiskey · « **Reply #8 on:** June 30, 2015, 08:26:05 AM »

Quote from: Kez on June 29, 2015, 11:19:23 PM

Its not your field, bowlers are a strange breed and need consulting. It could have been a plan he was working on, to me its shoud be give and take between a bowler and captain working out the best method possible.

And secondly at the age of 21 can you not sort your own team out?
is it that difficult to send a group email or text and the chase a few players later in the week?

Read it again. He said after the bowler was taken off.

mohawks94 · « **Reply #9 on:** June 30, 2015, 08:37:53 AM »

From the lists we have of who is available, I choose who I want to play, and then mum sorts the admin for tea etc with agreed emails. Makes it simpler for both of us to have all emails going to one place generally, but I am still chasing other people on the phone when I'm not either working or coaching colts.
Because I am working with mostly colts, safeguarding means all communication needs to be through parents, which is another reason why I'm not sending out a group text to my team each week.
I had checked with the new bowler whether he wanted any changes made, and we had done as he wanted, but other guy changed it as soon as the new lad got hit for one boundary without asking anything to me or the bowler.

smilley792 · « **Reply #10 on:** June 30, 2015, 08:39:33 AM »

Quote from: Kez on June 29, 2015, 11:19:23 PM

Its not your field, bowlers are a strange breed and need consulting. It could have been a plan he was working on, to me its shoud be give and take between a bowler and captain working out the best method possible.

And secondly at the age of 21 can you not sort your own team out?
is it that difficult to send a group email or text and the chase a few players later in the week?
[/quote

He wasn't bowling.

And I'd hope like a few clubs round here, his mum is merely the appointed selection person. Not doing it because he can't cope.

Kez · « **Reply #11 on:** June 30, 2015, 10:40:37 AM »

Apologies- I mis read the OP.

And madness re safeguarding but that's the world we live in.

mohawks94 · « **Reply #12 on:** June 30, 2015, 01:06:45 PM »

No worries. As it happens my mum is the colts administrator, and as my team is normally me and 10 colts it makes sense that I select my side and mum does the bits concerning who brings what for tea. On field it is very much up to me what happens, who does what etc.

FattusCattus · « **Reply #13 on:** July 01, 2015, 07:47:42 AM »

I'm Captaining the mighty 3XI for the next 3 weeks, so it comes as no surprise that the Chertsey selection committee have left me with the standard Chertsey combo of 3 batsmen and 8 bowlers!

TangoWhiskey · « **Reply #14 on:** July 01, 2015, 08:18:37 AM »

Quote from: FattusCattus on July 01, 2015, 07:47:42 AM

I'm Captaining the mighty 3XI for the next 3 weeks, so it comes as no surprise that the Chertsey selection committee have left me with the standard Chertsey combo of 3 batsmen and 8 bowlers!

I see batting at 4 in your future...

Author Topic: Captaincy issues (Read 4030 times)

mohawks94

Captaincy issues

smilley792

Re: Captaincy issues

kenbriooo

Re: Captaincy issues

Rob580

Re: Captaincy issues

mohawks94

Re: Captaincy issues

Seniorplayer

Re: Captaincy issues

Mtown Don

Re: Captaincy issues

Kez

Re: Captaincy issues

TangoWhiskey

Re: Captaincy issues

mohawks94

Re: Captaincy issues

smilley792

Re: Captaincy issues

Kez

Re: Captaincy issues

mohawks94

Re: Captaincy issues

FattusCattus

Re: Captaincy issues

TangoWhiskey

Re: Captaincy issues