The Teesra

Category: Good Cricket

as opposed to bad cricket, of which there is too much; very subjective — my “Good Cricket” might bore you to tears, but it is still good for me

  • Follow the leader

    As the England cricket team prepares for the test series against India, the spotlight falls inevitably on their new captain, Alastair Cook.  Largely untried as a leader at the highest level, general opinion seems to be in favour of Cook’s appointment.  Top batsman, good team player, resolute under pressure.

    Cook’s predecessor, Andrew Strauss, alongside coach Andy Flower, saw England take the no. 1  position in the ICC Test rankings  (a position subsequently lost to South Africa), so Cook has a tough act to follow.

    But what makes a leader?  In sport, or in business?

    There is a clue in the title – a leader needs to lead.  Sometimes from the front (opening the batting in a Test match; first into the office and last out); sometimes by offering advice and support; sometimes simply by providing the space for others to flourish.

    But a leader also needs to be followed.  And that can be the tricky part.

    (more…)

  • Towards a philosophy of coaching

    Back in the summer, Mark Garaway, writing on PitchVision, posted on how having a coaching philosophy will make you a better coach.  Mark’s conclusion – it’s not only about the words (having a “mission statement” for your philosophy), but whether the coach lives and breathes their philosophy.

    Adam Kelly has just taken a look at how the successful coaches define their philosophies.  Truly inspirational.  And the results of applying these philosophies proves their relevance – Gold medals, World Cup wins, Tour de France success.

    So, perhaps I need a philosophy for my own coaching.

    It needs to be simple (I can’t remember anything too complicated).  It needs to be jargon-free (it needs to be readily understood).  And (because they always are) my statement of coaching philosophy needs to be short.

    OK.  With due acknowledgement to a colleague at work who, when asked to propound his sales philosophy, replied simply “just sell”[1], here is my philosophy of coaching.

    Get Better

    It is simple, jargon-free and short, but (I hope) at the same time more subtle than it might at first appear. (more…)

  • Sir Garfield says…look after the ball

    What question would you ask the greatest all-rounder the game has ever known?

    How to polish a cricket ball?

    Me neither.

    But I heard this from someone who asked this question of Sir Garfield Sobers – just one degree of separation from greatness…and a great tip, too!

    The trick is to keep the ball dry, and to polish so hard that the ball becomes hot.  Try it – it really does work.

    (more…)