.png)
The bloody English weather – now I’m convinced the English wish a miserable summer upon themselves!! After six years in London, it stands to reason that I would have accepted the UK weather for what it is. But alas it continues to surprise and disappoint! Towards the end of the first test I started to get very smug with the knowledge that Australia had it in the bag and went about my merry way. Imagine my horror, disgust and all round cue for Australian whinging when the game was a tie because of the rain! Yet again foiled by the weather.
Considering the options
But of course what was heading to be quite a convincing win assured me that the second test would be more of the same. It appears the Australians did as well and this could have been their downfall. It’s worked before so let's not change our strategy. Clearly the wrong decision. The second test was a different ball game in more ways then one. Without reflecting on Freddie’s man of the match game, and my esteemed colleagues views on Strauss’ leadership during the second test; the Australian press seems to be pointing in one direction – the bowling of Mitchell Johnson. To blame the loss of the test on one person seems quite unfair in my opinion, in my amateur opinion I think there wasn’t any consideration of the different factors going into the match.
Firstly this is Freddie’s last test before retirement – after his spectacular contribution in the 2005 test (difficult for me to say even now four years on) he’s going to be playing at the top of his game to go out with a bang – and some pundits are saying that apart from his playing skills he is also having a major psychological impact on his team mates – simply building their confidence to inspire them to a win. Coupled with the threat of not beating Australia at Lords for 75 years – there was a lot at stake regardless of what was happening on the field. Whatever the reasons it worked for them and we didn’t seem to take that into consideration. And now after the Aussie win over Northamptonshire at the weekend with all-rounders Mcdonald and Watson’s good games there is more than one option to be had. The final line up is still a mystery, but the key here is how Ponting retools Australia for recovery.
Building confidence
As it is in the business world, outstanding leaders inspire and excite. They encourage people to achieve or exceed challenging performance targets through their passion, pride and belief in their people and their organisation. Both Ricky Ponting and Aussie coach Tim Nielsen are standing behind Johnson - "We have had the last two years where we have played some pretty good cricket and Mitchell has been at the forefront of all of that. There have been a lot of times when batsmen and bowlers have been out of form and we have stuck with them and shown some faith unlike what seems to be the public or the press's point of view." They both know the importance of building the bowler back up from his less than perfect start to the season – help him to get his confidence back, which will in turn build the optimism of the team. Playing cricket in England is much different for us then it is at home – we don’t have the support of the crowd which can be a massive factor in our team’s confidence, so we need that extra confidence and inspiration from within the team. Ignore the press and listen to your leader, coach and team. And, as is the Australian way, we love to get behind the under-dog and build up their confidence so they can beat the odds and win.
Considering the options
But of course what was heading to be quite a convincing win assured me that the second test would be more of the same. It appears the Australians did as well and this could have been their downfall. It’s worked before so let's not change our strategy. Clearly the wrong decision. The second test was a different ball game in more ways then one. Without reflecting on Freddie’s man of the match game, and my esteemed colleagues views on Strauss’ leadership during the second test; the Australian press seems to be pointing in one direction – the bowling of Mitchell Johnson. To blame the loss of the test on one person seems quite unfair in my opinion, in my amateur opinion I think there wasn’t any consideration of the different factors going into the match.
Firstly this is Freddie’s last test before retirement – after his spectacular contribution in the 2005 test (difficult for me to say even now four years on) he’s going to be playing at the top of his game to go out with a bang – and some pundits are saying that apart from his playing skills he is also having a major psychological impact on his team mates – simply building their confidence to inspire them to a win. Coupled with the threat of not beating Australia at Lords for 75 years – there was a lot at stake regardless of what was happening on the field. Whatever the reasons it worked for them and we didn’t seem to take that into consideration. And now after the Aussie win over Northamptonshire at the weekend with all-rounders Mcdonald and Watson’s good games there is more than one option to be had. The final line up is still a mystery, but the key here is how Ponting retools Australia for recovery.
Building confidence
As it is in the business world, outstanding leaders inspire and excite. They encourage people to achieve or exceed challenging performance targets through their passion, pride and belief in their people and their organisation. Both Ricky Ponting and Aussie coach Tim Nielsen are standing behind Johnson - "We have had the last two years where we have played some pretty good cricket and Mitchell has been at the forefront of all of that. There have been a lot of times when batsmen and bowlers have been out of form and we have stuck with them and shown some faith unlike what seems to be the public or the press's point of view." They both know the importance of building the bowler back up from his less than perfect start to the season – help him to get his confidence back, which will in turn build the optimism of the team. Playing cricket in England is much different for us then it is at home – we don’t have the support of the crowd which can be a massive factor in our team’s confidence, so we need that extra confidence and inspiration from within the team. Ignore the press and listen to your leader, coach and team. And, as is the Australian way, we love to get behind the under-dog and build up their confidence so they can beat the odds and win.
Teamwork
The focus on one player or another in particular takes away from one very important point - there are 11 players! Sometimes it’s easy to forget that when one person does particularly well or particularly badly, but it’s the job of the leader to pull everyone back together. As we know the best results are achieved when we collaborate together and promote teamwork – capitalising on their strengths, using their collective knowledge to strategically respond to the challenges. The third test is an historical game for Ponting – he is on the verge of overtaking Aussie legend Allan Border’s mark of 11,714 runs to put him third in the all time list of highest test run scorers. And in 22 fewer test matches than Border himself. But Ponting is putting it aside - "I know about it," Ponting said of the record. "I have known about it since the beginning of the series … I have bigger fish to fry than that right at the moment.” His focus is putting the best team possible together, keeping the spirits up and making sure we don’t go into the fourth test 2-0.
And, as has been written better than me before, whatever happens we the Australian crowd will always be behind the wearers of the baggy green –
“Night or day, they're out to make us proud
The focus on one player or another in particular takes away from one very important point - there are 11 players! Sometimes it’s easy to forget that when one person does particularly well or particularly badly, but it’s the job of the leader to pull everyone back together. As we know the best results are achieved when we collaborate together and promote teamwork – capitalising on their strengths, using their collective knowledge to strategically respond to the challenges. The third test is an historical game for Ponting – he is on the verge of overtaking Aussie legend Allan Border’s mark of 11,714 runs to put him third in the all time list of highest test run scorers. And in 22 fewer test matches than Border himself. But Ponting is putting it aside - "I know about it," Ponting said of the record. "I have known about it since the beginning of the series … I have bigger fish to fry than that right at the moment.” His focus is putting the best team possible together, keeping the spirits up and making sure we don’t go into the fourth test 2-0.
And, as has been written better than me before, whatever happens we the Australian crowd will always be behind the wearers of the baggy green –
“Night or day, they're out to make us proud
To keep our flags a-wavin' in the crowd
Even gettin' zeroes
They'll always be our heroes
And keep us signing' come on just as loud
COME ON AUSSIE, COME ON, COME ON!”
Posted by: Rachael Gulliver, Client Partner at CHPD
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment