Oracle of Delphi
Arnold
Paladin
Shan Jayaweera
KC Hill
Cibbuano
Craig HillCricket Tips #6: Psychology
July 12th 2006 09:27
With cricket being such a technically oriented game, many of us play down the necessity and fundamentality of having a strong mental game. It does surprise me than not many people associate sports psychology with cricket due to the fact that cricket is a game whihc requires so much concentration and focus, that any slip up can result in a mistake - which may mean that you will be dismissed or drop a catch, etc. Like all professional sports these days, sports psychology is a fact which is rarely not focused upon and fine tuned, but for the budding amateur playing on the weekend, one's mental game is normally neglected, but rather technique and physical play is accentuated.
Arousal is a concept which greatly affects performance in cricket (it is definitely a word not only confined to the bedroom). Under-arousal (low stimulation) pretty much means that you're disinterested and careless, thus opening yourself to mistakes mainly due to the fact that you 'couldn't care less' or 'couldn't be bothered'. This is someone a team normally dislikes. One over-aroused can be overly aggressive and excessively 'amped' up, and is caused by too much stress or pressure placed upon an individual. It typically results in nervousness, and in extreme cases, shivering, vomiting and restlessness. Optimal arousal is a point on the 'Inverted U Hypothesis' which suggests that with the right amount of stress (yes, we actually do need it otherwise we'll fall into under-arousal) and frame of mind, this level of optimal arousal can be achieved, and thus, we are at peak mental status.
But try this for instance, if went into bat with a negative frame of mind - ie. 'there's no way I'm going to score any runs' or 'I'm going to get out pretty quickly', or 'I don't really care what I do', the more likely that you will get out cheaply. But it also phases me how these people seem to be the ones who are the most agitated by their dismissal purely because it was stupid and unforgivable. This scenario also applies to when you find yourself underneath a high swirling ball - if you're thinking 'I might drop this', it's most likely you will. Then you've got the ones who tell themselves 'Don't get out' or 'I can't get out' thinkers. Of course, what happens... they get out for 2 or best case scenario they end up blocking the whole innings and manage to get 10 runs. This is what is known as the 'Intention and Irony Effect'. Much like if you're told not to think about sex, you're obviously going to think about sex no matter how hard you try not to - the more you think about not getting out the more chance you will.
So it leaves me to answer - What is the best way to stay in a positive frame of mind to enhance performance? Simple, when batting, try focusing on the playing the shot and focusing on the ball, that way you're channeling your thoughts on focusing on the immediate delivery and channel out any thoughts of getting out/negativity. Another technique which may work for some is what I call the 'cocky' technique. A relatively easy ploy which has you thinking that you're on top and nothing can stop you. This may backfire if you have an excessively large ego/aggressive character as you may become subjected to over-arousal which has been proven to significantly decrease performance.
Ultimately, having the right mental game seperates the best from the rest. You'll definitely notice that the coolest players perform the best, and even if they do make mistakes, they have the ability to bounce back. If need an example, just look at Justin Langer, or for a more popular choice - Roger Federer.
Arousal is a concept which greatly affects performance in cricket (it is definitely a word not only confined to the bedroom). Under-arousal (low stimulation) pretty much means that you're disinterested and careless, thus opening yourself to mistakes mainly due to the fact that you 'couldn't care less' or 'couldn't be bothered'. This is someone a team normally dislikes. One over-aroused can be overly aggressive and excessively 'amped' up, and is caused by too much stress or pressure placed upon an individual. It typically results in nervousness, and in extreme cases, shivering, vomiting and restlessness. Optimal arousal is a point on the 'Inverted U Hypothesis' which suggests that with the right amount of stress (yes, we actually do need it otherwise we'll fall into under-arousal) and frame of mind, this level of optimal arousal can be achieved, and thus, we are at peak mental status.
But try this for instance, if went into bat with a negative frame of mind - ie. 'there's no way I'm going to score any runs' or 'I'm going to get out pretty quickly', or 'I don't really care what I do', the more likely that you will get out cheaply. But it also phases me how these people seem to be the ones who are the most agitated by their dismissal purely because it was stupid and unforgivable. This scenario also applies to when you find yourself underneath a high swirling ball - if you're thinking 'I might drop this', it's most likely you will. Then you've got the ones who tell themselves 'Don't get out' or 'I can't get out' thinkers. Of course, what happens... they get out for 2 or best case scenario they end up blocking the whole innings and manage to get 10 runs. This is what is known as the 'Intention and Irony Effect'. Much like if you're told not to think about sex, you're obviously going to think about sex no matter how hard you try not to - the more you think about not getting out the more chance you will.
So it leaves me to answer - What is the best way to stay in a positive frame of mind to enhance performance? Simple, when batting, try focusing on the playing the shot and focusing on the ball, that way you're channeling your thoughts on focusing on the immediate delivery and channel out any thoughts of getting out/negativity. Another technique which may work for some is what I call the 'cocky' technique. A relatively easy ploy which has you thinking that you're on top and nothing can stop you. This may backfire if you have an excessively large ego/aggressive character as you may become subjected to over-arousal which has been proven to significantly decrease performance.
Ultimately, having the right mental game seperates the best from the rest. You'll definitely notice that the coolest players perform the best, and even if they do make mistakes, they have the ability to bounce back. If need an example, just look at Justin Langer, or for a more popular choice - Roger Federer.
| 67 |
| Vote |
subscribe to this blog
Go to Craig Hill's home page by clicking here
