The Sports Psychology Blog
This Sports Psychology blog comes as Australia's 'tail' put the Indian bowlers to the sword in the second test match at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
Cricket: Australia - Total Cricket
It's the second day of the Australia - India test and Brett Lee and Andrew Symonds are taking the Australian score into the 400's. Brett Lee is batting at nine. Primarily a fast bowler, Lee has clearly been working at his batting. To the point where he is now being touted as an all-rounder. It's indicative of how Australia keep on raising the bar.
The biggest challenge a successful side face, is in keeping momentum going. How to build on a supreme success record. How to keep familiarity and complacency away.
The key is always to have new challenges. New goals. New targets. Challenges that inspire. That keep everyone on their toes. Everyone working and developing.
It's about turning weaknesses into strengths. For example, developing all the bowlers into batsmen. Equipping them all with the techniques and mental skills of batsmen. So that even the number eleven can make runs. Even the number eleven becomes razor sharp in running between the wickets; can hook a bouncer safely; can defend securely against spin; can read a length ball; has developed an extensive range and variety of shots; that is tough to get out.
Thus no weak links exist anywhere in the batting line up. All players know how to compile an innings. The goal being Total Batting.
For most other teams this would be an unrealistic challenge. But not Australia. They know they can currently beat all-comers. Their only real enemy is themselves.
Once the Total Batting goal is achieved, the next barrier breaking challenge would be to develop the 'recognized' batsmen into bowlers. Total Bowling. For the batsmen to be adept in bowling disciplines. So that any of them could turn their arm over and get wickets. Thus, raising the bar until you have the complete cricket team. If Australia keep going as they are doing, it will not be a matter of 'if' they achieve Total Cricket. Only, when.
