Ask the Readers: What should Chris do?
Chris is a reader with a dilemma. He has emailed in to seek advice. What do you think he should do?
Chris is a 28 year old club cricketer playing in the UK. He has had some success but never made it to a high enough level to play professionally. He still has ambitions to play a good level of club cricket, perhaps even at representative level.
However, he has slipped down the pecking order at his club in recent times and now finds himself a regular member of the 2nd XI, with the occasional first team performance. He is considered one of the better players in the 2nd XI league.
As an aside, those of you unfamiliar with the UK club system might be confused. In England clubs are usually split into 2, 3 or 4 teams based on ability. There is flexibility to move between the teams each game depending on form and availability. Games are played on a one day basis but usually still allow for declarations and draws.
The captain of his club 2nd XI has recently hung up his boots after a long and respected career. It's widely accepted in the club that he will be missed as an authority figure for younger players coming through the 2nd XI.
Chris feels he can help these young players develop as a qualified coach and senior 2nd XI player. He thinks that the authority of being captain would give him licence to do this. However has had not captained a team since he was 17 years old.
Chris also knows that a good run of form could easily see him back in the first XI as he was close to doing so all last summer. However, the 1st XI captain does not seem keen to give him a run in the side. Chris has not discussed it directly with him.
So, the dilemma is this: Should Chris give up his ambitions as a 1st XI player and concentrate on helping younger players come through as 2nd XI captain?
Or should Chris let someone else take on the 2nd XI captaincy so he can focus on getting back up a level (although possibly missing out if he has a poor season)?
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Comments
My suggestion is that you should never give up your ambition. Otherwise, its upto him. He has to decide upon only one factor, which is what he WANTS to do.
just my suggestion.
Personally I'd give up the captaincy to start with. You dont need to lead the team to help bring the younger ones through as you will do it anyway just by being there. What happens in club cricket is that once you become skipper of a team you tend to stay there as you become the bedrock of the team so there would be very little chance of you getting back in the firsts.
I would then focus pretty hard on what you actually need to do to get back in the firsts. Have a look at whether you have any particular flaws, and what was the reason why you were dropped to the seconds. You need to be pretty hard on yourself as to what you need to improve and then understand how to improve it. The "how to" is the most key thing. Most club cricketers tend to pay lip service to improving their game. They run in and bowl and if its pretty accurate then they think it needs no further help. If they bat and get good runs they think they can just stay in a net and slap everyone around without trying too hard. Very few understand what makes them a faster or better bowler or what makes them a better batsman.
I improved tremendously when I started to coach kids and a number of coaches I work with in the area said it helped them as well. When working with kids you need to think about what fault they have that makes them hit the ball in the air all the time or play round every ball and get bowled. Likewise with bowling why they cant land 2 balls in the same place or why they cant swing the ball. At first I tried to show them what worked for me but a number of them couldnt pick it up so I had to try something else. You may then start to see that things you are telling them also apply to you. You can then understand why you have problems and can start to correct them.
Most players dont analyse their game but they really should. I would suggest that you spend a good while understanding what you have to improve to get in the side. I would then look at what it is about your game that has prevented you from going further. I would then spend as much time as you can fixing it. If you can spend time with your colts then great otherwise treat yourself as a kid and teach yourself how to play better. If you have the patience and drive then you will get there
John
Great reply John. You are right about most club players not thinking about their game enough.
My own view, by the way, is he should talk to the first team skipper to see if he really does have a chance and what he needs to do to get back in the side. Then make a decision.
Personally I believe he should talk to the First team skipper and see what he has to do to force his way back into the first team.
This will help set himself goals to achieve and help motivate him to do well in the 2nds. He can help the younger guys come through in the 2nds by talking to them and helping them feel comfortable playing in the side and also by performing on the field. If he's performing well in the 2nds, then he will be a role model to the younger guys and they will look up to him and see what it takes to do well for the club and what the rewards are when he gets selected back in the 1st team.
He doesn't have to be captain to help the younger guys come through, if he makes an effort to talk to them and helps them if they have any concerns with their game or if they are nervous, the younger guys will look up to him and want to do well like him.
I think he's got a hard enough job to persuade a captain who is not on his side. It takes alot to captain a side especially in your first year. You need to worry about selection, umpires, scorers, drinks, batting order, field positions, toss etc etc - it's a lot of work for an amateur cricketer. I think Chris should focus on himself and taking his game to a higher level before he takes this burden on. There is plenty of time for him to captain the 2nd XI and I think the opportunity will come again while he is capable of doing it which should be at least for another 5 years. I also agree that he can encourage young guys without being captain.
Unfortunately, we don't know the full background of the club. Is it only two teams or is it four or more, that makes quite a difference. What are the roles of the captain in this club - are there non-players and senior players who do their bit such that the captain can focus on the match.
He needs to rebuild his relationship with the Ist XI captain and maybe others in the club based on the success he achieved at the end of the season and use that to promote his case for the coming season. Show himself as being a good club man by taking on 2nd XI captaincy and leading from the front, self-motivation, whilst at the same time agreeing with the 1st XI captain that should his performances merit it, he will be able to further support the club by getting a decent run in the 1sts and the club will handle the 2nd XI captaincy.
I think that in a team there are 3 parts to the side:
1st: The Captain, 2nd: The "Senior Management" part, consisting of the more senior players. These are all the people who could be regarded as a vice captain, or ready to move into the captains place when needed in emergency. These people involve the wicketkeeper, vice captain, and any player that when a really important decision needs to be made and the captain is unsure would consult the captain in such matters. 3rd: the younger players, who generally get told what to do.
You sound like you belong to the 2nd group, and although unsure as what the decision should be, I think that you should accept the "senior management" role, and be seen as someone with the cricketing experience necessary for the 1sts. Best of luck!
I think he should choose to be a first XI player because there might a possibility that he would not able to perform his responsibility as a captain of 2nd XI because of his high ambition.
Well, if Chris still has ambitions to progress in the ranks, he should focus on those before settling down in the 2nd team as skipper. If he doesn't, I feel that he will regret it in the future and there will always be this question of "what if" or "how far could I have gone" that will eat at him. Afcourse, he should ask himself honestly whether he is willing to put in the hard yards in order to progress through the ranks.
Hope that helps somewhat.