Too many of us are guilty of the big Friday night out ahead of Saturday’s game; even professional players play the ‘rain card’,  trying to decide if it will rain the next day in order to justify a night out in town.

But how is this for a justification for your ill behaviour: Going out is research because batting is just like a big night out on the town.

The first pint, the first ball

First you arrive at the first pub. Everyone is just getting into the swing of things and the first pint doesn’t go down as well as the rest.  You start with the safe drinks and sway away from the risky spirits.

You are getting your eye in, you know things will be tough to start with and your conscious decision to start safely will be rewarded. 

Stick to what you know and can handle. Avoid the high risk shots (at the bar it’s Sambuca, at the crease it’s your reverse sweep).  You know you can start to enjoy it once you get through this tricky period.

Getting into the swing

Now you are in full swing and you’re enjoying yourself.  You know to avoid going too hard too quickly and burn out.

So don’t throw it away when you’re just beginning to make progress.

Before long you’ve drunk too much and you need to switch to water in order to keep the night going.

It’s proven that dehydration reduces concentration. That may be fine on a night out, but when playing cricket you need to be on your game.

 Use regular drinks breaks as good recharge your body and mind as you have already done most of the hard work.  Be wary of switching off completely, use the drinks break to purely take in liquids only and do not see it as a rest break.

Kebab and bed

Finally, the night is over and you trundle off to the local kebab shop.  Refuelling will make you feel better in the morning

While a kebab is not the best choice for a cricket tea, Refuelling is still important after your innings, especially if you batted first and need to take the field after tea.

Resist the temptation of heavy foods and sugar rushes, as these will only cause you to crash and burn minutes later.  See the food you eat more as fuel rather than a treat, your body has worked hard and will still have to perform again soon.

So, next time you turn up to your match dishevelled and hung over you can show your captain this article. He will probably drop you for your misdemeanours but at least you tried.