So what is it about slip catching that makes this skill so difficult and specialist? Firstly, the reaction time is often very minimal as the ball is released in excess of 140 kph and then additional force added in the deflection to your hands at slip. In some cases the close distance that one would stand when fielding slip for the spinner also adds to the difficulty level. The ball can also find you at different heights, angles and speeds which makes the catch awkward to take.

Secondly, one of the challenges that faces a slip fielder is the infrequency of the ball coming to them. Put yourself in the shoes of a test match fielder in the slips as the opposition plough along a partnership over 200 and he has been fielding for 2 days without even smelling the ball. Concentration certainly plays a role here to be able to snaffle that chance with minutes to go after a long day in the searing heat.

What can be done to solve these challenges and allow for improved slip catching both individually and collectively as a cordon? A few quick suggestions may open a window to unlocking the inner slip genius.

The first is not rocket science, but it is the most important – Practice. Try as often as you can to replicate the skill as you receive it in the game. Often the slips are neglected at lower levels of the game due to reluctance to train this skill or inability to execute drills which directly correlate to slip catching. There really is no replacing quality repetition, not only will it allow you identify and discover the nuances of slip catching, but also breed familiarity through confidence and volume.

Find the correct slippers. It has for many a year been a position for those who are not the most agile in the field or have graduated through the junior ranks and now as a senior in the team, feel their rightful place is to sleep behind the keeper for a few overs. Recruiting players who are genuinely willing to be in the cordon is a good place to start, that will eliminate the pretenders from the real deal. The next filter should be those who seek improvement and are willing to put the work in, without this attitude you are up against it. Lastly, identify players who have good coordination on the ball. This is pretty easy to spot, but often these tend to be some agile movers and good throwers which creates a conundrum whether to put them in the grabbers or keep them in the outer. This takes some management and each team is different, but when that one chance from their best batsman gets shelled you would wish that you had placed the “man with the mitts” in that position.

Thirdly, find those who work well together. The best slip fielders have seen have been part of a quality cordon. Those that understand each other’s roles and strengths. They have had time to earn trust with each other, to optimize their positioning to cover the most distance and angles and be able to help each other get better through a collective will and accountability. There is no better feeling for a bowler than knowing that if he finds the edge his celebration can begin immediately and no worse one for a batsman who looks back at an eager and impenetrable wall and knows that if the knick is found he is on the way to the showers.

The intricacies of slip fielding technique and tactics are vast and hopefully this provides a good starting point. For drills and more information on this log onto Coach Ed powered by Gary Kirsten Cricket on the Gary Kirsten website and make an application to attend our online courses and workshops. This provides a library of information for players and an accreditation platform for coaches.

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“It is a great opportunity to work with the Bangladesh National team. I am looking forward to working with the players as well as the management staff. Coaching on the international circuit is new for me and I will need to learn quickly. Being within a new team environment and culture will be a fantastic experience. GKC has been the bedrock for much of my development as a coach and I continue to be involved in the programs which are run around the world. The GKC team are tight knit group and their support of me in this opportunity has been truly humbling.” Ryan said.

Gary Kirsten commented “It is fantastic news and a well deserved reward for an individual who served his time as a coach in many different spheres, and with many different teams and age groups. The time we had with the Hobart Hurricanes was a great opportunity for him to work in the performance space with a professional team. He has an incredible work ethic, with fantastic ideas on how to get value out of his coaching sessions. I have no doubt he will be well received in Bangladesh and do a great job.”

News credit https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/784539

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“Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the wise, seek what they sought” – Matsuo Basho

The 17^th century Japanese poet’s words reverberate in my head, as I watch a group of up and coming professional cricketers interact with some of the world’s best during a camp I attended recently. Top international cricketers, at the height of their powers are present as they attempt to answer curious questions and relay timeless stories, advice and tips in their areas of expertise. Whilst these contain golden nuggets of information, I wonder if this priceless experience is applicable for these players at their stage of development. Should we be rather focusing on what were the seedlings at the origin on this path of mastery in an attempt to bridge the gap between then and now? Is this information helpful for all players or just some?

I enquired with one of the specialists, a prominent international fast bowler as to what he was “seeking” at a young age that enabled him to become one of the modern greats. His answer, “consistency”, this was expanded on with phrases such as “knowing my action” and “trusting my action”. This is an insight which most gloss over in the search for the magical moment of enlightenment. The simplicity of this informs all of his drill work, mental framework and tactics and has done so for years.

In order to climb the ladder of professional cricket, young players need to possess an enquiring mind in learning combined with a tight filter to sift out all the information they receive. A developing player may already have been bombarded with heaps of technical and tactical advice at a young age from various stakeholders. Distinguishing between these is a balancing act and a challenging task which often creates extreme dissonance in a players’ mind especially if contradictory. In addition to this, in the modern era of social media and armchair critics how does one decode the noise from the signal?

A player understanding his or her identity and philosophy can be challenging especially with limited experiences shaping it. This is where coaches play a pivotal role in exploring the authenticity of each player to help guide, challenge and support them throughout their journey of self-discovery. By constantly stretching their limits within a “safe” environment which rewards ownership, a player can build capacity to extend themselves whilst staying true to the core.

To quote James Clear, “Mastery requires both impatience and patience. The impatience to have a bias towards action, to not waste time and to work with a sense of urgency each day and patience to delay gratification, to wait for actions to accumulate and to trust the process.” Sitting on this see-saw of development is a difficult task for players and coaches and there is no cookie-cutter method for success, but rather one which should be tailor made for the individual.

Those before us spread great knowledge and experience, so that we can stand on the shoulders of giants. However, it is in “seeking what they sought” and in doing so finding our own voice that the inner wisdom and potential is revealed.

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How you do small things, is how you do all things

The GKC High Performance Academy which runs in Cape Town from November to February with aspiring and current first class cricketers from around the world has just come to an end. Upon its completion, it was time to take stock and reflect on the achievements and improvements made by each player and the group as a whole. There are various moving parts to this program being a successful process and taking players games to the next level, whether that be breaking into the first class system or pushing for higher honours on the international stage. Through a combination of a variety of experiences both on and off the field and intervention with some of the best players and coaches in the world these players certainly levelled up! But what can this teach us about High performance? Simply put it distills into one phrase, how you do small things is how you do all things!

Starting with the coaches, The GKC brings together a mix of staff whom are highly skilled in their respective spheres of influence and by combining the best thinking of all involved create a program which is seamless in its planning, communication and execution. The addition of specialist players and coaches to bolster the support the players receive is truly outstanding. At any given time, there can more than 7 coaches serving the players across a variety of tasks from throw downs to keeping practice to target bowling. Watching this coaching team operate is extraordinary in terms of their engagement, work rate and expertise but this is not even the remarkable aspect. What is special, is their level of detail to everything they do, especially the SMALL things. The players soon learn that in the intentionally created performance environment that the standards of excellence which are promoted are not only spoken of but are reinforced by action of the coaches consistently.

This places the player in a position to rise to the challenges with the support of people whom have their best interests at heart and what an effort they gave! It was with admiration and inspiration that I watched this group of young men embrace every experience that was thrown their way. This open minded approach and full engagement in every task was a hallmark of the 2018 HPA intake. Whether that be a steamy early morning mountain hike or the repetitive volume of balls struck in an attempt to ingrain a technical position, the attitude of the players was exceptional. Over the 4 months, I observed habits become embedded both on and off the field. The incremental small improvements made every day certainly add up with compound interest of time. It was then not surprising to see the conditioning results of a particular individual increase by 720 meters on the dreaded Yoyo test! What makes this story even more heartwarming was that his leadership inspired his fellow team mates to more awareness in their lifestyle and to greater heights in their fitness as he was not the only one to have that significant shift. When asking him what he attributed this to, he replied with our Performance specialist’s famous words…. “I plus-ed 1every day!”

The GKC HPA was full of learning for both coaches and players and it was a privilege to operate within a space which grows all individuals to be the best versions of themselves and adds value to those involved. Next year’s program will strive to be even better as we aim to do ALL things by paying attention to the SMALL things.

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In a recent Coach Education program which Gary and I were facilitating, we joined with some coaches who were working with some young players from a primary school. Upon observing a young bowler deliver 6 balls (which were on a variety of lines) the coaches were asked about what would be their observations and first interventions with the player. A plethora of varying answers emerged – as expected. Advice varied all the way from an angled run up to suggesting a new a grip on the ball as well as various changes that could be made to his action, release position and follow through. With all these viewpoints, which were often conflicting… I tried a coaching “experiment”.

The first question which I asked him was, “When you bowl your best, where do you find the most joy? With a beaming smile on the young man’s face he replied. “When I CLEAN bowl him!!!”. This gave us all a great starting point on where to pitch a message to the enthusiastic inswing bowler. Through a series of open questions, the boy got to his own answer about what he needed to do in order to do this more consistently. “I need to start the ball wider with MY swing”. Brilliant! “Where do you normally aim?”, I asked in curiosity. “At the stumps of course”, he replied confidently. A silence of epiphany gripped the group of coaches who had assembled, which included many who had worked with him before. The rest was now going to be simple. I instructed the player, “Take this cone and place it on a line in which you want to start the ball in order to “Clean Bowl” him”. He duly did, about a foot and a half outside off stump. With a bound in his step he returned to the top of his run up, rearing to try again. Of the next 6 balls – 5 hit the stumps, much to the delight of the player and coaches alike. So what was the learning?

In simple terms, we started where the player is. So often as coaches, with our coaching knowledge of technique, game plans, drills and jargon, we start where we are. The language which we understand, the lens on the game which is our own, the technical “models” we hold as perfection. In player-centered coaching, this can be the exact issue that inhibits our ability to connect with the players on their level. Understanding what makes the player unique and their view the game is a much more influential starting point. Building the relationship between player and coach allows trust to form and belief to exist which can ultimately lead to significant change.

Upon reflection of this particular experience, an image gathered in my mind of a camp which we ran in Dubai about a year ago – Gary with the young player in Dubai

Perhaps starting where the player is, is as simple as that!

Head coach – Ryan Cook

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The 20-year-old has made a seamless transition from amateur to professional cricket over the past three years after an impressive junior career which saw him turn out for South Africa Under-19.

The former Rondebosch Boys High pupil who is a graduate of the Gary Kirsten Cricket, First Team 2 First Class (FT2FC) Programme is now all set to mix it up at the first ever, T20 Global League.

Galiem was picked by the Cape Town Knight Riders alongside superstars like JP Duminy, Dale Steyn and England spinner, Adil Rashid.

GKC Head Coach, Ryan Cook praised Galiem’s hard work over the past few seasons and backs the youngster to grab the opportunity with open arms.

“It is great that he got picked up. As a youngster it is an amazing break,” Cook said.

Having worked with Galiem during his school days, National Academy and at GKC, Cook believes he has all the attributes to succeed.

“He is a very talented individual with a great work ethic and tactical nous. He is able to bowl quite skillfully, bat in various positions and is also a very handy fielder,” Cook explained.

Galiem’s work at the First Team 2 First Class Programme saw him attend sessions twice a week over a two and a half month period in Cape Town in 2015.

“The programme is about trying to bridge the gap between top school and club players and the first class game. Dayaan has managed to make that jump very quickly,” Cook said.

“I am sure that the FT2FC programme was one of the contributing factors to his success. He has worked closely with our GKC coaching team over the last few years and still comes in for regular one-on-one coaching. We wish him all the best for the tournament and the season ahead,” he concluded.

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Training Camp:

We had a nine day training camp before we left for England. It gave us a chance to work on the culture of the team and the way we wanted to approach the series. We tweak technical aspects and had plenty of middle practices and net sessions. I was really proud of the player’s efforts.

Friendly Games:

Wet weather reduced our playing time significantly. Our first game against Yorkshire was rained out after we had batted for 25 overs.

While rain also affected the second game. We looked good for the first 15 overs before we the players were forced to come off.

I was a left bit frustrated that we didn’t get a chance to bowl or field.

Three Match ODI:

We batted first in our first ODI in Nottingham and managed to set a target of 269. The England Lions openers, Ben Duckett and Dawid Malan took the game away from us however with a solid opening stand. In the end they won by nine wickets.

The second game took place in Northampton. Our opponents batted first and set a huge total of 349. We had a fairly good start with the bat but then lost wickets at regular intervals. We were eventually bowled out for 205.

We saw very little action in the third game. The match was rained out after just a few overs.

Role: 

I certainly think that in a short space of time the players exuded great energy and effort. For me it was about creating some awareness around the players fielding, what techniques they needed to use and what attitudes they needed to bring and the skills that are expected at this level.

I feel that the players are much better equipped now to really affect the match and create chances in the field which is often a neglected part of the game.

Personal development:

Being involved in different environments both in the High Performance space at GKC as well as Cricket South Africa has produced growth for me. I think this tour was no different working with a coaching staff that was very professional. They showed great work ethic which always good to see. From a fielding side I definitely learnt that there is much to be learnt in this space and hopefully more emphasis will be placed on this going forward. The players reacted well to the different intervention that came to them but it must be understood that these players do not make mistakes on purpose but there will be mistakes that creep in here and there. Just because they have a higher standard of excellence doesn’t mean they are immune to error. Trying to minimise those errors was something that I focused on and something that I can take into the different spaces that I go into.

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It is an element which is focused heavily on at Gary Kirsten Cricket in all our coaching programmes.

“One of the key things to ask yourself is, have you done the work under that pressure. That pressure is often really difficult to replicate,” GKC Head Coach, Ryan Cook said.

“Pressure can come from various sources. They can come from internally or externally,” Cook added.

Cook explains that players must be able to deal with psychological and physiological pressure during a game.

“One of the tools we use is training the guys (players) in pressure situations more often. That way they become used to the responses they will default to have. These responses can be psychological or physiological so for example, sweaty palms, butterflies in the stomach, those are all physiological ones,” Cook explained.

“Psychologically, players can go into different modes of mental states. Some players become clouded with doubt, others start to have fear. Sometimes they respond with bravado.”

At the GKC, coaches put players through different situations which are tailor-made for the individual.

“Some of the methods we use in training are raising the consequence of a particular task or decreasing the time that they have to perform a task whether that is cricket related or not. By increasing the consequence, we start to see how people respond under those circumstances,” Cook said.

“Some players will need to calm down more, some will have to hype up more but they need to understand what they need to do,” he said.

“Mindfulness and breathing techniques often allow the players to sort out their emotions or thoughts in their head at that particular time, which helps them raise their awareness levels and promotes better performance” Cook said.

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Gary Kirsten Cricket (GKC) is all set for another High Performance roadshow in the Netherlands later this month.

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Andrie Steyn is looking forward to making her tournament debut at the 2017 Women’s Cricket World Cup which gets underway in England and Wales next month.

The 20-year-old opening batter announced her arrival on the international scene at the recently concluded Quadrangular Series which also involved Ireland, Zimbabwe and heavyweights India.

Steyn who worked extensively with Gary Kirsten Cricket Head Coach, Ryan Cook before the series scored a mammoth 226 runs at an average of 45.2 over the five games in Potchefstroom.

It was a groundbreaking series for the Durban born youngster who put together a sparkling 117 against Ireland for her maiden century.

In addition she also scored a brilliant 83 against a top Indian bowling attacking.

“The hundred was really special as it was my first. It was also a bit of a relief to finally get there,” Steyn said.

“I did feel though that my 83 was just as important. It was a challenging knock and one that I am proud of,” Steyn added.

According to Steyn who now lives in Bellville in the Western Cape her work with Cook prior to the series was invaluable.

“Ryan helped with my batting skills and mental side of the game. We worked on efficient training so your body reacts in the correct way,” Steyn explained.

She continued, “We also focused on batting for longer periods of time and that paid off.”Cook who is currently working as a fielding coach for the SA A team ahead of their tour to England was full of praise for Steyn.

“Working with Andrie has been very rewarding, she is a willing learner and her humble nature has helped grow and improve her game,” Cook said.

The runs came at the perfect time for Steyn who now shifts her focus to the World Cup.

“It is a dream come true for me,” she said.

“I think we have a great bunch of players. We just have to keep believing. We must back ourselves, we know we have a good chance of winning it,” Steyn concluded.

Image Credit Cricket South Africa

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