The Mental Side of Cricket
Cricket is a bit different because it’s more like an individual sport played in a group rather than a team sport. As a bowler or batsman you have much more in common with a golfer than you do a soccer player for example.
Cricket is psychologically demanding for three main reasons. First, it’s slow allowing for more time for self doubt. Second, it is precision sport which means your accuracy is much more influenced by how nervous and anxious you are. Finally, it requires all the mental toughness of an individual sport as well as most of the mental aspects of a team sport (e.g. good communication).
Condor Performance’s sport psychologists understand the frustration with trying to be the best cricketer you can be and have considerable experience working with a variety of ages, levels, genders and ambitions. Some of the mental areas most cricketers would benefit from working on are:
- Controlling nerves and anxiety / helping with the yips
- Bouncing back from a poor over, innings, match or competition
- Learning when it’s important to concentrate and focus and when it’s essential to switch off
- Designing effective physical, technical and mental practice - not going through the motions
- Balancing cricket with life to prevent burnout
- Staying motivated by picking the right goals (yes, there are many)
- Learning how to think more accurately and less emotionally
- Deciding if you really have what it takes to make a living from cricket
If you’re a cricket coach or player of any kind who just wants to play better cricket then you might like to contact us today for information about one of our upcoming free Q&A sessions. Fill in the enquiry form to the right and we’ll be in touch as soon as we can.