Monday, September 21, 2009

That sinking feeling

It is said that if a batsman goes out thinking that he cant play so and so bowler - come what may he wont be able to play him. If he believes that maybe he will edge the ball that moves away - he will.

And he gets into this state of mind when he repeatedly keeps getting out to that one bowler or repeatedly falls to the same ball or the same shot

And so begins a downward spiral - a lack of belief and hence a lack of confidence and maybe subconsciously even a lower expectation from one self.

He can try to force himself out of it by going all out aggressive - but one then cant be sure if steps out once too often. In the attempt to dominate he might well miss the line of the ball completely and get out leading to further demoralisation.

He might decide to spend time in the middle - getting his basics right - trying to solve one thing at a time, iron out those minor creases but then he realises that he has to score. The runrate is just building up all the time and unless he hits out NOW his improved technique might just not help.

So what does he do? What does he do? How does he snap out of the downward spiral? Where does it all end?