Coaches Blog
March 1, 2010
4 March 2010:
I’m really proud of the whole Knights squad and staff. To win the One-Day competition in consecutive years so convincingly was really satisfying. We were all well aware that we needed to go and win the final rather than defend a title we won last season. We saved our best performances till when it counted; in finals week and that's all we can ask as coaches.
We didn’t play very well on the same Colin Maiden Park pitch the week before the final against the Aces, but we put that behind us when we went up to Whangarei for the semi final. Perhaps we were lacking the edge of desperation in the first major final and after the worst performance of the season there were some hard conversations and we had a good look at our attitude for the last two games.
The most pleasing factor was our fielding. The Knights have simply been outstanding this season in the field. It’s no accident that the boys have fielded so well. We have trained hard and the brilliance shone brightly during the final.
We were also blown away with the amount of supporters we had at the final. It was probably equal to Auckland supporters! We’ve also loved our second home in Whangarei and the support we get there is very humbling.
We now look forward to the Plunket Shield competition, and although we currently lead there is no room for complacency. We’ve got four games left, which is still a lot of cricket, and we are desperate to go out and win games instead of sitting on a lead that’s not big enough yet.
It’s also a change of mindset. The four day game is a true battle and the guys understand it’s not three and a half hours of intense work that they are used to in the One-Dayers. Discipline is required in the four day game and the change of mindset is something we’ve talked about and made sure we flip over quickly so we can start well in the back half of this competition.
Coach’s tip = Spin bowling
This time of year we will see the spinners coming into their own. If you look back at the early rounds of the Plunket Shield the vast majority of wickets were taken by pace bowlers, we will find that figure will flip around this time of year. The wickets are drier and spin a lot more. Feb and March will be months the spinners are looking forward to.
2 February 2010:
We are pleased with the progress we’ve made and we’ve finished this year in a far better position in terms of skill set than last year. They boys have grown and have a much clearer understanding of how to play Twenty20 cricket.
We are disappointed to finish forth. We were only four balls away from hosting the final. It was a tight competition but we were realistic too. Our bowlers did a great job and we fielded outstandingly during the HRV Cup, however we know our batting was below what we are capable of delivering.
We are still in the hunt for the one-day competition and we want to carry that momentum from the HRV Cup and utilise it. While we are disappointed not making HRV Cup Final, there’s lots of positivity and excitement around the remaining two competitions.
We were fortunate to have all our BLACKCAPS during the HRV Cup and we will only lose two back to international duties. We also have Hamish Marshall available for us to play for the Knights for the rest of the season. In total we have 19 quality players who are ready to step into the Knights and even though we are missing Tim Southee and Daniel Vettori we still have a healthy stable of quality players, some who haven’t had the opportunity to play yet jumping out of their skin to play for our team. Our bowling has been our trump card so far this season and if we continue to bowl well we will feature in the sharp end of the two other competitions. The season ahead of us is going to be both challenging and rewarding.
We have all thoroughly enjoyed the concept of the HRV Cup. It’s been so exciting and I have to commend HRV for getting behind it and New Zealand Cricket for having the initiative to get the BLACKCAPS involved and Northern Districts Cricket for having the initiative to play in pink. Everyone loved it and supported such a worthy cause.
Skill – Twenty20 wicket keeping
In Twenty20 cricket on average only 12 to 15 balls will go through to the keeper from the bowler. Therefore the keeper’s role switches to taking the ball cleanly from the outfield with twice as many balls coming from the fielders as opposed from the bowlers. You have to understand the dynamics of the job and understand when to stand up and when to go back from the stumps and the reasons for that decision. Peter McGlashan, being innovative, wears a protective body suit like a hockey goalie which gives him the confidence to stand up to the fast bowlers during a twenty20 game which puts pressure on batsmen and restricts the movement of the batsmen out of his crease to access the ball.
7 December 2009:
I think our season has been going really well and I couldn’t be happier with what we’ve been doing on the field. We did have a slight hiccup against Wellington and it would have been nice to have three from three, but it was a great game of cricket that went down to the last hour.
The hardest challenge for me so far is who to leave out of the team. We’ve built up a squad of 17 players that are realistically vying for a spot on the team and everyone has been training really well. The bowlers have been performing exceptionally well, so from a bowling point of view we are rich in resources. With some of the players heading into the BLACKCAPS it’s a great chance for other players to step sideways into the team.
Coming up very soon we have the one day competition and the HRV Cup which I’m looking forward to. We have been regular champions in the one day competition over recent years and clearly it’s the game our boys love to play. From a coaching point of view we have worked hard on separating the preparation for all three formats. We will have to play a four day game, then a one dayer then a twenty20 soon after so we have worked hard on players being able to produce specific skills on demand.
My top tip for coaches is about consistency and culture. You need to be consistent day in, day out with your personality or demeanour. It shouldn’t change whether you win or lose, having a good day or a bad one. We like to get the guitars out and have a sing whether we win or lose. Although it’s business on the other side of the boundary, outside of work we like to enjoy each others’ company – we have some great guitarists and we’re working hard on improving our singing!