The Role of Temperament in Cricket

Temperament seems to be the one factor which distinguishes the men from the boys. In cricket when a situation gets tough, when the pressure is mounting, its easy to hang up the gloves and take the easy way out. It takes patience and guts to survive a pressure intensive cricket match and gain victory. Extremely talented players fail to impress under pressure situations and average cricket players perform heroically to take their team home to a victory. That is the strength of a good temperament. Youngsters practicing cricket should start developing this attitude in their game. Along with developing their cricketing skills it is imperative to develop the strength of temperament. Here are a few values which go a long way to building a strong temperament in cricket.

Controlling excitement

In cricket, as in any other sport, the adrenaline rush is huge. When you swing your cricket bat and deliver a bone crushing sixer it is usual to feel extremely pumped up. The tendency to give away your wicket by playing for another six is a possibility. When you allow a situation to take control of your mind that’s when excitement takes over. Seasoned cricket players grow out of such excitement. Their nerves are never unsteady and they are not carried away with the momentum. Face each ball at its merit, don’t get carried away by your previous shot. The same is true when you reach a half century or a century. There is a tendency to get over excited and throw your wicket away. As long as you have the energy to perform you should stay in the middle and put a high price on your wicket. That’s the stuff cricket’s legendary batsmen are made of.

Developing the Art of Patience

Seasoned cricket player are great at patience. They don’t give in to the pressure of the moment but wait it out till an opportune time comes around when they start playing their shots. When faced with a huge total its usual for rookies to give away their wicket by going for the big shots starting from ball one. The seasoned players know that a few quick boundaries towards the later part of the game or a few sixers towards the last overs can totally change the drift of the game. They work through a steady start and ensure that wickets are held intact. They work through their singles and doubles. Steady runs build up slowly and reach a point where they give you a solid platform to start the attack. That’s the secret of consistent cricket players.

Immunity to Distraction

Practice sessions are very different from the actual game. While practicing there are no distractions to contend with. When you cross the line to enter the field on the day of the game, things are very different. You have hundreds of distractions to contend with and the mind can get very noisy. Seasoned cricket players learn the art of silencing their mind while on the field. Imagine taking a high catch with the crowd roaring behind you. It’s not easy. You would require nerves of steel to execute such a feat. Young players, around the age of 17 to 18, go on to play professional cricket and show strength of temperament. You don’t require to age to acquire a good temperament. You just need to train the mind.

From the Author
A passionate cricketer who loves the game, I hope this article makes a good read. You can buy from a wide variety of cricket gear include cricket bats Buy kookaburra cricket.