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NO.2 THE BATTING COLLAPSE (AND ITS AVOIDANCE)
‘Appen I’ve been asked to proselytize on’t nature of batting collapses, in light of t’recent classic example of CCC v AletasteR. CCC were 45-0, yet only 14 balls later were 48-7. Even me old mate Brian Lara’s laughing at that, I can tell thee. But seriously, mind, such a display of inept batting against only one threatening bowler, it’s enough to make grown men weep. With that in mind I'd like to offer a few tips moreorless free of charge:
1. DON'T PANIC
No good ever came from panicking. CCC were cruising, with only 6 overs gone and the score 45-0, chasing 94 to wiN. There’s an old adage that when one wicket falls another falls quickly and that happened to CCC. Then another 5 fell quickly! My grandmother could’ve done better than that! So, when two wickets fall quickly the name of t'game is CONSOLIDATION, especially when th' next over involves...
2. ...FACING THE FINAL OVER FROM THEIR BEST BOWLER
Imagine t'circumstances:
+You’re faced with a halfway decent bowler, which the fellow Milburn is;
+You’ve just lost 2 quick wickets;
+It’s Milburn’s final over.
What do you do? Try and hit him out of the ground? NO!
Play airy-fairy shots all round the ball like Michael Vaughan in a 1-day innings? NO!
See him off, by watching each ball carefully, getting forward, and keeping bat and pad together? COULD BE!
What did CCC do? Lost 3 more wickets! I know you’re amateurs, but that were rank amateurish that were.
3. REMEMBER YOUR AVERAGE
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: there’s no fun getting out without a meaningful score on’t board, and your average won’t thank you for it either.
4. REQUEST A CHANGE OF UMPIRE
Never fails, that one!
DR BOYCOTT'S CRICKET PRESCRIPTION:
"concentration, concentration, concentration. And decent haircuts all round".
BE CAUTIOUS! Geoff
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