Visualising Haydos style
Sporting predictions rarely end well. There's Glenn McGrath's infamous 5-nil prediction before the 2005 Ashes. Or Kevin Pietersen's promise to humiliate Australia at the Twenty20 World Cup. Or even yesterday's whitewash predictions from Stuart Clark. Nevertheless, dodgy predictions that come back to haunt you is what sport blogging is all about so I'm going out on a limb, outlining how I see my club match panning out later today.
Last week, coming out of a 20 year retirement, my major triumph was barely surviving to stumps on 2 not out, thanks largely to a stonewalling defensive technique that made Jason Gillespie look like Shahid Afridi. However, I won't get away with it this week. The official team sledger Belly (I don't even know his real name) has been struggling to come up with my nickname (an essential part of any Australian cricketer's kit). If I pick up where I left off last week, there's a good chance it'll be "Dizzy".
So my plan is to block out just an over or two to get my eye in. If I survive that far (big if), I plan to start pushing harder at the ball with the full face of the bat, targetting the V from mid-on to mid-off (let's hope none of the opposition read this blog). If I reach double figures, I figure I'll be seeing the ball okay and will try some more expansive shots. If that comes off, I'll be well into unchartered territory and will probably just go the tonk till I sky it to cover. Planning anything more than that would be sheer hubris.
Now, I'm probably overthinking things, visualising the innings Matthew Hayden style (rest assured I won't be squatting on the pitch before the match). Maybe I'd be better off preparing like Michael Clarke here, emulating Don Bradman's famous stump and golf ball training technique. After all, the Don ended up not half bad.
| Posted by JC on Sat 27 Oct |  1 comments |
cricketwithballs.blogspot.com
Posted by Uncle J rod on 2007-10-27 18:09:45
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