BELIEVE AS ONE
Well, what an odd feeling start to the season this has been. Following 2 warm up games that we coasted through the first three meaningful games have felt a strange struggle. Defeat to Edenbridge in a game that I always felt we should have won, followed by defeat due to half an hours rain and the toss of a coin to a decent East Grinstead team and then Saturday’s victory against Cuckfield.
Looking back over those few games that the first team has played so far I believe that the victory over Cuckfield was typical of everything else that has happened so far. Moments where the team look in control are followed quickly by moments where it feels as if everything can fall around our ears. From having bowled well as a team (Jack and myself aside!) and not even using Raydos the batting performance seemed to float around Stewart and aside from Alex’s crushing cameo which thrust the team toward the line am I the only one who felt we didn’t really believe we had things under control?
In that last sentence I believe I stumble upon the answer to all of this and that is BELIEF. Despite many of the personnel being the same this year, there is something in the air which makes it all feel a little unfamiliar and for that reason I don’t think that we all quite believe in this unit just yet. It is probably fair to say that the struggles of last year haven’t helped things and also the Edenbridge and EG defeats maybe exposed and undermined the shallow level of belief in the team.
Thankfully over the last couple of weeks, starting with a midweek 20 over victory my own belief in this team has grown because I have noted that there is still a great level of ability in this club. I have become buoyed by bowling performances from lad such as Matt Kingshott, Harvey James and Will Glenn to augment an already impressive talent portfolio within the club.
Of course the simple way to answer this issue is to wait as time will of course allow a mutual respect and belief to develop within the squad, but without wishing to sound negative I don’t believe that is enough and I think that patience is the bare minimum we should expect from each other as a team. The truth is that as on Saturday, we must begin to demonstrate to each other why we should expect the confidence of the guy next to us. Yes, we will each have bad days, maybe even bad month’s throughout a season, but with a little application we will each perform too our undoubted potential more often than not. With performances will come confidence and I think that if we can become a confident side a slow starting summer can become a very enjoyable one!!!
Looking back over those few games that the first team has played so far I believe that the victory over Cuckfield was typical of everything else that has happened so far. Moments where the team look in control are followed quickly by moments where it feels as if everything can fall around our ears. From having bowled well as a team (Jack and myself aside!) and not even using Raydos the batting performance seemed to float around Stewart and aside from Alex’s crushing cameo which thrust the team toward the line am I the only one who felt we didn’t really believe we had things under control?
In that last sentence I believe I stumble upon the answer to all of this and that is BELIEF. Despite many of the personnel being the same this year, there is something in the air which makes it all feel a little unfamiliar and for that reason I don’t think that we all quite believe in this unit just yet. It is probably fair to say that the struggles of last year haven’t helped things and also the Edenbridge and EG defeats maybe exposed and undermined the shallow level of belief in the team.
Thankfully over the last couple of weeks, starting with a midweek 20 over victory my own belief in this team has grown because I have noted that there is still a great level of ability in this club. I have become buoyed by bowling performances from lad such as Matt Kingshott, Harvey James and Will Glenn to augment an already impressive talent portfolio within the club.
Of course the simple way to answer this issue is to wait as time will of course allow a mutual respect and belief to develop within the squad, but without wishing to sound negative I don’t believe that is enough and I think that patience is the bare minimum we should expect from each other as a team. The truth is that as on Saturday, we must begin to demonstrate to each other why we should expect the confidence of the guy next to us. Yes, we will each have bad days, maybe even bad month’s throughout a season, but with a little application we will each perform too our undoubted potential more often than not. With performances will come confidence and I think that if we can become a confident side a slow starting summer can become a very enjoyable one!!!
