In a time of the pandemic, communities throughout the world have been extensively following the norms of social distancing. As a result, grounds have been empty to prevent gathering of fans, and the players from all the sports are locked inside. As individuals who have been accustomed to traveling and consecutive matches, the initial phases of lockdown came as a needed break.
However, now players have the eagerness and the desire to get the ground up and live as soon as possible. In a series of happenings, players have been keeping the fans entertained through social media. Apart from Instagram lives and QnAs, a more cricketing use of the online platform came from Pakistan where the coach was tracking the progress of her female cricketers. In a recent report published by ICC, Aussie skipper Meg Lanning and former Irish skipper Isobel Joyce organized a virtual masterclass primarily for the female players of the Irish side.
The skippers were also joined by the coaches. Australian coach Matthew Mott alongside his Irish counterpart Ed Joyce made their presence felt in a session where the greats of the game highlighted the vital elements of batting. Interestingly, Lanning analyzed her century in 2019. It was in a T20 game and came against arch-rivals England. Lanning went through her mindset and the selection of shots during the innings.
Isobel, on the other hand, recalled the dramatic last-ball win of her side against Bangladesh in 2018. Her focus, hence, was on pressure and nerves in those crunch situations. In a statement shared by Ed Joyce from Irish Cricket Board, he revealed that the skippers encouraged players to find their strengths and be the best in those attributes. He further added that time was given on how to build an innings and play the natural game in tight scenarios.
The current Irish skipper Laura Delany said: “Any time you can pick the brains of experienced cricketers such as Meg and Isobel is valuable, and I know that our entire squad enjoyed this unique opportunity”.
She added that often the psychological aspect of the game is lesser-known and digging into the minds of great superstars can be of great help. The Irish team is expecting more such sessions focusing on pace bowling, spin, and fielding as well. The side expects to derive great learnings from these sessions. More cricketing minds can come up with classes where they guide younger brains for the future.
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