Mindset Shift to Score More Runs & Take More Wickets

If there is one thing I have been coaching my clients on recently is their mindset and developing their mental skills to enhance their performance.

This was very apparenent at a local club I visisted last week where I had a really good discussion with an off spin bowler who had lost his way. I have never bowled a ball of off spin in my life however we were able to make some great changes.

This bowler grabbed me as he wanted me to watch him bowl out in the middle without any batters. He was saying things to me like “ I used to be able to get so much drop” , “ I lost all my turn & bounce”, “I used to be the leagues top bowler and now I’ve been dropped”, “I don’t know what has happened to my bowling”.

I asked him what he thinks about between balls in games. He responded with “ I never used to bowl these bad balls”, “ Cmon keep your arm up higher”, “stop bowling this shit”, “ What are you DOING !!”.

I then asked him what he used to do when he was bowling at his best. He said “ I created so much energy at the crease”, “ I had so much fizz on the ball”, “I bowled with intent”

Boom heres all I needed. I then got this bowler to shift his mindset from his previous negative mindset thinking about the player he was or the things he wasn’t doing. To now we had 3 words he said before every ball.

Energy, Intent & Fizz

Next thing you know, bang the turn & bounce is back, the ball is drifting and dropping in the air. He said he hasn’t bowled like this for over 2 years.

I don’t know off spin bowling but what I do know is that if you deliverately think about the things you want to see & you’re more likely to see those things. It’s like when you go to buy a certain type of car and now you see them on the road everywhere.

This works the other way, If you think negatively , you will see & become those negative thoughts.

Take this little nugget into your next session. Keep it simple 1-3 things that you want to feel or do when you are batting, bowling or fielding.