Masterclass: Starting the Season

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Starting your season is a very exciting time. It presents you with the opportunity to apply the skills you have worked at and developed during the off-season to make runs and take wickets, catches and stumpings.

Getting a good start to the season is the key to setting you up for a big year, as knowing you have put up strong performances early in the year can give you confidence and momentum for the rest of the season.

Here are a few of my tips for starting your season.

• Be patient, you haven’t played a match in 5 months, so easy does it and take your time
• Don’t expect too much. For example, getting time in the middle early on in the year is a great way for a batsman to get used to batting again and it will help to put you in top form and as they say you can’t score runs from the pavilion
• Relax, remember that everybody will be just as, if not more nervous than you, so relax and enjoy the challenge. A few deep breaths before you get set to face the bowler or at the top of your run-up can really help to calm you down if you are feeling a bit nervous
• Have a plan. Batting and bowling in the middle for the first time after a long break may feel a bit strange, having a simple and realistic plan that you can apply will help you through these uncertain times
• Stick to your plan and as above be patient
• Have fun and test yourself to see how good you can be

Good luck

Mark

Mark Atkinson

To date Mark has amassed extensive professional experience as an elite player with the Tasmanian, the Prime Ministers XI, Australian XI and Australia ‘A’ teams and an array of clubs in the United Kingdom and New South Wales. Mark’s elite level cricket experience is complemented by a Bachelor’s degree in physical education, which has enabled him to apply his knowledge of bio mechanics, skill acquisition, sport psychology and learning methodologies to his own career as a professional player and coach. His coaching credentials and expertise have been further enhanced through the attainment of his Level 3 cricket coaching accreditation from Cricket Australia. Mark has a Master’s degree in Business Administration, from Southern Cross University, Australia.