Coach's Corner: Under the pump
Tue, 12 January 2010
Cricket is all about meeting challenges head-on and being the best you can be under the most pressure-cooker of situations. Having lost our first games in the KFC Twenty20 Big Bash, we must win and win well against the Tasmanians on Friday to remain any chance of making the qualifying final. Other results also have to go our way if we are to play-off. Friday's team is yet to be determined. Much will depend again on Clint McKay's availability. He is in the Test XII right now and if he happens to be 12th man again we'd like to think he could be released in time for Friday night's must-win fixture. He would add another dimension to our attack which has been workmanlike without quite having the same punch as in previous years. Our batting is the major area where we need to improve. Some more luck with the toss would also help. Teams batting first have won 80 per cent of the time in the Big Bash games. Our only winning toss so far was in the first game at the ‘Gabba when we posted a good first-up score. We don't use that as an excuse incidentally. Good teams can win from anywhere. It is a fact though that our consistency in all three sectors of the game has put our group under the microscope like never before. Opposing teams have tightened their attack on our best players, denying them of a favorite shot here and there and it is up to us to adapt and get better. We have had some enormous positives, both as a group and individually this summer so far. The experience gained by James Pattinson and some of the other younger players has been particularly pleasing. The opportunity for them to get some time in the pressure cooker of Twenty20 cricket will benefit their games for years to come. Having an international cricketer of the calibre of Dwayne Bravo around us has also been a big plus. He has played a mentoring role as well as contributing significantly on-field. Ross Taylor, our second international, will be available again should we make the qualifying final, but that's all ahead of us. Our sole focus right now is beating the Tasmanians on Friday night. We're hoping a few results go our way to keep our hopes alive of again being part of the Champion's League later in the year. Look forward to seeing -- and hearing -- from you all on Friday night. So far our crowd for the NSW game of 28,000-plus in our second game has been the best of the Twenty20 season so far. We'd love the scales to tip over 30,000 on Friday night. Come on Bushranger fans. Get with us! And support us like you never have before!
Greg Shipperd, Head Coach of the DEC Bushrangers
