Welcome

Welcome to my new Blog. This blog will feature articles, interviews and clips on a range of subjects including conflict, international relations, sport and nature. I will try and post at least one article a week, but to kick things off below is a selection of my work published on the Cricket World website and some of the interviews I have conducted at the War Studies Department at King's College London.  

An Interview with Raphael Marcus

On the 14th of December 2012 I was joined by King's College London War Studies Phd student Raphael Marcus to discuss military innovation and insurgency adaptation in the Israel-Hezbollah conflict.

Please see the link below, skip to 19.00 for the interview:

http://warstudies.podomatic.com/player/web/2012-12-14T08_11_26-08_00

An Interview with Emile Simpson

On 7th December 2012 I was lucky enough to be joined by Emile Simpson, author of War From the Ground Up: 21st Century Combat as Politics. We discussed Emile’s new book as well as his views on the current war in Afghanistan. 

Please see the link below, please skip to 3.55 for the interview.

http://warstudies.podomatic.com/player/web/2012-12-07T08_42_28-08_00 

Comment: Ten Reasons To Go To The Cricket

11 SEPTEMBER 2012

What better way to spend an afternoon than watching the cricket?

©REUTERS / Action Images

Cricket is one of the most popular and played sports on the planet; it is accessible to a range of countries, classes and crosses gender boundaries. It is also an enjoyable sport for spectators and as a result is a lucrative sport for broadcasting companies and sponsors. There are hundreds of reasons to go to the cricket but here are the ten best according to John Pryor.

1. You get to dress up

Young or old, extrovert or, slightly less extrovert, you get to dress up when you go to the cricket. Some will choose fancy dress; from experience Batman and Robin rarely miss an England game and Santa Claus regularly makes the round trip from the North Pole to Lords.

Some of the more unique costumes of the past include the Grim Reaper, Kermit the Frog and Darth Vader. For others, cricket is the opportunity to wear the most colourful and dashing of outfits, cricket being the only place other than Henley where it is acceptable to wear trousers of every colour of the rainbow: power red is usually amongst the favourites.

Coupled with the traditional Panama hat and stylish sunglasses a day at the cricket gives you the license to dress to impress.

2. Indulge in intellectual conversation

Yes, seriously. At the start of the day the cricket offers the opportunity to discuss topics such as business, politics and the ins and outs of the game. Obviously as the day wears on and the beer begins to flow conversation swiftly moves on to which of the Spice Girls you most fancy (ok, Girls Aloud) and where one will indulge in curry eating on that particular evening.

Whatever the match, you can guarantee an eclectic and entertaining mix of conversation topics.

3.  Admire sporting talent

Arguably the main aim of going to the cricket is to admire sportsmen performing at the top of their game, something you can never quite appreciate by watching sport on television.

The pace at which the bowlers bowl, the sweetness of an on drive and, rather strangely, the distance the wicket keepers stand back can only really be appreciated live. These are sportsmen at the peak of their performance; to admire them in the flesh is something special.

4. To indulge oneself in gluttony

Going to the cricket is quite simply an excuse to eat all day long. Traditional snacks include the pork pie, cocktail sausages, a wide selection of crisps and nuts, and, of course, large volumes of rather cheap beer consumed from slightly grubby plastic pint glasses. So put that diet on hold and pack up that picnic basket as nobody goes hungry at the cricket.

5. To have a good sing song

Forget karaoke, The X-factor or Pop Idol, cricket matches provide the opportunity to sing your heart out to a range of cultural (and less cultural) classics. Where else would you get the opportunity to perform ‘Jerusalem’ followed by a chorus of ‘Who Ate all the Pies’ In front of 20,000 people?

6. You can have an excellent nap

This is far from a derogatory statement about the entertainment value of cricket. Rather it is a celebration of the freedom which the game offers to the spectator, liberating them to drop in and out of the action.

Many cricket fans (older men in particular) will speak of the memorable post-lunch time nap they have enjoyed during a Test match. Napping during the cricket is unique because being at the cricket relieves the pressures of everyday life and there is nothing expected of the spectator.

There is no need to keep on top of the action at all times and if an exciting moment happens it will inevitably be replayed when a satisfactory nap has been completed.

7. To behave like a naughty schoolboy

The stewards are an integral part of cricket matches, keeping the crowd under control and ensuring that the day’s play runs smoothly. Nevertheless, everybody enjoys winding them up just a little.

Some realise childhood ambitions of becoming builders by constructing towers made of pint glasses; following construction the challenge is then the preservation of one’s creation, swiftly passing them around the crowd to avoid the steward who takes on the role of the wrecking ball.

Other such childish pursuits include the odd food fight and the musician who will not obey the steward’s orders to keep quite. For the more daring (and drunk) cricket fan there is the opportunity to streak around the field, though this behaviour is never to be condoned.

8. Become at one with nature

The majority of us spend the working week in the office craving the opportunity to spend time outside experiencing the elements. Going to watch the cricket you can guarantee exposure to everything the weather has to offer. The day may well begin with sunshine forcing you to don the sun cream and sport the shades but things can, and do quickly change.

Every experienced cricket fan will pack a waterproof because the rain will always creep in on the day when you forget to pack it. Swirling wind is another delight which some will be lucky enough to experience during a day at the cricket, but hey, at least you’re out of the office.

9. Meet the stars of the game

There’s a hero for everybody at the cricket - the younger fans may get the opportunity to meet their current heroes prior to or after the game, while the older generations could run into stars of the past walking around the ground.

Autograph opportunities abound aplenty and whatever age you are there is no denying that meeting your favourite player, past or present, can make your day.

10. Witness moments of history

It’s not often that you can say about your day, “people will talk about what I witnessed for decades to come.” Going to the cricket has the potential to offer you this opportunity. How many people can say, “I was there when England won the Ashes in 2005,” or, “I saw Brian Charles Lara carve his name in the record books with a score of 501?” The answer is very few.

© Cricket World 2012

For published article please follow link: http://www.cricketworld.com/comment-ten-reasons-to-go-to-the-cricket/32306.htm

Comment: Twenty20 Can Never Replace Test Cricket

5 SEPTEMBER 2012

The eyes and ears of the world will be on Sri Lanka as the ICC World Twenty20 gets underway later this month

©REUTERS / Action Images

The ICC World Twenty20 2012 is fast approaching and no doubt fans will flock to Sri Lanka and TV audiences will be glued to the screens as the best cricket nations clash in the shortened format of the game.

It is obvious to see why Twenty20 is an attractive form of the game for spectators. The limited overs format encourages attacking batting and consequently brings about a range of attacking strokes and regular wickets.

Powerful hitters such as Chris Gayle, Kevin Pietersen and Richard Levi have quickly become the biggest names in Twenty20 reflecting the benefits of this format for the batsman. The draw of Twenty20 for spectators has proven lucrative for cricket; the establishment of the Indian Premier League (IPL) has enabled cricketers to earn salaries rivalling that of premier league footballers.

The IPL has caused issues in international cricket because of clashes with series on the international calendar. Players are therefore forced to choose between representing their nation and earning the big bucks playing T20 in the IPL. Initially there was some speculation that the emergence of T20 marked the death of Test cricket as fewer Test matches would be played in order to play more international T20 matches, which are more spectator friendly and more lucrative.

Thankfully though, T20 has emerged as a major part of international cricket, it has not replaced the Test match as the pinnacle of the game because Test match cricket offers so much more than T20 ever could.

Test Matches are literally a Test; they push the abilities of the batsmen, bowlers and fielders to the limits and offer the timescale for a great range of strategy and adaptability. There is nothing more magical in cricket then watching a batsman build a Test innings because he is tested to his limits and forced to demonstrate his adaptability. No doubt he will face seam bowling, spin, the new ball, the older ball and a range of weather conditions.

Couple this with having to maintain concentration for hours on end and you have the greatest test of a batsman in cricket, and it is glorious to watch. The same is true for a bowler; over the five days they must fight against a changing pitch, deteriorating cricket balls and the strains of bowling on the body.

As for a batsman, a Test offers the bowler time to build a battle and take the time to execute this. The time on offer does not mean that Test match cricket offers no flair or excitability; the second England versus South Africa Test Match demonstrated that it can rival T20 for big hitting and entertainment.

For the spectator Test match cricket offers far more than just a cricketing spectacle; in this sense a Test could be compared to a multi-layered novel. For the spectator at the ground there is a day’s cricket coupled with a full day of eating the traditional mixture of pork pies and crisps, the fun games the crowd plays when the cricket is slightly less exciting such as Mexican waves, pint glass towers and the joys of Test match fancy dress.

Every spectator will come away with an amusing story to tell which typically has nothing to do with the cricketing action; my own highlights include the entire crowd standing up to sing ‘Men of Harlech’ as a Zulu warrior walked past at an England versus South Africa Test match and a man dressed as the Grim Reaper leaning over to tap an elderly sleeping man on the shoulder with his scythe, much to the old chap’s surprise.

For the television or radio spectator the spectacle is no less multi-faceted; Test Match cricket becomes a part of your life for five days. Though there is no obligation to focus your entire attention on the match for the duration, the longer form of the game is perfect to drop in and out of but nevertheless offers the excitement of checking the cricket score every hour or so.

Then there is Test Match commentary, this is extremely special and unique though may appear pointless and irrelevant to non-cricket fans. In no other sport do the commentators so often drift away from reporting the action to have private discussions and tell anecdotes. Without Test Match commentary we would miss out on hearing about Tuffer’s race horse, Botham’s fishing/drinking escapades and Bumbles general forays around the country.

Though we look forward to the ICC World Twenty20 championships 2012 for the big hitting and edge of your seat moments, and celebrate the money which T20 has brought into the sport, there is no question that T20 can never replace Test Match cricket as the pinnacle of the game because Test Match cricket offers multi-layered entertainment and is the greatest expression of cricketing skill and ability.

John Pryor

© Cricket World 2012

For published article please follow link: http://www.cricketworld.com/comment-twenty20-can-never-replace-test-cricket/32249.htm

Comment: As One Door Closes, Does The Door For KP Open?

29 AUGUST 2012

Does Andrew Strauss's resignation open the way for Kevin Pietersen to return to international cricket

©REUTERS / Action Images

The retirement of Andrew Strauss announced in a press conference today will inevitably spark questions about the door opening for Kevin Pietersen's reintroduction to the international set-up; a door which had previously appeared closed for the significant future.

Though Strauss denied that the Pietersen saga had affected his decision to resign the captaincy, it inevitably hastened his departure as the resignation offered him a way out of the crisis. The speed of Pietersen's reintroduction to the England setup will reflect the role that the relationship between Strauss and Pietersen had to play in the KP saga.

The text messages about Strauss sent by Pietersen to the South African team brought the crisis to a head, but it would be short-sighted to see Strauss as the only roadblock to Pietersen's return to the England set-up.

Amongst the other issues to be resolved is Pietersen's relationship with other players; Stuart Broad for one was rumoured to have been involved in the controversy surrounding the KP parody Twitter account. Then there is also the somewhat troublesome relationship Pietersen and Graeme Swann have enjoyed over the years. Back in 2011 Swann stated in his book that the best thing to come from Pietersen’s short stint as captain was Andrew Strauss taking over.

Moreover, it does not seem that many of the other players are in a rush to welcome KP back to the dressing room; several of them including Tim Bresnan have spoken out and tweeted that the team is no weaker without him.

Alongside dressing room relationships there is also the issue of the Indian Premier League (IPL). The lure of a lucrative contract in the IPL which clashes with England's 2013 Test match series versus New Zealand is what sparked the original clash between KP and the ECB and no doubt did not go down well with other players in the dressing room.

In order to be welcomed back into the side KP will have to resolve not only his issues with teammates but also come to an amicable compromise with the ECB about his involvement in IPL cricket.  

It was revealed today that England Cricket managing director Hugh Morris will have a meeting with Pietersen to discuss his future and resolve the issues. The timing of such a statement is controversial in itself. If Pietersen is to be re-introduced to the England setup the ECB must be careful that his reintroduction does not appear to be a result of Strauss's retirement, as accusations could then be cast that the ECB sacrificed their captain for their no.1 talent.

Sadly for the ECB this is a tightrope they must walk. It is beyond doubt that Kevin Pietersen has the ability to be the catalyst which could propel England back to the number one spot in all forms of cricket but they must make it clear that they have placed the team before the man, and while Pietersen's reintroduction may be hastened by the departure of Strauss it is not as a result of the captain's resignation.

The ECB must also strike a balance between the spirit of the dressing room and the inclusion of match-winning talent; if Pietersen continues to be a disruptive influence then the benefits of his ability may no longer outweigh the cost his behaviour has on the performance of the team as whole.

It seems inevitable that Pietersen will return to the England setup but it is also clear that his reintroduction will not mark the end of this saga which will continue to be a focus of the ECB for some time to come.

John Pryor

© Cricket World 2012

Please follow link for published article: http://www.cricketworld.com/comment-strauss-departs-can-kp-now-return-/32185.htm

Comment: Should Cricket Feature In The Olympic Games?

9 AUGUST 2012

Sports such as tennis and football are regular fixtures of the Olympics, should cricket follow in their footsteps?

©REUTERS/Action Images

The London Olympics is moving into its final week but the hype around this monumental event is not diminishing, primarily as a result of the unprecedented success of team GB. With sports such as football and tennis featuring in the Olympic Games it is only natural that questions about the potential for cricket to become part of the Olympics are being raised. 

Strangely enough, cricket has featured in a past Olympic Games; in 1900 a cricket tournament was played as part of the Olympics. The original entry to the tournament was four nations but the withdrawal of two left only France and Great Britain; Great Britain were victorious though the teams were far from the professional sides we see today. Neither side was nationally selected, in fact the British team was a touring side from Devon and the French team was primarily made up of British ex-patriots. Cricket has been absent from the games ever since, however in recent times cricket has made a resurgence in multi-sport tournaments; in 2010 cricket made its debut in the Asian Games.    

So, should cricket have a renaissance at the Olympics? Former England coach David ‘Bumble’ Lloyd thinks not, he tweeted: “Can’t see cricket in the Olympics, not enough countries play.” His twitter followers responded to this on mass, some commenting that cricket should not feature as it would not be the pinnacle of the sport; others argued that hockey, which features in the Olympics, is played by a similarly small number of countries and therefore this should not stop cricket from being included. The fear that the Olympics would not be the pinnacle of the cricket calendar has been highlighted by others; Sussex batsmen Luke Wells argued that it would be fantastic for cricket to be part of the Olympics but, “the teams entered should be the best possible, the Olympics should be the pinnacle of the sport.”

This fear has also been voiced about football and tennis for whom the Olympics are not the pinnacle. However, the problem of the Olympics not being the pinnacle of sport is spreading to the more traditional sports in the games and is consequently becoming less of a problem. Arguably, the Olympics is evolving and becoming more about bringing the world together and encouraging participation rather than attempting to place itself at the pinnacle of all sports. Examples of this come from the velodrome and the athletics track; in cycling, new rules have been brought in limiting the number of competitors in each event to one per nation. Consequently stars of the sport, and definite medal contenders, are not competing in the Olympics because they are unlucky enough to have a countryman who is a more likely winner of gold. The most obvious example of this in London is undoubtedly Sir Chris Hoy who was not given the chance to defend his sprint title because the sole British place went to Jason Kenny. Similarly, in athletics, although we were treated to a spectacular 100m Olympic final, it was the Jamaican trials earlier this year which were hailed as possibly the best race we would ever see; unfortunately Jamaica could only bring three sprinters to London.  

While not being the pinnacle of the sport, bringing cricket to the Olympics would embody much of what the modern Olympics is about; unity and participation.  The inclusion of cricket in the Olympics would aid the expansion and development of cricket throughout the world, particularly for the host nation who would receive an automatic spot and funding from the IOC to build a team if it did not already exist. In addition, cricket would receive more exposure outside of the normal cricket following nations making it possible for more people around the world to take up the sport. The addition of cricket to the Olympics would not be plain sailing; there would be issues with fitting the Olympic Games into an already packed international calendar. Moreover, it is unlikely that the increasingly money driven world of cricket would respond well to the little fiscal value of competing.  

Cricket should not be dismissed as an Olympic sport; the tagline for this games is “inspire a generation” and the inclusion of cricket would undoubtedly do that. Whether the impact would be profound enough to justify its inclusion is open to debate, though with the emphasis of the Olympic Games moving away from being the sporting pinnacle, cricket should not be excluded on this basis alone.   

© Cricket World 2012

Please follow the link to published article: http://www.cricketworld.com/should-cricket-feature-in-the-olympic-games-/32029.htm

Comment: Catches Win Matches

23 AUGUST 2012

The great Brian Lara was dropped on 18 on the way to his record breaking score of 501.

The number one Test match ranking changed hands in dramatic fashion this weekend; needing to win the final match of the series versus South Africa in order to hold on to top spot England went into the final day still needed 329 runs with only eight wickets remaining. Sadly for the home side it was not to be and they fell just 51 runs short of their target. Understandably, areas in which England failed to perform have been highlighted within the England setup and in the media. 

One of these areas was in their fielding, and more specifically their catching, the old saying ‘catches win matches’ certainly echoed around the England dressing room at times this series. England, who are normally so good in the field, dropped an alarming amount of chances costing them over 600 runs throughout the series. Two of the most notable cases occurred in the final Test match and could well have turned the tide of the entire series; wicket-keeper Matt Prior dropped Hashim Amla on two; Amla went to make an outstanding 121. Likewise, James Anderson dropped AB De Villies on eight, he went on to make 41 but was a crucial partner for Amla during his match-winning innings.      

Pundits such as former England captain Nasser Hussain have sought to explain England’s slippery hands so Cricket World thought it would be more entertaining to look back at some of the most expensive, or important, dropped catches in cricket history. 

Certainly the most expensive in terms of runs was the dropped catch by Durham Wicketkeeper Chris Scott. In 1994 against Warwickshire at Edgbaston Scott dropped Brian Lara off the bowling of Simon Brown, and he shrewdly remarked, “I suppose he'll get a hundred now.” At the time Lara was on 18, and he went to score 501, the highest inning in first-class history; the catch had directly cost Durham 483 runs.    

Other players which teams dropped at their peril included the likes of Virender Sehweg, Graham Gooch and the great Sachin Tendulkar. In the first Test match of the 2004 series versus Pakistan in Multan, Indian opener Sehwag was dropped three times on his way to a stunning 309. 

Gooch was only given one lifeline though the damage in terms of score was even greater, as was the damage to a young bowler’s career. On 36 in the Lords Test against India in 1990 Gooch edged behind off the bowling of the young Sanjeev Sharma only for the catch to be put down by wicket-keeper Kiran More. Gooch went on to score the highest innings total ever at Lords - 333. Sadly, the young bowler never played another Test. 

After the 2011 World Cup semi-final in Mohali between India and Pakistan, former Pakistan captain Imran Khan stated: "You don't drop Tendulkar four times and win a match." This was very true of this particular match; Tendulkar scored 85 runs from 115 deliveries, India won by 29 runs and progressed to the World Cup final.    

History has also seen dropped catches change the course of entire series as happened in the recent England versus South Africa series. In 2002 the West Indies narrowly defeated India in a home Test Match series 2-1. The first Test in Guyana was a draw but only thanks to the heroic first innings total by West Indian captain Carl Hooper. 

Hooper scored 233 runs having been dropped by the Indian wicket-keeper Deep Dasgupta on nought. Arguably one of the most important dropped catches in recent Ashes history was by Shane Warne; in the final Ashes Test with England leading 2-1 in 2005 he put down  Kevin Pietersen on 15. Pietersen went on to score 158 and secure the Ashes for England. The commentator reacted to the drop by stating that Warne, traditionally an excellent catcher, may well have just dropped the Ashes.       

So when the England team sit down and look back over the numerous dropped catches which may have cost them their number one Test ranking this summer they can be comforted by the fact that they are not alone. The history of cricket is awash with dropped catches which changed the course of matches and even entire series.

© Cricket World 2012

Please follow the link for published article: http://www.cricketworld.com/comment-catches-win-matches/32137.htm

Comment: The Changing Nature of Cricket Injuries

11 JULY 2012

South Africa were hit with a huge blow as Mark Boucher was forced to retire due to an eye injury picked up at Taunton. Alviro Petersen, pictured here, has also been on the sidelines due to injury

©REUTERS / Action Images

The world of cricket was rocked this week by the news that South African wicket-keeper Mark Boucher had announced his retirement from international cricket following a freak injury sustained in a pre-tour warm up match versus Somerset.

Boucher was struck in the eyeball by a bail, dislodged when Imran Tahir bowled Gemaal Hussain; he suffered a lacerated eye, and shortly after undergoing surgery announced his retirement.

A career-ending injury of this type is all the more shocking given the rarity of abrasion injuries in the modern game. Fractured skulls such as that suffered by Bert Oldfield in the 1932-33 bodyline series are a thing of the past.

Protective equipment is so advanced that batsmen are now able to withstand direct blows to the helmet, broken fingers are now a rare occurrence and close fielders even have specially designed shin pads.

This is not to say that modern cricket is a risk-free environment. The volume of international cricket played in the modern era is causing players, particularly pace bowlers, to suffer from a range of career ending injuries which can be linked to the regular stress which is being put on their bodies.

Andrew Flintoff is one of the most famous and talented cricketers to have a career blighted and ended by a series of injuries related to the constant stresses placed on his body by fast bowling. Among Flintoff’s injuries were a broken foot suffered bowling in Cape Town (1999), a back injury (2000), a hernia (2002), a shoulder injury (2003), surgery on the left ankle (2005), further surgery on left ankle (2007) and a career ending torn meniscus in his knee (2009).

Remember Simon Jones? A key member of the English pace bowling quartet which dismantled the Australians in the 2005 Ashes series, with talent and pace to burn, Jones has not featured in Test match cricket since 2005 after a series of ankle and knee injuries. Only this week cricket fans witnessed how fast bowling has the potential to hinder careers when Brett Lee and Shane Watson were forced to return to Australia with calf strains. 

Teams are clearly getting wise to the changing nature of injuries caused by the rigorous international schedule. England are using the depth of talent in their squad to rotate and rest key bowlers; Stuart Broad and James Anderson missed the last Test against the West-indies at Edgbaston earlier in the summer.

Similarly, having already won the ODI series against the West Indies with the final fixture at Headingley still to be played, England's selectors opted to rest Stuart Broad, Tim Bresnan and Graeme Swann. This policy has not been without its critics; James Anderson, in his column for a Sunday newspaper, voiced his concerns that injury or loss of form could keep him out of future games, but while he is fit he feels he should be selected.

"It would be different if I felt fatigued or was struggling with an injury. But I believe I am fit to play and while I am fit to play I want to play in every England game I can," he wrote.

Despite Anderson’s concerns, with the most important part of the summer still to come, the Test series versus South Africa where the number one Test ranking will be contested, this is a brilliant and progressive policy which the England selectors are adopting.

In doing so they are demonstrating their ability to adapt to the changing nature of international cricket, placing the team above the individual in an effort to prolong England’s success.

Alongside repetitive strain injuries, depression is becoming increasingly common in the modern era. The most notable cases include Marcus Trescothick, Andrew Flintoff, Michael Yardy and Steve Harmison. It would be inaccurate to argue that international sport causes depression as doctors predict that one in five people are predisposed to emotional disorders, but arguably international sport is increasingly triggering emotional trauma.

One aspect of international cricket which is associated with causing depression is the amount of travelling and spending long periods away from friends and family.

One of the first cricketers to speak openly about his depression was Marcus Trescothick in his award-winning book 'Coming Back To Me.' Trescothick began to suffer in 2005 when his young daughter did not to recognise him after he returned home from a tour of Pakistan; he was convinced that he had ‘let her down by going on tour.’

In 2006, a major breakdown in the team dressing room forced him to leave England’s tour of India; he attributed this to missing his family and worrying that something might happen to them. Michael Yardy and Steve Harmison suffered similar breakdowns following long periods of travel with Yardy forced to return home from the 2011 World Cup.

The long periods of travel are just one aspect of international cricket which have been associated with depression. Andrew Flintoff’s story highlights another. In a documentary about how sports stars cope with depression, Flintoff admitted to being a sufferer, not as a result of the pressure put on him to perform by the media or fans, but by the pressure he put on himself.

Pressure is an obvious part of professional sport, and it is what sportsmen and women at the highest level are paid to cope with. However, with the rising pressure on sports people to perform consistently because of the increased popularity and monetary value of sport, it is no wonder that pressure can eventually become overwhelming.

This coupled with the travelling demands of modern cricket, means that the association between depression and cricket will continue to grow until the condition is regarded as an injury of the modern era similar to repetitive strain injuries. 

The changing nature of injuries in cricket is reflective of the changing medical conditions in contemporary society; with people working longer hours and under increasing pressure, illnesses related to overwork and stress are becoming commonplace.

Cricket has reacted to this in the right way, putting in place programmes to ensure the longevity of players’ careers and offering support for those suffering from mental issues.

© Cricket World 2012

Please follow link for published article: http://www.cricketworld.com/comment-the-changing-nature-of-cricket-injuries/31809.htm

Comment - The Process of Grooming a Captain

4 JULY 2012

In no sport is the captain more important than cricket; he is the puppet master and the chess player moving his pieces into place. It is the captain who takes the plaudits when the team wins and must answer questions when they lose. Not only is the captain involved in important decisions on the field, he is also part of the selection panel and the public face of the team.

The importance of this role is in no way a mystery to international cricket boards; it has become clear that captaincy is not an area which they are prepared to gamble on. Potential leaders are increasingly being identified early in their international careers and are groomed for the role of team captain.

Michael Clarke is one of these leaders; in 2007, still a relatively junior player in the Australian team compared to the likes of Gilchrist, Michael Clarke was named as Australia's captain for the Twenty20 International versus New Zealand. It was not a secret that this was the beginning of a grooming process which would see Michael Clarke step into Ricky Ponting's shoes as captain of Australia in all forms of the game.

Cricket Australia’s then chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch explained the selection by stating, "We have taken the opportunity to enhance the leadership skills of Michael Clarke, to assure the long history of strong leadership in Australian cricket is continued into the future." As expected, Clarke did follow in Ponting's footsteps becoming captain of Australia in both Test and One-Day International (ODI) formats in 2011. In a recent interview with Sky Sports Michael Clarke spoke openly about his experiences of this grooming process stating that, while it may have looked like he was groomed for captaincy from very early on, as much as it is an honour to captain Australia, he never had an open desire to be captain and would have been content with vice-captaincy.

It is not just Cricket Australia who have used this 'grooming' process; in the current England team it is clear who will be the captains of the future. Undoubtedly Alistair Cook, who has acted as vice-captain for the England Test team and was installed as ODI captain in 2011, will succeed Andrew Strauss as test captain. It also appears that Cook's successor is being groomed for the role of Test and ODI captain; Stuart Broad was appointed T20 captain in May 2011 taking over from Paul Collingwood while, as in the case of Michael Clarke, more seasoned internationals were overlooked.

Likewise, in July 2011, Pakistani coach Waqar Younis in his report to the board on players abilities called for the grooming of a young captain for the 2015 ODI World Cup campaign. He recognised the fact that Misbah-ul-Haq may be too old to lead the team in 2015 and consequently stated that "This is the right time for the board to appoint a young successor so that he is groomed properly and is ready to take over when the time comes."

Clearly the grooming of a young captain is becoming uniform practice throughout the world of international cricket. Should we be concerned about the effect of this process? The process of grooming arguably highlights which format of the game is the priority of each international cricket board; while Australia and England are using the T20 and ODI format to groom future test captains, Pakistan in 2011 were basing their preparations on the 2015 ODI world cup. This begs the question, should cricket boards be prioritising in such ways and using certain forms of the game to experiment with new leaders?

To a certain extent, the T20 and ODI formats are the only testing ground for young captains since the volume of international cricket prevents them from gaining leadership experience in the county game. The choice of T20 and ODI formats as practice grounds makes sense as there is arguably less pressure on the captain than in Test cricket and Test captains coming to the end of their careers tend to retire from the shorter form of the game first, leaving a gap in the captaincy. Although of late, the likes of England and Australia have been extremely successful in the shortened forms of the game under young captaincy, it is a process which bring with it a number of risks and cricket boards could find themselves culpable if the experiment fails.

The effect of this grooming process on the current Test captain should also be considered; the installation of a new captain in the shortened forms of the game has the potential to encourage an early retirement from the current Test captain. In addition, the appointment could affect the team dynamic in all forms of the game. Though these are concerns which boards must be prepared to deal with, these are not issues which are currently prominent.

Speaking to Michael Atherton last week Michael Clarke spoke of the benefits of having Ricky Ponting in his side at the beginning of his captaincy, likewise the presence of Andrew Strauss on the team balcony at the first ODI of the Australia series did not appear to have a negative effect on team dynamics.

The grooming process of young captains appears to be the right direction for cricket teams to proceed with if they are to rise to the pinnacle of the sport and maintain that position. However, the careful management of this process is crucial as it has the potential to cause problems for cricket’s governing bodies.

© Cricket World 2012

Please see the published version: http://www.cricketworld.com/comment-the-process-of-grooming-a-captain/31738.htm