The study of motor learning has shown that for complex motor patterns, such as those required for batting, our neuromuscular system has a memory. Once we learn a movement pattern, our neuromuscular system "remembers" the sequence of muscle movement required to complete the task. The problem is that our neuromuscular system will "remember" the muscle patterns whether we have poor form or good form. By batting with poor form the athlete is reinforcing the muscle memory patterns for the poor form and thus it gets more difficult to change it in the future. It is therefore vital that a problem such as a biomechanical flaw in technique is recognised immediately and corrected.
In terms of using psychological skills and techniques to overcome poor form, several key qualities can be identified which an athlete should focus on. Commitment is one of these, essential to a cricketer’s success; they need to be dedicated to continually raising performance levels. Goal setting is a technique that can be used to break this process down, for example, short term goals might focus on the next couple of weeks. Long term goals should also be discussed, which may span the entire season. As a coach, it is important to remember that targets should be achievable, yet challenging.
To improve levels of confidence, an athlete might use imagery to help focus the mind. Relating this to a cricket scenario, before walking to the crease, a batsman might visualise a previous successful innings and the feelings associated with this performance. In addition to purely mentally visualised imagery, research has shown that elite performers are able to raise confidence levels in times of poor form by watching video clips of themselves performing well prior to a game.
Concentration is another psychological skill which is a vital element in all aspects of cricket, whether bowling, batting or fielding. This skill can be enhanced by a number of strategies. Most commonly used is self-talk. Many players will quietly talk to themselves during a game, for example, a batsman may repeat to themselves, “watch the ball out the hand,” as the bowler is running in. This technique is implemented to focus their concentration, blocking out any external stimuli. Linked with self-talk is the technique of thought stopping, discarding any negative thoughts as soon as they enter the mind. During times of poor form, the use of positive self talk or imagery may be used to counteract any negative thoughts.
Another key element in terms of psychological skills that can assist in overcoming poor form is the ability of an athlete to control their emotions. It is critical that the individual is firstly able to identify a loss of control, and then implement a method of regaining it. Breathing techniques can be used to calm body tension or mental frustration. A bowler who is struggling with their line might use such a method at the start of his run up, taking the opportunity to compose himself before the next delivery.
A method of identifying an athlete’s areas of weakness is to performance profile the individual. This technique was first developed by Butler (1986), based on the personal construct theory. Performance profiling enables the person to pinpoint certain aspects of their game that might be the underlying cause of their poor form. The sport is broken up into four main sections: physiological factors, technical factors, tactical factors and psychological factors. Each one of these sections is broken down into subcomponents, for example, within physiological factors abilities such as stamina, pace, strength and flexibility are recognised. The athlete is asked to rate each of these subcomponents out of ten. It is therefore easy for the athlete and coaching staff to concentrate on areas of weakness. These areas of weakness might be the fundamental reasons behind the decline in performance.
Various methods of overcoming a loss in form have been highlighted. The most important issue however is that the individual identifies there is a problem, and then pinpoints the area of weakness that can be attributed to the decline in performance. Only once this has been done, is it possible for the problem to be corrected. This is likely to be either done by the coach in a practice session if there is a physical problem, or by a sports psychologist if the athlete has a mental flaw.
