Help With Nerves?

GrahamSons

New Member
Hello to everybody, I love my cricket and I hope that one day I will make my international side. I know with enough hard-work and determination this will be possible but I am struggling with nerves during games. The morning before games I feel so nervous, sometimes I even start vomiting, feeling dizzy and general un-wellness, and this in turn effects the way I play. I know I have the ability to score decent scores as in a couple of games I have stayed in long enough to score but at the start of my innings I am so nervous I normally only get out for less than twenty. I was just wondering if anybody knows any way in which I may be able to calm myself before a game. Thank you for any help.
 
Well what is the worse thing that can happen when you're batting: getting out for 0; everyone has/will get out for 0. Every morning before a game don't even think about it : how you will play, who you will be facing ; just have a decent breakfast. Before you go out to bat i would say don't even watch the game you could eventally read a book and when you get to know it's your turn just go and just play as the ball comes don't overthink about the next delivery !! :D
 
Two words: "robust confidence". If you are feeling nerves it's because you do not truly believe in yourself. So train harder, play more games and sore runs and this will fade over time.

In the meantime, I would focus on some simple tricks to calm yourself down. Things like the "stop technique" and learning how to focus on your breathing to let your "fight or flight" instinct vanish. You can read more here: http://www.pitchvision.com/train-your-mind-for-cricket-with-the-4c-method
 
It's all about routines, if you have set routines that you do before matches stretching all the way to the night before, then this will increase your confidence and consistency massively. I like to pack my bag the night before with all the items packed in a certain order, in a certain area and in a certain way. I then go to bed at 9.30, get up at 7.30 and check my kit. I then do whatever I want to before getting to the pitch an hour before the game starts, get changed, do a specific warm-up, bowl two fast bowls to loosen up and then start doing my normal spin bowling drills. If we are batting, I watch the first two overs and then read a book that has nothing to do with cricket. When the guy two positions before me goes in, I pad up, have 4 overs of throwdowns and then go and sit down away from everyone else with my gloves and helmet on my left-hand side. When the guy before me gets out, I run on to the field, do 4 heel flicks, four high knees, look at the sun and then jog the rest of the way before commencing my usual pre-delivery routine.

This might seem completely eccentric and extravagant, and I have to admit I hadn't realized how much I do before I wrote this, but it helps my game so much confidence-wise and also with consistency.
 
Hey mate,

I had the same problems as you a few seasons ago. I was simply to worried about everything that could go wrong. How I managed to get over the fear is by just simply relax and remember that it's only a game and that you play it for the enjoyment. I'm not saying don't care about the team and throw your wicket away. What I'm meaning is just staying relaxed and if you do fail, remember that everyone has bad days and that failure is just a stepping stone for success.
 
difficult to stop the nerves, all you can do is prepare well, come up with routine, sleep/wake up/when and what you eat. as long as you know you've done all you can thats the most important thing. some of the best batters of all time were nervous recks. just the way some people are, you might even prefer opening the batting. getting right out there ball 1 and not waiting around
 
I know this is an old post, however, this topic is something that effects every cricketer at some stage.
Cricket Australia and Smiling Mind have put together this mindfulness program (which is basically meditation) on how to prepare yourself mentally to perform at your best. Once you login, click on oUR Programs and scroll to the bottom and then click on Sport. You will find the sessions there. I did download the MP3 files somehow quite a while ago, but can't remember how I did it.
Mindfulness is quite a big thing in schools here.
https://smilingmind.com.au/cricket-australia/
 
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