Cricket selectors set the standards, culture and professionalism
Paul Ryan | July 13, 2023
Recently I was asked how a team, club or association can be more professional and build the standards and culture to be more successful.
It is a great question and one I'm sure where we all have our own opinions.
In my opinion, irrespective of the standard or level of cricket or the purpose for which people play, everything starts at the selection table.
Suppose the selectors of a cricket team select the players they believe will act and perform in the team's best interest. In that case, the desired outcomes of professionalism and standards sort themselves out.
Problems start, fester and can cause untold issues when selectors bow to self-interest, agendas, politics, or anything other than selecting players on performance or outside the purpose of the team and its ambition.
People will ask why a player is consistently performing and not being selected.
All selectors have the right and should be able to select a player based on talent alone. A player they believe could become a special player and benefit from playing at a higher standard at an earlier age.
In such a case, the selectors need to back their judgment and give the player an extended run so the player gets the opportunity to build confidence and consistency in their performance.
The challenge for selectors is if, for example, the player struggles in their performance, the selectors need to act in the best interest of the player and the team.
Selectors being transparent in selecting players on performances and, at times, taking a calculated punt on a player's talent all form part of building a successful team.
It's ok for a player to miss out on selection because other players are always deserving of an opportunity.
It could be a blessing in disguise for a player to be dropped from a team. There are many examples of cricketing greats who've been dropped from their international team and returned to first class cricket to fine-tune their game, perform consistently and be selected again to be far greater players.
The selection table is as important in premier, club, park, junior, school, and veteran's cricket as it is for international and first-class cricket. It's all relative.
It's disappointing and frustrating to hear stories of self-interest, agendas and politics playing a part at the selection table.
We play cricket because we enjoy the game and everything it delivers. It's a game for all.
Some people want to play for fun; others want to compete, win, and have fun doing so. There's nothing wrong with either, but at any level or purpose, it's up to the selectors to ensure their selection process reflects the desired outcome of the team, club, or association.
If you allow unnecessary noise to enter your thought process as a selector, please remember you'll not only deny another person an opportunity, but you'll be denying yourself and the team, club, or association the opportunity to build what you're hoping to achieve.
Standards and culture start at the selection table.
Interesting topic and you've covered the issues very comprehensively.
In club cricket its very difficult to manage players and parents expectations and ultimately they have to do what they think is best. I have captained, managed and selected Premier League teams for many years and there's a lot of factors to consider in top club cricket:
1. Balance of the side.
2. The pro players role.
3. The development of emerging players.
4. The role of the older established players.
5. Are you trying to win the league?
6. Are you trying to avoid relegation?
All you can do is try to be as honest with the players, parents and yourself as you can. Ultimately if the players and the club committee don't want you, they will vote you out.
Similarly, if a player doesn't feel they are happy with their cricket within a certain team/club - they will move on.
I personally, take pride in identifying a young player and bringing them into a higher standard and nurturing their talent. I often found the second half of the season if you weren't realistically pushing for the title, as a good opportunity to do this. Key to this is getting the older/established players to buy into this nurturing of young talent for the future and good of the club.
Another issue is that you can only do this with one or two young players and if you have four or five pushing for opportunities in a team, you have to make a choice. That's when the favoritism and back stabbing can start so managing parents of such players if an artform. Again I try to be honest and sometimes, if they don't like it, they might leave for another club. That's unfortunately part of a coaches job and on which they base their credibility.
As for selection committees - that is wholly dependent on how much they understand the game, the skills of the players, the potential of young talent and how much attention to detail they give the job. They need to watch the games and talk to the captains and coaches to properly understand their thinking and plans for players and the club. A strong unified relationship with the captain and coach is vital and they are the key people in any selection panel/committee in my opinion.
Well said Michael. Honesty is always the best policy. When selectors are playing with people's careers and ambitions they owe it to people to be open and honest.
They may not like what you've got to say but in time they'll come to respect your integrity.