Australia captain Lenninggives Ireland women lift
The Covid-19 lockdown has provided an unexpected but timely bonus for the Ireland Women’s cricket squad with Australian captain Meg Lanning joining former Irish captain Isobel Joyce in a ‘virtual’ batting masterclass this week.
The session was chaired by Ireland Women’s Head Coach Ed Joyce and also featured contributions from his Australian counterpart Matthew Mott.
A wide-ranging discussion was punctuated by clips of both Lanning and Joyce batting for their respective countries, to help illustrate discussion points.
Speaking after the session, Ed Joyce said: “It was exceptionally generous of Meg to contribute her time to the session, particularly given that it was the evening in Australia when she joined the masterclass.
“Both she and Isobel were expansive and engaging in how they talked through their preparation and thought processes going into big games, as well as drilling down on areas such as shot selection and preparing multiple plans for opponents they came up against.
“The clear message from both players to our young squad is – get to know what you’re good at, and focus on becoming the best you can be at that.”
Laura Delany, captain of the Ireland Women’s team, said the experience had proven invaluable.
“Any time you can pick the brains of experienced cricketers such as Meg and Isobel is valuable, and I know that our entire squad enjoyed this unique opportunity,” she said.
“People often underestimate the mental aspect of the game, and both players spoke about the importance of mental preparation before a game and how to keep a clear mind and focus when on the field.
“Even despite the fact I was batting with Isobel during that Bangladesh run chase in 2018, it is still time well spent in analysing her innings and her thought processes in hindsight. Digging into the psychology of a successful sportsperson is an invaluable exercise, and will hopefully benefit many of our squad members who are learning their game and keen to get back out on the field.”