What is Mental Toughness?

Professional sport today features players, administrators, coaches, computers, video feedback, fitness advisers, nutritionists and sports psychologists. The current-day professionalism in cricket has led to an increasing incentive for players to use every available resource to ensure that they maximise their potential and make the most of the opportunities now available.

Strangely though, sport psychology, 'the inner game', whatever you like to call it, seems to be the least studied of all cricket skills, even if it is widely accepted as being the most important ingredient of success.

There is no doubt that sports psychologists can be valuable, but in my opinion the best psychologists come from within the team, from the players - your team-mates and ex-players alike. As an Australian much can be learnt from talking with the Waugh brothers, Mark Taylor and Ian Healy, Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath, Geoff Marsh and Allan Border. Equally Mike Gatting, Mark Ramprakash, Angus Fraser, Phil Tufnell, Alec Stewart, Graeme Hick and Darren Gough are the best teacher's for future England players. Invaluable lessons can be gained from these 'real life' psychologists who have experienced the heat of the cricket battle and have performed exceptionally under pressure over an extended period of time. These are sportsmen who have refined and mastered their minds and techniques to a point where their chances of consistent performance are maximised.

At present, the cricketer who best epitomises mental toughness is Steve Waugh. Since 1993, he has made a mountain of runs in Test cricket and his average is comparable with the greatest players who have ever graced the cricket fields around the world. His batting in the third Ashes Test in 1993 at Trent Bridge, when he helped save the game, seemed to be the turning point in what up until that time, had been a sometimes spectacular but too often inconsistent career. Two years later, when Stephen stood up to the awesome Curtly Ambrose on a green pitch at Trinidad, where the ball was seaming and bouncing like a spitting cobra, he sent shivers down the spines of his team-mates who sat in the dressing-room searching for inspiration.

His double century in Jamaica on the same tour, where he partnered his younger brother in a stand that took Australia to the brink of a series victory, couldn't have been made by anyone but an extremely strong-spirited and determined person. During the 1997 Ashes tour, Stephens's centuries in each innings of the third Test, at Old Trafford, scored with a bruised right thumb and an Ashes series to rescue, were feats of exception skill, determination and concentration.

What is the key to his consistency and his outstanding record over the past six years? How has Steve Waugh transformed himself from a very talented cricketer to a player who will go down in Australia's rich sporting history as a great Australian sportsman?

The 'text book' sport psychologists would put it down to key words such as 'Concentration', 'Goal Setting', 'Discipline', 'Dedication' and 'Belief'. I remember vividly sitting on the famous Lord's balcony during the last Ashes tour and talking to the world's No. 1 batsman about his personal pursuit of excellence, about mental toughness and generally what makes him tick. His thoughts make for very interesting learning for anyone looking to emulate his incredible deeds. Perhaps the England cricket team could do worse than take a few tips from yesterday's World Cup hero.

Having noticed that 'Tugga' tends to hit a large number of balls at practice leading up to a Test Match, I asked him how important his preparation is for a game.

"Preparation and training are very important aspects of my game", he replied. "My practice sessions are very specific, designed to ensure that I feel as though I have done everything possible to be ready for the battle ahead. In simple terms, it is about feeling good about my game so that the odds of performing well weigh heavily in my favour. I give some thought to how the opposition are likely to attack me, then I relax totally and trust my instincts and preparation during the match."

Next I quizzed him about his concentration and consistency. In a nutshell, the Steve Waugh philosophy and key to peak performance seems to be about single-minded, focused concentration. About having the ability to concentrate solely on the next ball by giving it his full attention with a totally clear mind. It is almost a 'meditative' state. Clear focus on the ball, without any thoughts hindering that pinpoint concentration on the only thing that matters… the very next ball.

"Talk to AB (Allan Border), Boonie (David Boon), they will tell you the same thing', Stephen says. 'The next ball is the only important thing. The really good players give 100 percent to every ball. I know the best way to enjoy success is to play every ball as well as I possibly can".

Mark Taylor, who played most of his career alongside the latest Aussie skipper believes that one of the main reasons for his mate's success comes down to Discipline. He told me, "It is as if Steve decided to trade flamboyance and flashiness for runs. No matter what the situation, he refuses to give his wicket away and is determined to make the bowlers bowl at him, no matter what level of cricket he is playing".

Tugga admits, "It doesn't matter so much how you look as how many runs you score. You have to work out what works best for you, trust yourself and discipline yourself to the task at hand. Even in my nets I play as if I am in a game. Not getting out is as much a habit as getting out can be".

Steve's thoughts on goal setting are intriguing. 'I am not a big one for setting goals', he claims. 'My only real goal is to give my full attention to the next ball bowled at me, 100 per cent concentration on the next ball. Obviously I have ambitions but not specific goals, except the one I have just described'.

Two days after the momentous victory at Old Trafford in 1997, Tugga confessed that one of the most pleasing aspects of the two centuries he scored in that game was being able to win a mental struggle. Leading up to the game he's had to work very hard on his mental game, as his confidence was low and a few negative thoughts at crept in to his head. 'We all have them (negative thoughts), I guess it's just how we get over them. I kept talking to myself, prepared well and told myself not to be stupid, to get on with the job. This was a fantastic learning experience, another learning experience'.

In a way it is nice to know that even the world's best batsman has negative thoughts. At least we know he's human!!

A question often asked of the champions is 'What actually is Mental Toughness?' At the end of the day it is about performing consistently in all conditions for an extended period of time. Steve Waugh's summation of this question is this. 'Believing that you are better than the opposition, being brutally honest with yourself and always looking to improve you game. These are the crucial factors in my success'.

After yesterdays brilliant century I thought it would be appropriate to click back into the mind of one of the game's great players. With so much talk about England's poor showing in this World Cup, the pitfalls of County cricket, and the possibility of a new England captain and coach, Steve Waugh may well be the benchmark for what England are looking for in the future.

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