This article is part 2 of a 2 part series. To go to part 1 click here
Breaking a big partnership is hard work. Maybe you have already tried the previous 4 things and you are still struggling to get a wicket.
Here are 4 more ways you can try.
1. Throw down your hat
Sometimes a simple strop is what it takes to focus everyone's mind. It's amazing how much fielding improves after a blast from captain or bowler.
The trick is in the timing of it.
If you curse and shake your fists too often, everyone becomes immune to your behaviour and it loses effectiveness.
But if you pick your moment you can throw the book at someone and everyone else in the side tries that little bit harder.
The effect doesn't last very long, with a couple of boundaries soon taking the sheen off your well planned tantrum. But there is a chance the increase in efforts leads to that piece of bowling or fielding you need.
Be warned though; batsmen love to see players having a go at each other in the field. So make it short and sharp and don't let ill-feeling linger. Some people like to bite back, or fume quietly about your histrionics. Pay attention to the response of the players.
2. Keep your head up
It's a simple case of maths. There are 11 fielders and only 2 batsmen. If you keep the energy and enthusiasm up, batting is a lonely job and pressure can tell.
But it's easy to say and hard to do when your team are watching the ball go to all parts with little to give you hope.
This is where individual character has to take over and each player in the side has to take responsibility for being confident and optimistic, even in the face of an all out assault.
This begins by sticking together. It's easy to get frustrated when things are not going right. Some players will start to look around for things to blame; dropped catches, bad captaincy or a poor umpire.
But blaming means you are not sticking together, so if you see that happening make sure players refocus on things that can control like how well they field. You don't have to be the captain to do it either.
On a more superficial level, sometime to keep things interesting you just need to make a change for change sake. Between balls have a joke with the side, or swap places with another fielder for a few overs. Little things can help focus the mind.
But most importantly, it's about knowing that one ball can make the breakthrough. Every player has the job of keeping that in mind every ball.
3. Bring on the occasional bowlers
If all the main bowlers have been tried and have failed, then it's time to bring on the occasionals.
Part-time bowlers are much underused in games where there is a big stand, but the bowler who lacks skill can relight a game because they make things happen.
Yes the risk is that the thing that happens is that they get wacked for 28 in 2 overs. But they also may bowl a slow full toss and see the batsman hang his head in horror as he loops it straight to midwicket.
Sometimes both these things will happen, but 28.00 is a good bowling average.
So bung on your occasional bowler (or even your never-bowled-before bowler). You never know what will happen and you have nothing to lose. Just make sure you take him off as soon as the impact has been made. There is no law that says you have to keep a bowler on the over after he takes a wicket.
4. Run them out
The final stand-by is the good old run out; breaker of many batsman's hearts.
Usually a run out comes through bad judgement or communication between batsmen, which you have no control over. But from time to time it's more about brilliant fielding.
And that takes plenty of practice long before you find yourself in the big stand.
Anyone can practice hitting the stumps. You can do it as a team or on your own. All you need is some space a ball or two and something stump shaped. Practice every day if you can because the more you practice the better you get.
It's boring, but it's worth it.
Then as you pick up the ball and look up to see the over-confident batsman taking an 'easy single' you will have the confidence that you have made the breakthrough.
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image credit: TTGE
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