RICK LUNN AND THE ART OF CAPTAINCY
By Paul Rai
Arguably
the toughest job cricket has to offer is captaincy.
Cricket teams live or die by their captains.
Like a lieutenant or colonel at war, it’s the captain’s job to motivate and
lead the troops onto the field of battle.
Some
players make the transition from playing to captaining in straightforward
fashion. However, Rick openly admits that it wasn’t that easy for him.
‘Having never captained before, it was difficult’. Injury to his back in
pre-season prevented him from bowling to full capacity. This would have
severely dented the confidence of other individuals; however, Rick
relished the challenge that lay ahead.
Captaincy can be a burden for many players as
it tends to divert attention away from the fundamentals and basics of the game,
like – for a batsman - playing each delivery on its merits. A captain’s mind
can stray when he’s out in the middle as it is he who has a million and one
thoughts running through his head. Rick describes what it is like batting
as a captain. ‘In some games we really needed a captain’s innings and I bottled
it; I was thinking too much out in the middle’.
Rick also
recalled an occasion against Broad Oak. ‘I faced four balls and looked like I
had never batted, before, fortunately, we went on to
win the game’. Despite the negatives of captaincy, there can also be positives.
Captaincy offers an individual the chance to lead from
the front and inspire his colleagues. When asked whether the captaincy had any
positive effects on his personal performances, Rick laughingly said: ‘Yes
– my best ever bowling figures of 4-31!’
There is
a school of thought that says bowlers do not make good captains.
Surprisingly, Rick agrees: ‘I’m a bowler by trade - it was easier
captaining without having to bowl. I’ve always said bowlers shouldn’t be
captains. Being unable to bowl helped me focus on the captaincy’. The true test
for Rick will be when he is fully fit to bowl and captain at the same
time.
Rick can
be extremely proud of his achievements as first-team captain at the ‘Bridge’.
In his debut season he helped turn the team’s fortunes around and ABCC finished
a more than respectable 5th in the league. Rick highlights the entire
squad’s performance as the main contributory factor to a successful season,
‘Nine or ten players scored a fifty and everyone chipped in and contributed. We
wouldn’t have finished 5th if it weren’t for the contributions from everyone’.
Some say a captain is only as good as his team; however, a good skipper can
make a poor team good or a good team great.
In tight
pressure situations when games are close it is the decisions made by a captain
that can have a say on the outcome of a match. Rick echoes this opinion.
‘As a captain you can have a big impact on a game with bowling and fielding
changes. Against Paddock at home they were going nowhere slowly on 50-4 in 35 overs; we had 200-plus on the board and we needed all the
points, so I crowded the bat and they didn’t know what to do’. Another sign of
a good captain is that he knows when to go in for the kill and knows when to
hold back and contain the flow of runs.
Relationships
with players can change once someone becomes captain. It is important for a
skipper to recognise the requirements of his team and get the best out of them.
A captain must make crucial decisions on and off the field. Selection can be an
extremely tough task. Rick says: ‘The hardest thing I had to do was drop
Mike Webb. He has been at the club for a long time and is a legend - he is a
real club character’.
On the
field, leaving a bowler on for too long can also lead to accusations of
favouritism. Rick explains the reason for leaving a bowler on for slightly
longer than expected. ‘It’s the fast bowlers’ union. When I’m taken off early
as a bowler and I’m down at third man or fine leg, I think I should still be
bowling. I like to give the bowler the opportunity and I’m backing
him’. Rick goes on to talk about the effect the captaincy has had on his
relationships with players: ‘The hardest thing is keeping everyone happy,
trying not to favour friends and ignore others. It’s also improved some
relationships, because you have to speak to more people; you go up to people
and say - I think this, what do think about this?’
Rick has
had the assistance of the first ever overseas professional to play for the
‘Bridge’ last season and Rick took time to recognise the influence that
the Pakistani professional had. ‘It’s a massive benefit, he lifts everybody. He
brings your game along with hints and tips. He’ll have ideas other people
wouldn’t’.
Rick has
also played an integral part in the creation of a ‘fining system’ that has not
only helped in raising nearly £140 but has also created a camaraderie and team
spirit at the ‘Bridge’. Rick explains how the system works. ‘The fining
system has helped. There is a 50p fine for any slight little thing, misfield, dropped catch, duck, being an idiot, or even poor
sledging’. This system has had a beneficial effect on the fielding, giving ABCC
the edge in close matches.
A true
test of his ability as captain will come in his second season, when he is able
to bowl at full tilt. Rick has already set targets for next season: ‘It is
not allowing it to regress; progression is the key. We will aim to finish 3rd
or 4th and, on a personal note, I want to bowl more and bat better. As a team,
if we enjoy it, the rest should all fit together’.
ABCC are
a young side, filled with talent and a team spirit that will get them through
the rough times. The season ahead has the potential to be a good one
and Rick is excited by the prospect. With the experience of a successful
season as captain behind him, he will be even more qualified - which can only
be a good thing for his club.