We are halfway through BBL05. It’s a new experience for myself, having not been involved in cricket in Australia for a number of years, so to be afforded the opportunity to coach the Adelaide Strikers is exciting and a challenge I am relishing.

I’m often asked by people “What does a coach do?”

Shane Warne was once asked what a cricket coach did and he responded that a coach takes the players from the hotel to the ground! I respect his opinion, however it is not necessarily an opinion I agree with.

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A coach is there to help individual players, the team and members of the support staff achieve their goals. As I often mention to players, there is a reason we are referred to as “support staff”. We are here to support you.

What does that support look like?

For a start, developing a rapport with players and other members of the support staff is important. I arrived knowing few people involved with the Strikers, so it has been good to spend time with everyone involved with the team to get to know them a bit.

I’m interested in what gets people out of bed, what their driving forces are. This is especially important with players. Players have all sorts of motivations for success, and if support staff understand the person, we give ourselves the best chance of getting the best out of them.

From a cricket side, coaches plan training sessions, work with players on their game from a tactical, technical and mindset point of view, help prepare players on match days, work with the players to formulate a plan on how we are going to approach the game, facilitate team conversations (meetings), and select the side.

Coaches also work closely with other members of the support staff to make sure everything is running as smooth as possible. There is communication with administration staff in terms of logistics and calendars, and we also work closely with important stakeholders – such as the media and commercial partners – to help promote our great game.



However, the most important role of a coach is for players to know that you genuinely believe in them. That is the most powerful tool in a coach’s kitbag.

Trust and belief are the keys to success, in my humble opinion.

I have been asked a number of times what my expectations are for the team. Of course, we want to win each time we play, however that is an end result. I’m more interested in how we get to the point where we win. Sometimes we can look too far ahead.

A question I often ask the players is, “What is going to allow us to perform well?” This focuses on the process as opposed to the end result.

There is a good line in Star Wars with Master Yoda training Luke Skywalker to be a Jedi. Challenged with a difficult task, Luke says to Yoda, “I’ll give it a try.”

Yoda says, “Try not. Do, or do not.”

By doing, you focus on the process as opposed to the outcome. Get the process right and the outcome will look after itself.

Finally, how do you come in and make an impact as a coach in such a short space of time with players coming from all over the world?



We only have two rules at the Strikers – turn up on time and give it your best efforts. And then for me it is all about having the right people in place. We have a fantastic support staff at the Strikers and a very strong leader in Brad Hodge, who finds that right balance between being captain and one of the boys. With this, and clear, honest communication, you create an environment where players are challenged to be the best they can be.

Most of all though, it’s about having fun! That’s why we are all involved in this great game – because we love it.