Secrets of twenty20 cricket
Interview with Paul Strang
 Our resident Coachforce Manager Neil sat down for a quick chat with Aces coach Paul Strang to go over some of the key coaching questions from the HRV cup.
1. How did you get the boys into T20 mode so quickly after having them in the longer format mindset for the Aces and their clubs?
PS - The boys were all aware the tournament was coming up and during our regular pre-season programme we did a lot of preliminary work around shots etc. In the run up to the tournament starting we had one week of really intense work as well but the biggest factor was probably the Franchise T20 competition that we have set up this year. It gave the guys realistic game practice and also validated all the training they had been doing as well as giving the selectors a final chance to look at certain players.
2. Does T20 cricket make the game more focused on the individual or is team work still the priority?
PS - An individual can make or break a game especially in the batting sense where one good player can hijack an innings. Fielding and bowling are still essentially team focused and the basic fundementals of cricket do not change. Teamwork is probably the most important in dealing with the emotion and stress of T20 cricket as there is so much passion happening in a short space of time that you need to be able to rely on your mates to be backing you up.
3. If you could have one other player from a New Zealand team and one from anywhere in the world for the Aces who would it be?
PS - From New Zealand I would bring ex Aucklander Rob Nicol back from Canterbury as he provides value all round, and as an international player it would have to be Kieron Pollard as he is a definite gamebreaker that can win games on his own.
4. When it comes to batting coaching in the t20's, unorthodox or orthodox?
PS - Like I said before the fundementals of the game don't really change and you need to know your go-to areas for runs. T20 batting is really about finding the mix between building partnerships and having a good mixture of risk assessment. Any unorthodox shots that you want to play have to be practiced and trained before you bring them out though, there is no reward in trying a switch hit sweep if you haven't tried it at least a few times in the nets to get your body position correct. Unorthodox shots are great value though as they can reverse the pressure immediately on a team and a batsman, and really set them up for a big innings.
5. The Aces were widely credited as having the best fielding unit in the competition and in Jimmy Adams, Roneel Hira and Martin Guptill three of the best fielders. How did the coaching staff get this area to such a high level?
PS - Our focus on fielding was not a short term one for the HRV Cup. We identified it after last years tournament as something we needed to improve and work on consistently. As an ongoing focus area it provides good value and the more you talk about an issue, the more you work on it then it becomes second nature.
6. For many young cricketers out there T20 is viewed as the pinnacle but from my point of view it should be the gateway into selection for the longer formats, your thoughts?
PS - The skill sets and mental processes of certain players are perfect for T20's but one size does not fit all. I think in order to be a good T20 player you need to have a good base. I believe that you are very unlikely to see someone go from being a super T20 player into a specialist 4 day player in the future. It is more likely to be the younger guys getting their break in T20 cricket and then pushing their way into the longer form of the game.
7. Finally three words that sum up coaching T20 cricket for you.
PS - Trust your game. We came up with a blueprint for success in the HRV Cup, then looked for the individuals to fill those roles and then made sure they had no fear in carrying them out.
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