Intricate art of picking a captain

By A.C. De Silva

Picking a captain has been somewhat of a problem to teams. A captain needs to have the basic talent to justify him occupying a valuable place in the team.

The game of cricket has now turned out to be a hard-pressed affair that a captain must have the talent to go with ability to inspire. Yet before a skipper is chosen, it is important to define what is meant by 'being worth a place in the side.' It must be remembered that a good leader of men can contribute something to the side. A great bowler or batsman may have the potential to destroy opponents, but shrewd captaincy can have the same effect. At the highest echelons of the game, the requirements are more stringent.

Take the case of one-time England captain Ray Illingworth in 1969 when the selectors used the traditional Australian method those days of picking the leader. They chose what they considered to be the best eleven players in the country, and appointed Ray Illingworth as the captain of the group. That is the best policy when there is no outstanding leader in the country.

The path to success is made smoother if the captain has done some bowling. It does not mean the picked person should bowl, I mean about a 1,000 overs a summer, but it is invaluable if he knows from experience the problems a bowler can suffer.

Additional ability

The case of Ray Illingworth was undoubtedly aided by the fact that he was a bowler. He was able to recognise the trials and tribulations his bowlers were going through, and tried to help them with advice and encouragement.

Since Illingworth was a bowler who bowled on different wickets in varying circumstances, he was able to read his bowlers' minds. That was to help.

There is little a captain can do when his side is batting. He is not totally helpless - it is essential he talks to a batsman before he goes in to bat - but he has no influence once his men are at the crease. Contrast, you in control of your team's destiny when in the field. Bowlers can, and should be helped all the time.

Having a specialist batsman, especially an opener, as captain can bring problems. Through no fault of their own batsmen as a breed have little understanding of bowlers. Most seem to believe that bowling is relatively simple and do not realise the mental effect a dropped catch or a slack piece of fielding can have.

Batsmen's eternal search for runs can also get on top of them. Illingworth says that he finds it telling that international captains like himself, Richie Benaud, Gary Sobers and Tony Greig were all-rounders. The common understanding was that they understood both bowlers and batsmen, which made it easier for them to lead the side effectively.

The right management

A person who bats in the middle order and plays a supporting role as a bowler-proof of his versatility - makes the best captain.

And of all the great captains who have emerged from the all-rounders category none has been greater that Richie Benaud. He won the Ashes in 1961 on his only tour of England as captain. That is testament enough to his ability, because Australia was the underdog against an England side that had a good depth of batting, a potent bowling attack spearheaded by Fred Trueman and Brian Statham.

Illingworth says his first knowledge of Benaud being able to coax the best out of his players is restricted to six weeks playing under him for a commonwealth team that toured South Africa in 1961. The relentless march of time since then has done nothing to dim the immense respect he had on Illingworth.

Illingworth says that he is convinced that he would have been a 20 per cent better bowler if Benaud had captained him (Illingworth) regularly and knew the mentality of bowlers who can be pessimistic and lack a little confidence.

A specialist bowler can suffer from being saddled with the responsibilities of leadership like the opening batsmen he can worry about his personal contribution. There is also the danger that if the wickets are good, he can be accused of under-bowling himself, and if he clears up the tail-enders he leaves himself open to petty claims that he is using his position as captain to capture easy wickets.

Mr. Confidence

If a bowler is to be captain he must have a strong character-like Stuart Surridge, who was at the helm when Surrey began its run of seven successive championships in the 1950's.

Ray Illingworth says that he made it a point of consulting - the wicket-keeper Alan Knott when he (Illingworth) captained England.

Knott was alert, read the game well, and was eager to help. Knott could see more from behind the stumps than Illingworth from his position of gully, and Knott gave invaluable information which he used in planning bowling changes and tactical switches.

The appointment of a captain is not something to be taken lightly. Decisions are easy to make hard to undo. You are considering cricket's equivalent of a marriage between a man and a team, so the old saying 'Many in haste, repent at leisure', is particular pertinent.