SPIN and Hugh Morris
January 17, 2010 by SPIN
Filed under Features, Reviews, Star interviews
Hugh Morris
In the May 2009 edition of SPIN, we published a piece containing negative comments about Hugh Morris, the managing director of England cricket.
SPIN is happy to clarify that no suggestion of impropriety or lack of professionalism by Hugh Morris was intended and we are happy to apologise for any offence that might have been caused.
As the only independent cricket publisher, we have a duty to say it as we see it but, on this occasion, the tone of our piece was too harsh. In particular it didn’t reflect the efforts of a decent man doing his very best in a tricky job. It’s only fair that we put the record straight.
‘I pick the team but the captain is the leader’
South Africa coach Mickey Arthur has been speaking exclusively to SPIN about his coaching methods.
Arthur, who has recently been approached in connection with the vacant England coaching job, has just signed a new three-year contract with South Africa. He told SPIN “I’m very happy with South Africa. I love every minute of the job I do. I’m thoroughly enjoying it at the moment.”
But with Tom Moody and Graham Ford having counted themselves out of the running, the ECB’s short-list is getting ever shorter. And Arthur, who, with skipper Graeme Smith, has made South Africa the No 1 ODI team in the world, may become an increasingly attractive proposition.
Arthur’s team has registered series wins in England and Australia over the last nine months. Beyond caretaker coach Andy Flower and ex-India boss John Wright, Arthur is one of the few remaining candidates.
His interview, with SPIN’s Wayne Veysey, provides some intriguing clues as to how he would run the England team. It appears in full in the April issue of SPIN, on news-stands now, or available from the SPIN shop. The following is an extract.
SPIN: Who is the boss? The captain or the coach?
Mickey Arthur: I’m a big believer that the captain is still the leader. They both lead in their own jobs: the captain on the field and the coach off the field. All off-field activities in terms of preparation are my area. Then Graeme takes over the team meeting the night before a game and I will back him up. So we know exactly where we stand.
On tour we will meet virtually every day to decide what we’re going to do and who is going to say what. It’s vital that we don’t contradict each other. Coaches can over-complicate issues. Coaches can be too technical. What I have done is try and create the environment for our players to perform by giving them stability in their jobs and consistency in what we tell them.
How should a captain- coach relationship work?
They must sit down and formulate the brand of cricket that they want the team to play and to pick the personnel to implement the brand. Graeme and I thrashed out our thoughts on cricket and we felt exactly the same. I’m a firm believer in the captain and coach having the same philosophy and sharing the same methods so not to confuse the players. We both wanted our team to take the game forward, to play without fear. Previous South African teams had been too tentative in their approach.
How do you motivate the team’s batsmen?
I like the guys to take responsibility as a group. In every Test we ask the top six to get 300 runs in the first innings. That is their job. It takes the ‘I’ out of the group. As a top six they are working as a team. When players have clarity, you get accountability and performance. There are a lot of slogans in the dressing room and they get a document saying, ‘I am responsible for these runs.’
And the bowlers?
We encourage the bowlers to strive for 20 wickets. They are each given specific roles. We have three attacking bowlers – Dale Steyn, Makhaya Ntini and Morne Morkel. As a unit they are all different. Dale is skiddy and swings it out at pace; Morne is tall and gets bounce; Ntini comes in at you from wide on the crease. They are different forms of attack.
The holding roles are done by Paul Harris and Jacques Kallis. They are a bit more defensive. I need a spinner and Kallis to hold the game. Dale is our spearhead. He is the go-to man. At most times we are looking for him to strike. Ntini and Morne to a degree have the same responsibility.
Should the coach select the players?
I am one of four selectors. I sit on the panel and so does Graeme. I’m asked for my opinion on the squad. I don’t have a vote on the squad but I feature very strongly in discussions. Once the squad is selected, I become the sole selector at home and abroad. At home you are always with the convenor [chief selector].
Abroad, I become the sole selector. Graeme and I have a lot of discussion but ultimately we are always on the same page. We have never had conflict. Because we share the same philosophy, selecting becomes an easy thing.
How far ahead do you plan?
All good teams look ahead. We have our eye on succession planning. We identified JP Duminy two years ago as our next best batsman. He has been travelling with us for two years in Test cricket as a member of the squad and been playing one-day international cricket. It has been no fluke. We deliberately brought him through two years with that in mind.
We have got a young quick bowler Lonwabo Tsotsobe who is the future. In terms of all-rounders Albie Morkel could be a Test all-rounder. I think he could be. Imran Tahir could be the missing piece. He could enable us to play two spinners on the sub-continent.
And finally… Are you interested in becoming England coach?
I will never say never. But I have just signed a three-year contract and I’m very happy with South Africa. I love every minute of the job I do. I’m thoroughly enjoying it at the moment.
Episode 8: Hawkeye, dressage and stepladders
The Third Umpire and Jono Russell are joined by SPIN’s Hawkeye guru, Colin Spiro, in a candlelit Wetherspoons to discuss the Olympics - and a bit of cricket too. We talk to SPIN columnist George Dobell and one of the men leading the charge for cricket to be included in the 2020 Olympics, Shahriar Khan of the Asian Cricket Council. PLUS: the chaps debate their dream Test Match Special line-up - will Mike Selvey make it? Also: Colin the Janitor talks about stepladders.
Episode 7: Female streakers and slide trumpets
The Third Umpire, Rob Smyth and Jono Russell discuss Michael Vaughan’s resignation, KP’s promotion and England’s 2-0 hiding at the hands of South Africa. Also: Colin the Janitor on slide trumpets and, last but not least, the Mark Butcher Band. Really.
Episode 6: Chinese funerals and working at Woolies
The Third Umpire, Rob Smyth and Jono Russell discuss England’s selection woes, Allan Donald talks about national service while Sir Richard Hadlee raves about working at Woolies. Sort of. Plus, Colin the Janitor records a song at the Wetherspoons karaoke booth.
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