New Delhi, Oct 26 (IANS) Former South African all-rounder Lance Klusener believes the ability to remain focused on every delivery, rather than dwell on previous mistakes, is crucial to succeeding in the Abu Dhabi T10 League, as he prepares to coach the Arabian Aces in their debut season of the competition.
Klusener, who has coached several franchises in the tournament, said the unforgiving nature of the ten-over format demands sustained concentration, with even a single run saved or conceded potentially influencing the final result.
“T10 is just about staying in every over, in every ball. As a bowler, you’re going to go for runs. That’s just what happens. But it’s the very next ball that counts. Over 90% of the games go down to the last over, whether you’re batting or bowling,” Klusener told IANS on the sidelines of the Abu Dhabi T10 League, where he is currently the head coach of the Arabian Aces.
He emphasised that players cannot afford to lose their focus after an expensive delivery or a difficult passage of play, particularly in a format where opportunities to recover are limited.
“The message out there is just to stay in every ball, every over, whether you’re batting or bowling, because at the end of those 10 overs or the total of 20 overs, that last over is important. And if you’ve managed to save a run here or save a run there, that makes a huge difference in the end. So it’s just about making sure that you never really give up on an over or a delivery; you just got to make the next one count. And if we can just stay in every single over or every single ball, we’ll have half a chance of competing at the end,” he stated.
The Arabian Aces will enter the competition with a squad featuring established international names, including Moeen Ali, Andre Russell and Liam Livingstone. However, Klusener acknowledged that assembling an experienced group was only the starting point, with his immediate priority being to ensure that each player is prepared to contribute from the outset.
“Obviously, it is an exciting time. It’s a bit of a relaunch of, you know, the T10, and there are a couple of different franchises, a couple of different looks, owners. So it’s always exciting being part of that. We’ve assembled a really nice, strong squad as well. But, you know, that doesn’t necessarily guarantee results on the field. So it’s just got to make sure that, you know, everybody gets what they need and everybody, all those players, are in a space where they can perform on any given day.
“So most of the cricketers are coming from having been played. So in terms of preparation, hopefully just a couple of days to, I guess, get into what T10 is. But we’ve just got to make sure, from a coaching point of view, that people get what they need so that they’re in a position to perform the best they can. And fingers crossed, they do that, you know, when the games kick off,” he added.
The South African, who is entering his fifth season in the Abu Dhabi T10 circuit, said familiarity with several members of the squad could help the new franchise establish itself quickly. Having previously worked with some of the players in T10 and other franchise competitions, he expects the existing relationships to assist during a tournament in which teams have little time to find their rhythm.
“I’ve done Abu Dhabi T10; this is my fifth season. So, I’ve been with Moeen before in the same team, Liam Livingstone in the same team, and a number of others, not just maybe in T10, but in other T20 leagues around the world. So that’s a step in the right direction. But it’s a new experience for everyone.
“It’s a new team, and it’s always an exciting time. Hopefully, we can hit the ground running, because it is a short period; it’s two weeks or 10 days for the competition. So we’ll need to hit the ground running. But it stands us in good stead. I know the players know me, most of them. So that’s important in a short competition.”
Klusener previously served as head coach of Morrisville Samp Army, guiding the franchise to six victories in seven round-robin matches as it comfortably qualified for the playoff rounds. He has also worked with the Bangla Tigers as team director, giving him considerable experience of the demands of franchise cricket in the competition.
Beyond the immediate challenge of building a competitive team, Klusener believes the lessons players learn in T10 can prove valuable in other formats, particularly when it comes to responding to setbacks.
“It’s just about making sure that you never give up on an over if you’re bowling or that you’ve never really got into a position where you’ve got enough runs. That’s what T10 really teaches cricketers: that it’s the very next ball that counts if you’ve gone for runs or you’ve gone for boundaries before that. It’s important that the very next ball you can still have an impact on the outcome of the game.
“That’s important, and you can take that through into any other format of the game as well. It’s just making sure that from a youngster’s point of view, you’re just really staying in the present. You’re trying to maximise every single ball; that’s important in T10. Every game goes down to pretty much the last over. So, if you can do that as a youngster and take that through into T20 cricket, that can be a good lesson for you,” he mentioned.
–IANS
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