A clear head is giving Ingram a clearer path to more success
ON THE wall of his Port Elizabeth garage, Colin Ingram once scrawled one simple ambition: score a T20 century.
For the South African, that message was always less a mindless scribble, more an achievable goal – a motivation for an extra rep or kilogramme of weight when putting in the hard yards.
“I’m going to have to go home and change it now,” he jokes. “I need to think of something else to put up there!
“It was a place for me to keep training when I couldn’t get to the gym, quite important for me, and a bit of a driving point.”
In truth, Ingram could have wiped that message off the wall with his maiden ton exactly 12 months ago.
But the emphatic nature of two further centuries in recent weeks means a whole lot more satisfaction can be felt when he next returns home.
Blasting 107 against Essex last year didn’t satiate the Glamorgan batsman. Neither did a first T20 century this season – an unbeaten 101 from 47 balls – against Sussex at Arundel.
But what was to come last weekend – 114 in a successful chase of 220 against Essex at Chelmsford – was nothing short of genius. And just seven days after his Sussex heroics, it was no fluke either.
“Since last year I’ve put a lot more emphasis, and more focus, into my T20 cricket,” he explained.
“I came back this year knowing how much of a challenge it would be because of the runs last year, but the challenge mostly came from myself to come out and do it again.
“I’ve started the season really well, but I still want to dig deep now and make it a memorable one. I spend a lot of time in the indoor nets and I’ve got a certain routine, something that’s been working for me and that I want to stick to.
“It’s about practising the shots I need under pressure – it’s been great to submerge myself in the format and take on the challenge.”
Inevitably with runs under his belt, the call for an international return has loudened for a man whose most recent ODI was in 2013, the last of his 40 South Africa appearances.
Head coach Robert Croft has even gone as far to say that Ingram is one of the best one-day players to ever feature for the Welsh county – high praise considering the likes of Javed Miandad, Viv Richards, Waqar Younis, Jacques Kallis and Michael Kasprowicz have all turned out for Glamorgan.
But the man himself will not lose focus, despite such plaudits.
“For me it’s just about getting on with the job,” added Ingram. “It’s nice for Crofty to say those things.
“I struggled with that enjoyment in the early part of my career, and it’s something I’ve taken on a lot more. Just being able to go out there with a clear head is very important to me.
“Hopefully I can get to tournaments like the Big Bash, the IPL, and the new competition that is coming to South Africa – it’s an exciting time and one I’m thrilled to be a part of.”
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