SA turn to Mike Horn as the mind games begin

BACK at the 2011 Cricket World Cup Jeremy Snape was in the South African camp. A confidant of then captain Graeme Smith, he was the team’s psychologist and performance coach – this year, he has that role with Sri Lanka.

The two teams meet in the first quarterfinal at the Sydney Cricket Ground tomorrow and have adopted different approaches to how they handle the mental side of the sport for this year’s tournament.

The South Africans have chosen not to bring a psychologist with them. Henning Gericke who worked with team at various stages over the last few years – even a little bit in 2011 – has not accompanied them here. Russell Domingo, South Africa’s coach, explained that was because the side had been fine without one recently and in trying to keep matters as “normal” as possible they would not be bringing him along for the World Cup.

Instead, they’ve turned back to Mike Horn, the famous explorer, who so enthralled the squad that toured England in 2012. Ahead of that tour, the players spent time with him in Switzerland, climbing mountains, riding bikes and jumping into icy water. Those experiences, with talks he’s given to the players, have always been much valued.

“Mike Horn has done a lot scarier things in the world than faced Dale Steyn or Morné Morkel. He’s done some extreme things, he’ll put it into perspective over the next couple of days, what pressure is like, what fear is like and being out of your comfort zone because he’s been in those sorts of situations a lot with real life experiences, not just facing a cricket ball,” Domingo said yesterday.

Horn has hiked across the North Pole without motorised aid or a dog sled and he’s circumnavigated the Arctic Circle.

“It’s great to have his energy around, he’s been with us before. He connects with players and it’s just great fun to have him with us.”

Horn worked with previous Proteas coach Gary Kirsten when Kirsten was with the Indian team at the 2011 World Cup and last year the German football went on a sailing trip with him as part of their preparations ahead of the World Cup.

Snape’s methods are perhaps less “outdoorsy” but he has had success with various teams with whom he’s worked including South Africa – who he accompanied on their successful tour to Australia in 2008/09 – and the unfancied Rajasthan Royals when they won the inaugural IPL in 2008.

He’s worked with the Sri Lankans since last year, and told website cricinfo.com that the side had its own unique culture.

“The Sri Lankan team is very respectful, certainly to the senior players,” he said. “I’ve interviewed Kumar [Sangakkara] and Sanath [Jayasuriya] for the players and asked them about their thinking, about their nerves, when they failed, when they built really strong innings, asking about advice they got and how they kept a balanced life.

“All these things are so important for the young players. If we didn’t create that opportunity they probably wouldn’t have that conversation because the young players wouldn’t ask those questions.”

Besides Horn, South Africa’s players have also enjoyed the input from Mike Hussey, the former Australian great, who’s been doing consultancy work with the team at various stages of the tournament.

“It’s good to hear from outside the group what it’s like to play against South Africa, the mental issues that he might have had – the insecurities as a top player he may have had – he’s played open cards with us, it’s been really refreshing to get that sort of outlook from an Australian cricketer,” said Domingo.

The key is how South Africa applies the advice. Domingo is keen for them to focus hard on their strategies, but the mind can play funny tricks, as South African teams of the past have learnt.