My last post talked about the winning attitude of the Aussies. In this second Test, that attitude is being tested to the full as England look set to take a lead.
An interesting comment was made by one of the expert TV commentators as an Australian bowler, the very wayward Mitchell Johnson, was taken off as the English openers scored off him at will.
The expert comment? “Now its upto him to give something back to the team”. He was not talking about his fielding, he was talking about his body language!
This “giving something back” is much the same in a pitch. It can be the impression created by members of the team who are not presenting that can make the difference.
Are they fully engaged in listening intensely to their speaking colleague ? Even though they have heard it before. Are they bringing totally commited energy to the table?
Or, are they going through the motions? Worrying about their own contribution? Or, worse still, relaxing now their part is over?
Instinctively, and inevitably, the audience picks up on body language. Do these people like each other? Will I like working with them?
