Jake Weatherald boosted by advice from former Australian coach Darren Lehmann
HOW former Test stars Darren Lehmann and Chris Rogers are helping South Australian batsman Jake Weatherald make important mental adjustments ahead of a new domestic summer.
Given a technical nip and tuck by Chris Rogers, South Australian opener Jake Weatherald is thriving from a mental makeover with Darren Lehmann.
Weatherald’s fanatical training and intense pre-game routine meant the left-hander could be overcooked upon reaching the crease.
Lehmann’s advice was simple to Weatherald while at the National Performance squad this winter in Brisbane; occasionally less is more.
“I worked a fair bit with Boof understanding methods to prepare well for games,” said Weatherald of former Australian coach Lehmann who concludes his Cricket Australia contract this month.
“It has always been a bit of an issue for me, been pretty pedantic the way I go about things,” said Weatherald ahead of Thursday’s JLT Cup opener against New South Wales in Perth.
“He is always relaxed and calm. I got some really good stuff from him. It was the way he built up for a game, sometimes you have to make sure you are primed for it and not the day before or you will burn yourself out.
“You are not losing ability by not having an extra session before a game. Sometimes you are just tiring yourself out.”
Weatherald has been a tour de force in the short forms over the past two seasons, crunching 621 one-day runs at 44.36 including three tons. Weatherald unleashed a match-winning century (115) for Adelaide Strikers against Hobart Hurricanes in last season’s BBL grand final.
However, Weatherald wants to improve a first class average of 35 over 25 games with three tons after months of work with former Test left-handers Rogers and Lehmann.
“We talked about making sure I am more hungry and relentless in my approach in that I want to bat the whole time, not feel like 30 or 40 is ok and make big hundreds,” Weatherald told The Advertiser.
“I have developed a technique that can hold strong in every format I play. Knowing your defence is in good order you can trust every other shot.”
Weatherald, Jake Lehmann, keeper-batsman Alex Carey and Callum Ferguson - who averaged 94 in List A competition for Worcestershire this northern summer - will carry the bulk of SA’s scoring responsibility. Travis Head is on Test duty against Pakistan in the Middle East.
“We all have to step up,” noted Weatherald
Jake Lehmann was a unanimous choice to captain, in Head’s absence, with an astute cricket brain like his father who finished as Redbacks captain in 2007.
“We respect his way, amazingly professional for someone so laid back,” Weatherald said.