Teamwork and Individual Skills

There are sporting occasions … and there are sporting occasions. On a visit to Lords on Tuesday for the Tsunami Appeal Match we saw an exhibition of cricket by some of the world’s greatest players, but we hardly saw a cricket match. Sparkling performances, yes, but the sting in a real cricket match is that there should be winners and losers – and it should “matter” who wins - both to the teams concerned and to the spectators. The match (between MCC and an “International” XI) was notable for the total nationality mix of players in each team. It seemed to make no difference to the quality of the game that many had never before played on the same side as, with the possible exception of running between the wickets, the game relies mainly on individual skills rather than team skills.

Yesterday the Lions played Wellington and, with only two more tour matches before the first International against the All Blacks, the result certainly did matter. The game was all the better for that. I worry however that Sir Clive has made a crucial mistake in taking too many players to New Zealand. So far there has been little sign of a recognisable “team” coming through, although there have been some splendid individual performances. Maybe that will all change over the next two games, but in rugby it is essential that players work as a unit. Yesterday we saw misunderstandings between players as gifted as Wilkinson and Henson and this is hardly surprising when you remember that they have so little experience of playing together in match conditions. In football the saintly Chelsea manager tries to keep his squad small (however much money is available) because that way the players bond more and understand each other better. I think he has a point.

Today the US Open gets underway at Pinehurst. Teamwork only applies to golf on occasions like the Ryder Cup (when it applies extraordinarily well). I know that some players would tell me that I am wrong and that they play every game as a team (trainers, psychologists, business managers, accountants, masseurs, wives, caddies, beauticians, etc.), but I am happy with the notion that the game is really about individuals (often playing as much against their nerves and inner demons as much as against the opposing golfers). Indeed it is only in the final hours of the tournament in four days time that most players start to play seriously against each other, rather than against their scorecard. Anyway, David Toms has my few shillings as an each way bet.