Interviews Thread

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CI is bringing up old interviews. This is a good one
https://www.thecricketmonthly.com/story/816387/-fast-bowlers-are-not-thinking-for-themselves

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https://www.espncricinfo.com/video/clip?id=29047915

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Former Sri Lanka skipper Angelo Mathews has shown impressive improvement in his fitness levels and physique as he starred in the recently concluded limited-overs series against West Indies. The veteran turned back time in the field just like he did in his early 20s. He also bowled after a long time after being sidelined for injuries.

Here’s an extract of an interview on Angelo Mathews’ fitness journey conducted by Andrew Fidel Fernando for ESPN CRICINFO Stump Mic podcast.

What are you doing during this isolation period?
I’m at home for 4 weeks now. I get to help my wife around quite a lot. Normally I travel a lot but my family doesn’t. So, this break has given me the opportunity to catch up with lost time. I have tried taking some cooking lessons, duplicating what my wife does.

You’ve come out a different player in recent times. How did that journey start?
The real change happened just within a day. I had a lot of injuries over the last couple of years. I had some bad times with those injuries and being in and out of the team. That bothered me a lot. I was getting frustrated a lot as well.

So, one day I woke up and decided to myself that I need to change whatever I’m doing now. Obviously, you can’t stop the injuries 100 percent but what you can do is work hard and try to minimize that happening.

Then I had a chat with my trainer, Dilshan and we decided that from that day onwards to be extremely disciplined when It comes to food because I’m a big foody. I had to cut down everything and look after myself and my diet to achieve what I want to.

We tried different things in the gym as well and these three months have been great. The results were to be seen in and out of the field. I feel lighter and quicker now and all the credits should go to all the physios, trainers and everyone who helped and supported me. I just like to continue this as much as I can.

I’m enjoying my cricket and I know fitness is number 01 in these days. It will definitely help in the long run. I’m glad that I made that decision.

What food/dish do you miss most?
I want to be consistent with my fitness and I eat a balanced diet. It’s not that I’ve completely stopped eating sweets. It’s impossible to do that. On and off, I’ll have some sweets and fried stuff on a limited scale. But if I have those, I make sure to go to the gym and work harder.

How do you feel after you’ve achieved your fitness goal?
As I said before, I feel much lighter and quicker now. It’s all about the training which I did and the diet. I experienced it myself and that’s why I just want to continue it. It’s very easy for us to sit back, relax and have a go at the foods, especially in these times but you’ve to keep working hard.

Do you wish that you’ve done this a little earlier?
Yes, definitely. Earlier I worked extremely hard but I didn’t get to that level of fitness. To be really honest with you, I’ve not been 100 percent disciplined with my food. I really wish I’ve done this before but there are no regrets. I still have time to achieve my goals.

Yes, part of me says I should have done this before but I don’t regret because you can’t change the past.

You made a big impact on your fielding in the West Indies series. How did you improve your fielding?
I think it has come out as a result of my fitness regime. That has changed me and got me at the level when I was as a 20-21-year-old. That’s actually pleasing as I work hard as anyone in the fielding because it is an important aspect of the game.

https://www.thepapare.com/i-still-have-time-to-achieve-my-goals-angelo-mathews-on-his-fitness-journey/

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'I got a message that said "Mandela did this for 27 years"'

We spoke to former West Indies fast bowler-turned-commentator Michael Holding, for our Downtime Diaries series, in which cricketers tell us how the Covid-19 pandemic has affected their lives and routines.

How's life where you are?
Life has changed totally. I am in the Cayman Islands presently, where the restrictions are very harsh. Harsh in the sense of making sure people don't mingle in crowds. The restaurants are closed, the bars are closed. The essential services, like the supermarkets, the gas stations, pharmacies and the banks are open six days a week, but you can't just go as and when you wish. You are permitted to use these services based on the letter your surname begins with: if it is between A to K, you are allowed on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays; if it begins between L to Z, you can go on Tuesdays, Thursday and Saturdays. Sunday, everything is closed. The beaches and parks are closed at all times, so there is no gathering of people there either.

There is a night curfew between 7pm and 5am unless you have prior permission, like for delivery service people. The exception to being on the road when it is not your letter is to go and exercise for 90 minutes daily, except Sundays, but you cannot be driving to go to exercise. You do it in your own vicinity.

If you are caught on the road when you shouldn't be out, you pay a fine immediately. It ranges from 250-750 Cayman dollars [US$ 300-900 approx]. You can challenge it, but if you lose in the court, you pay $1000 [US$1200 approx] and there is a possible six-month jail term. There are lots of restrictions, but I think it is working - we have four people in total in the hospital [due to coronavirus].

Out of a population of?
We have about 62,000.

What do you do then?
I am constantly on WhatsApp for seven to eight hours daily with my friends all over the world. What else is there to do? I am not going to watch TV all day. I don't watch the news - that's too depressing.

What do you miss?
The only thing I miss is going out and having lunch with friends I have made here in Cayman. But missing out on having lunch with friends is not something that is vital in my life [right now]. If I was looking at it as something that I'll be never ever be able to do again, it will be sad. But you know that in the future things will get back to what you would hope they will be. Right now, you put up with the inconvenience.

When it first started, probably a month ago, when people were saying, "Oh man, this thing is taxing", a friend from South Africa sent me a message. He said: "Mikey, this is nothing. Just remember, Mandela did this for 27 years. And he was an innocent man." We have it a whole lot easier than he did, so you can put up with this [social-distancing].

What can cricket learn from this enforced break?
Just use the pause to look within the game, to look at what has been happening with the administrators, with the players, and think: Are we heading in the right direction? Is everything okay with our game? Personally, I don't think so. Everybody has just been head-over-heels charging down the hill, looking for every dollar available. But can we just pause a bit, hit a plateau for a bit and sit down and look and see if everything is fine? There is too much cricket being played, for one.

Should cricket be played behind closed doors?
A lot of administrations figure that they have to play some form of the game to satisfy their broadcasters. Because if the broadcasters don't get what they pay for, they are going to demand their money back. So they have to try and play cricket behind closed doors, or whatever form they can get to play. I can't fault them for trying to do that.

Have you watched any sport in this period?
The only thing I've watched is a little bit of horse racing, which is going on in New Zealand, Japan, Australia and the USA. I've perhaps watched about a dozen races total since the lockdown. So not a lot really, but that is the only live sport available.

Why horse racing?
That is what I love. That I what I miss most, more than anything else right now.

What do you do watching horse racing?
What do you do watching cricket? I enjoy it more than I enjoy watching cricket. Some people gamble for a living, so it is not a sport to them, but it is a sport to me. I enjoy watching it. Many years ago when I used to go to Dubai and Sharjah to work, they used to have racing at a maidan. You couldn't bet. I still used to go and watch it.

When I'm in England, I get up every morning, except Sundays, and go to the heath in Newmarket to watch the horses. I enjoy being around horses. I used to own horses. That was fun for me.

Do you have a favourite horse?
That is difficult. I saw a lot of great horses before I really knew a lot about horses. I have seen a lot of good horses in Newmarket. I used to see Frankel on a regular basis when he was exercising in Newmarket.

A great horse?
Yeah, definitely. Never lost a race. He was owned by Khalid Abdullah [a Saudi prince], who named him after a trainer in the US that used to train for him there, Bob Frankel, who sadly died early.

https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/29115342/got-text-mandela-did-27-years

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Q: Let’s start with the question of what are your thoughts on the Covid – 19 Virus, which has affected the entire globe, with the lives of people coming to an abrupt halt?

A: Well, it’s a pandemic! Life is such that you just never know and in a sense, so similar to sport. Be that as it may my philosophy is, manage what you can manage and others will manage what they ought to manage.

Q: As a professional cricketer, how hard is it to be out of the game for a long period, especially, when you don’t know, when the game will be commenced back?

A: The word and meaning of professional have to be in your DNA when you reach this level in sport and Cricket in particular. Hence, you have to learn to exist in good times and not so good times. But Covid – 19 has been unique and a game changer in many a way is my view. Therefore, tough as it and is sort of new normal.

Q: The game came to a halt, just right after we won an ODI series (3 – 0) against the West Indies at home. Coach Mickey Arthur credited it for ‘planning, role clarity and the belief, your thoughts on it?

A: Ah yeah, Mickey is a no nonsense cool bloke with loads of experience to back him and his brand. At the international level planning and role clarity is a norm. What is very important is the belief he has instilled among us in his own and subtle way. It sure helped and the results always speak for itself.

Q: You were the ODI and Test Captain, when Mickey and his team took in-charge of the team, how do you see the going, so far?

A: Awesome! The boys and the respective squads are enjoying their Cricket and that makes my job that much easier. If you like what you are doing and the environment to do so is conducive, the balance at this level of sport becomes that much more beneficial. I think it’s pretty similar to life or managing a company

Q: How did you manage the adjustment, both as a captain and a batsman when you were chosen to be in the 2019 Cricket World Cup squad, and was asked to lead the team?

A: One word! I kept it less complicated and very “Simple’’

Q: Until then, did you ever had a thought of playing a prolonged ODI career?

A: Absolutely ‘Yes,’ look at my One day statistics at all levels thus far?

Q: What plans, do you have on your ODI career, both as a captain and a player?

A: Rankings, Rankings and Rankings is the key word. I’d say Sri Lanka needs to be in the top four of not just ODI Cricket, but Test Cricket as well. That would indirectly mean semifinalists to say the least and you are perhaps two games away from the plum. There onwards, it’s any bodies guess and if you do well on your day you could end up being World Champs.

Q: You have nine test centuries under your belt and a healthy average of 36.78 and you must be aiming to enhance those statistics, before calling it a day, what will be a ‘realistic goal’?

A: Yes, I have nine centuries from 66 test matches, while many will argue that I should or could have converted some of the 24 half centuries I scored into centuries, thus increasing my overall tally of centuries. However, I am learning from each game. Test Cricket is super supreme and it’s certainly not a walk in the park! The stretched goal is 25 Centuries and a 50+ average

Q: Can you recall some of the ‘Glorious Cricketing Moments’ of your career so far?

A: Who could or will ever forget your first Test Cap and your first Test Century and the ODI win vs England at the CWC19. The test series win in South Africa under my captaincy is also a significant memory and apart from those moments, you have some ‘Glorious Cricketing Moments’ in favor of brand DK123 .

http://cricket.lk/2020/05/q-a-session-with-dimuth-karunaratne-national-odi-and-test-captain/

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Marvan Atapattu: 'I had a lot of greed for runs because of all the ducks at the start'

The former Sri Lanka captain on his double-hundreds, his coaching philosophy, and the stalwarts he played with in his career

https://www.thecricketmonthly.com/story/1223674/marvan-atapattu---i-had-a-lot-of-greed-for-runs-because-of-all-the-ducks-at-the-start

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