Heather Knight’s three rules of leadership

SIMON HUGHES: The art of captaincy with England Women’s captain, Heather Knight

Two of England’s most successful former captains, Mike Brearley and Michael Vaughan, have one fundamental law when it comes to leadership: get to know your players. Establish their strengths and weaknesses, find out their inner anxieties and what makes them tick.

England’s triumphant women’s captain Heather Knight shares their view. It sounds obvious, but many cricket skippers overlook this basic requirement, and it is important at all levels - from a World Cup final to Worthington 4th XI. You’ll get more out of your players if you properly understand them. 

Brearley, who I played under for Middlesex, made a point of being available on one evening of every game for one to one conversation about anything a player might want to discuss. It was very valuable as a means of understanding each other and interpreting behaviour on the field.

The England Women's team have developed an interesting spin on this. She calls it feedback speed dating. "You sit opposite each player for two minutes and you tell them one thing they’ve improved on and something else they could do better, and then they do the same back to you," she says. "It made us more open and honest as a squad and really helped under pressure in the World Cup."  

Another aspect of captaincy, which is often ignored, is an ability to stay composed and calm when the battle on the field is at its most intense. Again this can happen at the tail-end of a 50-over run chase regardless of whether it’s at Old Trafford or Old Wilsonians.

The target is 30 off three overs and your young seamer has just been tonked for 10 off the first two balls. He/she is a gibbering wreck. And again Knight has a sensible remedy. Her tactic is to slow the bowler down and talk to them calmly as they are walking back. "The idea is to work on a plan together and get them to think clearly again - it helps dissolve the pressure," Knight says. 

She is also well aware of maintaining her own countenance, knowing how a captain’s body language affects the rest of the team.  She has a good technique for controlling her own emotions. "In times of acute stress I wipe my hand on the floor as a mechanism to alleviate my emotions and stay calm."  

There’s no doubt it works. I remember responding much better to a captain who approached me placidly after just being walloped for six in the final over and said "I’m still backing you" rather than one who adopted the 'double tea pot’ and implored me furiously to "bloody concentrate!"

In the end, Vaughan’s ultimate mantra is a good one: even if you’re churning up inside he says, "breathe, stay calm, and be a good actor." 

Sure enough, these are Knight’s best assets.

Heather Knight is an ambassador for Vitality Health Insurance, Life Insurance and Investments, inspiring healthy and active lifestyles. Find out more at vitality.co.uk