In Praise of Darren Stevens
Glenn Hoddle and Darren Stevens at The Cricketers v The Sportspeople Golf Day 2007
Since the end of August, last season (2009), Kent’s Darren Stevens has reproduced a consistently high level of skill and performance, making him the form player in the country.
Stevo is in the form of his life, but still cannot gain the England Selectors favour, despite out-performing other players in one day cricket who have been promoted to the England team.
Since last August, his Championship scores have been:
112, 35* (28.08.09); 16, dnb; 208; 18;0; 17.
In 2010, playing in Division One County Championship, his scores in each match are:
7, 42*; 92, 5; 101*; 57, 18; 100, 9; 102; 197
Six centuries out of 17 knocks with a 92 too, is impressive by Mark Ramprakash (or even Sir Donald Bradman) standards.
In Limited-Overs Cricket, his breakdown of competition scores is:
One Day 40:
55; 5*; 0; dnb; 25
Twenty20:
49* off 28 balls (to win match); 36 off 34 (top score); 52* off 30; 34 off 23; 2; 33* off 20.
(N.B. * Defines not out score.)
Stevo is an inspiration to other late-starters and late-developers in sport, and if he can continue to improve on his level of performance and present a compelling case for inclusion on England’s Ashes Tour, and World Cup squad, it would represent the fulfillment of a promising talent which was nearly confined to the scrapheap in 2004.
I have worked closely with Darren since 2005 and he has recently taken his learning on to a new level. Having played alongside him at Leicestershire when he began his senior professional career at the turn of the century, I recognized he had plenty of natural talent but was lacking in application.
When he was released by Leicestershire in 2004, he was stunned by the rejection. At this point in time, I offered him the opportunity to benefit from London County’s Bespoke Mentoring by putting him on our ‘Complete Athlete Development Programme’. The process involved Stevo making greater sacrifices and exploring his talent more fully. The purpose was to provide him with a strong foundation to underpin future growth and development. Our integrated and holistic approach to developing people was designed to empower Darren to become increasingly responsible for his development and wholly accountable for his performance.
The involvement of Dr Ken West and Dr Ken Jennings was key to supporting the transformational process Stevo experienced in the initial 12 month period he worked with us. Others also participated in the process I led, including former Leicestershire Captain Vince Wells whose input to Stevo’s bowling development was considerable, both in terms of rebuilding his action from scratch, and the quality of tactical input with regard to game strategy and how best to construct overs, and spells. The net result of this process was Stevo becoming Kent’s Player of the Year. In 2005, he broke all levels of personal bests in cricket, in terms of highest score, highest aggregate of runs, wickets taken, catches taken, and match-winning performances, culminating in the Player of the Year Award.
Former South African opener and now India Coach Gary Kirsten also played his part in the transformation of Stevo from serial underachiever to becoming one of the dominant forces in English County Cricket. Gary’s advice about the importance of applying the basics brilliantly (every day) and the need to address one’s fears and meet them head on if one is to make true progress in sport resonated with Stevo who had previously relied on his natural talent for striking a cricket ball with a rare ease rather than a solid method which could be relied upon whatever the circumstances. A new commitment to mastering the basics enhanced his journey towards excellence in cricket.
One of the other interventions I set up for him, was with Geoffrey Boycott in Cape Town during one of the winter programmes London County organizes for players who are seeking improvement in their understanding and development of performance.
I will always be grateful to Geoffrey for the time he gave to Stevo and the wisdom he shared with him, particularly when one considers how his ill health and back problems at the time were undermining his quality of life.
One of the basic principles that was shared by Geoffrey, was the currency of making centuries, (and big ones at that), if one is to become regarded seriously as a professional batsman. It would seem that after several years, the penny has dropped about making centuries!! Stevo now has three career double centuries and a 197 to his name.
If you add his useful bowling and very good ‘all-round’ fielding into the mix, I think Stevo is the most valuable player in the country at the moment. Another good bowling performance (3 for 17) and 33 not out off 20 balls at The Oval v Surrey last night supported his claims to be considered as a genuine all-rounder in one day cricket.
Today, at 34, he is fit and has rarely misses a game of cricket except for a family bereavement recently, and a pulled groin two years ago when winning a match almost single-handedly against Durham, scoring 92* on one leg. Undoubtedly, Stevo’s performances have been central to Kent’s excellence in One Day and especially Twenty20 Cricket these past few years. However, a renewed commitment to ‘the basics’, and a tough fitness regime inspired by a conversation with Olympic Rowing Legend Sir Matthew Pinsent at London County’s Annual ‘Cricketers v Sportspeople Golf Day last October, has taken Stevo’s professionalism to a new place. He believes in himself, his game, and the psychological performance process he has developed to underpin his success. Put simply, he is doing the basics better every single day, combined with a genuine love for the activity of the bat and the ball, and a desire to win the contest between the bowler and the batsman, whatever his role is in the moment.
Kent team-mates Robert Key and Joe Denly gained selection for England’s ICC Twenty20 World Cup ahead of him in 2009, and Sussex’s Mike Yardy and Luke Wright, plus Essex’s Ravi Bopara, were preferred as all-rounders in the recent ICC Twenty20 World Cup success in West Indies. Whatever their qualities, I doubt either of them has had the impact that Stevo has had in terms of making match-winning contributions consistently, especially when the stakes have been high.
I know the success in ICC WorldT20 has contributed to defining a group of players as ‘England’, but I am disappointed (but not surprised) that Ian Bell has been picked ahead of Stevo in the latest England squad, despite Bell’s good form for Warwickshire. Bell has had many chances and under-performed. Stevo has yet to have one go. I would love to see England open up opportunities for players who aren’t part of their Development Programme, but who have performed to a high level in domestic cricket.
Despite Paul Collingwood’s success, I refuse to accept that Stevo may not have done better given the same opportunities afforded to Collingwood over the same period of time. I am a fan of Collingwood’s professionalism and determination, but have always doubted his ability to dominate the best bowlers in the world in the manner of players who make the difference in top level sport. Being a good ‘worker’ is an important quality but there can be no substitute for quality in the highest echeleon of sport.
I recognize that I may be considered too close to the situation and therefore be accused of lacking objectivity, but having witnessed the transformation of Darren Stevens from talented but unreliable under-achiever who left Leicestershire as a broken man to the top quality professional on display today, I believe Stevo deserves a crack at testing himself on the biggest stage.
His story can be an inspiration for others, and hope that he gets the credit for the hard work, sacrifice, and personal growth he has undergone since the transformation process began in 2005. Selection for an Ashes Tour and The ICC World Cup next February would be just reward for the increasingly popular, experienced, and achieving Darren Stevens.
