‘What’s in a name’ question is irrelevant in sport

There were a few lessons that one could pick up in the third and final test match between England and the Proteas that concluded on Monday.
The one is about the importance of keeping the full five days for a cricket test match when you consider that only three days of play were possible due to unforeseen circumstances.
The circumstances were rain and the Queen’s death – which both happened on Day 1, last Thursday.
This also affected Day 2 because the teams had to show their respects to the late Queen and, as such, that day’s play was also called off.
Poor England, who had chosen to have a bowl first at the Oval in London – those decisions are influenced by how the skies look on the day, among other things – could only bowl the first ball on the morning of Day 3!
Not that it mattered much in the end because they ended up winning the match convincingly, and the three-match series 2-1.
The other lesson was about the importance of a playing style. The Poms went into series having not made a secret of their intention to play what they have termed ‘Bazball’.
Word has it that it’s a style that’s characterized by aggressive intensity, which is easy to understand, given the results of the last two matches that they won.
An innings and 58 runs and nine wickets are the margins by which they overcame South Africa in those matches, having lost the first match by an innings and 12 runs. Even for a person who could not watch either of those games, such as this writer, the results alone say a lot about Bazball. This has led me to think about how important it must be to be clear about the type of style that a team plays in any team sport.
In football, for example, two terms come to mind when the subject of playing styles come up – the ‘shoeshine and piano’ and the ‘tiki-taka’.
They are similar styles that are characterized by slick passing and clever player movements on and off the ball. The goal with both styles is to keep possession of the ball for long spells in an attempt to break down the opposition’s defence.
Mamelodi Sundowns and FC Barcelona are the originators of the styles.
Given how well each club has done for itself in their respective continents over the years, it becomes evident that it’s a clear playing philosophy that brings about and sustains a team’s success over time.

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