Australia's cricketers must resist "Gold Medal Fever" and attempt to keep cool heads in the pressure cooker atmosphere of today's Cricket World Cup semi-final, a QUT sport and exercise psychologist says.
Associate Professor Gene Moyle, from QUT's Creative Industries Faculty, has worked with Australia's Winter Olympians and researched the pressures top athletes face in elite competition.
With Indian fans set to outnumber their Australian counterparts at today's match, Professor Moyle said it was vital the players were mentally, as well as physically, prepared for the contest.
"There will be 42,000 people at the Sydney Cricket Ground for an event which comes around only every four years," she said.
"For the players it is an opportunity to compete on the biggest stage in cricket and, for the Australian players, a chance to reach a final on home soil against New Zealand.
"Even for these professional athletes who are used to playing in front of big crowds, the pressure is likely to be enormous, so it is vital they are mentally prepared."
Professor Moyle said research had suggested that Olympians and other sportspeople at the top of their field could be unexpectedly hit by "Gold Medal Fever".
"It is often baffling and frustrating for sport psychologists, coaches and other players, that even after putting in place measures to assist an athlete focus, the most logical and balanced individual can still do something completely illogical in the grip of 'Gold Medal Fever'," she said.
"In a cricket context this might be a usually sensible batsmen playing overly aggressively early in his innings for no logical reason.
"These players have the nation's expectations resting on their shoulders and are heading towards the end of a gruelling competition schedule, with all the added stressors that this brings.
"I am confident that they will be as well-prepared as possible, however ultimately it is up to the individual to demonstrate they can perform well under pressure."
Professor Moyle's research paper into working with Winter Olympians is available on request.
Media contact:
Rob Kidd, QUT Media, 07 3138 1841, rj.kidd@qut.edu.au
After hours, Rose Trapnell, 0407 585 901
