Lessons Learnt with the Greats

Today's guest on Lessons Learnt with the Greats is a true warrior, Andy Bichel. Bic is Australia's most celebrated 12th man but when he got on the park he was a beast of an allrounder. I'll never forget his 2003 World Cup campaign in South Africa, where he played the perfect game against England to bring his country back from the brink twice. There were fewer fitter, stronger fast bowlers than Bic in his time in the game and in this episode he shares his fitness methods, how he captured more than 750 first-class wickets, developed his mental edge and fell in love with coaching. It was a great chat and I hope you enjoy it.Episode Rundown02:50 - We start by talking about Bics' career highlights, from the 2003 World Cup to all the success he has enjoyed with various teams all over the world09:04 - Bic talks about fast bowling and how he needed a mid-match adjustment to get his groove back15:28 - Bic was built out of stone and here he shares how he got to be so durable24:32 - Bic then speaks about the mental side of the game and the advice his uncle gave him39:12 - Here Bic talks about his relationship with the media45:!5 - We then talk about the financial side of life and how Bic has handled the business world52:48 - The mantras Bic lives by1:01:23 - We finish with the inspiring people Bic has met and the books that have had an impact on him

During the late 1980s and '90s there was no fast bowler mimicked more in the backyard than today's guest on Lessons Learnt with the Greats, Merv Hughes. Merv was part of the trailblazing group under Allan Border that led Australia out of the doldrums to the top of the world. His aggression, attitude and serious skill led Merv to take 212 Test wickets for his country along with hundreds more for his beloved Victoria. In this episode, Merv talks about his beginnings, the advice that has stuck with him to this day and how he became one of Australia's most successful and revered fast bowlers. I hope you enjoy it.Episode rundown:01:22 - Merv had a brilliant international career and we start by chatting about a couple of his highlights, from taking on the mighty Windies to the historic '89 Ashes series in England07:25 - We then dig into the technical side of fast bowling and what worked for Merv10:02 - Next Merv talks about the mental side of the game and how he developed his mental skills14:37 - We move back to the technical side to discuss what Merv focused on during play19:29 - Merv played a lot of high-level cricket and to do that he had to stay as fit as possible. While he admits he carried a bit of extra weight, Merv explains how he became the hardest trainer in any team he represented25:02 - Here Merv talks about the best version of himself and goes on to talk about how aspiring players are being over-coached at a young age39:50 - Merv has been on both sides of the media and here he shares his experiences of how times have changed47:09 - We next move off the field to how Merv has invested and handled his finances58:53 - Merv shares the mantras he lives by1:04:32 - We finish with the inspiring people Merv has met and the books that have had an impact on him

Michael Vaughan is today's guest on Lessons Learnt with the Greats, a former England captain, No.1 Test batter in the world and one of the sharpest cricket minds in the game. Vaughany was a master technician with the bat, carving up Australia in the 2002-03 Ashes series and a few years later was the inspirational leader of England's epic 2005 Ashes victory. In this episode, Vaughany shares his brilliant insight into leadership, batting and his endeavours off the field. It's not to be missed for any aspiring captain or batter.Episode Rundown01:08 - We start by discussing India's dramatic series win over Australia, which might have surpassed the 2005 Ashes on the list of great Test match series04:30 - We then move into Vaughany's career highlights, from the 2002-03 Ashes to the epic in 2005 before Michael delves into leadership. I found how Vaughany managed his players and his philosophies on leadership, not to mention some colourful advice from his father, absolutely fascinating28:16 - Vaughany then talks batting and how he discovered his trigger movement and a game he played with himself to stay focused 42:06 - Vaughany talks about how he managed his body during his career and the one thing he wishes he did more45:15 - Here we discuss the mental side of the game and how Vaughany developed his skills51:46 - Vaughany has a unique perspective on the media having been on both sides of the microphone and here he shares his experiences58:35 - We talk about the financial side of life and how a night on the drink with a few of his mates led to Vaughny starting a new business1:07:47 - The mantras Vaughany lives by1:12:52 - We finish with the inspirational people Vaughany has met and the books he would recommend

Our first guest of 2021 is one of my old teammates and one of the most skilled fast bowlers I have ever played with, Ryan Harris. Ryno came into international cricket late in his career but boy, he didn't waste any time making an impact and helped Australia win the 2013-14 Ashes and the following series in South Africa. Since his retirement in 2015, Ryno has turned his attention towards coaching and on this episode he shares the invaluable lessons he has learnt as a player and a coach. Episode rundown02:58 - We start by talking through Ryno's career highlights, namely the 2013-14 Ashes and 2014 tour of South Africa13:14 - Ryno was a master of his craft and here he explains what worked for him and his technical checklist22:18 - Managing injury is part and parcel of being a fast bowler and here is how Ryno looked after his body30:09 - We then talk about the mental side of the game and how Ryno had to develop and work on his mental skills throughout his career42:13 - Having suffered a number of setbacks in his playing days, Ryno learnt different ways to deals with each challenge48:01 - We discuss how Ryno handled the media and his advice for aspiring players using social media54:20 - Ryno talks about how he has handled his income and what he would change if he had his time over again1:01:20 - Here Ryno talks about the mantra he lives by1:05:56 - The inspiring people Ryno has met1:11:34 - We finish with Ryno discussing his favourite documentaries

On this episode of Lessons Learnt with the Greats you will hear from six greats – Stephen Fleming, Mike Hussey, Simon Katich, Harbhajan Singh, Dean Jones and Brett Lee – about the mantras they live by and the life lessons they have learnt. One thing I have learnt over the years is that life isn't a fairytale. There are tough times, down times, times when things can go from good to not so good instantly. This happens to people in all walks of life, including the legends of the game who have achieved incredible things.Episode Rundown00:55 - Stephen Fleming04:45 - Mike Hussey08:51 - Simon Katich12:32 - Harbajhan Singh16:39 - Dean Jones25:17 - Brett Lee

Today is a special episode of Lessons Learnt with the Greats, focusing on the mental side of the game. I've been lucky enough to speak to some of the games greatest players about how they developed their mental skills and what their ultimate mindset looked like. Today we hear from five legends – Shane Warne, Allan Border, Kevin Pietersen, Mike Hussey and AB de Villiers about how they handled the mental aspects of cricket. I hope you enjoy it.Episode Rundown00:56 - Shane Warne09:31 - Allan Border21:35 - Kevin Pietersen30:44 - Mike Hussey38:39 - AB de Villiers