Sunday cricket often leaves me with mixed feelings about how I perform with the bat. Last week, I came away disappointed, unable to build momentum or stay long enough at the crease to contribute meaningfully. This time, I approached it differently and focused on starting small. Instead of chasing boundaries early, I looked for singles and twos, trying to settle into a rhythm. That helped slow things down in my head and gave me space to judge the bowling better. The runs came gradually, and the innings felt more controlled.
Once I had a base, the confidence to play more freely followed. A couple of fours opened up the scoring, and the balance shifted from just surviving to pushing the score forward. Timing improved, and the shots carried better as the innings went on. By then, the bowlers had to adjust their lengths, and that opened the chance for a few sixes. It reminded me that innings are rarely built in leaps but in steady steps. What looked like a slow start eventually became a satisfying performance.
The change was less about technique and more about patience. In amateur cricket, it is easy to want to impress early and then lose the wicket chasing a shot that was not needed. This time, keeping the scoreboard moving in ones and twos was enough to settle. It also kept the pressure from building up, both on me and on the team. The game felt less rushed and more like an opportunity to play situations instead of chasing quick results.
There is a larger lesson in how innings progress. Success often looks like it comes from big moments, but those only arrive when the foundation has been set. Building through small contributions allows the bigger shots to matter more. Looking back at the match, the satisfaction came not just from the boundaries but from knowing that the innings had a flow. The contrast with the previous week showed how small adjustments in mindset can shift the outcome entirely.
I will carry this into future games, focusing on the basics first before looking for the big hits. Every innings will not follow the same pattern, but the approach of starting steady and building up feels sustainable. It helps the team, keeps me grounded, and creates space for confidence to grow naturally. Cricket, in this way, mirrors a lot of other parts of life where patience and small steps make the difference.