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Search forAt last, Dominic feels the pressure lifting a little
Wednesday, July 09, 2008, 07:30
He was out of the squad for the following day's game against Essex but, when the telephone rang at around 8pm, that situation changed.
The call was to tell the 22-year-old South African batsman that Chris Rogers' injured back was not going to be better in time to start the game the following day and that Telo was to take his place.
“I was on stand-by because I was told they were going to see in the morning how Bucky was and that I might have to come down,” said Telo.
“When I got the call, it was a matter of jumping in a taxi to get down there and I arrived at the hotel at about 12.30am. It all happened so quickly that I was out on the field and didn't have any time to think about it. I think that helped me.”
Telo's transition from Western Province to Derbyshire at the beginning of this summer had not been a smooth one.
An outstanding schoolboy batsman who began to flourish in senior cricket with three first-class centuries in the 2007-8 South African domestic season, there was the early lift of a fine 65 in the second innings of his Championship debut at Bristol but precious little after that.
With only one score over 10 in his next six innings, it seemed he was finding the transition difficult.
“I was struggling a bit,” he added. “It is disappointing getting starts all the time and then getting out.
“You are anxious to impress when you first go to a new club and maybe I did put a bit too much pressure on myself.
“You get a couple of good balls but, most of the time, it was me managing to get myself out playing in a stupid way and that was the biggest problem.
“You do need a bit of luck every now and again, that's just part of the game, but your shot selection has to be right and, once you get in, you have to make it count.
“I was being too hard on myself and, when that happens, you do lose focus on the things that are important, like keeping your eye on the ball. When you are relaxed, you give yourself a bit of extra time.
“I feel I am a bit more relaxed now. I have been working on a few things with my game and my technique and I feel it is coming back nicely.
“I spoke to John (Morris) quite a bit about what was going on in my head and I worked a bit with Chris Rogers on how to do certain things.
“It's been good having a guy like Greg (Smith) about because he is always looking to help and, off the field, we get along well too.
“In fact, I've found here that when someone is not doing well – it could be any of us – the other guys will back you and that is nice. I know all the guys a lot better now, I've learned to be more relaxed and I feel positive.
“It would have been nice if I could have realised that a bit more quickly but, hopefully, I can move forward from here.”
With his average down to 16 and in danger of sliding further, Telo was left out of the Derbyshire side for their fifth Championship match against Middlesex at Lord's. It was a timely move from head of cricket Morris but, importantly, he made sure the youngster stayed a part of the squad, even if it was to act as 12th man.
Telo, for his part, accepted his omission in the right manner, although he insists he never sought to be left out of the team.
“There is good competition for places here and, if you are not performing, you are going to have to take a back seat, step back into the seconds and win your spot back,” he said.
“But I didn't ever get to the stage where I thought I wanted to get dropped from the side. I'm generally quite a positive guy and I always want to be playing as much first team cricket as I can.
“I kept feeling better times were right around the corner, I just didn't know when I was going to get there.”
Telo began to turn that corner when he was recalled to open the innings in the Twenty20 Cup. As the tournament went on, his performances improved noticeably.
“I know I only got 20s and 30s but just to go out there and not worry about getting out, just thinking about each ball as it comes, was good for me. It gave me back a bit of confidence,” he said.
The pay-off was an excellent second-innings 69 on a turning Chelmsford wicket against a top-class spinner in Danish Kaneria.
It took a near unplayable ball from the Pakistani to end his stay. If he and Rikki Clarke had survived those late overs on the third day, there might even have been a different outcome to the contest but, perhaps more importantly for the long term, Telo began to really look the part in that innings.
Whether or not it will truly be the turning point we will have to wait to see but the player himself believes he is ready to show Derbyshire his true ability.
“I'm still learning my own game, so the big thing is that, if you make a mistake, you have to learn from it and I think I am doing that,” he added.
“Mentally, I'm in a nice space. Now the wickets are getting better and, hopefully, I can keep going from here.”
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SETTLING IN: Dominic Telo (above) and, main picture, batting against Gloucestershire.
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