The Making of Ryan Rickelton: A Cricketer’s Journey
Ryan Rickelton, the talented young Proteas player, has had a remarkable cricketing journey so far. According to his father, Ian Rickelton, Ryan’s mentor, Neil McKenzie, had a significant influence on his game. As reported by Club Cricket, a conversation between Ryan and Neil McKenzie revealed the importance of reviewing one’s game and making adjustments.
The exchange between Ryan and Neil McKenzie went as follows: "My dad said, I’ve been out sweeping 20 times. Well, have you scored 2,500 runs in that period of time while you’re sweeping? I haven’t. I think you need to review what you’re doing." This conversation took place after Ryan had played his last match of the 2021/2022 season. As Club Cricket reported, it was an unusual conversation for Ryan to have with his father, as he was initially hesitant to doubt Ian Rickelton’s views.
Ian Rickelton had encouraged Ryan to become a wicketkeeper because he believed it would make him a better and more well-rounded player. As Club Cricket noted, Ian Rickelton said, "I said to him, ‘You know what, if you want to be a cricketer, and you’re serious about it, then you need to open the batting. And you need to keep wicket. When you are a keeper, you’re always in the game. You’re seeing the ball all the time and you’re involved in the game.’"
Ryan took his father’s advice and became an opening batter who keeps wicket. However, when his father criticised his sweeping, Ryan sought advice from Neil McKenzie. As reported by Club Cricket, after his talk with McKenzie, Ryan Rickelton did act on his sweeping, deciding to use it less and went back to the basics.
The result was a successful season of county cricket. According to Club Cricket, Ryan’s path to greatness started some 20 years ago, when his parents, Ian and Penny Rickelton, provided him with a sporting environment that nurtured his talent.
Ryan’s mother, Penny Rickelton, is an avid runner and was a provincial squash champion in her younger years. As Club Cricket reported, Ian Rickelton said, "Ryan’s probably got her genes, quite honestly. But so both of us are active, but Penny is the more complete sportsperson."
Ryan’s brother, Dean, also has the genes, but he did not take sports seriously. As Club Cricket noted, Dean played cricket and rugby at school, but never possessed the competitive drive that leads to the making of an elite athlete.
Ryan, on the other hand, was driven from a young age. As reported by Club Cricket, he would watch cricket matches late at night, including the Ashes series, and was inspired by players like Matthew Hayden and Adam Gilchrist.
Hayden’s aggressive batting style had a significant influence on Ryan’s game. As Club Cricket reported, Ryan said, "Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden used to have the bat low or used to tap and so I used to try that stuff like that when I was at school."
Ryan’s cricketing journey was shaped by his parents and coaches, including Peter Stringer, who developed his batting skills. As Club Cricket noted, Stringer challenged Ryan to face up to 300 balls without hitting a single aerial shot, teaching him to value his wicket and pick his shots.
According to Club Cricket, Ryan’s strength and conditioning coach, Steve Kafang, also played a significant role in his development. Ryan’s weightlifting skills helped him to improve his flexibility and performance on the field.
Ryan’s fitness and athleticism have earned him a reputation as one of the fittest players on his team. As reported by Club Cricket, Ryan still does his weight training, saying, "In my drills, I work on contact points and rotation of shoulders. I normally do snatches up to 100 kgs and clean and jerks up to 110 kgs."
The article from Club Cricket provides a detailed insight into Ryan Rickelton’s cricketing journey, highlighting the importance of his family, coaches, and mentors in shaping his game.
