Lessons Learnt with the Greats

Ricky Ponting is one of cricket's greatest captains, batsmen and fielders and I am delighted and privileged to have him on Lessons Learnt with the Greats. Punter took me under his wing from the day that I met him as a nineteen year old playing with him for Tasmania. He went on to play a massive part in the success I had on the field, but I wish I had asked him the questions I put to him on this episode when we were playing together - it would have made the world of difference. Fortunately, you can hear the great man talk about his batting methods, mental techniques, fielding tips, leadership learnings and who inspired him to become Australia's best batsman since Bradman.

Episode Rundown

03:00 - We start by talking about my favourite highlights of Ricky's career, including a career-defining hundred in the 4th Ashes Test of 2001

13:08 - Ricky then talks about his career highlight, not a personal innings but a team moment he considers his most cherished

16:15 - Ricky talks batting techniques and what he did to stay focused

37:04 - Ricky explains the tricks and tactics that he used to be one of the world's deadliest fielders

48:09 - We talk about leadership and how Ricky would have done things differently in the 2005 Ashes

53:33 - Ricky discusses his role in the media and if he would have changed his attitude to the media during his playing days

58:58 - The financial side of life and Ricky's new business venture

1:10:09 - Ricky talks about the work ethic his father instilled in him

1:13:17 - Ricky talks about the most inspiring person he has met - his dad

1:14:53 - We finish with how Ricky soaked up information as a small kid in Tasmania to become one of the world's best cricketers

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It is an absolute honour to speak to Lisa Sthalekar on this week's episode of Lessons Learnt with the Greats, one of the game's greatest players. Lisa is four-time World Cup winner, Hall of Famer and perhaps the best T20 allrounder ever in the women's game. On this episode we discuss how she perfected her craft, was taught mental resilience from an early age and how she carried her professionalism from the field and into the commentary box, so much so that Lisa grills me throughout! 

Episode rundown

02:15 - Lisa lists some her career highlights

05:05 - We move into the technical side of the game, first on Lisa's batting and then the mental skills she utilised

13:14 - Lisa shares how she became an effective off-spinner

20:27 - What Lisa would have done differently from a fitness perspective 

32:06 - How Lisa got the best out of herself on the field

37:06 - Lisa talks about the media and her transition from the field to the commentary box

46:02 - How Lisa has managed her finances

49:15 - The life mantras Lisa lives by

54:56 - The most inspiring person Lisa has met

57:08 - Lisa's favourite books

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Today's guest on Lessons Learnt from the Greats is a magnificent person who has gone from a fierce rival to close friend, Harbhajan Singh. 'Bhaji' as he's known, tormented batting lineups around the world but saved his best for the Aussies. His efforts in the 2001 Test series against Australia is truly unbelievable, kickstarting one of the most successful cricket careers of all time. While he might have rubbed a few people the wrong way, I can tell you Bhaji is one of the kindest, nicest people I have met and it's a privilege to have him on my show. 

Episode rundown

04:14 - We start by talking about the epic 2001 Test series against Austraia and how that changed his life

09:57 - Bhaji talks about his career highlights, including World Cup wins in 2007 and 2011

14:44 - Bhaji is a master off-spinner and here he talks about his technique and bowling process

20:10 - We speak about the mental side of the game and how the mind is more powerful than skills

35:16 - How Bhaji kept his body in check having bowled thousands of deliveries 

39:05 - Bhaji explains how he would have treated the media differently if he had his time again

44:42 - We speak about investment, getting the right advice and Bhaji's brilliant business which I absolutely love

54:12 - The saying and mantras Bhaji lives by, including one from Virat Kohli

58:24 - Bhaji finishes by talking about the most inspiring person he has met

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I am truly honoured to welcome one of the game's greatest players of all time and the batter every aspiring cricketer wants to be - AB de Villiers. AB's record on the field goes without saying - as one of the most dominant batters of his generation, AB destroyed bowling attacks in every corner of the globe and produced a long list of jaw-dropping innings I still can't believe happened. While we were fierce rivals on the field, I'm so lucky to be able to chat to AB now as a friend, and discuss the art of batting, dealing with pressure and our entrepreneurial passions. This is one of my favourite episodes of Lessons Learnt with the Greats and I hope you enjoy it.

Episode rundown

02:42 We start by chatting about some of my favourite highlights of AB's career but go into the mental side of the game, how he prepared for games and his secret for success that he stole from the Aussies

17:40 - AB names his career highlights 

19:30 - Here we go into the technical side of batting

31:20 - AB is a great player of spin, and here he talks about playing the turning ball and the batting drills he has used

43:22 - We discuss what AB does to keep fit

47:02 - AB talks about what he would have done differently in terms of the media during his career

57:03 - We discuss the financial side of life and AB's investments

1:07:35 - The mantras AB uses in life

1:09:43 - The people who have inspired AB

1:11:39 - We finish with the books that AB has loved

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The shoe is on the other foot this week as I chat to Aussie legend Mike Hussey about the lessons I have learnt through my life and career. This is part two of my chat with Huss, and on this episode we cover mental skills, the media, finance, business and the mantras I live by. It was great to share my experiences with Huss and I hope it can help.

Rundown

00:15 - We start by chatting about the mental side of the game and the skills and techniques I have acquired during my career

15:30 - The media play a huge role for current cricketers, so I talk about how I dealt with the media and offer some advice to aspiring players

22:05 - The lessons I have learnt from a finance, investment and business have been tough and many, but I am so glad I can share what I went through

39:48 - The two main mantras I live my life by, which have come from a school teacher and my mother

47:15 - I've been lucky to meet so many inspiring people and here I name two have really made an impact on my life

50:41 - I love to read, so to close out my chat with Huss I talk about a few of the books that I have found to be insightful

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This is a special episode of Lessons Learnt with the Greats where the tables are turned! Over two parts, it's my turn to share the lessons I have learnt over my life and career, with champion Aussie batsman and good mate Mike Hussey picking my brain. I've soaked up so much golden information over the years and can't wait to discuss what I've discovered along the journey. Part One touches on batting, bowling, catching and fitness, while Part Two (available now) features the mental side of the game, the media, finance and other life lessons. I hope you enjoy my chat with Huss. 

Rundown

04:00 - Huss and I begin by talking about highlights and favourite moments from my career

12:00 - I go in depth about the batting techniques I have used throughout my career and how my batting has evolved

23:45 - We then move on to bowling and how I had to change from bowling as fast as I could to relying more on the skills I developed

32:43 - How I worked on my catching and my routines for every ball

36:36 - Here I talk about fitness, my injury history and how I believe cricket-specific exercises should be encouraged

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When it comes to trailblazers in women's cricket there are few who have achieved more or made a bigger impact than Belinda Clark. As a player, BC was unparalleled. She became the first player - male or female - to score 200 in an one-day international and captained Australia to two World Cup wins. BC's post-playing career has been in sports administration, primarily with Cricket Australia in developing grassroots and women's cricket. It truly is an honour to speak to Belinda and I hope you get out of it as much as I did.

Episode rundown

01:38 - BC's incredible achievements 

04:08 - BC lists her career highlights

06:43 - How BC honed her batting technique

12:55 - Whether BC would have changed her fitness regime during her playing days

16:48 - The art of leadership

20:46 - The mental skills BC uses

31:13 - How BC handled the media

35:15 - BC talks about finance and investment 

40:58 - Growing the game

45:22 - The life mantra BC lives by

47:07 - The best books BC has read

49:08 - The most inspiring person BC has met

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One of the highlights of my career was opening the batting with Simon Katich and I'm thrilled to have him on this week's episode of Lessons Learnt with the Greats. Kat was one of the toughest and most resilient players to don the Baggy Green and loved getting into the contest, which I know as both his teammate and opponent. Kat's insights into batting, coaching and the mental side of the game make this a must-listen for any aspiring cricketer or athlete and I am so grateful to have him share his experiences. Enjoy.

Episode rundown

01:17 - Batting with Kat and my favourite knock of his

05:32 - Kat's personal and team career highloights

12:02 - The batting techniques Kat used to have success

21:36 - The fitness side of the game and the lessons Kat learnt

34:03 - Kat's experiences as a coach

39:04 - The mental skills Kat used and developed 

1:00:36 - How Kat handled the media and his role as a commentator 

1:06:02 - Kat's financial and investment philosophy 

1:14:52 - The mantra Kat uses to get through the tough times life dishes up

1:20:58 - The inspiring people Kat has met

1:24:43 - The standout books Kat has read

Youtube Link

Kat's 122 vs England at Sophia Gardens, Cardiff in the 2009 Ashes Series - https://youtu.be/hZhuyirwNpg

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Today's guest on Lessons Learnt with the Greats is one of Australia's finest glovemen, hardest workers and best cricket pundits, Ian Healy. As a youngster I loved watching a fellow Queenslander dominate in the Test team and he's been a huge inspiration for not only me but thousands of aspiring cricketers all over the country. Heals speaks so well about the art of wicketkeeping, how he stayed mentally and physically fit and learnt to trust his gut when it came time to make decisions. He also tells a couple of great yarns about Warnie as well!

Episode rundown

01:35 - My personal highlight of Heals' career, his century against the Windies in '96 (link below)

03:31 - Heals names his top three career highlights

09:39 - Heals goes into the techniques he used to master wicketkeeping and the mental approach he used

29:34 - The fitness regime of Heals during his career

39:45 - Heals talks about how he dealt with the media and his time as a pundit

48:49 - We talk about wealth generation and how Heals has handled his finances

1:04:02 - The mantras Heals has stuck to

1:06:00 - The people who have inspired Heals

Youtube links

Healy's 161no v West Indies, Gabba, 1996: https://youtu.be/H0_5EVznV40

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David Boon is one of the toughest and most talented players ever to pull on a Baggy Green and I am so lucky to speak to him on this episode of Lessons Learnt with the Greats. Boonie was the rock at the top of the order in Australia's Test side in the 80s and 90s, scorng 21 Test hundreds and dominating the bat-pad position like no other. His insights into batting, his mental approach and how he values camaraderie are all absolute gold.

Episode rundown

02:33 - Boonie's career highlights

11:07 - The technical components Boonie used to get the most out of his batting

21:57 - How Boonie made the bat-pad fielding position his own

27:35 - Boonie talks about his fitness regime

37:15 - The mental skills Boonie used

51:34 - How Boonie handled the financial side of the game

57:50 - The mantras Boonie lives his life by

1:01:04 - The people who have inspired Boonie

Youtube Links

David Boon World Cup Final - 75 Runs Highlights - https://youtu.be/2jj5aTYrbsA

Boonie hitting the winning runs in the Ashes 1989 Win - https://youtu.be/whGk4Os0_2s

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