Time in the field to stew technical shortcomings, nights in hotel rooms spent away from loved ones, a team’s weight of expectation on an individual performance - it is, perhaps, no wonder that cricket has a storied record of inhibiting optimal mental wellbeing.

“It is a difficult game to switch off from at times, due to the relentless nature of the sport”, says Chris Marshall.

“When things aren't quite going to plan it is important that people have the appropriate skills to cope and manage these periods.”

Marshall is Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club’s sport psychologist, and boasts and wealth of experience in international and domestic cricket, as well as football, boxing and rugby. It is a career which has taken him around the world, but Marshall feels in his element at Trent Bridge.

“I've always loved cricket, and I feel at home working in the cricket environment so when the opportunity arose to come and join these guys, it felt too good to turn down," he says.

"The chance to work with Moorsey [Peter Moores] again, having been with him at England, was a brilliant chance for me too. He is one of the best coaches I have worked with, so being in a dressing room led by him was really important.

"Psychological development should be part of a player's everyday improvements. Talking about it should just be a normal conversation."

Chris Marshall

“Plus, my wife is Bridgford born and bred, we live five minutes away from the ground, and Nottingham really feels like home to me, so it's a real privilege to be able to support this group of players and staff.”

What helps Marshall in his role is the proactive approach Nottinghamshire take to sports psychology. It is not a practice to be tapped into only when experiencing difficulties, but an endeavour which benefits from regular training.

“One of the big myths about my job is that we only focus on things when they go wrong”, he says.

“Psychological development should be part of a player's everyday improvements. Talking about it should just be a normal conversation, in the same mould that you would have a conversation with a strength and conditioning coach.

“At Notts, the players and staff definitely see it this way. Traditionally, sports psychologists have worked with players or staff one to one. Now, I like to think I provide a good persecutive on the wider culture and performance system, helping us all to create a culture that people want to spend time in.”

With increasing attention on performances through social media, and enhanced exposure, Marshall sees routine and personal evaluation as imperative to keeping players at their optimum. He completes a “psychological MOT” with players, which they can use as a point of reference regardless of the external factors – the bowlers, pitch or general environment.

“It is great that wider society is now normalising talking about mental health and mental health difficulties, as the more comfortable people are about talking about this topic, the better it will be.”

Chris Marshall

“Getting players on track is a pretty individual process, however it does centre around their own method,” he says.

“When I talk about method, I talk about things like where they get their confidence from. We tend to focus on things that are inside of their control, what has typically worked when things were going well, and how consistent they are with their routine.

“I generally believe that if people have clarity of their method – both technical and psychological – and they are clear on their ideal performance state and have an understanding of what their broader purpose is, they will give themselves a great chance of success.”

It is an attitude which he presses upon all athletes, although he is mindful of the different cultures within sports and demands they have.

“From a performance perspective, I encourage all of my players and staff to work towards being psychologically flexible," says Marshall.

"This means being able to stay in contact with the present moment, regardless of what is happening around them, and deliver the skills required to achieve what is required in the moment.”

It is prudent for Marshall to be talking about his role during Mental Health Awareness Week, in a sport which has historically seen individuals struggle with their mental wellbeing.

He welcomes the research being carried out into how more can be done to support players, and admits normalisation of mental health discussions and support programmes, such as the Trent Bridge Community Trust's 'Notts in Mind' initiative, are benefical.

“Cricket is such a fascinating sport. We spend huge amounts of time away from home, games last for prolonged periods and we can spend a lot of time consumed in our thinking about the game.

"I simply enjoy helping people achieve their goals and supporting them to realise their potential."

Chris Marshall

“On top of this, the sport is quite unique in terms of an individual’s requirements to contribute to the team. Unlike most team sports, the focus is very much on one person for periods and this can create its own challenges.”

“It is great that there are now some really good published studies around cricket and mental health, which will help us target support more effectively, and, in fact, the ECB has recently commissioned a large study with the PCA and Bangor University, looking into county cricketers experiences of mental health and mental health difficulties which will continue to develop our knowledge around supporting players

“It is great that wider society is now normalising talking about mental health and mental health difficulties, as the more comfortable people are about talking about this topic, the better it will be.”

As for working with Notts, it is a challenge Marshall has relished, having encountered many Green and Golds on the England pathway.  

“I worked for England cricket between 2013-2018, so a large group of these lads know me pretty well," he says.

"I've been on the England U19 tours with Ducky [Ben Duckett], Clarkey [Joe Clarke], Hass [Haseeb Hameed], Mooresy [Tom Moores], and have spent time on England senior tours with Broady [Stuart Broad], Jake [Ball], Alex [Hales] and Harry [Gurney], as well as worked with many of the staff either through England tours or through ECB Level 4, where I still provide the psychology content.

“My previous experiences with the lads helped hugely, as we could often just pick up from where we left off. However, I must say, they are an excellent group to work with.”

Marshall’s philosophy can be boiled down to one simple premise – if a player can manage their thinking, stay in the moment and thrive under the pressure to perform, it gives a decent chance of being successful. When players do so, he can’t help but feel it’s a job well done in a role he savours.

“I simply enjoy helping people achieve their goals and supporting them to realise their potential. The mental side of the game is so individual and unique, I love the challenge it brings…every day is so different, because every person is different."