Giles: We have to be cut-throat out there
ASHLEY Giles has told his players to toughen up and be cut-throat as they fight for their County Championship Division One survival.
The Red Rose go into the clash with Somerset, which starts at Emirates Old Trafford tomorrow, teetering on the brink of the relegation battle.
No win in eight Championship matches after their flying start to the campaign has left them just 16 points clear of Hampshire – who occupy the last relegation spot.
One victory from their final three matches – the other two at home to leaders Middlesex and at mid-table Warwickshire – could well be enough to stop Lancashire returning straight back to Division Two.
Despite winning three of their opening five matches this season, a title tilt was always going to be a tough ask for a squad which includes several young players.
But Giles was desperate not to heap even more pressure on them by subjecting them to a relegation battle in the run-in to the campaign.
And the head coach admits the attitude of his players is now crucial if they are to avoid a third relegation in five seasons.
“There are concerns for us because we need to find that toughness in how we play our cricket,” said Giles.
“There’s the relaxed side that we try to create where it’s fun and the dressing room’s calm, but you need to know when to switch on and do your job.
“Some of the guys are still learning their trades, but when you go out there, it isn’t going to be acceptable just to say ‘I got it wrong’ and keep doing that. You just don’t get that many chances. You’ve got to be consistent at top-level cricket.
“I’m not saying they’re not dedicated or they’re not up for it, but it’s having that deep-rooted cut-throat attitude when you go out there.
“It has to be ‘this is what I do for a living so my decision-making and skills have to be at their highest.’
“If they are not, they need to work at getting better.
D“We work at improving the players and the team. Over time, we all have to take responsibility. We do as coaches and the players do as well for their performances.”
The experienced Alviro Petersen, however, believes morale is still high in the Old Trafford dressing room despite a testing past few months.
“There’s a lot of confidence in the dressing room,” he said. “The positive thing about young guys is that they might not feel as much pressure. We have got a few of those in our team, which is great. “There’s not past experience to tell them how to deal with these experiences. “It’s all about getting out there, playing and enjoying themselves. “The key thing this week is to play well as a team.” Ashley Giles