Tawanda Muyeye believes clarity in his game has led to a rich vein of form in this summer’s Vitality Blast.
The Kent batsman is the leading run scorer in the Blast so far, his 362 runs including his first T20 hundred in the comprehensive 47-run win at Essex last week.
Having moved up and down the order last summer, Muyeye showed promising signs when he opened in the last four Blast matches.
Even with Zak Crawley available at the start of the Blast, the 24-year-old was still given the responsibility to open alongside Daniel Bell-Drummond and that faith has been vindicated.
“I’ve got a different responsibility in the side now,” reflected Muyeye.
“I’m a year older and I think the biggest thing for me coming into the summer, red ball and white ball, is the consistency around how I’m going to go about things.
“It’s just a cricket ball that you have to hit at the end of the day so I think finding consistency in everything I’m doing outside of cricket and in cricket has helped quite a lot.
“I know how my preparation is, I know how things are going to look when I get to the ground and when I’m at home. Growing up it helps a little bit so I think I’m just giving myself a chance.
“I was watching the IPL as you do and I wondered those guys always get 400 or 500 runs and they play 14 games as well in the group stage. I thought maybe this is a chance for you, if someone else can do it, you can do it, there’s no reason why you can’t do it.
“It’s just trying to be as consistent as possible and trying to trust my game and play the same way all the time.”
Muyeye has been a moving target in the middle order during his time with Kent. In and out of the side, the county have been trying to find his best role.
He also praised new head coach Adam Hollioake, skipper Sam Billings and opening partner Daniel Bell-Drummond for their influence and backing.
“I’ve been at the club for four years and been in and out of the side both T20 and four-day stuff,” said Muyeye.
“I went away in the winter and I tried to work hard on my game. Sometimes things didn’t go well, sometimes things go well, but it was about trusting yourself and the work I’ve done.
“Again the confidence that the coaches have put in me, Adam Hollioake’s been amazing, Sam Billings has been amazing as well, Daniel Bell-Drummond’s been amazing. The confidence that they’ve given me and the responsibility they’ve given me.
“It’s something I’ve taken on board and I want to embrace it and keep getting better and keep trying my best as much as I can.
“Obviously tough times will come again and good times will come again but I think it’s about staying as level as possible in everything I do.”
The one time Muyeye did take a stumble at Chelmsford last week was when he celebrated his century.
Thankfully, he just managed to stay on two feet, otherwise his landmark would have been remembered more for what followed than the achievement itself.
“I was just praying that I was not going to fall over, that was my biggest thing” smiled Muyeye.
“I just didn’t want to fall over but who cares, it doesn’t really matter. It’s a happy day for me, they don’t come around often.”
Muyeye becomes the eighth Kent player to score a T20 hundred, following Joe Denly, Bell-Drummond, Billings, Crawley, Azhar Mahmood, Sam Northeast and Andrew Symonds.
So, what does the century do for Muyeye going forward?
“It just gives you the confidence as a player to back yourself and to trust your game and to trust that things will work out,” he suggested.
“There’s a long way to go and hopefully I’ll have a long career but days like this, it doesn’t get better.
“I’ve watched guys like Joe Denly and Daniel Bell-Drummond, they’re just class and to try and follow in their footsteps is going to be a tough ask.
“I’m just doing my best and I’m glad I got there with the hundred.
“I was up and down the order last year and I can confirm that opening is definitely the best place.”
Spitfires are next in Vitality Blast action on Friday, July 4 when they host Sussex Sharks at Canterbury (6.30pm).
