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With 130 international wickets under her belt, and an imposing T20 record, Englands recently appointed vice-captain Anya Shrubsole would have been one of the first internationals selected for the Womens Big Bash League in Australia last winter. If, that is, she had chosen to make the trip.She decided against joining the best of the best in the WBBL partly to preserve her body from the rigours of a chaotic schedule, but mostly because her final university dissertation was due (imagine that in the mens game).In her thesis, the psychology student explored the relationship between perfectionism and competitive anxiety; a topic appropriate for an opening bowler, specifically one who self-describes as a little bit of a perfectionist.Shrubsole spoke to ESPNcricinfo during the Kia Super League, where she is representing Western Storm, who feature in Sundays Finals Day at Chelmsford.Part of this drives you to train and it definitely got me where I am today because I want to do everything well as I possibly can, she explains of perfectionism as it relates to her own career. But theres a fine line: if you go too far over the line almost nothing ends up being good enough because no-one is perfect.There is a relaxed self-awareness in this from a bowler once known for her grumpiness. At 24, but with eight years since her England debut, she is at once a veteran and an improving product despite her seniority. But she believes a mellowing has occurred in the process of applying her psychology learnings into her professional output.A couple of bad balls used to get into my head and it would interfere with the next couple and spiral out of control and I think as you play more thats completely detrimental to what you are trying to do, she says.By putting in place processes to control such a spiral, Shrubsole knows she has limited a weakness in her game that batsmen exploited. The influence of new national coach Mark Robinson has been a key part in this development; he has schooled Shrubsole in the art of expectation management.You want to perform the best that you can, but at the same time if your expectations become unrealistic you almost never meet up to them and are always frustrated. Shrubsoles method: an unfaltering routine to separate emotion from application.I just use the stumps as a physical line, she says. I have from the time where I stop my follow through to when I reach the stumps to think about the last ball, but once I cross that stump line and back to my mark it is to the next ball. Its no more complicated than that: making sure Im always thinking about what is coming next not whats just gone.Perhaps the best illustration of Shrubsoles mental strength happened with bat rather than ball. In last years Ashes Test at Canterbury she batted for 68 minutes and 47 balls without scoring. It was excruciating to watch, but symbolic of doing anything to turn around a dire situation.Ill never stop fighting until the game is over, I pride myself on it, she says when recalling the hand. So that innings became enjoyable and almost quite funny. I quite enjoyed it in the end.For all this, its somewhat ironic that a moment when Shrubsole was least in control provoked a career-defining change to her principle craft. At the 2013 World Cup, she was bowling to West Indies in early-morning conditions that swing bowlers dream of: dew still on the grass and moisture in the air. It was swing, not pace, that had got her to this level, yet she just couldnt get the ball to move. She takes up the story:Standing at fine leg I knew I had to get something more out of the perfect conditions, and I didnt look like getting them out she recalls. So I turned the ball around to see what would happen - and it hooped. Then the next ball absolutely hooped. I thought this was going well.It did go well, Shrubsole ending the day with the Player of the Match award, claiming 4 for 21. So she did exactly the same next time up against Australia, this time picking up 3 for 21. Ive forever bowled inswing since that day.A year later, she led all-comers in the World T20, nabbing 13 wickets at 7.53 apiece, earning the player of the tournament gong in the process.Its a pattern thats continued; her bowling average across 47 T20 internationals an altogether ridiculous 12.79. Sure enough, her reasoning for success in the shortest form evokes that familiar theme again: control.Im trying to bowl as many balls that I can to hit the stumps, so youre always in the game, Shrubsole says. This was exemplified by the final KSL group game, where she claimed a - wait for it - quadruple-wicket maiden to end the innings, bowling three opposition batsmen in her five-wicket haul.I know it sounds so simple, but it is that simple: hitting the stumps as much as I can, she says, adding a reminder that she only really bowls three balls: a stock inswinger, a slower ball and a yorker. Better to have three perfected than seven not is her theory.Shrubsole will be in Australia this winter for the WBBL for her debut in the competition, and couldnt be happier with Englands equivalent surpassing expectations in season one. But she doesnt subscribe to the idea of the T20 circuit replacing the primacy of international cricket, stating that competitions need to always fit around that.Its on that international stage where Englands women have flourished this summer, Shrubsoles first as deputy to new captain Heather Knight. The times suit her quiet authority - smart but reserved, gifted but not flashy, she fits in tidily to the Robinson regime.This summer was a brilliant illustration of how things have changed within the team since Robbo has been in charge, she says. It was the indication of a good starting point for how we want to play our cricket: full of professionalism, with a new work ethic to training.Shrubsole sees it as a product of Robinsons background as a coach from the mens game that he fundamentally expected more, challenging why they couldnt prepare as physically as the men. I think thats what we really needed, she says. Hes a brilliant coach and knows how to get the most out of people.Was the change in personnel liberating? Absolutely, Shrubsole says. It allowed everyone to have a clean slate and motivation to put best foot forward. The obvious example of this has been opener Tammy Beaumont, who broke the record the runs scored in a three-game ODI series in Englands 3-0 thrashing of Pakistan.She was on the outside; struggling to get into the squad… so for her, he came in with a fresh pair of eyes and everything before had gone; it was a new start. Shrubsole is also ready to step up if Knight is ever absent through injury. Sure enough, shes thought about it plenty, as youd expect from someone exhibiting all the traits of a quintessential cricket badger. When asked to name her favourite bowler she cites Michael Holding, who retired half a decade before she was born. She later speaks about clips shes watched of Brian Close being peppered by the Jamaican in his pomp.As with batting and bowling and fielding, you wouldnt go into a game not having practiced it and have a routine with it, so Im always keen to captain as much as I possibly can.Additional to her obsessive watching of the game, she has routinely captained teams through her career, including representative sides at youth level and her county for the last four seasons. So should that day come, Im happy and know what I am doing.Casting forward a little under a year, a home ODI World Cup rolls around. Shrubsole assesses England will be there and thereabouts in light of recent progress. She believes the collective confidence is steadily building after their faultless summer. We are going to make mistakes, but its a case of having that belief in what we are doing.Its a considerable journey from watching her dad charging in to open the bowling, trying to get the blokes to let her have a bat or a bowl or a kick of the football.Naturally enough, as a swing bowler Shrubsole wishes for more Test cricket; understandable after her performance in that Ashes Test where she decimated the Australian top order on the opening day, claiming the first four wickets.In T20 cricket you get a lot of wickets as a result of the match situation, but in Test match cricket you have to get people out, she says. I take joy in working batters out and setting them up.A quick with a thesis in competitive psychology who also revels in mind games? If opposition players werent daunted by Anya Shrubsoles capacity, they should be. Taylor Decker Jersey Retro . 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SAN DIEGO -- Drew Brees will play at Qualcomm Stadium on Sunday for the first time since Dec. 31, 2005, when he walked off the field holding his right arm at a 90-degree angle from his side because of a shoulder injury.That was his last game of quarterback of the San Diego Chargers, who gave him a low-ball offer and then let him leave as a free agent so that understudy Philip Rivers could become the starter.Brees signed with the New Orleans Saints, leading them through the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and then to a Super Bowl title following the 2009 season.Sunday, hell lead the winless Saints (0-3) against Rivers struggling Chargers (1-2), who once again are threatening to leave for Los Angeles, this time if a controversial ballot measure for a new stadium downtown doesnt pass on Nov. 8.Aging Qualcomm Stadium, where Brees Chargers career ended, is the only stadium he hasnt played in with the Saints.Listen, Ive got a ton of great memories from there, Brees said. I can close my eyes and visualize the stadium; visualize the ring of honor, all the names in it, the scoreboard, the flags that wave up on the top of the stadium. I can visualize it like it was yesterday.Said Rivers: Itll be neat. Youre not playing the other quarterback, but its always meaningful going against Hall of Fame players. Shoot, Ive had a chance to go against a lot of them and Drews certainly one of those guys. Im sure it will be an exciting Sunday.Here are some things that put Sundays matchup between Brees Saints and Rivers Chargers into perspective:THE EARLY YEARS: Brees was in the same draft class as LaDainian Tomlinson in 2001. He became the starter in 2002, helping San Diego to an 8-8 record in Marty Schottenheimers first season as coach. His final three years were a soap opera. The 2003 season was a nightmare as Brees threw 15 interceptions and only 11 touchdowns, and was benched in favor of Doug Flutie. The Chargers obtained Rivers from the New York Giants on draft day in 2004, but Rivers held out during training camp and Brees kept his job. He bounced back, leading the Chargers to the AFC West title and winning the AP Comeback Player of the Year award. Brees was again the starter in 2005, forcing Rivers to sit again.THE INJURY: Eliminated from the playoff race with one game to go in 2005, Schottenheimer wanted to finish 10-6 and so he played his starters against Denver. In the second qquarter, Brees dropped back to pass in his end zone and was blindsided by the blitzing John Lynch, who hacked at his right arm.dddddddddddd. Brees fumbled and was hurt when he went for the ball and had defensive tackle Gerard Warren land on him. Denver won the meaningless game. Brees has been back to Qualcomm Stadium only once since, to work at Reggie Bushs camp.THE DEPARTURE: Brees had surgery and was essentially pushed out the door by the Chargers, who turned to Rivers. Brees became a free agent, shopping himself to Miami and New Orleans. The Saints, who didnt view him as damaged goods, signed him.At the time it was post-Katrina, so when we were recruiting coaches or signing free agents we couldnt just be equal to our competitors, we had to be aggressive, coach Sean Payton said.The Saints knew Brees would work hard in rehab to get back, and they told him he wouldnt have to throw a lot until training camp.The main thing we felt all those intangibles were going to be working in his favor and fortunately we were right, Payton said.THE AFTERMATH: In his fourth season in New Orleans, Brees was voted Super Bowl MVP after helping lead the once woebegone Saints to victory against Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts. Rivers led the Chargers to four straight AFC West titles and to the AFC championship game after the 2007 season, which the Bolts lost to New England. That was the closest the Chargers have come to the Super Bowl with Rivers as starter. Theyve missed the playoffs five of the last six seasons.THE CONNECTION: Rivers and tight end Antonio Gates are the only two Chargers left from Brees days in San Diego. While coming back will be special, Brees is focused more on getting the Saints their first win.Ive been trying to make this just like any other game, he said. Its been hard to do that obviously, because its meaningful, but here we are in a short week, coming off a Monday night game and just trying to get all my preparation in, trying to get all the emotions out of the way, too, before game day. Because once I step in that stadium its all about business and doing whatever we can to win the game.---Online: http://pro32.ap.org/poll and http://twitter.com/AP-NFL---Follow Bernie Wilson on Twitter at http://twitter.com/berniewilson ' ' '