Potts - Social media makes us vulnerable

The England bowler on the 'mental resilience' that elite athletes need to handle criticism online
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'I think a lot of people type horrendous things without thinking about the repercussions of their actions' - Matty Potts

As the Ashes series unfolds, one thing is certain - there will be ups and downs for both England and Australia and it's impossible for both teams to win.

It's sadly inevitable that those downs and defeats will be met with hostility online, where bad actors on social media download their frustrations.

The targets will include the cricketers doing everything they can to win the prized Ashes urn, and with online abuse increasingly rife, there is little those on the receiving end can do about it.

Matty Potts is with the England squad - alongside fellow 4CAST athletes Ben Stokes, Jofra Archer and Ollie Pope. And he knows exactly what to expect when disappointed fans post from the protection of their screens.

"There's many things that social media has done in a positive light for the game," said Matty.

"But I think the spectacle that modern day cricketers put on now, it kind of makes us more vulnerable to remarks. And it makes guys have to be a bit more mentally resilient.

"I'm not necessarily saying that there weren't newspapers where they'd write horrendous things and stuff 15, 20 years ago, but now it's just there all the time.

"Everyone has a phone. You're only a click of a message away from completely ruining someone's ego or their confidence.

"And I think a lot of people do without thinking about the repercussions of their actions. So there are definitely downsides to social media."

Matty was in conversation with Ben Stokes, Jason Roy and JCC at a shoot hosted by our partners, Marriott Bonvoy. Watch the full video below.

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