Name - …………………

Candidate Number - ……
Centre Number – ………
School - …………………………………………
Cricket
Fitness Evaluation

Cardiovascular Endurance

Test - 2350m

Rating - Average

My cardiovascular endurance needs improvement. This is because I can often feel myself getting tired
towards the end of a bowling spell. I need good cardiovascular endurance because I need to be able
to bowl long spells as a threatening seam bowler. I also need to have good cardiovascular endurance
because I might be batting for an extended period and if I run out of energy then I will score fewer
runs and have an increased chance of getting run out.

Muscular Endurance

Test - 24 Full press-up

Rating - Average

Much like my cardiovascular endurance, I need to improve my muscular endurance as when I bat for
an extended period, I can feel my arms begin to ache. For example, when I batted for 2 hours, my
arms were beginning to ache, which caused me to get out as I could no longer the ball as hard as I
could 15 minutes into my batting. My bowling might also suffer as I may have aching legs, which
means I can no longer run as fast as previously, meaning I bowl slower, thus making me less
threatening.

Speed

Test - 4.37 seconds

Rating - Average

I am relatively happy with my speed score as I am quite tall, which means that it takes me a long time
to get to maximum speed. I do need to work on my speed as I have noticed that I struggle to get to the
ball on the boundary when other quicker players can get to the ball much quicker than I can. I need to
be able to run in quickly to bowl. For example, when I ran in harder I bowled 68 mph but when I ran
in slower I only bowled 61 mph, which is a pretty major difference in my pace.

Strength

Test - 52 kg (Grip dynamometer)

Rating - Above average

I am very happy with my strength as it is something that I have been focusing on as a component to
improving. This allows me to hit the ball much harder and bowl quicker. Last year I was struggling to
hit the ball very hard and I would end up getting caught much more because I did not have the power
to hit the ball as hard. Now I can hit the ball much harder and the shots that would have gotten me
caught before now go for 4 and sometimes even 6 runs.

Power

Test - 234 cm (Standing long jump test)

Rating - Above average

I think that my improvement in strength has also helped me develop my power, as in previous years I
would have been in the average and below-average categories. However, now I am above average.
This means that I can jump higher for a ball that has been hit over my head when I am fielding. I can
also run faster because I have more strength in my lower body, allowing me to chase down balls that
might have gone for four runs.

Flexibility

Test - 12 cm

Rating - Good

My flexibility is something that I have improved on too. I can now get down to balls quicker and reach
for the popping crease further when running. This is because I have done yoga and Pilates to develop
my muscles and allow them to stretch further. I can get down to stop the ball when it is hit straight
back at me when I am bowling, thus allowing me to reduce the number of runs conceded against me
and making my bowling figures better.

Agility

Test - 18.4 seconds

Rating - Average

My agility is OK. I would like to improve it as I need to be able to move quickly when in the field. This
might be when I am chasing after the ball and need to turn around quickly and stop the batsmen from
getting another run. When I am batting, I am pretty good at ducking balls that I otherwise would have
fended off.

Balance

Test - 13 seconds

Rating - Poor

My balance is very poor, which is something I would like to improve. This is essential when I am
batting as I might fall off of balance when I am playing the pull shot. A shot that requires particularly
good balance. If I have poor balance, then I might fall to one side, causing me to lob the ball into the
air, resulting in me getting out. It might also affect my balance when I am fielding on the boundary.
Due to my poor balance, I might fall over the rope if balancing for a catch.

Co-ordination

Test - 37 catches

Rating - Excellent

My coordination is very good when it comes to catching. I keep my eye on the ball the whole time
while running to catch the ball. This allows me to easily catch the ball, which is very helpful when I
am fielding either in the ring or on the boundary. For example, in a Bexley Bashers V Northern
Warriors fixture, I took a high catch because I kept my eye on the ball in my hands while running in to
take the catch.

Reaction Time

Test - 12 seconds

Rating - Above average

My reaction time is pretty good. This is probably because I need good reaction time so that I can play
good cricket shots against quick and good quality bowling without getting out. This helps me when I
am bowling as well because I can react quickly to a ball that has been popped back to me. In a Bexley
V Bickley Park match, I took a low catch and bowled against their opening batsman. This was
because I reacted quick enough to get down and catch the ball.

Fitness Analysis

Cardiovascular Endurance

A cricketer will need good

cardiovascular endurance as they may
be bowling a continuous spell of
maybe 10 – 12 overs. They will need
good cardiovascular endurance to
complete the spell while maintaining
good accuracy and ability throughout.
They will also need to make sure that
they can field in between overs while
they are bowling.
A batsman will also require good
cardiovascular endurance especially in the Test Match form of the game as they may be batting for
over 5 hours whicjh can cause fatigue to people who do not have a high level of cardiovascular
endurance. When batting along with the fact that they need to hit and time the ball they also need to
run between the wickets to score runs.

Muscular Endurance

When batting the player will need excellent muscular

endurance as they are carrying a bat for a long
duration of time. This could easily cause fatigue to
the biceps and triceps whilst batting. They might also
suffer fatigue in the muscles in your lower body for
example, the quadriceps or gastrocnemius because
you have been standing for a long duration of time
along with the fact that they are also running when
they hit the ball to score runs.

Strength

This is a component of fitness which can apply to all of the different parts of cricket. A bowler will use
strength when they are bowling to generate a lot of the pace. They will also use strength when they
are running in to generate the speed required to bowl quick. A batsman is also in need of good
strength as when they are batting they need to be able to hit the ball hard to score runs. They are also
will need strength when they are batting so that they can actually hold the bat, this is because the
heavier the bat the harder you can hit the ball and thus the more runs they can get. Finally, when a
player is fielding they require good strength to throw the ball in from the boundary.

Power

One which applies mainly to fielders and bowlers as both will require very good power. A bowler will
need good power as they are running to the crease they need to be approaching at good speed. A
fielder will need exceptionally good power as they would be sprinting to try and cut the ball off and
throw it in to the wicket keeper.

Agility

Agility applies to all of the 3 main elements of cricket, batting, bowling and fielding. When a batsman
is running between the wickets they utilise good agility to get low and slide their bat in so that they
can complete the run as quickly as possible. They also need to do this at speed along with turning to
try and complete another run.
A bowler will also need to be able to be agile as when they are bowling the body has got a lot of
moving parts. If they were not agile then the action would not be smooth. A bowler also has to have a
good hip drive if they want to generate any pace. Finally, a fielder will need good agility as they
would be forced to make full length dives to try and
prevent the ball from going for four. They may also
be forced to make jumps and slides as well which all
involve varying levels of agility.

Speed

Another which applies to all 3 parts of cricket, again this applies to running between the wickets for
batsmen as they need to be quick between the wickets to try and maximize as many runs as they can
get. When a fast bowler is running in they need to be approaching at speed otherwise they cannot
generate any pace.
Waqar Younis would run in at full speed to try and get
the bowl down to the batsmen at as quick speed as
possible this allowed him to bowl 90 mph +. Another
example of this is Shaun Tait who managed to break the
100 mph mark, he also used to sprint in at very high
speeds.

Lastly you have fielding which is very important for a

player to be moving at high speeds. For example, when a
player is chasing the ball to the boundary rope they
would be at a flat out sprint to try and stop the ball from
going for as many runs as possible.

Flexibility

Flexibility only really applies to fielders.

Flexibility is used when a player needs to
bend down to pick up the ball or when a
wicket keeper needs to take a low ball down
the leg side. There is flexibility at the knees
here for a wicket keeper when they are
squatting down to get ready to take the bowl
from a bowler.
Balance

Balance only applies to two, these being bowling and batting, when a batsman plays a pull shot and
they are on the tops of their toes they need to remain in a good balanced position otherwise they risk
falling over or losing their shape which may result in them losing their wicket.
Ricky Ponting needs good balance
here otherwise he risks being off
balance which means that he might
top edge the ball leading to him
being caught out.
When a bowler is going into their
gather they are quite often off of
the ground which demands
balance from the person otherwise
their action is likely going to fall
away which means they would
probably bowl a wide.

Coordination

Coordination applies to all elements of cricket, when a player is batting they need to be able to hit the
ball cleanly this requires good coordination otherwise you are not going to hit the ball cleanly. A
bowler will require excellent coordination all the way through their action. This is because there are
a lot of moving parts and you need to make sure that everything works at the same time otherwise the
player is likely to bowl a bad ball or wide. A fielder would also require good coordination as they
may need to dive or slide for the ball which would require
them to pick it up and throw it in at a very short amount of
time.
Reaction Time

When it comes to batting, fielding and bowling your reaction time is very important. If you react
slowly to a stimulus then you could risk being hit, getting out, missing the ball or dropping a catch. If
you are facing fast bowling then you would need to react quickly go get out of the way of a short-
pitched delivery, you might also need to react quickly to a Yorker this is because you would need to
get your bat down quickly to “dig it out”. If you are fielding close to the bat then the ball might get
popped up giving you the opportunity for a catch. If you have slow reactions then there is a chance
that you might drop the catch but if you react quickly then you have got a higher chance of catching
the ball when it is pooped in the air.

Ranking

1. Coordination
2. Reaction Time
3. Strength
4. Cardiovascular endurance
5. Power
6. Agility
7. Balance
8. Speed
9. Muscular endurance
10. Flexibility

Skills and Decision Making Overview

Core skills

Batting

Footwork
Footwork is an important skill and one than you need to have perfected in order to play proper
cricket shots and consistently score runs. Footwork simply involves moving your feet either forwards
or backwards. This is known as front-foot and back-foot.

When you play a front-foot shot you need to extend your leg forwards and towards the ball. You
would ideally get your foot parallel to the ball before hitting the ball with your bat. See picture below
for visual example:

As you can see he has taken a long stride

towards the ball, you need to play the
ball under your hands and eyes so that
you do not pop the ball up.

You would likely use this style of

footwork when playing a spinner so you
can get to the ball and stop is before it
spins or when you are playing against
full bowling from a seamer.

When you play a back-foot shot you need

to take a step backwards and get your
hands higher, this is because the ball will
likely be shorter and more directed at
your body. You will likely play a back-
foot cricket shot when a spinner drops
the ball short or when a seam bowler
bowls a back-of-a-length delivery or when the bowl a bouncer.

To see a visual image of a good back-foot shot look below:

As you can see they have kept their eyes on the

ball and importantly they have taken a step back.

You can also come down the pitch and ‘charge’

the bowler, this is often seen in the shorter form
of the game but is equally important in the
longer form of the game.

‘Charging’ the bowler means you take a few

steps down the pitch either to get the ball of the
full toss or to force the bowler to bowl shorter
and thus you can play a back-foot shot.

When you ‘charge’ a bowler you have to make sure you come down the pitch to the right bowler. You
would likely see a batsman come down the pitch to a spinner so they can smother the ball before it
has the opportunity to spin, that is in defence. However, in attack you would come down the pitch and
look to hit the ball in front of square and ideally for a boundary.
Defensive shots on the front foot

When playing a defensive shot on the front-foot the batsman needs to make sure that they get a large
stride in and that they get to the pitch of the delivery. If they don’t quite get to the pitch of the delivery
then they risk popping the ball up to a fielder or back to the bowler.

The batsman needs to make sure that their foot lands next to the ball and not to the side of it otherwise
they risk playing down the wrong line or closing themselves off and getting out LBW. If the batsman’s
foot lands perfectly next to it then the trouble is still not over they need to then make sure that their
head and hands are over the ball. If your head is not over the ball then you will be leaning backwards
causing the ball to go in the air and if you do not get your hands over the ball then you will be
reaching for it causing you again to possibly pop it up in the air.

When playing the forward defensive your hands need to be soft because if you do nick the ball it is
unlikely to carry to slips if you play with soft hands.

A batsman would likely play this shot against a fast bowler when they pitch the ball up or against a
spinner when they bowl the ball fuller of length.

Jonathon Trott plays the defensive shot

very well as he makes sure to keep his
head completely over the ball and his
hands too over the ball.

Drives

There are quite a few types of drives including:

 Cover Drive

 On-Drive

 Square Drive

 Off-Drive
We are going to start with the cover drive, perhaps the most notorious of all of the drive shots in
cricket. The cover drive is normally played to a full pitched delivery on or wide of off-stump. The aim
is to hit the ball through the wide mid-on to cover-point region depending on how late you play the
ball. You need to make sure that you select the right ball to play the shot to. If you play the shot to the
wrong ball i.e. it’s too straight, too wide or too full. If you play the cover drive to a ball that is too
straight then you will probably miss the ball and get given out either LBW or bowled. If you try and
play a cover drive to a ball that is too wide then you might nick off and get caught by the wicket
keeper.

The red box shows the location where

you would not play the cover drive as it
is far too wide outside the offstump and
unless you get an incredibly long stride
then you will likely nick off. Indian
cricketer Virat Kohli is a prime example
of this, recently he has been playing
with his hands a long way outside the
offstump. The orange area indicates
where it would have some risk of
playing the shot but the over drive is
still an option. The green box shows
where you should 100% be playing the
cover drive. As you can see it covers just
outside the offstump.

The on-drive is a shot which is deemed

as one of the best and most attractive
shots a batsman can play. Whether this
be along the floor or in the air it always
draws attention to the player. A
cricketer who plays the on-drive
extremely well is Marnus Labuschange. Depending on the way you set up changes the way that you
would play the shot. If you trigger across to the off-stump then you would likely be on-driving balls
that are on the stumps. If you stand still – for example, Kane Williamson – then you would be on-
driving balls that are on middle, leg and just outside leg stump.
 TRIGGER ACROSS NO TRIGGER ACROSS

As you can see the region where you should play the shot changes depending on whether you trigger
across or not. If you do not trigger across then you will be showing more of your stumps meaning that
the ball on off stump someone who triggers across would drive through mid on you would be playing
into or around the extra cover, cover region.

Much like the cover drive the square drive is looking to be played into the offside but this time it is
aimed to be hit through the cover to point region rather than the extra-cover to cover region. You are
going to be playing the ball much later than you would a cover drive, you would only normally play
this shot when you are trying to pick the game in between cover and point.
You would normally be playing the shot when the ball is very wide of the off stump allowing you to
gain a lot of power as you would be ‘throwing your hands through the ball’. It is played on the front
foot so you need to make sure that you take a big stride across to outside the off stump otherwise you
risk nicking off and being caught in the slips, much like the cover drive.

Cut Shot

There are only two types of cut shot in cricket, these being the
regular, orthodox cut shot and the late cut – almost running it
off the face. An excellent cutter of the ball is Joe Root who will
score the large majority of his runs through the point and
third man region.

The image on the left shows a Jot Root hundred and as you
can see a lot of runs are scored behind square.

You would typically play the cut shot to a ball that is short and
wide outside the off stump. You need to make sure that your
back foot moves across so that it is just inside the path of the
ball allowing your bat to come through cleanly. If you do not
move your feet then you would be playing away from your
body which may lead to you nicking off and getting caught behind by either the keeper of the slips.
You also need to make sure that you do not try and cut a ball that is too close to your body otherwise
you may get cramped for room and then get caught behind. The late cut is a shot that you would
normally play to rotate the strike allowing you to accumulate runs and relieve any pressure. Much
like a normal cut shot the late cut is just played considerably later almost running the ball of off the
face of the bat.

Pull Shot

The pull shot is the staple of any Australian cricketer, played to a ball that is short or back-of-a-
length you look to rock back onto
the back foot and hit the ball hard
through the square leg or fine leg
region. You hit the ball with the bat
being parallel to the floor. You
would only play the pull shot to a
ball that is at waist height and
above otherwise you risk missing
the ball an being bowled. You need
to make sure that your hands are
over the ball unless you are looking
to pull the ball for six.
Ricky Ponting was an excellent player when it came to the pull shot, he made sure to keep his eyes on
the ball at all times and hit the ball late often guiding behind square for four runs.

Running between the wickets

Running between the wickets is a necessity for any cricketer as even the scruffiest shot can get you
runs. You need to make sure that you run between the wickets fast, even if the ball has gone to the
boundary. There also needs to be excellent communication between you and your partner. When
running you need to slide your bat beyond the popping crease, this allows you to get the little bit less
distance to run and ultimately makes your running time quicker. When you go to slide your bat always
turn and face where the fielder with the ball is so you can make a judgement on whether to run or not.

WK

The area marked in red is where the non-striker should call the batsmen through for a run and the
area in yellow is where the facing batsman should call the non-striking batsman through for a run.
There are 3 basic calls when it comes to running and if you stick to them then you should be relatively
safe when it comes to running. These are “Yes” meaning that there is definitely a run there and you
would be 99% safe from being run out. “Waiting” means that you are not sure whether there is a run
there or whether the fielder will stop the ball. “No” means that there is definitely no run there and
that if you do run you have a very high chance of getting run out. With these calls you need to make
sure that you shout them loudly and clearly and so that your opposite number can hear them. David
Warner ad Marnus Labuschagne are excellent examples of brilliant runners, David Warner is known
for his quick aggressive running that is constantly putting the fielders under pressure.

Bowling

Repetition of action for one style of bowling

Fast, medium, or spin

When bowling fast, you need to make sure that you keep a consistent, repeatable action, otherwise,
your bowling and body might suffer. If you bowl an extremely quick 85 +mph and you make an
extreme change to your action, then you might find that you lose your pace and accuracy. If you try
and bowl as quickly, then you might put too much stress on your back or your legs, resulting in an
extremely high chance of injury.

When bowling medium pace, you need to have a repeatable action, otherwise, you might find that if
you change your action you lose your accuracy, something that is quite important when bowling
medium pace. If you lose your accuracy when bowling at a medium pace, then you can be inaccurate,
which results in a large volume of runs being scored against you.

Spin bowling also requires repeatable action because you need to be able to bowl straight and get the
same number of revolutions (revs) on the ball. Shane Warner is an excellent example of a cricketer
whose actions never changed. This is because he found a way that worked well for him and allowed
him to bowl good, consistent leg-spin.

Line, length, and flight of bowl

Line

Your line is very important when bowling. If you stray too far outside the off-stump or too far down
the leg side, it can be very easy for the batsman to score runs. If you bowl on the 4th stump channel as
a seamer, then you will have an excellent chance of taking wickets because it might hold its line,
possibly nicking them off or it might jump back in getting them bowled LBW. You can also change
your line depending on the batsman. If you have a batsman who shuffles across, you can bowl further
outside the off stump and avoid giving them a shot through the leg side. If you are a spinner, then you
need to make sure that you keep a consistent line before bowling a slightly different delivery. For
example, the googly might get them trapped LBW or bowled.

Length

The length of your bowling is very important, it links quite well with the line of your bowling. If you
bowl a good length on the 4th stump line, then you have a very high chance of nicking off the
batsman. If you bowl a bouncer that is just outside the off-stump, then you will have a good chance of
getting the batsman out if they go for the pull shot. This is because it is short and means that you can
hope that they try and pull something too short and hit it straight up into the air. If you bowl a yorker
then you will either restrict the number of runs that the batsman gets or you could get the batsman
out.

Flight

As a spinner, the flight that you give the ball is very important. There is an ideal amount of flight that
a spinner should produce. If you give the ball too much flight, then the batsman might turn it into a
full toss by coming down the pitch. If you do not give the ball enough flight, then you might bowl a
"drop-down, meaning they can rock onto the back foot and hit you for a lot of runs over the leg side.
Australian spinner Nathan Lyon bowls with good flight, tempting the batsmen forwards with a
flighted delivery before it turns sharply out of the rough and gets them caught at short-leg. Otherwise,
known as the perfect off-spinners wicket.

Fielding

Outfield

Stopping the ball

In the outfield, you have to get down to the ball and get your body behind it using the long barrier
technique. You have to make sure that you get to the ball in time, otherwise, you will not do a
particularly good job at stopping the ball. You need to have a set base, otherwise, you might miss the
ball, resulting in four runs and giving you a higher total for your team to chase.
Catching

When catching the ball in the outfield, you need to make sure that you have a set base, otherwise, you
might drop the ball. Of course, you do see the wonderful catches performed at the IPL or in
international cricket matches. However, as a club cricketer, you need to focus on catching the high
ball. When the ball goes high, you need to make sure that you are definitely under the location where
the ball is going to land, otherwise, the catch will likely be dropped. If the ball is going flat, then you
need to make sure that you have your body behind it, Otherwise, if it goes through your hand, you will
almost 100% drop the ball. However, if you have your body behind the ball, you might be able to
catch the ball on the second attempt.

Pick up and throw - Overarm

When on the boundary, you need to make sure that you watch the ball the whole way into your hands,
otherwise you might fumble the ball, resulting in the batsmen coming back for more runs. When
throwing, you need to have a strong base and aim using your less dominant arm to have any control
over where the ball is going to go. You would ideally get the ball into the keeper on the full or first
bounce. This gives the keeper a nice take and allows them to possibly run the batsmen out.

Pick up and throw - underarm

N/A

Infield

Stopping the ball

When stopping the ball in the infield, you might need to do a tumble to stop the ball. This means that
you have to dive and roll to stop the ball. This will put the batsmen under pressure as they may have
hit the ball into the gap, but now you have dived and stopped the ball, there might be some confusion
resulting in a run-out. You might also need to get down quickly if the ball has been hit at you hard by
the batsman. When this happens, you need to get your body behind the ball to try and stop the ball
using any means necessary.
Catching

In the infield, you might not always get flat catches, but also high catches. Much like catching in the
outfield, you need to make sure that you have a strong base set and that you are keeping your eyes
firmly on the ball. On the other hand, you might get a flat catch, and much like in the outfield, you
need to make sure that you get your body behind the ball to try and stop the ball from getting
dropped. If you do end up fumbling the ball, you might be able to catch it on your second attempt.

Pick up and throw - overarm

You will likely be throwing over the arm to try and stop the batsmen from running a single, resulting
in a run-out. You would be looking to either hit the stumps or get it into the keeper's gloves, which
would ideally be located just above the stumps, so he just has to move his hands down to take the bails
off. You need to make sure that you have a base set so that your throw goes straight.

Pick up and throw - underarm

You would not be aiming for the keeper at all, but instead only aiming for the stumps. You would
normally complete an underarm throw when you are diving because you would not have enough time
to properly get set or the batsman has dropped the ball right in front of you, meaning that you have to
run and dive to hit the stumps.

Close

Stopping the ball

When you are close in, you have to make sure that you stop the ball because there might be a gap
behind you allowing the batsman to get more runs. If you stop the ball, it might result in a run-out
because the batsman might not have been expecting you to stop the ball.

Catching

This is your main job. When you are close in - or under the lid - you have to try and catch balls that
have been popped up into the air by batsmen. This might be off of a spin bowler when they have got a
lot of bounce and it pops off of the batsman's glove or when you are close in against a seam bowler
and they have bowled a bouncer and the batsman's gloves are up in the air.
Pick up and throw - overarm

N/A

Pick up and throw - underarm

You would normally be throwing the ball underarm when you are close in, you would also likely be
diving. You might deflect the ball and the batsmen have set off for the run. You would need to react
and pick up the ball. Next, you would likely underarm the ball into the wicket-keeper or try and hit the
stumps and get the batsman out.

Wicket Keeping

Positioning in relation to pitch and type of bowler

When wicket keeping to a quick bowler you need to make sure that you stand a decent way back, this
is to prevent injuries and large numbers of byes. If you are keeping a medium-pacer then it depends
on the opponent batsmen, if they are coming down the pitch then you likely stand up to the stumps in
the hope to get them out stumped. If they are staying in their crease then it depends on your ability
and what your personal preference is. If you are wicket-keeping to a spinner then you would need to
stand up so that the batsmen cannot charge the spinner and continually get the ball on the full toss.

If the pitch is hard and bouncy then you can stand back further when wicket-keeping to seam bowling
as the ball will carry much further. You will also need to start slightly higher when the pitch is bouncy
to account for the higher bounce. If you are keeping on a greener and softer pitch you need to stand
closer as the ball will come off of the pitch slower and the carry will be much shorter.

Stance

You need to make sure that you are low with your gloves just in front of your body, the spacing of
your legs depends on personal preference some wicket-keepers prefer a much wider stance, for
example, James Bracey, and some prefer a much narrower stance, for example, Tim Paine. You need
to be square to the strip with your foot ideally on the off stump.
Low and High Takes

When taking the ball low you might need to dive forwards as the ball might not be carrying into your
gloves. You need to keep your eyes on the ball into your gloves as you might need to catch the ball on
the half volley. With high takes, you need to use the reverse cup technique, to quote Sam Billings “You
need to go for the reverse cup or you will cop it in the teeth”. You might need to jump and use one
hand if the ball has bounced massively.

Catches

Catching the ball as a wicket-keeper is quite important as the batsmen may be very good and the
bowler might have spent a long time running in and getting the batsmen to play and miss. You need to
make sure that you keep your eyes on the ball into your gloves otherwise you have a very good chance
of dropping the ball. Much like the high and low takes, it depends on how the batsman has nicked it. If
it has taken a conventional edge then you would take it as a normal delivery. However, it has been
run off of the face then you might end up taking the ball behind you because of the pace. If the ball is
shorter and they have gotten a thin top edge then you might need to jump and catch the ball one-
handed or you might need to use the reverse cup technique.

Run Outs

If you fumble the ball or you miss the ball the batsmen might try and run, you would have to chase
down the ball turn at throw at the stumps. You have to aim for the stumps because there is no wicket-
keeper to take off the bails. Alternatively, it might be the dying overs off an innings and the batsman
are running everything. You might need to underarm the ball at the stumps and try and get a run-out.

Advanced Skills

Batting

Defensive shots off the back foot

When playing a defensive shot off the back foot you need to make sure that you keep your hands high
and that your head remains behind the ball. Your bat needs to be in a straight line. It would have a
similar bat presentation to the front-foot defensive. Your bat needs to remain angled down to the
ground otherwise you might pop the ball up back to the bowler or a fielder. You would only play the
back-foot defensive to balls that are back-of-a-length or short. (Note that backfoot shots against a
back-of-a-length delivery need to be played on hard pitches otherwise the ball might keep low and
bowl you.)
Square cut

The square cut is played through the point region and is an eye-catching shot. You need to play on the
backfoot and wait for the ball. The backfoot has to go towards the ball so you can easily throw your
hands through the ball. You then are cutting through the line of the ball and hitting it hard behind
point. You are looking to play the ball later than the regular cut shot so you can just get it in the gap
between point. You would normally play the square cut to a ball that is short and wide outside the off-
stump. However, batsmen like Kumar Sangakkara are known for square-cutting cover driveable
deliveries.

Hook Shots

The hook shot is very similar to the pull shot however, you get underneath the hook shot more, and
instead of looking to hit it hard along the ground with the hook shot you are looking to hit it up and
over square legs head for four or six. You need to get your hands under the ball instead of over it and
lean back slightly this will allow you to hit the ball in the air. You need to hit the ball through
backward square leg or square leg because if you do not get all of the ball you do not want to hit it
down the throat of deep fine leg.

Off or on drive

The on-drive is a shot which is deemed as one of the best and most attractive shots a batsman can
play. Whether this be along the floor or in the air it always draws attention to the player. A cricketer
who plays the on-drive extremely well is Marnus Labuschange. Depending on the way you set up
changes the way that you would play the shot. If you trigger across to the off-stump then you would
likely be on-driving balls that are on the stumps. If you stand still – for example, Kane Williamson –
then you would be on-driving balls that are on middle, leg and just outside leg stump.

Sweep

The sweep shot is like the pull shot except you hit the ball on the knee. The sweep shot is normally
played off of a spinner however some cricketers like AB de Villiers can play the sweep shot off of a
conventional seam bowler. You are looking to sweep a ball that is of a good length and either on the
leg stump or down the leg side. You would look to sweep the ball hard along the floor and through or
behind square leg or down towards the fine leg boundary.
Bowling

Variation in delivery in terms of line, flight, speed, and length of bowl.

Line

When you are bowling you need to variate where you want the ball to go otherwise you get
predictable. If you are bowling well and you are beating the outside edge of the bat then by no means
change anything. If you are playing against a batsman who is batting very well and is hitting your
attack for runs then you might want to change how you bow to that batsman. You could try and draw
him wider by bowling a wider delivery and get him caught in the slips reaching for one or you could
bowl a couple quite wide of the off stump and then bowl one which hits halfway up middle and get him
out LBW.

Flight

When bowling spin if you keep bowling loopily then the batsmen might be getting used to the delivery
and began to play pre-emptive shots to the delivers. However, if you vary your flight bowling some
flatter then you will begin to test the batsman’s judgment. If you bowl quite a few flatter, quicker balls
then bowl a slightly slower, tossed-up delivery and hope that the batsman is too early on the shot and
chips it back to you. If you are bowling with a lot of flight already then you can try and art one back
into the batsman and get him bowled or LBW. You can also change your flight if the batsman comes
down the pitch and you see them coming, you can bowl a flatter delivery and hope that they get done
by the pace. Or you could bowl it much slower and hope that they ran past the delivery and get
stumped.

Speed

You can change the speed of your delivery when bowling seam and spin. When bowling seam up you
would bowl a slower ball hoping that the batsman is through the shot too early and they will chip the
ball up into the air for an easy return catch for the bowler or any fielders in the ring. A seamer can
also bowl a quicker ball in an attempt to catch the batsman off guard. For example, Mark Wood
bowls around 140 km/h however his effort ball comes out at around 155 km/h which would catch the
batsman off guard. A spinner can vary their pace as a way of “playing” with the batsman, they could
bowl a couple of slower more floaty deliveries before firing one in at the pads considerably quicker
and hoping to get them trapped LBW.
Length

A seam bowler might bowl a ball that is shorter in length to try and catch the batsman out. This might
grab the glove on the way through to the wicket-keeper or they might go to pull it for runs but they
might not be expecting it and hit the ball straight up in the air. They can also bowl a yorker to try and
get the batsman out by hitting the bottom of the middle stump. Mitchell Starc is infamous for his fiery
bouncers followed by his late in-swinging yorkers which can account for even the most competent of
batsmen. A spinner can bowl a ball that is shorter in length to get the batsman to hit to a longer side
of the ground or get them to hit it straight down a fielder's throat. They can also bowl a yorker as a
surprise ball to catch the batsman off guard.

Fielding

Pick up and throw for a runout - underarm and overarm

Outfield

Overarm

You would be chasing the ball around the boundary when you are going to pick up and throw for a
runout. You also could be on a long boundary and the batsman might hit the ball and try and run two.
You need to attack the ball and when you go to stop the ball make sure you get down quickly. In this
instance, you do not want to perform a long barrier but rather perform a quick pick-up with your foot
where your leg would be for a long barrier. Your throw needs to be hard and flat and the throw needs
to be straight over the top of the stumps.

Underarm

N/A

Infield

Overarm
When throwing the ball overarm in the infield you need to attack the ball and then throw the ball hard
over the top of stumps or try and hit the bottom of the stumps. You might not have time to set your
base so you need to have an excellent base.

Underarm

You would need to do an underarm flick, this would be after attacking the ball. You might end up
diving for the ball during the flick, when doing the underarm flick you are not aiming for the keeper’s
gloves but rather for the stumps. This is due to the low power which you will get when you throw the
ball underarm so by the time you have thrown the ball and the keeper has taken off the bails the
batsman will likely be in.

Close

Overarm

N/A

Underarm

You would normally be throwing the ball underarm when you are close in, you would also likely be
diving. You might deflect the ball and the batsmen have set off for the run. You would need to react
and pick up the ball. Next, you would likely underarm the ball into the wicket-keeper or try and hit the
stumps and get the batsman out.

Pick up and throw on the run

Outfield

Overarm

You would be attacking the ball when the batsman has either hit the ball to the side and you are
chasing after the ball or when the batsman has dropped the ball into a gap and is pushing for two
runs. You need to attack the ball and pick up and throw in one motion, when throwing on the run the
main objective is to get rid of the ball as quickly as possible. You will have no base so your accuracy
and balance need to be spot on to get the ball accurately into the wicket keeper’s gloves.

Underarm

N/A

Infield

Overarm

You are again looking to attack the ball and pick up and throw in one motion. This is because you are
looking for a runout and so will no longer have the time to get set and aim perfectly for a target. You
do not have as long to load up and throw so you need to get rid of the ball quickly this means your
throw will not likely be as powerful as a normal throw where you have ample time to load up and
throw.

Underarm

You will likely be attacking the ball, you need to get low as the ball will not be coming at many paces
but will almost certainly be along the floor. You need to throw at the stumps much like the overarm
throw you will not have much time to set a base so you need to be spot on with accuracy.

Close

Overarm

N/A

Underarm
You will likely be attacking the ball, you need to get low as the ball will not be coming at many paces
but will almost certainly be along the floor. You need to throw at the stumps much like the overarm
throw you will not have much time to set a base so you need to be spot on with accuracy.

Wicket Keeping

Leg side takes and catches

When you move down the leg side you need to move with your hands first and then your head. You
have to keep your hand down otherwise; your head will come up and you will begin to go backward
meaning that you will be less likely to take the ball. If you come up too early then you will miss the
ball if it keeps low. If you are standing back then you need to watch the ball right the way into your
gloves. If it is considerably wide then you need to take a couple of steps down the legside.

Stumping

When you stump a batsman, you need to wait until the foot is outside the popping cross or you need to
make sure that you have quick hands so you stump them before they manage to get back in. A wicket-
keeper like M.S Dhoni is notorious for having quick hands and has the record for the most stumpings
in ODI cricket. (ESPN Cricinfo).

Decision Making and Tactical Awareness

Awareness and application of team strategies/tactics

When playing a match you need to be aware of your teams’ plans otherwise you might not be in the
correct position. For example, in the 2022 Ashes series, Michael Neser was left out at deep cover
because he had not been communicated the plan, and when the plan worked there was no one there to
take the wicket. You need to make sure that you apply your plans as well, if you have a plan to bowl
short balls at a particular batsman and a fieldset to do so yet you bowl an off-stump half volley then
you have not properly applied the strategy your team employed.
Selection of appropriate shot

When it comes to batting, the selection of an appropriate shot is the most important thing. If you play
the wrong shot to the wrong ball then you will likely get out. An excellent example is when Aidan
Markram attempted to pick up a ball on the top of off stump over mid-wicket. He missed the ball and
was bowled. This is very important because if you want to score lots of runs at a decent level then
your shot selection has to be spot on.

Understand and use of positions and roles in batting and fielding.

If you do not have the right roles and positions in the batting order then your team will likely not
score many runs. If you put a lower-level batsman higher up the order then he will likely get out
without scoring many runs because he is not used to facing high-level bowling. You would also not
put your best boundary fielder in the ring. An excellent example is that there are almost no fast-
bowling slip fielders with the only notable exception being New Zealand’s Tim Southee.

Principals of attack and defence

Attack - Batting

When you are attacking as a batsman you need to make sure that you score quickly, most attacking
when it comes to batting is seen in white-ball cricket (ODI and T20). The batsmen will be looking to
score runs quickly and put the bowlers and fielders under pressure by hitting their better deliveries
and bowlers for runs.

Defence - Batting

If your team has lost quite a few wickets quickly then you will need to play a much more defensive
innings this is much more commonly seen in long-format cricket. You are looking to play in the V and
only hit the ball when it is there to bit hit. You should not chase after any wide deliveries as you do
not want to nick off and put your team in even greater danger.

Attack - Bowling

When you are attacking with the ball in hand you would have a very aggressive field with a couple of
slips and a few men in close. You are looking to get the batsmen out and put the batting team under
pressure. You would likely be attacking at the start of an innings or when you have the opposition a
couple of wickets down.

Defence - Bowling

When you are defending with the ball in hand you would have quite a few “boundary riders” no slips
and no men close to the bat. You want to try and stop the opposition from scoring as many runs as
possible. You would be restricting deliveries such as bouncers and yorkers you would also bring the
field up to try and stop the weaker batsman from scoring runs.

Applying different systems of play in different situations

If you are going for quite a few runs with seam bowlers, perhaps the pitch is bouncy and comes onto
the bat nicely. You might change to bowling spin to try and take a wicket or to restrict the opponents
scoring. If your normal conventional bowlers are going for runs then you might turn to a part-timer
someone the batsmen have not seen bowl before. This would likely catch them off-guard and could get
you a wicket. You might have to change around the field, for example, if you have a player who is very
good of their legs but very weak through the off side then you would either pack the leg side or you
would bowl wider of the off stump.

Effective decisions for running between wickets

When running between the wickets you need to make sure that you keep your eye on the fielders and
the ball. You need to be able to determine whether the fielder has a strong arm and can throw it over
a long distance, if this is the case then it would be unwise to try and run an extra run on his throw. If
you know that the fielder has a very weak arm and could not throw it in from a long distance then you
may be able to put him under pressure and sneak an extra run.

Awareness of the rules and regulations of the sport and their application

You have to be aware of the rules of the sport when you are playing otherwise you may find yourself
playing illegally which might tarnish the reputation of you, the club and the sport. Make sure you
read up on any parts of the rules that you are unsure about and if you are new to the sport then you
should look at the MCC Laws book.
Evaluation of Skills and Decision Making

Option – Bowling

Core skills to include:

 Repetition of action for one style of bowling

 Fast

 Line and length of bowl

Repetition of action

My bowling action is repetitive and I do not make many drastic changes. When bowling seam my
action has to remain the same otherwise my bowling consistency would be damaged which would cost
the team runs. If I keep my action consistent and repetitive then I will get wickets which can help the
team win a game. For example, Mitchell Starc changed his action and struggled to pick up wickets
however, since he changed back to his old action he had bowled considerably better and increased his
wicket count. I watched a video of a spell of my bowling and I noticed that my action is consistent and
does not alternate.
Line and length of bowl

My normal line would be just outside off-stump, this means that I can remain in the ‘corridor of
uncertainty’ if I bowl this line then I have got a higher chance of taking a wicket. If my line is not
properly adjusted then I can cost the team runs. For example, a bowler straying onto the pads of an
opponent would allow them to easily work you away into the legside for runs.

RHB

Normal Delivery
Poor Delivery

When it comes to length, my length is constantly changing to keep the batsmen unsure off what is
coming next. However, if I am bowling a containing length then I will bowl on a length which will hit
the top of off stump. This of course directly link to line as well. If my length is set to hit the top of the
off stump but my line is down the leg side or wide outside off stump then it is easy to hit for runs. If I
am trying to take wickets I normally have three options, these are the short ball or bouncer, the very
full ball or yorker and finally the top of delivery. My bouncer is quite good however, it is not a ball I
use frequently because I am not normally bowling quick enough for it to be successful. On the other
hand, it can be used well as a surprise ball to try and catch the batsmen off guard. The yorker is a
ball which I use frequently, it is a good run reducing and wicket taking delivery depending on the line
which it is bowled on. I worked with a coach on my yorker after he explained that I lean back to much
when bowling the yorker so after working with a coach I improved my yorker.
 Very full / Yorker

Normal Length

Short / Bouncer

Option – Fielding

Core skills to include:

 Stopping the ball

 Catching the ball

 Throwing

 Overarm and underarm

Fielding – Outfield

Stopping the ball

When I am fielding the ball in the outfield I normally have to get lower to the ground because I am
tall. I normally do succeed in stopping the ball when I’m fielding outside the ring, however, normally
I have to use a variety of techniques to reign the ball in before it goes to the boundary. I can use a
defensive or offensive tumble to stop the ball and get it into the wicketkeeper quickly. This helps my
team as it stops the opponents from obtaining more runs and posting a larger total for us to chase
down or letting them chase down our score quicker or with more ease. I think that when I am fielding
well in the outfield I can get low to the ground quickly and dive and roll to prevent the increase in
runs. I watched a video of myself fielding and I noticed that I am not always low enough so after
practicing the skill I watched myself fielding again and I realised that my body position has gotten
lower so I am much more successful at stopping the ball.

Catching

When I am in the outfield I often have to catch the ball, whether this b when the batsman has skied it
or whether they have hit if hard and flat. When the batsman has hit the ball high into the air (or skied
it) I have to make sure that my feet get into the right position and that I am under the ball. I will also
need to make sure that I have a set base so that I can easily catch the ball. If I do not get my feet set
into the right position then I find that the catch may be harder or I will drop the ball. If I drop the ball
it can be detrimental to my team’s performance. For example, when Zack Crawley dropped Marnus
Labuschagne in the 2nd test in the Ashes,
Labuschagne went on to hit 100 and
won the test match for them. However, if
I succeed in taking the catch then a
dangerous player could be removed
from the opponents batting line-up. For
example, when Ben Stokes produced a
wonder catch against South Africa to
dismiss Andile Phekluwayo in the 2019
Cricket World Cup he had changed the
scene of the game. My catching has
always been a strong area of my game
and when a coach told me that my
catching could be improved after
watching my technique I immediately
took on the advice.

Pick up and Throw

Overarm

When I throw the ball in from the boundary I am normally pretty good at this skill, I have a long
throw which can pick out either the bowler or the wicket keeper with pretty good accuracy. It is
important that I set myself just before I release the ball otherwise the ball may not go where I intend it
to. If my throw is on point then I can restrict how many runs the batsmen get or I can even manage to
run one of them out. If my throw is not good enough for example, I throw it over the keeper’s head by
putting to much power on it, or if I put too little power on the throw and it lands short or on the half
volley the keeper may have difficulty taking it and it may lead to more runs being given away in
overthrows. My arm comes “round arm” when I am throwing in from the boundary, this is something
that I would need to improve on after my Dad showed me a video. This is because it could hurt the
deltoid muscle in my shoulder.

Fielding – Infield

Stopping the ball

When I am in the infield it is important that I stop the ball otherwise the batsmen could get a
boundary. When I am in the infield I have to get down quickly as the ball is often hit very hard at me
or in the area around me. If I cannot get to the ball easily with my hands then I can dive using either
an aggressive or defensive tumble. When I use an aggressive tumble it normally means that I am
going to get up and try and run the batsmen out post-tumble. If I use the defensive tumble it normally
means the ball has been hit much harder and I need to stop the ball without letting it past me and for
more runs. Even if I dive and don’t take the ball cleanly but I stop it hen I have still done my job. If
the ball has been hit softer at me then I need to get down and use the long barrier technique to make
sure that the ball doesn’t go through me and for more runs.

Catching

When catching the ball in the infield it is quite similar to catching the ball in the outfield. If the ball
goes high then I need to set a solid base and get my feet in the right position and if the ball goes flat
then I need to get in position early so that I am in an optimal position to take it cleanly and remove
some of the power behind the shot. If the
ball isn’t quite carrying then I need to make
sure that I dive and catch the ball or get
lower and catch the ball. See the picture to
the right about how a in the ring diving
looks. If I do not succeed in successfully
catching the ball then the team may lose a
crucial break through if the game is in a
tight situation. My catching has always
been a strong area of my game and when a
coach told me that my catching could be
improved after watching my technique I
immediately took on the advice.

Overarm throw

My overarm throw is quite an important part of my game when I am fielding in the ring. I can easily
throw the ball in with good pace behind which has led to 2 run outs this season and changed the
shape of the game. For example, in a Bexley u15 V. Canterbury u15 Cup game I ran out the opening
batsman who was scoring with relative ease. He was a key player in the batting line up and my run
out was pivotal in changing the situation of the game. If my throw was off target and I missed the
stumps then he would likely have gotten home and continued to score more runs which meant that we
may have lost the game.

Underarm throw

The underarm throw is a crucial aspect which I am not as good as I would like at, due to the fact that
I am quite tall it takes me a long time to get down and then underarm the ball. However, I am good
enough at this skill that I can still use it effectively and to help our team to get a breakthrough in a
game. When I am fielding in the infield and I use the underarm throwing technique I have to make
sure that I hit the stumps because if I miss the batsmen may get in because the amount of power will
not be the same as an overarm throw.

Advanced Skills

Option – Bowling

Advanced skills to include:

 Variation in delivery

 Line

 Speed

 Length

Line

My line can change comfortably when I bowl, whether I am bowling to reduce the number of runs –
keeping the ball outside off stump – however, if I am trying to keep wickets then I will bowl straighter
and attack the stumps. This is something I am quite good at especially if I am playing on a pitch which
ha inconsistent bounce. Due to the fact that I am very tall I can get the ball to rise sharply and push
the batsmen back however, this only works if I am bowling a good line. Alternatively, if I get the ball
to bounce low then it can get them out that way as well.
Speed

I can not vary my speed particularly well, I do not have a particularly effective slower ball and it
often ends up being a wide. If I do successfully pull off bowling a slower ball then it can get me
wickets, this however, is not the normal slower ball bowled by a fast bowler but more like a spinner.
When I bowl the slower ball, I hold the ball back, much different to a typical seamers slower ball.

This is a prime example of a typical seamers slower ball, this is called the back of the hand slower
ball.

Length

When I bowl my length is very important, because I am not particularly quick when I bowl I have to
make sure that my length is immaculate otherwise I risk being hit for runs. My ideal length would be
slightly back of a length just going over the top off stump. Much like line, my length depends on the
scenario which I am bowling in. If I am trying to restrict runs then I will mix back-of-a-length balls
and very full balls (Yorkers) together. If I bowl full and attack the stumps I can get the batsmen out in
a multitude of different ways. I can have them out, LBW, bowled, caught and bowled and just caught.
This also does depend on the line that I bowl, so both are closely intertwined.

Option – Fielding

Advanced skills to include:

 Pick up and throw for a run out

  Overarm

 Underarm

 Pick up and throw on the run

Pick up and throw for a run out

Overarm

When picking up and throwing for a run out I need to make sure that my base is set and I am able to
hit the stumps or straight into the wicket keepers’ gloves. Sometimes I am moving quickly so my base
is not always as strong as it can be which means that my throw can go to either side and not hit my
intended target. However, when I get myself set and my base is strong then I will hit the target the
majority of times. I need to also release the ball quickly so I cannot spend a long time loading up
otherwise the batsmen will be in.

Underarm

When underarming the ball for a run out I will often be on the move or diving, this is because you
would not underarm the ball in for a run out from the thirty-yard circle. When I am diving I need to
make sure that I keep my eye on the ball and then on the stumps, this is something I need to work on
as I will miss the ball the majority of times because I do not keep my eye on the ball when I am
gathering it.

Pick up and throw on the run

When I pick up and throw on the run I need to make sure that my front arm stays strong and I can hit
the target. If my front arm does not stay strong then I will likely throw the ball off target. This is
something that I do not need to work on as I am very accurate when throwing the ball on the move.

Decision Making and Tactical Awareness

Awareness and application of team strategies/tactics

When I am playing cricket, I am normally aware of team strategies and tactics. For example, if we
know that there is a batsman who flicks in the air towards mid-wicket and gets caught there a lot then
I will stick to the strategy of bowling a middle and leg or leg stump line to get him to flick me to mid-
wicket and get him out. However, if I do not stick to the strategies put in place by my team then it will
cost me and the team. If the captain asks me to bowl outside off-stump and we have no mid-wicket
fielder and I bowl on the batsman’s legs then the captain will not be very happy with my bowling

Understanding and use of positions and roles in fielding

When I am fielding I know where every position is the captain will tell me to go to and when I get to
that position I will know what I am meant to do there. For example, if the captain puts me at deep
cover he will not be expecting me to chase a ball that gets flicked through fine leg however, he will
expect me to chase a ball that gets driven through point and he would expect me to stop it.

Principals of attack and defence

When I am attacking with the ball I will likely have a field seen below.
 1st slip Wicket keeper

2nd slip
Gully
Forwards
square leg
Point

Short cover

Extra cover
Bowler

Mid on
Mid off

I have got fielders in positions where they can catch the ball if the batsman edge it or pops it up in the
air. I would likely employ a field like this when I am opening the bowling or when the opposition are 8
or 9 wickets down.

When I am defending I will have a different field depending on what time it is in the innings. If the
batsmen have gone hard at the ball early (in the powerplay) then my field will be below.
 Short third Short fine leg
man Wicket keeper

Backwards
point

Cover point Deep backwards

square leg

Mid-wicket
Extra cover Bowler

Mid off
Long off
 Wicket keeper Fine leg

Short third
man

Deep Square
leg
Cover point

Mid-wicket

Extra cover Bowler Cow Corner

Long off Long on

These positions help me maintain my runs and also increase my chances of getting wickets. For
example, I can use cow corner as a run reducing position and then I can force the batsman to drag
the ball to cow corner by bowling a slower ball.

Applying different systems of play in different situations

If I am captain I would change the bowling around depending on the batsmen, if I am aware that a
batsmen scores freely against spin but struggles against short-quick bowling then I will bring on my
opening bowler. For example, when Australia worked out that Jonathon Trott was poor on the pull
shot but excellent against spin they would bring on Mitchell Johnson and tell him to bowl short and
quick. This also works vice-versa with a batsman who is poor against spin having a lot of spin bowled
at him. An example of this is Carlos Braithwaite who is exceptional against pace but has an
incredibly low average against leg spin.
I can also choose a different system of play depending on the state of the game, if we have the
opposition 6 or 7 wickets down then I will likely bring back my strike bowlers to wrap up the innings
as quickly as possible. If we are on the backfoot I will also likely go back to my strike bowlers to try
and find us a breakthrough. If the game is on a level playing field then I will use my spinners and less
wicket taking options. For example, the opposition are 120-4 off of 33 overs then I will keep the
bowlers going and not make many drastic changes.

It also depends on the conditions of the game if I am playing a longer format game. For example, a 3-
or 4-day fixture then I can keep the same bowlers bowling for longer because there are no over
restrictions placed on them. I could keep an off-spinner bowling a 20 over spell and set a more
aggressive field with 2 or 3 fielders around the bat rather than just a first slip. In T20s then I will
need to change my bowlers around more unless a particular bowler has good rhythm and is either
containing or taking wickets. By changing bowlers’ multiple times, it can upset the rhythm of the
batsmen, it also stops the batsmen from targeting a specific bowler and attempting to hit that specific
bowler for a larger number of runs.

The conditions of the pitch also can affect the system of play that I am using, if I am playing a dusty
hard pitch then I will bowl much more spin because they will get considerably more turn and bounce
which makes them a much more threatening option. However, if I am playing on a pitch which is very
green and has a medium hardness then I will bowl a lot more seamers due to the grass the seamers
can get seam movement and the bounce may be slightly inconsistent. Saying this, I can also use a
combination of seam and spin depending on the surface of the pitch.

Awareness of the rules and regulations of the sport and their application

I am aware of the rules and regulations within cricket and I always try my hardest to maintain these
rules and regulations when performing.

Movement Analysis

Fast bowlers stock ball analysis

The skill I am analysing is the stock delivery bowled by a right-handed fast bowler, which is used to
try and take wickets and keep the batsmen's scoring in check. It can be broken down into three stages:
The transition – The “load up” as the bowler goes into their gather, including the planting of the left
foot and the drive of the right. The execution – The release of the delivery. The recovery – what
happened in the follow-through up the pitch. Lots of muscles and joints are involved in bowling a ball.
In a joint two or more muscle groups work together as antagonistic pairs to move. In this, the agonist
contracts to pull the limb, the agonist lengthens, and a fixator helps to stabilise the movement that is
taking place.

Head

In the transition phase, the head will go slightly backward as the bowler leans backward to get more
pace. The sternohyoid will relax and extend - the antagonist - the splenius capitis will contract and
shorten - the agonist. The sternocleidomastoid will be the fixator. Your eyes will still be on the stumps
but your head will go backward. As you move into the execution phase your head comes forwards
with the sternohyoid contracting and shortening - the agonist - and the splenius capitis relaxing and
extending - the antagonist. This allows you to generate pace as the head is the heaviest part of your
body so by bringing it down and through you can generate more pace. In the recovery phase to its
natural, resting state.

Arms

In the transition phase, the arms are pumping as you run in to bowl the delivery before you arrive at
the crease. The biceps and triceps are both contracting and relaxing on each pump of the arms. The
fixator is the deltoid and it makes sure the arms go in a straight line. In the execution phase, your
arms come over in a figure of eight. As you get into your delivery stride your right arm will load up
causing the biceps to contract and shorten - the agonist - and the triceps extend and relax - the
antagonist. Next, as your right arm goes down in preparation to release the delivery the left arm
comes up and should be dead straight. Then as your right arm comes up to release the left arm pulls
down towards the thigh - an example of flexion - which pulls your right arm over and thus releases
the ball. As you release the ball your wrist snaps forward generator pace. Your right arm should
finish past the left thigh, otherwise known as “plugging in the seatbelt” as it is the same motion. In
the recovery phase, the arms return to a slightly relaxed running position, with neither the biceps nor
triceps fully contracted nor relaxed.

Legs

In the transition phase, your legs are driving through as you approach the crease. The quadriceps
and hamstrings are constantly contracting and relaxing, the fixator is the abdominals. In the
execution phase, your left leg will brace causing the extension of the hamstrings - agonist - and the
relaxation of the quadriceps - antagonist. The front leg brace is an excellent example of a hinge joint
using extension to gain more power and speed in the bowling delivery. The back leg then drives
through and the quadriceps and hamstring change round. The quadricep becomes the agonist and the
hamstring becomes the antagonist. When the back knee drives through you can see flexion behind the
knee as the angle gets smaller. The abdominals are still the fixator. In the recovery phase, you go
back to a slower run with the quadriceps and hamstrings still swapping roles as the agonist and
antagonist.
Trunk

In the transition phase, your trunk is still running through as you begin to arrive at the crease. In the
execution phase, your trunk will begin to lean backward before catapulting forwards to generate
more pace. As your trunk leans backward your abdominals relax and extend - the antagonist - and the
latissimus dorsi contract and shorten - the agonist. Your trunk remains square to the stumps. In the
recovery phase, your trunk remains square and you will still be moving forwards but the movement
will be similar to the transition phase.

Jofra Archer bowling analysis

Transition Phase

Execution Phase
Recovery Phrase
Movement Analysis and Skill Continua

The environmental continuum determines how much a skill is affected by the sporting environment.
Closed skills are skills that are usually not affected by the environment. They are usually self-paced
and occur in predictable situations. Open skills are skills that are affected by the environment. They
are mainly perceptual and usually externally paced.

I have placed a fast bowler's stock delivery as quite an open skill because it depends on the pitch, the
weather, and the batsman on what their stock delivery would be. If you are playing on a grassy pitch
with cloud cover and a batsman who is weak on the drive, then you would bowl a fuller length.
However, if you are on a bouncy pitch with no cloud cover and a batsman who is good on the drive
then you would bowl back a shorter length consistently.

The difficulty continuum determines how complex or simple a skill is. A simple skill will not have
many sub-routines and usually, they have few decisions and very few things to perceive. A complex
skill has many sub-routines, moving parts, lots of decisions, and quite a few things to perceive.

I have placed a fast bowler’s stock delivery as a very complex skill because there are a lot of sub-
routines and decisions. The action itself has many moving parts which each have to work properly for
the ball to be released effectively. You also have to perceive what the batsman is doing, if they are
walking across then they would likely want you to bowl on their legs so that they can hit you throw the
leg side.
Skill to improve - Fast bowling stock ball consistency

I need to improve my fast bowling consistency as it is quite an important part of my game and I need
to have the ability to bowl a long spell with the majority of deliveries being bowled straight. If I do not
keep a consistent line and length it might result in me being dropped down a team which can be bad
for my development.

Pre-Development results - 78 / 100 deliveries straight (78%)

Principle How to boost skill

Specific I am going to spend time just practicing on bowling the ball straight combining drills
work and net practice.

Measurable I am going to set myself a goal of bowling 90/100 deliveries straight.

Achievable I have set myself the goal of bowling 90/100 deliveries straight because I feel that I
can achieve this if I put in a lot of work.

Recorded I am going to keep a diary of how many deliveries I bowl straight in a session.

Timed I am going to set myself the goal of meeting my target within 6 weeks as I feel that
with enough development of my action and ability then I should be able to meet my
goal.

I can test my bowling by getting a coach to watch me bowl my deliveries and then record on a
notebook how many of the deliveries they think are straight. I will do this for the first session and then
at the end of the 6 weeks, I will get the coach to do it again.

Warm-Up

Pulse Raiser
I will get the players to go for a run around the training facilities, if I am using a sports hall then it
will be 2 runs around the complete sports hall. This will get the blood pumping around their bodies
and get key oxygenated blood to the muscles.

Mobility

 Downwards dog stretch - 15 seconds

 Glute sways - Right and Left - 15 repetitions

 Back sways - Right and Left - 15 repetitions

 Hip flexor sways - Right and Left - 10 repetitions

 Hip fall out - 15 seconds

 Pelvic tilts - 10 repetitions

Stretching

 Ankle rotations - 8 seconds each ankle

 Quadriceps stretch - 8 seconds each leg

 Hamstring stretch (see image) - 8 seconds each leg

 Cobra stretch (Abdominals) - 8 seconds hold

 Deltoid stretch - 8 seconds each arm

 Triceps stretch - 8 seconds each arm

Dynamic Movements

 High Knees - 10 metres there and back

 Heel Flicks - 10 metres there and back

 Lunges - 10 metres there and back

 Squats - 10 metres there

 Hamstring brushes - 10 metres back

 Side steps - 10 metres there and back (face the same direction)
Skill Rehearsal

 Bowling into side netting (3 minutes)

 Half run up bowling (3 Minutes)

 Full run-up bowling (1 ½ minute)

Cool Down

 Low-intensity jog around sports hall 1 lap

 The same stretches as done in the warm-up hold for 15 seconds instead of 8.

Coaching Points

The front arm should be held strong before pulling into your thigh, if the arm falls away then it will
drag the bowling towards the side - possibly leading to wides being bowled. The front leg needs to be
braced to stop the bowler from falling away and then being forced to push the ball out straighter
again leading to inconsistency in the deliveries. The quadriceps need to be tensed when landing to
keep the tension through the leg - this allows for the braced front leg. The head needs to be leaning
forwards to allow for the delayed bowling arm. The abdominals also need to be strong to allow for
the posture to remain strong and keep the bowler upright. This gives them a tall release point,
allowing for them to hit a target consistently because the release point will be similar. The wrist flick
is optional but can add pace however, it can also affect accuracy.

Session Timings

There will be 6 weeks of training each one with 1 session per week, this allows for recovery and can
allow for the coach to analyse any evidence gathered during the session. The sessions will be 1 hour
and 30 minutes long.

Drill Timings

 Warm-Up - 10 Minutes (approx.)

 Cool Down - 5 Minutes (approx.)

Drill 1

 Bowling at a target - 20 minutes

Drill 2

 Bowling for a specific area - 20 minutes

Drill 3

 Primary skill practice (bowling at batsmen) - 25 minutes

 They get 1 point every time they beat the bat

 They get 5 points if they get the batsman out anyway apart from caught behind

 They get 10 points if they get the batsman out caught behind

Result of session conversation - 10 Minutes

Drills

Bowling at a target

Split them into groups of 5. They go one at a time.

The bowling at a target helps develop the bowler's ability to hit the
4th stump channel consistently.

The drills should be set up as seen in the image, the aim of the drill is
to hit the base which has been placed on top of the set of stumps.

You could give them competition for hitting the base. For example,
making the other teams do a forfeit for hitting the stumps more than
the others.
Bowling at specific areas

They should be split into groups of 5 again, these can be the same groups.

If they bowl in the red area then they will get 5 points, if they bowl in the green area they will get 3
points and if they bowl in the blue then they will 1 point. If they miss all of the areas then they will
score 0 points.

The idea of this drill is to encourage the cricketers to bowl good, wicket-taking areas. This drill shows
them the areas which get batsmen in trouble and so they should try and target them.

(The areas can be marked out using cones or flat rubber disks)

Conditioned Game

In this drill they are going to be bowling at a batsman, they can score points depending on how they
do. The person with the most points at the end of the drill will be the winner.

 They will score 1 point if they beat the bat or the batsman plays and misses. This will give
them encouragement to bowl good areas and attack the stumps.
 They will score 5 points if they get the batsman out in any way. This gives the athletes the
satisfaction of getting a wicket and encourages them to get wickets.
 They will score 10 points if they get the batsman out caught behind (by the keeper or slips). If
they get the batsman out caught behind then this shows that they have bowled good areas
 with good wicket-taking opportunities. This would also give them the feel of playing higher-
level cricket where you would have to bowl genuine good deliveries to batsmen to get them
out as they would not want to give their wicket away.
 You lose 2 points for every wide delivery that you bowl, this will force them to bowl straighter
as they would want to score the most points so that they can win the game overall
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