Drills for Junior Cricketers
|
Drills for Junior Cricketers |
To play cricket properly, you can't just expect to walk out on the field and score a 50 or take 5 wickets. You have to train and get yourself prepared for the games. Below I have a collection of coaching tips that I have gathered from all around.
TIP ONE: Put a cricket ball or any other same size ball (e.g. - hockey, tennis) down at the end of some stockings. Peg the top of it to clothes line and throw the ball backwards so it swings back and forward. Then you can start hitting the ball and practicing your defensive shots and sweeps etc. It helps get your eye in.
TIP TWO: As you may know, Don Bradman used to hit a golf ball against a water tank with a wicket. Another good variation is to take a golf ball and cricket stump, and, the night before your game , and the morning of the game, juggle the golf ball up and down on the stump. If you can get over 10 in a row you're going well. This will really help you to hit the ball straight and with the full face of the bat.
TIP THREE: Find a rough, flat bit of ground, and lay a few bumps (like rocks or twigs) on it. Then get a tennis ball and shave one side. One person will bat and the other will throw the ball at the rough area. This helps the batsman in making late movements and corrections to his stroke as the ball moves at awkward angles of the rough surface.
TIP ONE: Place a bit of flannel or cloth at an ideal bowling length on the pitch and see how many times you can land the ball on the cloth out of 20 attempts. Then try to beat your score.
TIP TWO: When bowling, focus only on the base of the batsmen's off stump and bowl the ball without trying to do anything. See what happens.
TIP THREE*: When bowling you should have your eyes fixed only on the target, the base of the off stump, If you pitch short, your aim should go up the wicket until you consistently hit the right length. If you are missing the stump by passing it outside of off stick then alter your aim to middle stump etc.
TIP FOUR*: Use your non bowling arm to take aim, spreading the fingers in a V shape. This is followed in that groove by your bowling arm thus settling your aim.
TIP FIVE*: Your run-up should be a set length, start with a short one and build up as you improve.
TIP SIX*: Always keep your eyes on the ball when you deliver it there's nothing like witnessing the timbers go over! Good luck.
* Tips thanks to Pete Howes.
TIP ONE: Slips fielding can benefit greatly from this. Three people should stand facing a brick wall. One person should stand behind them and throw tennis balls at it so they bounce into any of the three fielders. They should then try and take reflex catches.
TIP TWO: Get a bouncy ball and a tennis racquet. Hit the bouncy ball straight up in the air as hard as you can and try to catch it as it swirls to the ground.
TIP THREE*: Firstly, set up a stump in the middle of a grassed area. Both people go approximately 10 metres away from the stump in opposite directions. one throws a ball (be it cricket or tennis) and aims for the stump. The other person fields the ball and has a shot and this continues. You find that with some enthusiasm in the drill, both players will gradually go full circle around the stump. I have found that this assists in three different ways.
I tend to add a commentary to the proceedings which makes the fielding more
exciting. You can also keep a tally of the direct hits and work on increasing
these during the next fielding session.
*Tip courtesy of Bill Fuller.
These tips came from the coaching page at BATCHAT
Last updated 08/01/08