Introduction
This is my analysis of performance about cricket. I will discuss how the game is played from the variety in the batting shots to the technique of the bowling action. I will also examine the different laws of cricket, for example the 'Wide' rule. I will talk about the different leaders in a cricket team and on the cricket field and how what they do can change the outcome of a game. I will show the different tactics that can be implemented and different training drills to improve specific attributes of a cricketer. I will observe and analyse a video of a nets session and point out strengths and weaknesses of specific areas. I will also observe and analyse a cricket match that was played between England and Australia. Finally I will compare and contrast myself against 'The Perfect Model'.
Rules, Regulations and Terminology
The length of a match varies in cricket from a limited over Twenty20 to a full 5 day test match.
All matches have things in common
* Each team consists of 11 players.
* If one team loses all their wickets (10) their innings is over.
* All have 3 umpires, 2 out on the field and 1 replay umpire.
* A bowler cannot bowl two overs in a row, they must be spaced out with at least one over between.
* After an over, the following over is bowled from the opposite end.
Twenty20
* Each team gets one innings of a maximum of 20 overs.
* A player is 'Timed Out' if he takes longer 90 seconds from when a previous batsman is out to when he gets to the crease.
* Each side must bowl 20 overs within 75 minutes or penalty runs will occur.
* A maximum of five fielders on the leg side.
* Following a 'No-ball' call for overstepping a 'Free Hit' will be the next ball. (A 'Free Hit' is when the batsman can only be given out by run out and not in any other way.)
* No balls and wides are an extra ball in the bowlers over as well as 1 extra penalty run, with exception to the above rule.
* Penalty Runs can be awarded if an Umpire deems it that a fielder is needlessly time wasting.
* A bowler can only bowl a total of 4 overs.
* Maximum of 2 fielders outside the fielding ring in the first 6 overs and only 5 fielders outside in the remaining 14 overs.
* A white ball and black sight screens are used.
Pro40
* Each team gets one innings of a maximum of 40 overs.
* A player is 'Timed Out' if he takes longer 90 seconds from when a previous batsman is out to when he gets to the crease.
* Following a 'No-ball' call for overstepping a 'Free Hit' will be the next ball. (A 'Free Hit' is when the batsman can only be given out by run out and not in any other way.)
* A bowler can only bowl a total of 8 overs.
* Maximum of 2 fielders outside the fielding ring in the first 15 overs and only 5 fielders outside in the remaining 25 overs.
* Each side must bowl 40 overs within 2 hours 40 minutes or penalty runs will occur.
* A white ball and black sight screens are used.
One Day International/Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy
* Each team gets one innings of a maximum of 50 overs.
* A player is 'Timed Out' if he takes longer 90 seconds from when a previous batsman is out to when he gets to the crease.
* Following a 'No-ball' call for overstepping a 'Free Hit' will be the next ball. (A 'Free Hit' is when the batsman can only be given out by run out and not in any other way.)
* A bowler can only bowl a total of 10 overs.
* Maximum of 2 fielders outside the fielding ring in the first 20 overs and only 5 fielders outside in the remaining 30 overs.
* Each side must bowl 50 overs within 3 hours 30 minutes or penalty runs will occur.
* A white ball and black sight screens are used is One day internationals.
* A red ball and white sight screens are used in the Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy.
Test Match/4 Day First Class Match
* Each match lasts: Test match - 5 days/ 4 Day First Class match - 4 days.
* Each side gets 2 innings.
* A no ball and wide is an extra ball in the current over and an additional 1 run to the extra total of the scorecard.
* A red ball and white sight screens are used.
* A bowler can bowl as many overs as my like an innings.
* If both teams have not completed both their innings in the allotted time ...
This is a preview of the whole essay
Test Match/4 Day First Class Match
* Each match lasts: Test match - 5 days/ 4 Day First Class match - 4 days.
* Each side gets 2 innings.
* A no ball and wide is an extra ball in the current over and an additional 1 run to the extra total of the scorecard.
* A red ball and white sight screens are used.
* A bowler can bowl as many overs as my like an innings.
* If both teams have not completed both their innings in the allotted time available then a draw is the result.
Law 25 ~ The Wide Law
A 'Wide' is called when the batsman, playing a normal stroke, is unable to reach the ball. This can apply to a bouncer above head height.
However a wide ball cannot be called if:
* It is out of the batsman's reach as a result of him moving away from it.
* The batsman can bring the ball within reach by playing a conventional shot.
* The ball strikes the batsman's bat or any part of his body.
A wide is signalled by the umpire by raising both hands up to shoulder height (Shown right).
When a bowler bowls a wide, a run is added to the total score and it is added to the battings team extras and does not count against the bowlers individual figures. The bowler must also make up for this delivery by bowling an additional legitimate delivery.
Law 24 ~ The No-Ball Law
A 'No-Ball' is called when:
* A bowler's front foot is completely over the popping crease (shown right).
* A bowler's back foot is, in any way, over the return crease (shown right).
* When a bowler bowls and, the ball does not bounce, reaches the batsman at his waste, for a seamer. For a slower bowler it is above the shoulder and then the umpire will call a no ball.
* The umpire believes the bowler is throwing the ball.
* The ball bounces twice before it reaches the batsman.
* More than two fielders are positioned behind square on the leg side.
* The wicket keeper encroaches in front of the stumps before the batsman has hit the ball or the ball has past the stumps.
An umpire signals a 'No-Ball' by raising one arm to shoulder height (shown right). The only way you can get a wicket from a no-ball is a run out.
The result of a 'No-Ball' is that an extra run is added to the total of the batting teams score in the form of an extra. The bowler must also bowl an additional ball in his current over that must be legitimate.
Law 42 ~ The Ball Tampering Law
The ball tampering law comes into affect when a member of a team changes the shape or condition of the ball. There are many ways to 'Tamper' with the ball. These include:
* Using lip salve, sun cream, or hair gel to increase shine on the ball and therefore make it swing more.
* Rubbing the ball on the ground to roughen up one side of the ball to increase swing.
* Scratching the ball with your nails to roughen up one side of the ball to increase swing.
If an umpire believes he has spotted ball tampering he signals that 5 penalty runs should be awarded to the batting team by putting a hand on the opposite shoulder (shown right).
If his suspicions are proven correct and a player is found guilty of ball tampering he is likely to be fined and suspended.
Law 32 ~ The Caught Law
The batsman is caught out if the ball strikes his bat or his gloves and is then caught in the hands of a fielder or the wicketkeeper's gloves. You cannot be caught out if the current ball is a free hit or if the ball you just hit was a no-ball. If you are caught out the umpire signals this by raising one arm and pointing up with his finger (shown right). If a fielder catches the ball and subsequently places any part of his body beyond the boundary a '6' is scored to the batsman.
Law 6 ~ Bat Measurements
. Width and length
The bat overall shall not be more than 38 inches/96.5cm in length. The blade of the bat shall be made solely of wood and shall not exceed 4 1/4 in/10.8cm at the widest part.
2. Covering the blade
The blade may be covered with material for protection, strengthening or repair. Such material shall not exceed 1/16 in/1.56mm in thickness, and shall not be likely to cause unacceptable damage to the ball.
Equipment
There are many different pieces of equipment need to be able to play cricket. The most obvious equipment used is:
* A ball
* Set of Stumps
* Set of bails
* Bats
Most equipment is used for protection.
For batsmen these include:
* Helmet
* Pads
* Box
* Padded Gloves
* Spiked shoes
Although extra protection is available:
* Arm Guard
* Chest Guard
* Thigh Pad
When fielding it is mainly the keeper who wears the equipment although there are helmets and special fielding pads that are design for fielders who stand close to the batsman for extra protection.
Wicket Keeping Equipment:
* Helmet (for standing up)
* Wicket keeping pads
* Wicket keeping gloves
* Box
* Padded inner gloves
* Front spiked shoes
Bowlers where fully spiked shoes to get maximum grip when running into bowl and to land on the crease they do not want to lose their footing.
Understanding the principles and roles of leadership to improve performance
There are four main leaders in cricket:
* Captain
* Umpire
* Coach/Manager
* Wicketkeeper
They each have their own individual tasks to do but are normally somehow linked to each other jobs.
Captain
Their main job is to encourage his bowlers and fielders when his team are in fielding. They lead from the front by giving a team talk before the match starts and he also gives individual team talks during the match to help with confidence if someone is not playing particularly well or to try and get more out of them if they are already playing well, for example if a bowler is not giving away any runs but not getting any wickets a little confidence booster can lift him to get some extra pace, swing, bounce or spin to get that critical wicket. If a captain starts to criticise his own team then they begin to feel disheartened and useless so are more likely to perform not to the high standard that they could. The captain also helps select the team with help of the coach/manager.
Wicketkeeper
The wicketkeeper of a team touches the ball more often than any other fielder on that team. So it is crucial that he has a good game to ensure the whole team has a good game. They encourage the bowlers and fielders to maximise there potential, for example if there is a new youngster playing in the team and he has just started bowling and is not too confident a wicketkeeper can encourage him to give him that extra confidence to bowl well and get some wickets. If a wicketkeeper is having a particular bad day and has dropped a few catches or has let a few byes past then it is up to the captain and other fielders to encourage him and make sure he catches the next and does not let any more byes past him.
Coach/Manager
The main purpose of the Coach/Manager is to help select the best possible team to play. He also can help give team talks if the team is in the dressing room. He can also give advice and encourage batsmen as they prepare to go into bat, for example if in previous games a batsman has not been performing too well a well structure chat by the Coach/Manager could lift their confidence and they could be on their way to a high score.
Umpire
An umpire's job is to keep control of the game. They are the sole judges of fair and unfair play as unsporting like behaviour. They ensure that the game is played in accordance to the law. They can decide whether to bring the players off for bad light or for rain. Players who argue with an umpire often end up with a fine for unsporting like behaviour. There are many different signals for the umpires to learn, from signalling 'byes' (right) to asking for the third umpire to make a decision for them regarding a run of or a catch.
Planning tactics, practices and training to improve performance
Fielding Practices
Practice 1
Fielding Tactics
Aggressive field placements are designed to put the batsmen under creased pressure so they are more likely to make a mistake.
The key fielding positions in the aggressive field are 'Slips', 'Gully', 'Short Leg', 'Silly Point', 'Silly Mid On' and 'Silly Mid Off'. These fielders are the closest to the batsman.
Most of the fielding positions that would be used in the aggressive field are shown in the diagram (right). The Red dot symbolises the wicketkeeper and the pink dot is the bowler. As you can see much of the outfield is uncovered by any fielders so they could be tired out by chasing the ball. If a batsman starts to be playing well and hitting the ball for fours defensive field placements are imposed.
The crucial part of a defensive field is the limited the runs being scored. So it is often a good idea to put one or two fielders relatively close to the batsman to try and limited the singles. As shown in the diagram (left) the fielders are much more spaced out in a defensive field but can cover much more of the boundary and in due course can stop a lot more 'fours' and sixes'. Key positions with defensive fielding are, 'Long Off', 'Long On', 'Third Man', 'Fine Leg' and 'Deep Square Leg'.
Observation and Analysis
Individual Observation
Batting
Bowling
Fielding
Throwing
Front Foot
Seam
Deep
Far
Excellent
Excellent
Excellent
Excellent
Satisfactory
Satisfactory
Satisfactory
Satisfactory
Poor
Poor
Poor
Poor
Back Foot
Spin
Close
Close
Excellent
Excellent
Excellent
Excellent
Satisfactory
Satisfactory
Satisfactory
Satisfactory
Poor
Poor
Poor
Poor
Batting
Faults:
* Alex tends to take his eye off the ball just before he plays a shot therefore often miss times shots on both front and back foot shots.
* Alex lacks precision when playing back foot shots and this is because he plays some shots to early and consequently he misses the ball.
* He often loses his balance when playing a shot and ultimately miss times the shot.
Strengths:
* Alex gets plenty of power when playing off the front foot.
Possible Improvement:
* Try slowing down when trying to play off the back foot.
* Keep eye on the ball all the time until you make contact with the ball.
Bowling
Faults:
* When bowling off breaks (spin) he does not get much spin.
* When bowling swing Alex, sometimes, swings the ball the incorrect way.
Strengths:
* Alex's knowledge of keeping the seam upright and getting seam movement off the pitch is extremely good.
* He swings the ball the perfect amount to get an edge when the batsman is playing a shot, he does not get too much swing that it always misses the outside edge of the batsman.
* Alex can change the bounce that he wants from the pitch by altering his wrist movement when releasing the ball.
* Alex has the perfect grip to perform a leg break (spin) and gets decent spin off the pitch.
Possible Improvements:
* If seriously would like to take up spin bowling then to perfect the grip of performing an off break.
* Ensure that correct side of the ball (shiny and rough) are facing correct way so that the ball swings the way you want it to.
Fielding
Faults:
* Alex often misjudges the one handed pick up, losing opportunities to obtain run outs.
* Alex often drops balls coming at him relatively quickly in the air.
Strengths:
* Alex rarely drops high catches.
* The technique of his long barrier and two handed pick up are perfect.
Possible Improvements:
* When fielding close to the batsman try to keep your eyes open at all times.
* Don't imagine running someone out before you have. Keep focused and get the job done.
* Cushion the ball into your hands when the ball its hit hard, like you do with high catches.
Throwing
Faults:
* When throwing from short distance ball often lands somewhere near the bottom of the stumps.
* From short distances ball is often thrown too hard for the keeper to realistically be able to stop or catch.
* When throwing from a far distance the accuracy of throw often is a bit wide of the stumps.
Strengths:
* The power of Alex's throw from deep is normally perfect.
Possible Improvements:
* Try to aim at the top of the stumps when throwing from any place on the cricket field.
* Give the wicketkeeper a chance of stopping the ball by throwing it a bit softer if a run out opportunity is unlikely.
Technical/Team Observation
Commonwealth Bank Series ~ Final 2 England vs. Australia (One Day International)
England Innings
Runs
Balls
4s
6s
E C Joyce
c B J Hodge
b G D McGrath
5
27
3
0
M B Loye
run out
45
61
8
I R Bell
run out
26
45
0
A J Strauss
c A C Gilchrist
b N W Bracken
6
5
0
P D Collingwood
c A C Gilchrist
b N W Bracken
70
90
2
0
A Flintoff
c and b
B Lee
42
50
3
0
J W M Dalrymple
run out
5
0
0
0
P A Nixon
c B J Hodge
b G D McGrath
6
7
0
0
L E Plunkett
not out
8
0
0
0
Extras
5nb 9w 5b 4lb
23
Total
for 8
246
(50.0 ovs)
Bowler
O
M
R
W
B Lee
0.0
0
53
N W Bracken
0.0
38
2
G D McGrath
0.0
0
41
2
S R Watson
8.0
0
46
0
M E K Hussey
2.0
0
2
0
G B Hogg
0.0
0
47
0
Weather/Pitch Conditions
* Overcast throughout the whole game.
* Start of play - Wicket was very bouncy and outfield was extremely quick this shows that it was dry.
* Rain showers persistent throughout match on and off. Lead to wicket softening up. Also lead to overs being reduced and therefore the match was decided by the Duckworth Lewis Law.
Umpiring
* There were no major disputed claims for wickets.
* All decisions made by the umpires were not argued with by players.
Batsmen
* The batsmen all played with good concentration and composure to ensure a decent total from the innings
* The batsmen managed to find the gaps in he field.
* The confidence from the batsmen showed in the timing of their shots.
* Most of the batsmen showed good power in many shots in hitting some high scoring shots.
Bowlers/Fielders
* The bowlers kept a tight line when bowling and therefore limited the runs scored by the opposition.
* A few great deliveries saw edges caught at slip and by the keeper.
* Good encouragement by the captain and wicketkeeper as well as all of the fielders.
Tactics
* The batsmen played aggressive to ensure that a high total was achieved by the end of the innings.
* In the first few overs a very aggressive field was to force the opposition batsmen to make mistakes and quick wickets were taken.
* Then towards the end of the innings a defensive field setting was enforced to limit runs being scored that ultimately won the match.
Opponent
* Batsmen had high total so had to be aggressive in their batting style which eventually proved their downfall and lost them wickets.
* Misjudgements in the batting lead to edges which were, all but one, caught by the slips or keeper.