BASIC CRICKET SKILLS

Batting Bowling Throwing Feeding Catching BASIC CRICKET SKILLS: BATTING (Grip, Set-up, Striking)

1. Grip 3. Set-up Vs in hands aligned; Head still, eye level hands together

2. Set-up 4. Striking Head, hands, Step & back lift feet in line BASIC CRICKET SKILLS: CATCHING

1. Head still 3. Feet shoulder width apart

2. Hands 4. Knees bent, together, ready to move fingers down

5. Wicketkeeping Where to stand BASIC CRICKET SKILLS: THROWING UNDERARM

1. Balanced, 2. Non-throwing 3. Pick up the 4. Throwing low approach arm points at ball on the arm and target, throwing outside of right body follow arm draws away foot (for right- from target handers) BASIC CRICKET SKILLS: THROWING OVERARM

1. Low, 2. Pick up 3. Non-throwing arm 4. Throwing balanced ball in points at target, arm and body approach sideways throwing arm’s level follow through position with shoulder toward target BASIC CRICKET SKILLS: BOWLING

1. Grip 3. Arms Two fingers on top, Arms separate, front arm thumb underneath reaches upwards in line with target. Bowling arm to begin to 2. Run-up & jump create a circular motion. Run in on a straight line To finish, step out with L toward target foot (right handed Right-handed bowler: bowler). - Jump off Left (L) foot - Land on right (R) foot 4. Follow through toward target BASIC CRICKET SKILLS:FEEDING

Off a tee

Drop For safety, drop ball from the off-side

Underarm • Along the ground • Bobble: 2-3 bounces • 1 bounce • On the full

Overarm feed BASIC CRICKET SKILLS: DRILLS

• Batting: front foot drive, the pull shot • Bowling • Fielding • Throwing

PRACTICE TYPES: CRICKET GAMES-BASED LEARNING (CGBL)

• Typically involves small-sided games 4 GAMES • Attempt to replicate randomness of real • Continuous Cricket games • Crafty Cricket • Encourages ‘holistic’ development – • Diamond Cricket integration of technical, tactical, physical • Pairs Cricket and mental • Promotes transfer of learning to real games • May not see skills improve immediately • Need to watch time spent fielding • Potentially challenging approach for coaches – depends on coach confidence, time, space, organisation, how varied the group are (differentiation) PRACTICE TYPES: CGBL

Game 1: Continuous Cricket Setting up the game • Divide the players into groups of 10 or 12 • Divide each group into two equal teams • Each team bats for a set period of time (e.g. 8-10 minutes) • Bowler bowls underarm from a minimum of X metres • Each bowler has six deliveries before being replaced • Batter has to run whether or not the ball is hit and may run more than once • Batter has to run around a cone (two are provided, one on each side, to cater for left and right-handers) Including disabled children • Fielders throw the ball underarm back to the bowler, as quickly as possible, • Vary distance batters need to who bowls when ready cover • The batter is out when bowled, caught or hit wicket • Reduce stumps • The next batter moves in quickly to take their place • Have fewer fielders or have • A batter who is not out after facing six balls must change with the next batter them stand further back or • The team with the most runs wins further apart • Batters take turn to umpire and score • Use a larger ball • Allow adapted or single- Making it easier/harder handed grip • Decrease or increase: • Measure score by distance hit • The length of the pitch • Fielders work in pairs: one • The size of the wicket stopping, one returning • The distance between cones & wicket • Batter may use a runner PRACTICE TYPES: CGBL

Game 2: Crafty Cricket Setting up the game • Two teams of 4 or 5 children per side • Each side has two innings of a set amount of minutes • The bowler bowls underarm • The ball hit between two markers (e.g. cones) scores one run automatically (batter doesn’t have to run) •The markers (‘target’) can be set so the batters can only score with, for example, a front foot drive •Hint: keep the scoring shot simple to start with, then add other shots as needed Batter can be out if: • Bonus runs may be scored. For example: • Bowled •1 run for running to Line 1 and back • Caught •2 runs for running to line 2 and back • They hit their wicket •4 runs if the ball is hit over the ‘boundary’ line • A run is attempted and the • Each batter faces a set number of balls and scores recorded fielder throws the ball to the wicketkeeper (who catches it) Making it easier/harder before the batter returns to  Play off a tee or drop feed or bowl underarm the ‘crease’  Decrease/increase distances/targets • When a batter is out, they  Give an extra run if the hit ball touches the ground before forfeit the balls remaining to crossing the second line and two runs if it touches before the first be bowled to them line PRACTICE TYPES: CGBL

Game 3: Diamond Cricket Setting up the game • Divide the players into two even teams, 1 batting, 1 fielding (or as many pairs of teams you need/can have) • 4 sets of wickets, 1 at each ‘base’ (point) of the diamond • 4 batters, 1 batter at each base of ‘diamond’, 1 bowler at centre of diamond • Bowler bowls underarm or overarm at any wicket • 4 wicketkeepers, the rest of the fielding team field • ALL batters run anti-clockwise when the ball is hit • Bowlers and fielders rotate positions after set number of balls bowled (e.g. 3-6) Making it easier/harder: • A run is scored when ALL batters advance safely to  Bowlers/fielders and WKs rotate the next base position after 6 balls • Batter are out when bowled, caught, or they ‘hit  Batters are out when caught, bowled or their wicket’ hit wicket • A batting side is ‘in’ until all have batted or the  A run is scored when all the batters designated time has finished advance safely to the next base PRACTICE TYPES: CGBL

Game 4: Pairs Cricket Setting up the game • Divide players into even-numbered groups (e.g. 8s). • Divide the groups into pairs …

• Pair 1: 2x batters who start with 20 runs • Pair 2: Wicket-keeper and bowler • Pair 3: 2x on/leg-side fielders • Pair 4: 2x off-side fielders

• Batting pair receive 12 balls • If a ball passes outside either cone to the left and right of the wicket, a ‘wide’ is called and the batter receive 1 run, and an extra ball is bowled Making it easier/harder: • Pairs rotate top new roles after 12 good balls are bowled • Decrease/increase distances (wides don’t count) • Decrease/increase the size of the wicket • No boundaries • Introduce marked boundaries and • Batters may run only of the ball is hit in FRONT of the crease boundary scores • Batters LOSE 3 runs each time they go out (e.g. bowled, • Use lighter/softer/larger ball caught, run out, or hit wicket). • Use lighter/larger bat • Winners are the pair with the most runs when every pair has batted.