VOLUME 1, ISSUE 3 COACHES CORNER MARCH, 2016 NEWSLETTER

With another exciting BBL and He is currently in charge of the the new WBBL just completed, U17 and U19 NSW Metro teams—who finished 2nd and Pathway Events in we turn our focus back to the more traditional styles of the 1st in their respective National NSW: game—one-day and Test Championships in October and  U15 National Schools Cham- Match cricket. December, 2015. pionships—Brisbane— February 20-28, 2016 This 3rd Edition of the Coaches Also, as part of his role at Cricket  Cricket NSW Metro Male and Corner newsletter focuses NSW, Beau assists the NSW Shield side, including the Futures female Academy trials— on—Is it better to teach/coach technique (the process) or how League team, as well as being an March/April 2016. to hit gaps and place the ball assistant coach with the success- (the outcome)? ful Sydney Thunder BBL fran-  U16 Male State Challenge— chise.

Blacktown— April 11-15, 2016 Page 4 provides some drills which can be used to practice His passion, commitment and hitting gaps; while an article on love for the game is being passed page 5 discusses the ad- on to all ages of players—from vantages and disadvantages of the first class cricketers in the each style of practice. Shield squad to the up-and- coming underage players around the State. Our “Coach Profile” in this Inside this issue: edition looks at Beau Casson— former Test and Sheffield Finally, the middle section of this Shield player. edition looks at REVERSE SWING and how this relatively recent Cricket NSW Coach Profile 2 phenomenon in actually works? After a premature finish to his Article of the Month — 2-3 playing days, Beau has done a Reverse fantastic job in his new role within Cricket NSW. Drill of the Month 4

Article on outcomes vs 5 process based drills Useful Resource 6 Article of the Month —

Dates for the Calendar 6 The article this month— Reverse Swing—looks at the art of bowling reverse? This is often a misunderstood and complicated skill, which not all players or coaches under- stand. Hopefully—this article gives you some further understanding of how reverse swing works and how players can contribute to it happening during certain conditions. Page 2 COACHES CORNER NEWSLETTER

Coach Profile of the Month — Beau Casson

In this month’s coach profile Since finishing his playing we look at former test spin- days, Beau has began his ner, Beau Casson. coaching career with academy squads for Cricket NSW and As a player, Beau was a slow has recently been announced left-arm wrist spin bowler and as the assistant coach for the useful lower order batsman Sydney Thunder starting this who represented Western season. Australia and New South Click here to listen to Wales in First Class, List A and When we caught up with interview with Coach cricket. Beau also Beau, we talked about the Profile of the Month. earned himself a test call up success of the Sydney Thunder on tour in the West Indies. BBL campaign, his thoughts on coaching, the move from play- Beau took 123 first class wick- er to coach, his recent experi- ets and scored 8 half centu- ences and success with NSW ries. His best figures were U17 and U19 teams; and how 6/64 and his high score was 99 he remains up to date in in his career spanning from coaching today. 2002 to 2011.

The Science of Swing? VOLUME 1, ISSUE 3 Page 3

Article of the Month — Reverse swing or super swing?

When the power of reverse- confusion is that the direction of swing was finally understood while in 'reverse' swing it goes the seam, supposedly the basis of by the international cricket the other way, away from the the movement, turns out not to be community - it happened in the turbulence, and hence the term. crucial. The most important varia- summer of 1992 when Wasim Differential turbulence between ble in traditional swing is proba- Akram and the ball's two halves can be cre- bly the angle - the mechanics and ated either by angling the seam made the ball talk all trajectory - of . England - it was immediately (as in new-ball or conventional labeled an unorthodox skill. swing), or by allowing one half to Who would know more about Other bowlers couldn't do it, scuff up through wear and tear English swing bowling than Ian and the batsmen couldn't play while the other half is kept obses- Botham? In on Crick- it. The technique acquired a sively polished and smooth. et he writes that the direction of sinister and improper air. swing is determined by the dy- Perhaps a more appropriate namics of the bowling action. "I On closer attention, you realise name for reverse-swing would be honestly think that if your action that 'reverse-swing' is actually super swing, because reverse- was very sideways-on it would quite a presumptuous label. swing has super proportions. The still be possible to bowl an out- Who decided which kind of ball moves a greater distance, swinger with the ball held the swing is reverse and which is and with more accuracy, than a other way," he observes. Imran regular? It's a significant ques- ball swung by angling the seam. experienced something similar in tion, because being the reverse In any case, to a batsman who England; in his autobiography, he of something can carry the has just missed the line, the phys- records that it didn't matter how added burden of impropriety. ics of the movement is irrelevant. he held the ball, his natural action Why should the way it swings What really matters is whether made every delivery come into in the subcontinent carry that the ball moved, and how much. In the right-hander. In his crisp mem- burden, and why should the terms of the contest between bat oir, Strike Bowler, Craig McDer- way it swings in England be and ball, the key variable that mott alludes to the same thing. “The direction of swing is considered the prescribed distinguishes the two types of "The key to swing is the way you way? swing bowling, therefore, is not cock your wrist before delivering determined by the dynamics qualitative but quantitative. the ball," he writes. "By varying English fans may not have seen of the bowling action.” It is often said that reverse the angle of the wrist, you change it before, but reverse-swing the direction of swing." had been around in the Test (super) swing is poorly under- arena for a long time. In 1979, stood, but in fact it is a simple The most perplexing thing about Sarfraz Nawaz used it to take and straightforward technique traditional swing is the discrepan- seven for a solitary run that you can try in your own cy between bowling experience in a match-winning spell at backyard. All you need is a ten- and scientific analysis. In 1983, a Melbourne. At on nis ball, a roll of electrical insula- group of physicists from London's Christmas Day, 1982, Imran tion tape, and a set of stumps to Imperial College led by Dr. Rabi Khan bowled a famous spell of aim at. Cover one half of the ball Mehta conducted a painstaking reverse-swing against with strips of tape and hold it study of factors affecting cricket during which he was, for all down the center, with the taped ball swing, publishing their results purposes, unplayable. Sarfraz side entirely to one side. For a in the respected scientific jour- and Imran had demonstrated toe-bruising yorker, keep the nal Nature (Volume 303, pages for anyone caring to notice that taped side towards leg and de- 787-788). Using angled-seam reverse-swing enabled unprec- liver the ball aiming for second balls propelled into a wind tun- edented control and movement. slip. About two-thirds of the way nel, they found that the best It allowed the ball to turn cor- the ball will curve like a banana swing took place at speeds of ners, and get into spaces that and crash into the base of middle around 70 mph (112 kph). They didn't even exist, such as the and leg. The faster you are the also found no correlation be- junction between Sunil Gavas- better, but you don't have to be tween swing and air dampness or ker's bat and pad. very quick to create the effect. humidity. Any swing imparted by To bowl a menacing outswinger, the mechanics of the bowler's arm , cricket's foremost keep the taped side facing off and wrist may not have been logician, has frequently argued and aim for fine leg. The physics fully modelled in the experiments. that qualifying swing bowling is elementary. The smooth, taped It is a reflection of the complexity with appellations like 'reverse' side creates less turbulence than of swing bowling that despite or 'regular' is pointless because, the uncovered, rough side of the rigorous scientific scrutiny, ques- tennis ball. Less turbulence means basically, it is all just swing - tions remain unanswered. lateral movement of the ball lesser resistance, and the ball while in flight. The argument is moves in that direction. Super swing is simpler to under- sound, but the term 'reverse' stand, easier to learn, more accu- bowler— remains entrenched. If there is any kind of swing rate, and perfectly reproducible. Safraz Nawaz bowling that is shrouded in mys- Delivered at speeds over 90 As a physical phenomenon, tery it is, in fact, the conventional mph, it can be a lethal weapon, reverse swing does have a variety. It is more of a natural some would even say a weapon distinct technical basis from the gift over which the bowler exer- of mass destruction. It doesn't early swing that typically oc- cises uncertain control. As Bob matter what your action is or how curs under English or similar Massie's famous example shows, you cock your wrist. All that mat- conditions. Air passing over a you can sometimes go an entire ters is which way the smoother Article—Saad career without being able to creates turbulence, surface is facing. Provided there Shafqat—ESPN and the theory is that the two reproduce it. is enough difference between the kinds of swing result from the rough and shiny sides, the ball cricinfo. ball responding to surface They say in traditional swing the ball deviates away from the will always move towards the turbulence in opposite ways. In smoother surface. It isn't the conventional swing, the ball is shiny side. Since a new ball, with equal shine on both sides, can 'reverse' of anything. That's just believed to move towards the the way it is. side of greater turbulence, swing just as much, this can only be half-correct, if at all. Another Page 4 COACHES CORNER NEWSLETTER

Drill of the Month— Decision Making in Batting

Drill 1—for young players Drill 2—for more advanced players We often spend time, as In this drill, additional cones are placed coaches, on technique. How- and a scoring system is used to create ever, making the right deci- competition between the thrower “Technique drills sions in game situations is of (coach) and the batsman. vital importance. or decision making The additional cones between the gaps options—what is The first drill looks at how we make the task slightly harder for the can get young cricketers to more advanced player. best for our start thinking about place- ment and moving fielders batsmen?” around when training—NOT JUST HITTING DRIVE AFTER View the video by clicking on the link DRIVE OUT OF THE MIDDLE below with no thought of where the fielders may be?

VIDEO —HITTING GAPS FOR YOUNG PLAYERS

Learn how to hit gaps drills (mycricketcoach.com)

VOLUME 1, ISSUE 3 Page 5

Article: Why Hitting the Gaps is more than about a quick drill?

cliché goes; it doesn’t matter how, only how many. Drills that It’s a heartbreaking moment as a batsman. The bowler focus on outcome are an essential tool in any practice toolbox. serves up a half-volley, the ball pings from the middle of But focusing on outcome at the expense of technique is just as the bat. Only to go straight to a fielder. bad a mistake.

The ‘keeper probably compounds your pain with a quick Take a drill where you have a cone (gap) at square leg. “you missed out there, I thought that was a “gimmie” - The get the ball through those cones you have to hit across the perhaps you let the frustration get to you and end up line with less than the full face of the bat. There is no way to playing an injudicious shot (let’s be honest, we all have hit it otherwise. had an ugly heave under pressure), miss it and get out.

All because you hit the fielder and not the gap. It’s easy with a tennis ball and a bobble feed. In a match a player with an excellent eye and timing may get away with The limitations of technique this, especially if the bowling is poor. A lesser player will get bowled or LBW when he or she misses the ball playing with a face half its normal size. On the other hand, the textbook rec- In the old days the solution would be clear; get in the ommends that you on drive that ball through mid on with a full nets and tighten up your technique. When the bad ball face of the bat. If it is wide enough down the leg side you can comes you will put it away. A coach stands at the back of clip it through midwicket safely. The arc is much wider and the the net telling you to keep your elbow up and play in the risk much lower. proper way.

The drill reinforces bad technique in the blind effort to make But modern coaching thinking says something different; outcome the only thing that matters. But good outcomes come that traditional technically correct shots are too limiting. from batting with a technique that gets you the most runs at It’s now all about being effective rather than using the the lowest risk for the type of game you are playing. copybook. Technique limits you to one way of playing.

Which is best? A way that may not be the best for you!! The solution is to practice both outcome and process.

So coaches develop coaching drills that push technique Do your technical drills and get as perfect as you can. This aside in the aim to develop players with a different men- will give you a solid base of high percentage shots to work tality. Outcome is more important than process. In other from. At the same time, put yourself to the test at hitting gaps words, look to hit the gaps in any way that works. Who by trying to hit balls through cones as the drill above suggests, cares what it looks like? but do it in a more specific way. For example, feed the ball (with a tennis ball, cricket ball or bowling machine) outside An example of such drills is on the previous page. the off stump and just set up off side cones. Hit the ball to each cone in turn, making sure your bat is pointing as a Sold as a drill for young players to learn how to hit the checked drive towards the cone you have hit the ball. The wid- gaps instead of the fielders it sounds like a cracking idea. est cone should be roughly at cover’s left hand. Do the same A good coach will make the right technical corrections for the on side with the widest cone at midwicket’s right hand. along the way and the player gets more adapt at outcome You can then learn how to hit the ball in these areas with a -based thinking. full face, rather than swinging across it.

The problem with outcomes? Article— Pitchvision

Outcome based training is a sensible approach. As the Academy Dates for the Calendar:

 NSW Academy Coaches Conference—May, 2016 (TBC)

 Level II Coaching Course—Bowral—April 29 to May 2, 2016

 Level II Coaching Course—SCG—July 23-24 and July 30-31 2016.

THE WEB!

Useful Resource: Hudl—We Help Coaches and Athletes Win: Video Analysis

Hudl is a leading soft- The whole experience is ware company revolu- available online, giving tionizing the way coaches and athletes se- coaches and athletes cure access at home and prepare for and stay on the go. http://www.hudl.com/ ahead of the competi- tion. With more than 114,000 active teams and nearly 3.5 million unique users, Hudl has become the pre- Founded by David ferred game film solution Graff, Brian Kaiser and for all teams, from the John Wirtz in 2006, smallest youth organiza- Hudl now offers the tions to professional fran- Cricket NSW tools to edit and share chises in North America, video, study associated Driver Avenue, Moore Park, South America, Europe, NSW, 2021. play diagrams, and Asia, Africa and Australia. create quality highlight Phone: 02 8302 6000 Website: http:// reels for entertainment www.cricketnsw.com.au/ support/coach-support/ Email: [email protected]