ShayamalShayamal VallabhjeeVallabhjee Foreword by Gary Kirsten THE HANDBOOK OF CRICKET DRILLS Shayamal Vallabhjee The Handbook of Cricket Drills 3 Published in 2013 by Shayamal Vallabhjee Flat 126 Nibana Apartments Pali Hill Road Bandra West, Mumbai 400 050 Email: [email protected] First published: 2006 Digi Sports cc © Shayamal Vallabhjee All rights reserved. No Part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photo- copying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the author. Illustrations: Varun Bhardwaj Layout & Design: Abhilasha Roy Cover Design: Abhilasha Roy The Handbook of Cricket Drills 4 TABLE OF CONTENTS 6 Foreword by Gary Kirsten 9 Acknowledgements 10 Summary of Icons Used 12 Introduction 15 Conditioning for Cricketers 16 Principles of Scientific Prescription on Exercise 17 Heart Rate Intensity Formula 19 Components of Fitness 21 Conditioning the Cricketer 24 Resistance Training Principals 26 Core Stability 29 Sports Vision Training for Cricket 31 A Sports Vision Assessment 31 Components of Sports Vision 32 Dynamic Visual Acuity 33 Depth Perception 35 Peripheral Vision 36 Eye Motility 37 Eye Dominance 37 Eye Hand Coordination 40 Visual Reaction Time 41 Visualization 42 Speed of Focusing 42 Glare Recovery Speed 43 Ability to see in Dim Illumination 43 Colour Perception 43 Contrast Sensitivity 44 Fixation Ability 44 Visual Memory The Handbook of Cricket Drills 5 47 Best of the best 49 Plyometric Exercises 57 Dynamic medicine Exercises 65 Agility Exercises 73 Swiss ball Exercises 81 Weight training Exercises 89 Scapula Stability Exercises 97 The Lore of the Core 105 Speed and Power Exercises 113 Fielding Drills 114 Slip Catching 115 The Broken Line 116 Hand-Eye Co-ordination 117 Hand Soccer 118 A Bowler’s Run Out 119 Throwing at Stumps 120 The 3-Station Drill 121 The Basic Slide 122 The Under-arm Relay 123 Saving the Single/Throwing on the Run 124 The Triangle Fielding Drill 125 Develop Fielding Agility and the Ability to Throw under Pressure 126 Reaction Time Square Drill 127 Throwing at Stumps and Backing Up 128 Calling for Catches 129 Rapid Fire 130 Attacking and Retrieving 131 Throwing to the Wicketkeeper 132 The 3-Stump Drill 133 Round the Clock 134 Catching and Throwing 135 The Caught and Bowled 136 Slip Catching (Match Situation) 137 Run-Out Situations 138 Run-Out Situation (Match Simulation) 139 The Retrieve and Return 140 In the Ring 141 The Speed Drill 142 The 7-Minute Triangle with Fielding 143 Catching : Quick and Easy 144 The Bucket Drill The Handbook of Cricket Drills 6 145 Relay Throws 146 The 5-Stump Drill 147 The ‘V’-Shaped Drill 148 Reflex Catches 151 Fitness Drills 152 The Clock Face 153 The Soccer Field Drill 154 Team Sprints 155 The 7-Minute Triangles 156 Box Drill for Agility/Speed 157 The Repeat Sprint Ability Test 158 Basic Shuttles 159 The Indian File 160 Speed Circuit 161 The Side Step 162 The Ladder Drill 163 The 23–7 Drill 165 Lessons from Legends 167 Philip Edgar Russell 168 Jonathan Neil Rhodes 169 Eric Simons 170 John Buchanan 171 Vince van der Bijl 172 Gary Kirsten 174 Mickey Arthur 175 John Wright 178 Sachin Tendulkar 180 Doug Watson The Handbook of Cricket Drills 7 FOREWORD As we head further and further into the professional era where the physical demands of the game have substantially increased, the need for every individual to build a solid physiological base has become critical. There have been many incidents of injuries causing major disruptions to a team, often at crucial times. A player needs to have a clear understanding of his responsibilities to himself and to the team so that he may enjoy a successful and prolonged career at the highest level. Back to back one-day international 100’s in India in 35-degree heat– not possible without a high level of fitness. 25 overs an innings at consistently high pace over a 5-match test series – not possible without a high level of fitness. 12-hour innings to save a game for your country– again not possible without a high level of fitness. These are possible scenarios that many young aspiring cricketers could be faced with. The opportunity to do something very spe- cial that will be etched into the history of this great game. Can you imagine not being physically ready and prepared? The Handbook of Cricket Drills 8 I believe there are many cricketers who have had the potential to have highly successful careers, but have fallen short through persistent injury and gen- eral lack of physical conditioning. In this professional era, where the physical demands are high due to increased game time, the player needs to have a clear understanding of the importance of maintaining fitness levels. This preparation will require discipline and sacrifice. As you begin to push those ‘comfort zones’, you will begin to understand what your body can achieve and how far you can go. This in turn will build your mental strength as you begin to achieve your short-term physiological goals. A strong work ethic is the cornerstone to any successful endeavour. Taking short-cuts in your training will stop you from building that physiological base and allowing you to reach your full potential. Dennis Lillee sums it up in this quote: ‘Pre-season, I would be at it six days a week, running somewhere between four to six kilometres a day, and then, probably every second week, a 10 to 12 kilometre run. Some thought I was mad because at the end of practice I would run hard until it was dark and then do a series of other exercises.’ May this book provide you with the necessary skills and tools to build the physical base you will so badly need throughout your career. Gary Kirsten. Head Coach South African Cricket Team, Former Head Coach Indian Cricket Team & 2011 World Cup Winning Squad. The Handbook of Cricket Drills 9 This book is dedicated to the memory of Biksham Badri Narian whose timeless encouragement and motivation helped me live a life of dreams fulfilled. The Handbook of Cricket Drills 10 SUMMARY OF ICONS USED Running Fielders Catching & Throwing Fielders Stationary Fielders Coach Wicketkeeper Bowler Wickets & Beacon The Handbook of Cricket Drills 11 INTRODUCTION “For all its reputation for conservatism, cricket in its history has demonstrated a remarkable capacity for innovation. What game has survived subjection to such extraordinary manipulations, having been prolonged to 10 days (in Durban 70 years ago), truncated to as few as 60 balls (in Hong Kong every year), and remained recognisable in each instance?” -Gideon Haigh The Handbook of Cricket Drills 12 Success for me has come from a love for the game, a determination to over- come adversity, and most importantly from the understanding that the road ahead will not be easy. In my eight years of professional cricket, I have always maintained that despite the innovations and technological advancements in the game, success will inevitably belong to the individual who is inspired, hard-working, positive and proactive. And if he can spread this aura to his team, then they too will enjoy the sweet taste of victory. As we move into the new age of cricket, fitness will form the cornerstone of success for most teams: not necessarily in the cricketer’s ability to run fast but in his ability to utilise that fitness to uplift the team’s fielding, improve his mental strength, reduce injury, enhance performance, prevent fatigue and practice perfectly. Training is a science designed to create an understanding of the physiology of the body and it is utilised to take the athlete beyond his own considerable expectations. It is what makes running 100m in under 10 seconds and break- ing the 160km bowling speed barrier, efforts to marvel at. Much of what we experience in life results from a combination of skill and luck. Different levels of skill and off good and bad luck are the realities that shape out lives. Success on the other hand is as a result of years of deliberate practice, a cultivated work ethic and adequate guidance. The purpose of this book is to help you untangle and interpret the processes necessary in developing a cricketer. The book in itself is a journey - my journey off how I, with the help of many passionate and knowledgable players and coaches, learnt to understand and quantify the skills needed to achieve success on an international podium. I hope that the experiences from my journey provide you with the guidance you need to live a life of dreams fulfilled. The Handbook of Cricket Drills 13 CONDITIONING FOR CRICKETERS “Cricket is a most precarious profession; it is called a team game but, in fact, no one is so lonely as a batsman facing a bowler supported by ten fieldsmen and observed by two umpires to ensure that his error does not go unpunished.” - John Arlott The Handbook of Cricket Drills 14 CONDITIONING FOR CRICKETERS Cricket is one of the longest competitively played games in the world. It can have a time span of between three and forty hours, and be played in the harshest of weather conditions, ranging from scorching hot days to (bowlers running up against a) gale force wind. The question that is of ultimate impor- tance is whether a modern-day cricketer can sustain a career relying solely on his skill? The dictionary defines ‘skill’ as the ‘ability to use ones knowledge effectively and readily in execution or performance.’ Is the recipe for success just high skill levels or in combination with a physically well conditioned body and mind? A scientific analysis will reveal that the game of cricket is played primarily in an aerobic energy system with intermittent bursts in the anaerobic system.