Cricket - Simple yet Difficult

Cricket :: Simple yet Difficult 

Last few cricket series in WI, and NZ, and the latest test between India and England have displayed some sparks of the “return of classic bowlers” saying, including fast bowling. Suddenly the game now seems to have become a bowler's game.

Which is good. So long we have 4-5 days finishes (at least a game of 300 overs, {if not 450}. 400-450 overs games are more common in the Indian subcontinent).

As a veteran viewer of the game, here is my quick take on the game’s nuances (which may seem simple, common sensical, and “I always knew it” type, yet difficult to execute) 😊

What "SETTS" a Batsman? 

They say, you are as good as last game. So averages don’t always matter.

Skill - remains through the innings. Bowler or fielding captain has no control. (I think, word "technique" is rather useful in Test cricket, and, "Skill" is more flexible for limited overs, like ABD's (or Klassen or Jonker) creative and innovative shots).

Efforts - tend to remain for longer time, but can wean down by tight field placements or bowling line and length. So, batsman must be made to put effort for his shots. Sometime we call this as application. Some of the batsmen failed to show in latest game against England.

Timing - is strong during the first few overs for a batsman, then it might slow down. Limited control for a bowler, though the captain should have good reading of the wicket, so can advise bowlers and set up appropriate catching positions.

Temperament - Flexible the better. Helps to adopt conditions quickly. Must have will to apply skills in testing conditions.

Stamina - eventually reduces as the stay at pitch gets longer. No control for fielding captain, bit of you dry up boundaries then batsman will need to run doubles. Stamina Can be squeezed out.

Thus, every captain, coach, and team management have homework before a game – that is, whether a batsman is rated single star or two star or three or four stars on the above criteria.
KEY to Success is to focus on "what Not to do" rather than "what should be done" (because on most days, the bucket list of "should NOTs" is always lesser than "should Be's").

Here is what should not be done/

Dont's –

As a bowler / Bowling

1. Avoid Half trackers at 120-130 kmph by fast bowlers. If at all they stick to this speed, then line (middle) length becomes critical.

2. Ignorant of field set up - when one has a cover at third man and deep cover, then why bowl short on leg side?

3. Trying too many things. Frankly, best of the batsmen must be hating incoming deliveries, because one has to commit. Most dismissals happen on incoming deliveries. If one keeps simple, offr+middle stump line, with South African Vernon Philander like consistent length and line, hitting opportunities could decrease substantially. It boils down to the batman's skill and stamina.

4. Avoid overkill of Non-regular deliveries like, Slower balls, cutter, Knuckle ball, back of length balls (how Hardik bowled one against Bangladesh to win the finals in an ODI). These types need special efforts from a bowler and, might NOT always work.

5.  In T20, Chances of getting big hits are rather high. Low in swing full tosses in middle-off could be useful. Batsman will have to make efforts to hit, he will hit 1,2 but not all 6, and NOT ALWAYS.
In T20, a simple (yet difficult to execute) trick to bowling "Only" Yorker length deliveries (easy said than done, but possible) during overs 15 to 20. A Yorker length delivery reduces chances of getting hit for boundary almost by half. Srilanka great bowler, Lasith Malinga did it very effectively.

Here, how it works –

· In T20, Typically, during the last 5 overs, the probability of hitting a ball goes to 75%.

· So, 22 out of 30 legal deliveries can get hit.

· Within this, the chances of hitting a boundary (in normal circumstances) goes upto 70%.

· So, that means 15 hits to the fence is possible in the last 5 overs, should there be a regular batsman (till no 8/9).

· That gives you 60-70 runs of the last 5 overs.

· Should one decide to bowl Yorker length, these chances are reduced to half, say 40 odd runs.

· Another observation is that Yorkers are useful against heighted batsmen, as they tend to take a few milliseconds more to bring the bat down.

Batting

1. Bat Wight / type – With no offence meant, “now Not so young” batters like, Shikhar Dhawan's or Kieron Pollards's bat could be leaner - a bit light and narrower like S R Tendulkar's Adidas bat. One gets a feeling that they tend to react a bit late (with bat movement) than others. Leaner or lighter bat will enable faster movement of their arc or placement. Even a millisecond will make or break their chance of getting a good shot or edge.

2. Correct / Right Stance - Upright stance (like Graeme Hick or Joe Root) should help in English conditions, but not with too much gap between bat and pad. In SA, a bend down stance helps, Ajinkya Rahane's bend down stance is best suitable stance on bouncy pitches like those in South Africa.

Fielding

1.Avoid eagerness - While a throw being made by a fielder, stumps at both ends must always be covered by WKpr or bowler or a nearby fielder. Many opportunities get created when they are around. Batsmen these days know how to take chances in direct hits.

2. Poor Field Placements - Typically, any batsman, particularly number 8/9/10/11 tend to play slog through mid-wicket, over gully /point or long off. So these positions must be covered for catches. Having these catching positions filled up could also create tie situation. An example of how to cover up these positions, is to watch matches when batsmen like James Faulkner (with no offence meant) is squeezed for runs. These strokes are his bread and butter and that is how most of the 8-9-10-11 batsmen (across the world) bat. If you control this, a lot of heartaches will be saved.

3. Eagerness to hit stumps. Logical, it could give you a wicket, but most of the times, batsmen make it so it gives additional run sometime.
So, Let the game be Played!!
Play Well. Play Bold. Play Positive.

NEXT Topic (possible) –

WHO are better / effective coaches in Cricket?

Ex-cricketers (by origin - local/ foreign , by career - played only local level or internaitonal level) OR Professional non–players (local / foreign).

Any leads / pre-views???

- By Dhananjay Deshmukh – When not working on market research projects, always thinks "how to tackle" that “pitched-in (in swinging) out-swinger / leaving delivery” – the one James Anderson bowls quite often -with his angled style , OR leggie Y Chahal's that typical leg-spinning delivery which pitches close to the bat near off stump, yet turns away towards first slip.