Cricket Skills/age

Top Contributors
S

shahidpak

Active Member
I was wondering what were the cricket skills needed for a cricketer tobbe considered good/very good depending on his age.
ie: 12 able to play a cover drive to a fast bowler on a pace of 90kph
So could any senior cricketer or coach or anyone with knowledge say what skills are required to be "good" at a given age whether youre a spinner,fast bowler or batsman?

Thanks
 
Shahidpak, the short answer is it doesn't break down just to skills, they are only a means to an end - scoring runs/taking wickets/bowling dot balls. That's not to say that technique isn't important, as generally this would give you a better chance of success but a good technique with poor results won't get you very far.

As an example, the sort of things I would be looking for in a 12 year old spinner would be a sound, repeatable bowling action, a willingness to spin the ball hard, possibly at the expense of accuracy and the basics of a gameplan when coming on to bowl. The icing on the cake would be being level headed enough to take the rough with the smooth but that really would be expecting a lot in a 12 year old. As for batting - having a reasonable technique that includes elements of both attack and defence, more than happy if the attack is limited to a couple of favourite scoring shots if there are defensive options to balls that are not in the right areas, again the 'extra' would be an awareness of how to at least rotate the strike if the ball is not there for those favoured shots.

So... go out and score runs, take wickets but above all enjoy the game and listen to advice - some will work, some won't but listen all the same and if possible give things a go
 
OK will give it a go, but please take this as a personal opinion not 'gospel'. I would expect 'good' 15 year olds to be playing an active role in adult cricket as well as being mainstays of their junior clubs, this can be a tricky balance where, for example, a fast bowler might be the strike bowler in juniors but have a 2nd change 'hold down an end' role in adult cricket - not ideal and players can feel they are pulled in too many directions.

Anyway, in bowling terms the main difference from a 12 year old would be in accuracy and consistency, I would also expect them to not only have a fair idea of their own strengths and weaknesses but also come up with individual approaches to different batters that they face. Batting wise 15 year olds can also have a difficult balance - responsibility to score in juniors, lower expectations (and batting position) in seniors, but generally its about maturing to be able to 'play the situation' and develop a method that covers the sorts of situations that are likely to arise (if an opener then facing the new ball, learning to leave in adult cricket, etc). Sorry if thats a bit vague, but it really does come down to playing at as high as level as you can, working out for yourself (again through taking advice) how you can utilise what you have and also what you need to develop to be successful.
 
My younger son Joe has been selected to trial for the South Essex District, if he does well, he'll then be considered for County cricket for Essex. It came as a bit of a surprise and I've not made much of it to be honest because of all the horror stories you hear about kids going through this. But going back to your original question about what skills are required and thinking in terms of Joe, I wouldn't have said that Joe is like other kids I've seen go through this process.

Over the years I've seen kids who've got cricket in their families who are groomed for this day, they've got the kit, they've got the mouth and the apparent confidence and at club level they have their day. I call them the 'Super Human Crew' they surround themselves with insubordinate lackey's and have an air of arrogance and supremacy. They tend to be bullies as well to be honest, taking the p*** out of the lesser kids in the club, always looking to reinforce the fact that they are the alpha males. They tend to then peak somewhere around 12-15 and then come crashing down to reality often at the stage where they then move from being big fish in small ponds, to being a small fish in a big pond.

But Joe and my older son are different. They'd never say that they are special, they don't gloat or give it the biggun, they're there in the background batting and bowling, plugging away. Time to time I'll have a club senior sidle up to me and say 'Your son Joe/Ben... they're a bit special aren't they, I watched them do A or B today' and they'll say what they did well. At the end of the year, generally they pick up their awards for being the best this or that in their age group. Ben this year at 15 was the 3rd best bowler in the whole club and needless to say took an award for his bowling in his age group.

They're both so unassuming none of the 'Super Human Crew' even give them a sideways glance 95% of the time, they don't even notice their part in winning games, but the coaches and others do hence the call up for the trial for Joe. The one thing that does get noticed, that I get told about all the time is the fact that they both bowl with an attitude of full commitment and controlled aggression that never spills over into any form of histrionics. They just bowl like machines, never reacting to being hit for 6 or 4, or making mistakes, they just gather the ball up, go back to their mark and bowl again as if nothing happened. I think this is the quality that the selectors have seen and the maturity with which they go about their game, plus an ability to bowl and take wickets. Additionally, both of them have played adult games and games in age groups way above their own and have held their own, sometimes in really difficult situations. So I don't think it's always the incredible ability, sometimes it comes down to having something about you, the fact that you do turn up, the fact that you do say yes when the 4th XI captain asks you to play in an adult game, the fact that when you're only barely 11 you say yes to playing in the U16's and face amazingly fast and aggressively bowling, but you give it a go.

Additional common skills - like being able to have a conversation with an adult, or leaving your phone at home when playing a game of cricket, helping the little kids, umpiring, scoring, teaching others to score, all those things are very significant in my opinion.

E.g. many of the things Tony has mentioned!

Joe's first session for his trials is Thursday. I've not piled any pressure on him, he'll just hopefully go and have a bowl and a bat and follow the instructions, talk to people and get on with it. If he does well, I guess they'll call him back. If he's not right for it, he'll carry on as he is. I've heard so many stories of boys doing this and coming back utterly destroyed by the experience, possibly due to the over inflated expectations of others around them. As far as I'm aware no-one else knows he's going except for the coaches who put the Essex bloke in touch with Joe and me?
 
Last edited:
Dave, firstly congratulations to Joe and must be a fantastic boost for him particularly considering all the time he had out after the accident.

I think you are right to be cautious with him, not because he has/hasn't got the talent (I haven't seen him) but just as general advice for players going to trials - go and enjoy the experience and allow yourself to do your best. Its a 'control the controlables' type of thing, so if there are lads who are better than Joe, then he is still the same cricketer who got put forward, rather than, as you say, coming back destroyed by the experience.

One quick question - what is he going as (batter/bowler/leggie?), obviously nice to have different strings to your bow, but if he has been put forward based on a particular element then better to say it and be confident with it he will also probably get some useful coaching advice based upon that too.
 
someblokecalleddave said:
My younger son Joe has been selected to trial for the South Essex District, if he does well, he'll then be considered for County cricket for Essex. It came as a bit of a surprise and I've not made much of it to be honest because of all the horror stories you hear about kids going through this. But going back to your original question about what skills are required and thinking in terms of Joe, I wouldn't have said that Joe is like other kids I've seen go through this process.

Over the years I've seen kids who've got cricket in their families who are groomed for this day, they've got the kit, they've got the mouth and the apparent confidence and at club level they have their day. I call them the 'Super Human Crew' they surround themselves with insubordinate lackey's and have an air of arrogance and supremacy. They tend to be bullies as well to be honest, taking the p*** out of the lesser kids in the club, always looking to reinforce the fact that they are the alpha males. They tend to then peak somewhere around 12-15 and then come crashing down to reality often at the stage where they then move from being big fish in small ponds, to being a small fish in a big pond.

But Joe and my older son are different. They'd never say that they are special, they don't gloat or give it the biggun, they're there in the background batting and bowling, plugging away. Time to time I'll have a club senior sidle up to me and say 'Your son Joe/Ben... they're a bit special aren't they, I watched them do A or B today' and they'll say what they did well. At the end of the year, generally they pick up their awards for being the best this or that in their age group. Ben this year at 15 was the 3rd best bowler in the whole club and needless to say took an award for his bowling in his age group.

They're both so unassuming none of the 'Super Human Crew' even give them a sideways glance 95% of the time, they don't even notice their part in winning games, but the coaches and others do hence the call up for the trial for Joe. The one thing that does get noticed, that I get told about all the time is the fact that they both bowl with an attitude of full commitment and controlled aggression that never spills over into any form of histrionics. They just bowl like machines, never reacting to being hit for 6 or 4, or making mistakes, they just gather the ball up, go back to their mark and bowl again as if nothing happened. I think this is the quality that the selectors have seen and the maturity with which they go about their game, plus an ability to bowl and take wickets. Additionally, both of them have played adult games and games in age groups way above their own and have held their own, sometimes in really difficult situations. So I don't think it's always the incredible ability, sometimes it comes down to having something about you, the fact that you do turn up, the fact that you do say yes when the 4th XI captain asks you to play in an adult game, the fact that when you're only barely 11 you say yes to playing in the U16's and face amazingly fast and aggressively bowling, but you give it a go.

Additional common skills - like being able to have a conversation with an adult, or leaving your phone at home when playing a game of cricket, helping the little kids, umpiring, scoring, teaching others to score, all those things are very significant in my opinion.

E.g. many of the things Tony has mentioned!

Joe's first session for his trials is Thursday. I've not piled any pressure on him, he'll just hopefully go and have a bowl and a bat and follow the instructions, talk to people and get on with it. If he does well, I guess they'll call him back. If he's not right for it, he'll carry on as he is. I've heard so many stories of boys doing this and coming back utterly destroyed by the experience, possibly due to the over inflated expectations of others around them. As far as I'm aware no-one else knows he's going except for the coaches who put the Essex bloke in touch with Joe and me?
Click to expand...
Oh Nice good luck to him... In pour club if you do a job like helping someone collecting the cones (we dont have a rope for 4s) everybody thinks youre their servant... I dont really like my club even though apparently 2015 is going to be a great year 4 US. But then again i could never have imaginer playing cricket in France so im thankful to my club
The reason i asked this question was that idk where to place myself (batting and bowling) compared to english Kids, i cant place myself at any level.
 
TonyM said:
Dave, firstly congratulations to Joe and must be a fantastic boost for him particularly considering all the time he had out after the accident.

I think you are right to be cautious with him, not because he has/hasn't got the talent (I haven't seen him) but just as general advice for players going to trials - go and enjoy the experience and allow yourself to do your best. Its a 'control the controlables' type of thing, so if there are lads who are better than Joe, then he is still the same cricketer who got put forward, rather than, as you say, coming back destroyed by the experience.

One quick question - what is he going as (batter/bowler/leggie?), obviously nice to have different strings to your bow, but if he has been put forward based on a particular element then better to say it and be confident with it he will also probably get some useful coaching advice based upon that too.
Click to expand...

Tony, I couldn't say for sure, again I've never thought of either of them as batsmen, it's not something I can do, and I do what I can with them to help them out. But, last season the 'Batsmen' in their team played okay, but Joe starting off at No.11 moved up the order eventually cementing a place at No.3. I'd have said he did okay, but nothing special. His highest score in a game is probably 15 runs? But I think he was consistent, with not outs?

I'd say they're looking at him with regards his bowling, but I'm not sure? The bloke from Essex came down to our club about 4 times, and did some Strength, balance, stamina and agility drills with a group of lads that had paid for the extra training. They then spent the other three weeks in the nets bowling and batting and some time on the field doing fielding drills. I'm guessing that's when the bloke saw the potential? Joe says, he spoke to him mostly about his bowling at the time.

With regards to what he does, Joe's a bit of a Gary Sobers, he bowls off-spin and seam up medium/fast, but then can pull out a nice leg break. I guess if you were to ask him he'd say he was a Finger Spinner, but the bloke had him doing both in the summer. Whatever happens, he's got to make an impression in two sessions. If he gets through that, he'll be in the South Essex District Squad and will train through the winter and play with them in the summer?

"The South Essex District Cricket Board will be holding its trials for its 2015 youth cricket age-group squads starting in November. This is so that we can devote more time to our district squads during the spring term and also identify any boys with potential for county-level consideration prior to their trials in January. As in previous years we will select winter squads of around 16 people at Under 11, 13 and 15 groups for squad coaching in the New Year".

He doesn't seem phased by it, he's asked tonight what'll happen and I've said it'll be a net session, just do you best and see how it goes, so hopefully he'll be okay?
 
shahidpak said:
Oh Nice good luck to him... In pour club if you do a job like helping someone collecting the cones (we dont have a rope for 4s) everybody thinks youre their servant... I dont really like my club even though apparently 2015 is going to be a great year 4 US. But then again i could never have imaginer playing cricket in France so im thankful to my club
The reason i asked this question was that idk where to place myself (batting and bowling) compared to english Kids, i cant place myself at any level.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure, that's a difficult one to call. I'm guessing the blokes you play with are not white French and that your team is made up of blokes that have originated from the traditional cricket playing nations... Pakistan, India? In which case, generally they have cricket in their blood and would have played it as kids, so I'd imagine they play with passion commitment and skill? How do you fair against your adult team mates?
 
someblokecalleddave said:
I'm not sure, that's a difficult one to call. I'm guessing the blokes you play with are not white French and that your team is made up of blokes that have originated from the traditional cricket playing nations... Pakistan, India? In which case, generally they have cricket in their blood and would have played it as kids, so I'd imagine they play with passion commitment and skill? How do you fair against your adult team mates?
Click to expand...
Yes thats correct i play with a lot of Indians, lately my bowling hasnt been so good but i bowl okay against them and i bat pretty well too
 
shahidpak said:
Yes thats correct i play with a lot of Indians, lately my bowling hasnt been so good but i bowl okay against them and i bat pretty well too
Click to expand...
Ask them what they think, they'll probably give you a fair assessment. I think the important thing is to play at your level and try and get better there. I think you're in a difficult situation in that you're in France, but just look to be one of the best players in your team. I reckon you should reach a peak in your 20's - make that your goal!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top