One of the best ways of putting kids off of playing cricket is to progress them up to adult games and make them umpire when they're not ready and you've got idiot adults batting. Somehow some adults don't seem to realise that teenage boys do not have the same skill sets as Marais Erasmus, Billy Bowden and Kumar Dharmasena, along with the years of experience and training. So if your captain for whatever reason and it's usually because the other adults haven't turned up because they're still hung over from Friday night or knew they were going to be S**t faced on Saturday and therefore declined to play that week, is forced to put a kid in the position of being umpire. Think before you start losing it when you're given out LBW...
1. The kids is probably totally intimidated by the situation in the first place because your team doesn't do in-house umpiring.
2. The kid isn't Billy Bowden.
3. The kids is surrounded by adults shouting in his face Howzat - who he doesn't know who probably look really aggressive and intimidating.
4. He doesn't have a 3rd umpire or a review system to turn to.
5. As far as he's concerned it did hit your pads - it looked that way.
6. He's not an expert in any way shape or form and might be completely intimidated by the whole affair. Think Fatty Batter and the explanation in that book why the author always preferred playing friendly games.
Finally this is not football, this is cricket, a gentleman's game, so if the kid or anyone gives you out, keep your mouth shut, accept your fate and walk away like a man and learn how to hit the ball cleanly rather than edge it onto your pads. I don't care if you've paid £12 to play and now you've got to spend the next 6 hours fielding or sitting watching other people score runs; or maybe in your mind - lose the game. You are in a team with inexperienced players, kids trying to find their way, so the last thing they need is for you to turn round and glare at them swearing and cursing, claiming you hit the ball, standing there as if you're being paid to play and this is the death knell of your career because the selectors are watching, you're not Ponting or Bell, you're probably some bloke who's main focus in life is football. If you don't like it, stop playing cricket, sort your f****d up knees out, stop drinking beer and man up - go and shout and glare at other adults on a football pitch and stop bullying small boys if that's your thing.
Kids are the life blood of a cricket team not arrogant has been's in their 40's who can't hit the ball any more (sober or hung-over). Back to the sheds mate and shut the F**k up.
Check out my other blog here - this is all about Leg-spin bowling and nothing else. Double click on the image below.
I've noted that my bowling this year has started off really well and I can only put it down to the fact that since Christmas I've been working on my fitness, stamina, upper body strength, core strength and flexibility. I've been doing a combination of this workout here (Cardio) and this one here (upper body). I've also been either power walking or running for 20 minutes most other nights. None of it religiously, but enough to make a difference. Now the weather is with us and we can get out on the paddock I've adapted what I do and made it even more cricket specific.
Been working on my fitness with Joe over the last week or so. The drill incorporates the kind of approach seen in SAQ cricket. It'll be interesting to hear from the experts that look in on my blog every now and then and comment on www.bigcricket.com regards the worthiness of it?
Equipment & space
Training ball or cricket ball, stumps and optional keepers gloves or catching mit + open space.
Description
Set the stumps at 22 yards or more. One player acts as the coach whilst resting stands at end (A). The active player starts at end (B). The coach rolls the ball out towards end (B) and the active player runs in and attacks the ball scooping it up (Or long barrier) and throws it back to the coach over the stumps aiming to do so with accuracy.
The active player runs round the coach at (A) heading back to his/her starting end (B) as the active player sets off back to (B) the coach throws a high ball back towards the players end (B) so he has to catch the ball over his/her shoulder. On catching the ball he/she throws it back at the coaches end stumps (A) trying to hit them and then sprints back to (B). Then, runs round the stumps at (B).
Then finally runs back as fast as possible to (A) and the coach throws the ball to the incoming player underarm to catch whilst on the move and the throws down the stumps whilst running towards them.
Both players swap roles and repeat ad infinitum for either 20 minutes or until they can't run any more!
The theory is that the rest period whilst being the coach reflects the period when the body rests momentarily before having to set off again running at full pelt as in a batting situation. The 20 minutes gives you an aerobic work-out, the turning, stopping, accelerating all reflect movement in cricket. The catching and moving pick-ups reflect fielding skills. All in all I reckon that's a lot better than running or walking for 20 minutes which is boring as far as I'm concerned.
