Development of junior batsmen

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Commitment to cricket is the biggest problem. So many other things for teenage kids to be doing these days. I just believe many kids now haven't the slightest idea what you mean when you talk about commitment.

When I was a kid, I was a committed cricketer. This meant turning up to practice whenever it was on. When at practice, finding something to do, whether it was a fielding drill, etc. Working on my game and trying to improve upon weaknesses. It meant being available for ALL matches during the season, not just turning up when you feel like it. It meant cricket being your number 1 priority and nothing came between you and playing cricket.

I imagine all clubs go through this these days. Kids at our club turn up to practice when they feel like it, usually on selection nights. They stand around watching if not being asked to bat or bowl. I caught one kid at practice sitting on his bum and playing with his mobile phone. I told him to put it away ... he seemed shocked. During the year they come up with all sorts of excuses for missing games .... schoolies, rock concerts, etc. We have kids missing cricket because they are attending a concert LATER THAT EVENING. WTF is that all about? Apparently they need to rest up and prepare for the concert.

We had a young player not turn up to a match today. The team played 1 short. When I contacted him to find out why he hadn't showed up, he told me he had a sore finger. A SORE FINGER!!! FFS!!!! Then I asked why he never informed us of his unavailability, he said he'd posted it on Twitter and Facebook. Give me a break. Maybe if he didn't spend so much time tacking away on his mobile, his finger may not be so sore. I told him next time it would be a good idea if he actually told someone ... like the coach, or his captain. I could sense he still didn't have a clue what I was talking about.

I despair for the future of our game. Rant over. Needed to get it off my chest.
Cricket isn’t special anymore - by playing too much of it as kids the powers have made the game into a disposable item that you can play whenever you want and come and go as you please knowing you can always get a game when it suits you - wasn’t that way when I was a kid
 
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Cricket isn’t special anymore - by playing too much of it as kids the powers have made the game into a disposable item that you can play whenever you want and come and go as you please knowing you can always get a game when it suits you - wasn’t that way when I was a kid

Yes, it's a whole different era in time and there's no denying cricket isn't the "must have" for today's kids. The best part of my year was the Under 17s Shell Shield in January, a fantastic competition where all grade clubs were represented, as well as two combined country teams. We played for 3 weeks, Monday to Thursday, had Friday off and then played for our clubs over the weekend. After the matches, we would head back to the club for nets practice. So, all things going well, you could play about 14-15 cricket matches in 3 weeks :) Some terrific players at that time, perhaps David Hookes being the most notable, but also many others who played 1st class cricket. Cricket was all we wanted to do.
 

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Commitment to cricket is the biggest problem. So many other things for teenage kids to be doing these days. I just believe many kids now haven't the slightest idea what you mean when you talk about commitment.

Off topic a little but it's the same with senior cricket now.

Guys using 'having kids' as an excuse to stop training and slide down a few grades to bully the opposition and beef up the stats.

When i was a junior 20 years ago i remember watching the seniors play and they had kids as well but still managed fine training twice a week and playing on a saturday.
 

ROOTA#6

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Off topic a little but it's the same with senior cricket now.

Guys using 'having kids' as an excuse to stop training and slide down a few grades to bully the opposition and beef up the stats.

When i was a junior 20 years ago i remember watching the seniors play and they had kids as well but still managed fine training twice a week and playing on a saturday.

Times have changed mate, family dynamics are different with more mothers working etc. the expectations on blokes to be more present at home is different. I can tell you this from experience as I am living through it
 

Ishikawa

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Times have changed mate, family dynamics are different with more mothers working etc. the expectations on blokes to be more present at home is different. I can tell you this from experience as I am living through it

Yeah dedicating a couple of evenings a week to training plus 3/4 of your Saturday to the cricket club (& the inevitable expectation of hanging around for a few post match) should not be something that is taken for granted. For both better and worse lifestyles have changed with the creep of working hours, competing pursuits and changed expectations re gender roles in partnerships. Still strongly believe sporting and indeed cricket clubs have still got a significant role to play in society though.

Now whether that actually impacts on the quality of players coming through I'm not too sure. As the keen kids still lap up every opportunity to play as much cricket and footy as they possibly can. The mentality of batsmen has definitely shifted to one of no limits and to not fear dismissal. It's natural for juniors (and amateurs) to try emulate that which has undermined the fundamental defensive technique.
 
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Yeah dedicating a couple of evenings a week to training plus 3/4 of your Saturday to the cricket club (& the inevitable expectation of hanging around for a few post match) should not be something that is taken for granted. For both better and worse lifestyles have changed with the creep of working hours, competing pursuits and changed expectations re gender roles in partnerships. Still strongly believe sporting and indeed cricket clubs have still got a significant role to play in society though.

Now whether that actually impacts on the quality of players coming through I'm not too sure. As the keen kids still lap up every opportunity to play as much cricket and footy as they possibly can. The mentality of batsmen has definitely shifted to one of no limits and to not fear dismissal. It's natural for juniors (and amateurs) to try emulate that which has undermined the fundamental defensive technique.
It’s how people are taught that is the issue - if you think that a declining standard under the elite systems will continue to produce a high standard of first class and elite players you have a different view to me - no argument about the declining time - it’s about teaching kids the basics and Milo doesn’t do it and it should
 

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It’s how people are taught that is the issue - if you think that a declining standard under the elite systems will continue to produce a high standard of first class and elite players you have a different view to me - no argument about the declining time - it’s about teaching kids the basics and Milo doesn’t do it and it should
That's not what Milo is for. It's simply to get them interested.

No point wasting time teaching basics to kids who have a go and think it's boring. Get them enjoying having a go, and then they step into junior club cricket at under 10 level, and that's where you can start giving them more of the basics.
 

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Times have changed mate, family dynamics are different with more mothers working etc. the expectations on blokes to be more present at home is different. I can tell you this from experience as I am living through it
A lot of merit in that , basically the reason I gave premier cricket away and I know a lot of guys in the same boat.

What I have noticed is guys being more willing to miss games here and there that never would have happened 20 years . At the club I'm involved in now the opening bowler always misses a game for the racing carnival and normally will miss a second to attend a music festival. He isn't alone either .
Last season the 1sts had 6 unavailable for one game for a mix of going to the racing , going on holidays and weddings .Its just how things are now , I don't like it but you need good players playing as much as possible and if that keeps guys playing the game well you do it .
 
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That's not what Milo is for. It's simply to get them interested.

No point wasting time teaching basics to kids who have a go and think it's boring. Get them enjoying having a go, and then they step into junior club cricket at under 10 level, and that's where you can start giving them more of the basics.
Doesn’t happen - kids just play - give them the basics straight up they’ll have them for life
 

TigerCraig

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A lot of merit in that , basically the reason I gave premier cricket away and I know a lot of guys in the same boat.

What I have noticed is guys being more willing to miss games here and there that never would have happened 20 years . At the club I'm involved in now the opening bowler always misses a game for the racing carnival and normally will miss a second to attend a music festival. He isn't alone either .
Last season the 1sts had 6 unavailable for one game for a mix of going to the racing , going on holidays and weddings .Its just how things are now , I don't like it but you need good players playing as much as possible and if that keeps guys playing the game well you do it .

My comp now has a rule that you can nominate 13 players for a 2 day game (you have to list on the team sheet before the toss who your day 1 and day 2 players are). Only way a lot of clubs can consistently field teams in all grades with all the absences
 
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Off topic a little but it's the same with senior cricket now.

Guys using 'having kids' as an excuse to stop training and slide down a few grades to bully the opposition and beef up the stats.

When i was a junior 20 years ago i remember watching the seniors play and they had kids as well but still managed fine training twice a week and playing on a saturday.
Oh don't get me started on this. Near full teams of blokes playing about a thousand grades lower than they should. Just playing down there 'to have some fun.' Most I played against weren't having fun and played like maniacs and cheated worse than anyone (even more absurd as they really didn't need to). Long time ago now but think I copped about 3 teams like that in my first 5 matches in 2002 in B1 Mornington Peninsula.

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thejockey

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Oh don't get me started on this. Near full teams of blokes playing about a thousand grades lower than they should. Just playing down there 'to have some fun.' Most I played against weren't having fun and played like maniacs and cheated worse than anyone (even more absurd as they really didn't need to). Long time ago now but think I copped about 3 teams like that in my first 5 matches in 2002 in B1 Mornington Peninsula.

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Unfortunately that's been going on since the start of time , just more so now.
Worst I've seen was a guy who had played state 2nd x1 cricket and was still as quick and good as anyone going around in local comps . Got injured and missed a game , wasn't quite right for the next game but was pretty happy to be a bully and get some overs in so played against our 3rds .
Took 8/4 ( 4 wides ) ...... was an absolute disgrace . A few of the younger kids gave the game away after that match .
 

TigerCraig

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Oh don't get me started on this. Near full teams of blokes playing about a thousand grades lower than they should. Just playing down there 'to have some fun.' Most I played against weren't having fun and played like maniacs and cheated worse than anyone (even more absurd as they really didn't need to). Long time ago now but think I copped about 3 teams like that in my first 5 matches in 2002 in B1 Mornington Peninsula.

Sent from my XT1572 using Tapatalk

Plenty of comps now grading players so either you cant play below your grade or if you do you have restrictions (can only bowl x overs, have to bat lower than y, have to retire at z)
 
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Doesn’t happen - kids just play - give them the basics straight up they’ll have them for life

The fact that this is viewed as some sort of moral deficiency on the kids' part says more about the people in the thread than the children themselves.

There's nothing wrong with the Milo model - U10s is still plenty early to nail down the basics for the kids who are keen.
 
The fact that this is viewed as some sort of moral deficiency on the kids' part says more about the people in the thread than the children themselves.

There's nothing wrong with the Milo model - U10s is still plenty early to nail down the basics for the kids who are keen.

If the fault lies with the u10s onwards, then the participatory emphasis is still a problem from that level onwards.
 

VirgilHilts

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Apologies if it's already been covered in this thread but what age do kids start playing T20 in Australia?
 
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Apologies if it's already been covered in this thread but what age do kids start playing T20 in Australia?
They barely play any

It's far more common at state and international level than it is at club level

Maybe one of the reasons we're so s**t at it and also one of the reasons our players have become so woeful at adapting between formats
 

TigerCraig

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They barely play any

It's far more common at state and international level than it is at club level

Maybe one of the reasons we're so s**t at it and also one of the reasons our players have become so woeful at adapting between formats

?? Its pretty much all they play in some districts and in public primary and high schools
 
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?? Its pretty much all they play in some districts and in public primary and high schools
Public primary schools and high schools barely play any cricket.

Colleges do and they play two and one day cricket as they've always done.

Districts? Do you mean grade cricket? They play predominantly two and one day cricket as they've always done.
 
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The fact that this is viewed as some sort of moral deficiency on the kids' part says more about the people in the thread than the children themselves.

There's nothing wrong with the Milo model - U10s is still plenty early to nail down the basics for the kids who are keen.
You miss my point. Before you start playing any organised sport, in my view you need to have some basics in order to help you play the game but to also give you a chance to master it for yourself. Talent is totally out of your hands but if I can hold the bat right and understand that my chances of hitting the ball are increased by keeping it straight I am at least some chance of doing it. Similarly if I am taught how to hold and drop the ball correctly as a footballer, it stands a good chance of going straight. If I learn a bad habit early, it's very hard to correct. As a kid playing footy, I dropped the ball with my right hand but was a natural left footer. This caused me to be a boot banger. It wasn't until I was in high school that Gerard Fitzgerald pointed out to me what the problem was and that to keep going with my footy I needed to drop the ball with my left hand. It took me a year to get right! Similarly, why are a high majority of all the Irish recruits good kicks? Despite having never kicked an oval ball in their life? The answer is simply that from day one, they are shown the proper technique. Milo doesn't need to change much other than give the kids some basics on grip, backlift and stance - if they do that they will have it for life.
 

TigerCraig

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Public primary schools and high schools barely play any cricket.

Colleges do and they play two and one day cricket as they've always done.

Districts? Do you mean grade cricket? They play predominantly two and one day cricket as they've always done.

I know when my son was at public high school (hes now 20) they played cricket - but it was all T20

Sorry "Districts" I mean the "South Upacumbuckta West Junior Cricket Association" , not adult grade cricket

One of the reasons we have 13 year olds playing in my mens senior arvo team is to let them play more than hit & giggle with 35m boundaries
 
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