Opinion Cricket thread

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Apr 24, 2013
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Last year I watched a former Vic player (won't name names) jump around on synthetic against a bloke who touches 125kph. Kind of surprised us all but he reckoned it took him a season or so to get used to the pace and bounce of synthetic pitches.

It feels a lot faster than turf. It's great when it's a comfortable pace because it comes onto the bat so nicely but when they start cranking them up it goes from awesome to frightening pretty quickly, especially as the short ball doesn't lose much zip off the deck.

It's the two piece balls.

Sometimes you don't know what you'll get with synthetic pitches. Some are a bit tennis ball up and down (newer ones) and some have low skiddy bounce at one end and high bounce at the other.

Pace is overrated if it isn't utilised properly.

The shorter quick bowlers usually have the most dangerous short balls. It gets on you a lot quicker.
 

Themanbun

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It's the two piece balls.



Pace is overrated if it isn't utilised properly.

The shorter quick bowlers usually have the most dangerous short balls. It gets on you a lot quicker.

They use 4 piece for 2nds and above at club level these days.

Agreed re: short blokes and shorter balls. Just kind of spits up at you!
 
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They use 4 piece for 2nds and above at club level these days.

Agreed re: short blokes and shorter balls. Just kind of spits up at you!

High pace itself is a weapon that should be utilised selectively (in swinging yorkers & short balls) rather that what most young blokes actually do (tear in flat out all day). You bring the gully/point in to play a lot more this way. The real aggressive back foot batsmen should be targeted early with fly slip/3rd man & deep fine leg. Don't bother with it once they're set, you switch to the wide slower outswingers then with a deep extra cover and mid off back.
 

Themanbun

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High pace itself is a weapon that should be utilised selectively (in swinging yorkers & short balls) rather that what most young blokes actually do (tear in flat out all day). You bring the gully/point in to play a lot more this way. The real aggressive back foot batsmen should be targeted early with fly slip/3rd man & deep fine leg. Don't bother with it once they're set, you switch to the wide slower outswingers then with a deep extra cover and mid off back.

When I used to captain I always started with a fly slip or short third man - people thought I was nuts!
 
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Reminds me of an interview I read with Darryll Cullinan. He said what really turned his game around was understanding the structure of a successful innings. He worked out that when he made a big score 80% to 85% of the deliveries that he faced were either left or defended yet he spent his whole time in the nets practicing shots. He then switched his training to spend the vast majority of his time focussing on balls he wouldn't score from. How many club cricketers would practice a leave on Thursday night?
I coach juniors and I’m constantly at them to practice leaving balls especially when they first come into the net.
 
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When I used to captain I always started with a fly slip or short third man - people thought I was nuts!

It depends on your bowlers and the batsman in question.

The aggressive cutters & pullers should always be tested early if you have a bloke that will squeeze them up just outside off stump with some decent lift. Particularly a shorter quick that gets on them quickly. You're wasting your time with the dour types.
 

ChoppyGun

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lol how many bowlers do you think you’ve faced who bowl 145?

That’s quick.

No offence to K4e but his village level wouldn’t have anyone close to that.

Riley Meredith would be the only Tasmanian that bowls 145+

At least 5.

Not every ball you clown
 

rooboy_07

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Sri Lanka skittled for 135 in their 1st innings. England 127/2 in reply. Sure everyone is very interested :p
 

Thewlis Dish

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The shorter quick bowlers usually have the most dangerous short balls. It gets on you a lot quicker.

Yep, especially as they often get skid rather than true bounce. At least with a tall bloke you know it's gonna bounce - the scariest bowlers I've faced were always short quick guys with slingy actions.
 

Themanbun

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Yep, especially as they often get skid rather than true bounce. At least with a tall bloke you know it's gonna bounce - the scariest bowlers I've faced were always short quick guys with slingy actions.

I don't know the physics behind it but I feel the shorter blokes lose a lot less pace off the deck than the tall blokes.

Awesome when it's a half volley, but not fun when it's at your throat.
 
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Yep, especially as they often get skid rather than true bounce. At least with a tall bloke you know it's gonna bounce - the scariest bowlers I've faced were always short quick guys with slingy actions.

It can catch you out if their short quicker ball is well targeted and utilised sparingly.
 
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I don't know the physics behind it but I feel the shorter blokes lose a lot less pace off the deck than the tall blokes.

Awesome when it's a half volley, but not fun when it's at your throat.

It's the angle of the trajectory. The short stuff from the taller blokes allows you to work out whether to go under it or play it, but the shorter quicks can get you tied up in between the play it or leave it selections, due to the flatter trajectory.
 

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it was bad there . When NZ toured there in the 80's one of the Kiwi cricketers said to the umpire
"Why don't you just F%^k off, you're only here to count the balls and we can do that" !

Prior to match referees of course !

Bit different being in a country where the umpire knows that their family or house could be in danger if they give the local hero out though., So im not surprised you had to knock all three out over there !
 

Thewlis Dish

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I don't know the physics behind it but I feel the shorter blokes lose a lot less pace off the deck than the tall blokes.

Awesome when it's a half volley, but not fun when it's at your throat.

Steyn springs to mind. I can't think of a bowler I'd want to face less as an international batsman.

Akhtar also just shy of six foot with a low action to boot.
 

KiwiRoo

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I don't know the physics behind it but I feel the shorter blokes lose a lot less pace off the deck than the tall blokes.

Awesome when it's a half volley, but not fun when it's at your throat.


Not always about pace with a short ball..Been a few medium pacers over the journey who had a mean short ball
Steve and Mark Waugh come to mind, Craig MacMillan , Martin Crowe
im sure there are others !
 
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Not always about pace with a short ball..Been a few medium pacers over the journey who had a mean short ball
Steve and Mark Waugh come to mind, Craig MacMillan , Martin Crowe
im sure there are others !

It worked for them because it was utilised sparingly.

Danny Morrison would be indicative of the shorter quick bowlers that had a deadly short ball.
 
It's the angle of the trajectory. The short stuff from the taller blokes allows you to work out whether to go under it or play it, but the shorter quicks can get you tied up in between the play it or leave it selections, due to the flatter trajectory.
There’s a stack of them in the lower grades. I just leave them, or get behind them if they are straight and have a go if they are in the sweet spot outside wide outside off stump. Not a compulsive hooker/puller/cutter, but I do love my cover drives.
 
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There’s a stack of them in the lower grades. I just leave them, or get behind them if they are straight and have a go if they are in the sweet spot outside wide outside off stump. Not a compulsive hooker/puller/cutter, but I do love my cover drives.

A seasoned batsman knows not to underestimate these blokes, as they can get you out if you don't give them respect.
 

Swallow_Wood

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When I used to captain I always started with a fly slip or short third man - people thought I was nuts!
I've started using one very recently when opening the bowling. I'm not super quick but tall enough and with a high release point. Playing on turf I get some nice pop off the seam and had 5-6 chances off tight, rising deliveries just go over the slips over the course of a few weeks. Fairly confident this placement will pay off soon.
 
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