CRICKET Travellers Sports Coaching Manual

CRICKET Travellers Sports Coaching Manual Issue Date of Issue CR/DR Numbers CHANGE HISTORY No. of Pages Pages Changed and Reasons for Change 1 12-11-14 11 First Edition New Format

Travellers Sports Cricket Coaching Manual - Page 2 of 11 TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION... 2 DIMENSIONS OF THE PITCH & CRICKET POSITIONS... 2 WARM UP... 3 COOL DOWN... 3 FIELDING... 3 BATTING... 5 BATTING DRILLS... 7 BOWLING... 8 FUN GAMES... 9 FITNESS... 9 TIPPS TO BECOME A SUCCESSFUL COACH... 10 REFERENCES... 11 INTRODUCTION Cricket in certain countries is a very popular game and in countries like India it is a religion. As a Travellers Cricket Coach you have the opportunity to coach and develop the game of Cricket and share your skills to people who may never of been coached before giving them the opportunity to learn the game in a structured organized manner, your placement will make a huge difference to those people you coach and will impact their lives in many ways. This coaching manual has been specifically designed for your cricket placement incorporating the skills that you will need to have when on your placement. The manual has been designed for coaching of 6 18 year olds in mind where by each drill can vary difficulty depending on age and ability of the group. As a coach it is up to you how to adapt these drills and often add your own drills in to the session. DIMENSIONS OF THE PITCH & CRICKET POSITIONS

Travellers Sports Cricket Coaching Manual - Page 3 of 11 WARM UP Warming up is an important part of the coaching sessions; it avoids injury and will teach the children valuable lessons. There is a stretching manual available for you as a volunteer that can be used to do the stretches with. When warming up for cricket, a typical warm up session for last for 10 15 minutes of light jogging and stretching. When stretching it is important to stretch the upper body very well as a lot of pressure is placed on the shoulders and neck especially when bowling and batting. COOL DOWN When warming down again take the players for a light jog and stretch the muscles of correctly especially the upper body to avoid injury. FIELDING Fielding is an important component of the game because it contributes to the teams effort by saving runs, running out and catching the batter, pressuring opponents into making mistakes and giving moral support to the bowlers. Throwing to the Stumps There are two main throwing positions: 1. Long vertical over arm throw & Shoulder level throw distance and accuracy, infield for speed 1. Underarm throw extreme speed of return Vertical overarm throw shoulder level throw Move behind the line of the ball Pick the ball up Right foot at right angles to the line of the throw, body position side on the target Left arm pointing in the direction of the throw eyes looking over the left shoulder at the target. Take the throwing arm back up in a wide arc for the over-arm throw with the bent elbow of the throwing arm leading towards the target. For the shoulder-level throw the throwing arm is taken back fully and is coming through sideways towards the target. Weight transfer from back to front foot Follow through Underarm throw Move quickly behind the line of the ball Put the right foot next to the ball and pick it up with the right hand Lock your wrist and elbow so that the throwing arm is straight. Follow through with your arm and body towards the target. Throwing & Catching Drills Vertical overarm throw drill Get the players into pairs 10 meters apart Get them to throw the vertical overarm throw to each other Each time they both catch the ball they both take a step backwards making the drill harder Each time they drop the ball they come in a step

Travellers Sports Cricket Coaching Manual - Page 4 of 11 Do this drill for around 5 minutes Underarm throwing drill Get the players into pairs 5 meters apart Get them to throw the underarm throw to each other alternating each hand they pass with and catch with every time After 5 minutes change the drill to keep them fresh Defensive Fielding Long Barrier When possible the fielder moves into the line of the ball moving right, if they are a right-handed thrower. The right foot is at right angles and behind the line of the ball, as the left knee bends fully to the ground just in front of the right heel. This presents a long barrier to the ball. The eyes watch the ball into the hands, which are close together, fingers pointing down and just touching the ground. If the fielder has to move left and it s a right-handed thrower, he still makes the barrier only in this case dropping on to the right knee. From this position he takes one pace, pivoting on the right foot to achieve the throwing position. Retrieving Aim: To retrieve a ball that the batter has sent past him and to return it in the fastest possible time. Sprint after the ball at full speed. As you reach the ball it is picked up immediately alongside the foot below the throwing hand ( right foot right hand ) Straighten up and turn, pointing your front leg towards the target Return the ball as quickly as possible along the line your front leg is pointing ( throw on the turn ) Defensive fielding Drills Long Barrier Drill Get the players into pairs 15 meters apart or further depending on age etc One member of the pair starts with the ball and rolls it to his partner The partner assumes the long barrier stance and picks up the ball He then rolls it back to his partner who does the long barrier This drill continues for 5 minutes, to advance the drill have the player rolling the ball to role it in different directions so that the fielder has to move around Retrieving Drill Get the players to line up in a line facing the outfield As the coach you hit a ball in any direction depending on age etc The player at the front of the queue has to sprint to the ball picking it up and throwing it back to you as quick as he can After the first player has you hit the ball to the second player in the queue who again returns the ball to you, continue the drill until every player has had 3 goes each Catching Close Catch The close catching positions are all near the wicket and is used when a catch is dodged or struck to these positions. Legs comfortably apart and equally balanced on the balls of the feet Arms should be extended and slightly bent to act as a shock absorber

Travellers Sports Cricket Coaching Manual - Page 5 of 11 Hands together and relaxed with your fingers pointing downwards Watch the ball into your hands Don t grab the ball-let your hands give Elbows away from the body Outfield Catching Watch the ball, the bowler and batter all the time Walk in with the bowler When the catch is hit, get the flight of the ball and move quickly into line behind it Stretch out your arms to take the catch from your hands together with the fingers spread Catch the ball at a comfortable distance from your body just above or below eye level As the ball strikes your hands, bend your arms and let your hands give Wicket keeping The wicket keeper is the most important fielder in cricket. The stance for the wicket keeper is as follows: Having adopted the correct stance, the body should rise as you judge the bounce of the ball. Move the feet and body to get into line with the ball. If the ball is below chest height then take the ball with fingers pointing down. If the ball is higher than twist the head and body and take the ball with hands horizontal. BATTING Teaching good batting technique is important with children so that they grasp the correct technique at a young age. Gripping the Bat Hands should be held close together towards the top of the handle, with the fingers and thumbs curled well around. Receiving the ball - the Stance The head should be up, the eyes are level and the leading shoulder is pointing towards the bowler. The knees are slightly flexed.

Travellers Sports Cricket Coaching Manual - Page 6 of 11 Batting Technique The Back-Foot Drive The back foot is played to punish a ball which bounces short of a good length, usually just outside the line of the stumps. 1. Backswing As the bowler is about to deliver the ball, lift the bat back in the back swing movement. The Backswing is straight and in line with the middle and off stumps. Your top hands controls this action. The back swing for a back-foot drive is high for power. 2. Foot movement When you know the ball will bounce short of a length, move your back foot back towards the stumps and the offside, bringing your legs and body into position just inside the line of the ball. Pull your front foot back to your rear foot. The foot movement will take you close to the stumps, giving you more time to slight the ball. 3. Weight transference and body position The weight should be firmly on the ball of the back foot with the front foot acting as a counter-balance. Your leading shoulder, side and front elbow should point towards the balls flight. Backward Defensive Shot The backward defensive shot is used when a ball pitches just short of a length and bounces about weight height. 1.Backswing Swing the bat before the bowler releases the ball in line with the middle and off stump. 2.Head and shoulder movement Head and shoulder move back across directly behind the line of the ball. Keep your head steady, eyes alongside the leading shoulder. 3.Foot movement Back foot moves back and across, just inside the line of the ball parallel with the batting and bowling creases. Draw front foot back to your back foot with the front foot acting as a balancing agent with its toes slightly resting on the ground. 4.Weight transfer and body position Aim your front elbow and shoulder at the ball with hip pointing at mid-on. Front elbow pointing upwards. Chest faces cover point. Weight should be firmly on the back foot with a certain percentage transferred back onto the front foot acting as a counter balance. 5. Bat The bat swings down from the top of the backlift with a bent front elbow pointing upwards. The bottom of the bat must remain behind the handle of the bat with the bottom hand changing in a forefinger and thumb grip. Moving out to drive The move out to drive shot is played when a short bowl is bowled. Take a long step down the wicket with your front foot. The head should be steady with eyes on the ball and the front shoulder pointing at the line of the ball. Draw the back foot up to and behind the front in a sideways skipping crab like motion and transfer your weight to the back foot once more Move the front foot forward towards and alongside the bounce of the ball

Travellers Sports Cricket Coaching Manual - Page 7 of 11 and continue the movement of the forward of the drive. Lofted drive over mid off This shot is played to the ball pitching just short of the half volley, just on or outside the off stump. The bat should be raised up ready for the attacking shot; the weight of the body is beginning to come forward. The bat is brought down towards the ball and the hit is made, the bottom hand swinging past the left, angling the ball into the air. The thrust of the bottom hand and the acceleration of the bat to the ball put the power into the shot. When the ball is hit the right arm is straight, carrying on in the direction of the hit. The weight goes back on to the right leg. The eyes look past the right arm at the flight if the hit. The hips turn and the trunk opens up with the full follow through the bat. The Sweep The sweep is usually played to a ball of good length pitching outside the stump The head and shoulder lead to bring the pad onto the lien of the ball The knee of the back leg bends. The arms are at full stretch as they bring the bat down. A good finish will be with the head over the front knee and not turning away too early. The Cut The cut is used to play a short pitch delivery that is wide of the off stump and that is about waist height and that does not lift sharply. Just before the bowler lets go of the ball swing the bat back, straight at first. Move your foot back and across the wicket towards the off side. The weight should be on the back foot leaving the front foot resting on the ground. The front foot should be slightly towards the back foot. The bat should swing horizontally from behind the back shoulder. Straighten your arms and strike the ball downwards at a point level with the back hip. When you have played the shot bring the bat down and across the front of your body at arms length finishing over the front shoulder. The face of the bat should point downwards. The weight must remain on the back foot throughout the playing of the strike. BATTING DRILLS Front foot drive drill Set up 3 goalposts targets infront of the wicket at different angles. The bowler throws the ball to the batter at a distance of 8 meters on the half volley The batter has to hit the ball through the targets for practice The rest of the players are the fielders retrieving the ball The batter scores 1 point for each ball hit through the posts, the batsman change after every 10 hits Using the Nets Using the nets for batting practice is important, if on your placement you get the opportunity to use cricket nets make sure you get the most out of them. They will be very beneficial for your players who are batting and bowling.

Travellers Sports Cricket Coaching Manual - Page 8 of 11 Running Between the Wicket Running between the wickets is more important that most people realize. There are a number of points that you should teach your players when coaching running between the wickets. The striker is responsible for calling when the ball is struck in front of the wicket, whilst the non-striker calls for all strokes played behind the wicket. A call, if refused, must be refused at once with a decisive NO. Once batters have started for a run they must go straight through with it at all costs. Under all circumstances, initial calling, whether by the striker or non-striker, should be restricted to one of these three calls. YES, NO or WAIT. If a call of WAIT has been made this must be immediately followed by a call of YES or NO. A batter must get into the habit of reinforcing his first call when passing his partner with a comment such as two or look for three. A call for a second run should be the batter returning to the wicket most likely to be endangered by the fielders throw. When running between the wicket the batter must, when necessary be prepared to change his bat from one hand to the other to enable him to watch the ball without having to look over his shoulder before turning. BOWLING Bowling is a very important aspect of the game and a good bowler will win you the game, teaching good bowling techniques is vital for children to become good players. Swing Bowling A swing bowler will cause the ball to move in mid air. The direction the seem points and the amount of polish on the ball with dictate its flight path. There are two types of balls the can be bowled the inswinger and the outswinger. The Inswinger The inswinger moves in the air and cuts across the batter, and away down the leg-side. To gain maximum swing, only half of the seem pointing towards off side. The fingers on top of the ball should be close together, and the thumb supporting the seam. When making the delivery the bowler should stand to the side of the wicket. He point of aim is on, or slightly outside off stump. After pitching it will swing in towards the wicket. The Outswinger The outswinger swings in the air to the off side. The best place for it to pitch is on middle and off, and bowled with a full length. This time the outer side of the ball should be shined and the seam should point approximately towards first slip. The thumb is placed underneath the seam and the two top fingers are placed either side of the seam. Off Spinner For the leg spin in the delivery stride, accentuate the movement of your front foot to the leg side by pointing your front toe towards fine leg. Bowl against your front leg and swivel on your font toe. This will increase the amount of drift towards the off side in the air and the degree of spin. Grip Grip the ball around the seam and in the top joints of your index finger and either the second or third finger. You should be able to see light between the ball and the palm of the hand. Your index finger should be bent and you should exert tension between the top joints of the two fingers gripping the ball. Rest your thumb and little finger lightly on the seam. Release Release the ball at the top of the bowling action, early for more light and late for quicker delivery. At the moment of release the seam should be angled in a line between cover and backward leg.

Travellers Sports Cricket Coaching Manual - Page 9 of 11 Leg Break The leg break spin grip has the seem of the ball in the index, second and third finger, and the ball is spun off the first knuckle of the index and third finger. The ball is very firmly in the fingers and the back of the hand faces the onside just before delivery and finishes up facing the bowlers head when the ball has been released the ball spins from leg to off. FUN GAMES Kwik cricket Kwik cricket is a fun and quick game hence the name. 1. Set up the wickets opposite each other sideways instead of facing each other in a normal layout 2. Allocate a batsman and a wicket keeper among the players and the rest of the players are the fielders 3. As the coach you bowl the ball under arm to the batsman, if the batsman hits the ball he has to run to the opposite wicket and run back to the starting wickets. 4. The fielders have to return the ball to you as soon as possible; when you get the ball you can bowl at the wickets even if the batsman is still running this makes the game very fast and hectic. 5. Make sure each player counts how many runs they make and when the batsman is out have a rotation system where by a fielder becomes the batsman and the batsman now becomes wicket keeper so that players have a go at every position. FITNESS When undertaking fitness for cricket it is important to make the fitness exercises relevant for cricket, for example short sprints and turning on the mark. Up and Downs This drill is aimed to improve fitness as well as improve turning on a mark. Ensure players touch the line with their foot, if they do not then make them go back until they have. Mark out a grid with cones spread 5 meters apart the number of cones and distances will depend on the players age. Players run from the starting cone to the 1 st cone, touch it and turn around back to the starting cone. Players then run from the starting cone to the 2 nd cone, touch it and turn back to the starting cone

Travellers Sports Cricket Coaching Manual - Page 10 of 11 Players then run from the starting cone to the 3 rd cone, touch it and turn back to the starting cone The drill continues with a number of cones depending on what you feel there level of fitness is. Repeat the drill a number of times depending on the age of the children and the heat etc. Allow 5 minutes rest in-between each set. Short Sprints Using the wicket get the children to line up next to the stumps. One at a time get them to sprint to the other wicket. When every child has run to the opposite wicket get them to sprint back to the other wicket. Repeat this drill a number of times depending on the age of the players etc. Short sprints to retrieve the ball As the coach throw or role out the ball to a certain marker maybe 15 or 20 meters depending on there age. Using the skills they have learnt from you get them to sprint to the ball, picking it up and use the vertical overarm throw to return the ball to you. Once one player has returned the ball throw the ball to the next player for them to throw it back to you. Repeat this drill a number of times giving each player an opportunity to work on there fitness. TIPS TO BECOME A SUCCESSFUL COACH Speak Clearly When you are coaching it is important that you speak clearly and in a loud voice if coaching to a large group. Also ask the children if they understand and don t be afraid to repeat yourself if they do not understand which they often don t because of your accent. Keep questioning the players When coaching young players it is essential that they understand why and how they are doing a particular drill or skill. When doing a drill explain to them in detail the coaching techniques so that they understand exactly what is asked of them. Also ask the players to repeat what you have asked them to do, this will ensure that they remember it for next time. Repeat the drill/skill until players get it right When doing a drill or skill make sure that the players understand what is asked of them, also keep working on the particular drill or skill if they cannot do it don t just skip on to the next one as it won t help their future cricket development. Ensure that the players are hydrated When coaching cricket you are likely to be coaching in a very hot country. It is essential that you keep yourself hydrated as well as your players. Encourage your players to bring lots of water with them to training and include plenty of water breaks in the session. Check the playing surface Often when your coaching you will find that the pitch will not be clean. It is important that before a session you check the playing surface and remove any thing that could cause harm to the players. Keep children moving Children should never be standing around waiting in a queue for their turn at a drill. If children are resting for more than 20 seconds to restart the drill, then try and set up another drill again alongside the first. Alternatively set up a second drill of a different skill that the children can do whilst waiting in line. A good balance of hard work and fun Always remember that fun is definitely part of each game and practice! If you run your team into the ground during hard practice sessions and never let them have a chance to smile, relax, or blow off some steam, you'll soon discover that you have transformed play into work for the children. Let the kids get their work done on the field and then let them have some time off a bit in practice. Come game time, you'll find that they will be more focused. Lead by example As a coach you should lead by example to gain the trust and respect of the kids. Coaches of children are seen as role models and therefore the position carries responsibility. How you behave, dress and your attitude all set an example. These high standards will rub off.

Travellers Sports Cricket Coaching Manual - Page 11 of 11 Concentration Children s concentration spans are known to be less than adults. Having the full concentration of the children will increase the value of all exercises and drills considerably. Be realistic, and be ready to move on to the next drill when concentration wanes. A number of skills exercises each done for less than 3 minutes at maximum intensity provides a superior training session compared to one exercise done time after time. REFERENCES www.hants.org.uk www.cricketcoachingmats.com www.news.bbc.co.uk Bakers, Key notes for potential South African cricket coaches, Northlands SA. ENJOY YOUR TRIP! Copyright 2014. TRAVELQUEST LIMITED. All Rights Reserved. No part of this document may be used, translated into another language, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written consent of TRAVELQUEST LIMITED. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this document, TRAVELQUEST LIMITED assumes no responsibility for omissions and errors. Neither is any liability assumed for damages resulting from the use of information contained herein. TRAVELQUEST LIMITED reserves the right to revise any information contained in this document without prior notice. Questions or comment regarding this document or the project to which it relates should be directed to: Travellers Worldwide 2A Caravelle House, 17/19 Goring Road, Worthing, West Sussex BN12 4AP, England Tel: +44 (0)1903 502595 - Fax: +44 (0)1903 708179 Email: info@travellersworldwide.com Web: www.travellersworldwide.com