CrICkeTTips on Bowl ing Batt ing &F ie ld ing

Ideas for Games &

Act iv i t ies to try

Contents

TK

v1

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Cricket basics Fielding: Catching - Near and Far . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Fielding: Stopping and Throwing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 & 5

Batting: Grip and Stance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Batting: Backswing and Step . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

The Bowling Action - Bowling from the ‘Base Position’ . . . 8

Each skill contains a small number of basic points. These points are

designed for players to consider in order to develop a simple plan to

perform some of the game’s basics. N.B. some photos feature

different types of cricket balls than those included in your kit bag.

Game suggest ions and set up Pairs Cricket . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Non-Stop / Continuous Cricket . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Danish Rounders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

French Cricket . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Pairs Batting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Cricket Rounders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Street 20 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

3

Front

Catching - Far”

Catching - Near Used when a fielder is positioned

close to the batter and requires

quick reactions.

Used when fielding some distance

away from the batter and requires

good judgement.

Basic points

Knees flexed(approximately shoulder width

apart, weight evenly distributed).

Hands together(fingers pointing down).

Watch the ball.

Relaxed hands at the moment

of the catch.

Basic points

Move quicklyBalanced and low.

Head steady. Watch the ball

Hands relaxed and ready(Prepared at or just above

eye level).

Catch at or just below eye level.

Relaxed hands at the moment

of the catch.

Used when backing up or a ball has been

struck hard and low or on rough ground,

and when it is not possible to use two

hands to intercept the ball.

Stopping

Throwing

Basic points

Balanced and low approach.

Barrier at right-angles to the

path of the ball.

Kneel on non-throwing knee

next to heel of throwing foot.

Head over the ball fingers

pointing down hands together

watch the ball.

Strong throwing position

established.

Warm up your arms with gentle throws and catches.

side view front view

4

Back

5

Front

Back leg

trails

until after

release

of the

ball.

Throwing

elbow

shoulder

level or

above.

Full

follow

through.

1

2

3

4

Long

stride

and

back-

swing

with wrist

rotation.

Basic points

Ideal throwing grip:

across the

seam

Start from a side on

position, point the non-

throwing arm at the

target

Throwing cont inued

sideview

frontview

6

Back

All successful strokes

start with an effective grip,

stance, backswing and step.

Basic points

Fingers and thumb wrappedaround the bat handle, asyou would hold a large axe.

The “Vs” between thumbsand forefingers in line(between splice and edge).

Hands close together.

Basic points

Relaxed. Feet parallel andfoot length apart.

Top hand against inside thefront thigh.

Weight evenly distributed,knees flexed.

Side-on position.

Eyes level over the toes.

Grip

Stancesideview

frontview

7

Front

Stance Bat tap

Backswing and Step forward

Backswing and Step back

Backswing

1. Set up

Using the stance demonstrated earlier

you then need to prepare for the

delivery of the ball.

Lift the bat up as demonstrated in the

picture.

2. Backswing

Prior to the bowler releasing the ball you

need to swing the bat behind you

(as shown)

Keep the bat handle close to your body -

in line with, and underneath your shoulders.

3. Backswing and Step

Front foot shots (ball bounce is low or

stump high) - when you are ready to

strike the ball step forward towards it,

at the same time swing your bat

through the ball and hit it!

Back foot shots (ball bounce is higher

and over the stumps) when you are

ready to strike the ball step back and

across towards it’s path, at the same

time swing your bat through the ball and hit it!

Watch the ball carefully, try to make contact with the ball underneath your

head - moving your head towards the path of the ball will help to get you in

position quickly.

Backswing and Step

8

Back

The Bowl ing Act ion - Bowling from the ‘Base Position’

The bowling action is a sequence of movements which take place just

before and just after the ball is bowled.

‘Base Position’

Basic points

Grip

(Seam vertical, side of thumb

on seam underneath ball.

Index and middle fingers

on either side of seam).

‘Base Position’

Back foot parallel,

comfortable stride

towards target,

hips & shoulders in line,

body weight forward,

hands gathered in

front of face.

Action

Front arm pushes out

towards target, bowling

hand pushes out and

down, full arm swing and

shoulder rotation, back

leg steps through, head

steady throughout.

The bowling arm

follows the front arm

in a windmill-like

movement.

Aim to bounce the

ball just in front of

the batter.

sideview

frontview

9

Front

Pairs CricketPairs rotate to new roles after 12good balls (wides do not count)No boundaries. Batters may run onlyif the ball is hit in front of the wicket.

Batters lose 3 runs each time they arebowled, caught, run out or hit wicket.

Winners are the pair with the mostruns when every pair has batted.

Adaptation / Variation :

Decrease/increase distances.

Decrease/increase the size of thewicket.

Introduce marked boundaries andboundary scores.

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Divide players into 2 equal groups andthen into pairs.

Pair A = 2 batters who start with 20runs.

Pair B = 1 bowler and 1 wicket keeper.

Other pairs spread evenly as fielders.

Batting pair receive 12 balls.

If a bowled ball passes outside eithercone to the left or right of the wicket, a ‘wide’ is called - the batters receive 1 run and an extra ball is bowled.

10

Back

Non-Stop / Cont inuous Cricket

A batter who is not out after facing 6balls must change with the next batter.

Batters take turn to umpire and score.The team with the most runs wins.

Adaptation / Variation :

Decrease / increase - length of the pitch- distance between cones & wickets.

Including disabled players

Vary the distance batters need to run.

Have fewer fielders or have them stand further back or further apart.

Use adapted or single-handed grip.

Measure score by distance hit.

Fielders work in pairs.

Batter may use a runner.

Each team bats for a set period of time(e.g. 8-10 minutes).

Bowler bowls underarm from at least 10 metres.

Each bowler has 6 deliveries beforebeing replaced.

Batter has to run whether or not the ballis hit and may run more than once.

Batter has to run around a cone (use 2, one each side, for left and right-handers).

Fielders throw underarm back to thebowler, as quickly as possible, whobowls when ready.

The batter is out when bowled, caught or hit wicket, and the next batter moves in quickly to take their place.

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11

Front

Danish roundersThe group is organised into 2 equalteams as illustrated.

Each batter strikes the ball which hasbeen served by the bowler andattempts to run around the cones andback to the base line.

The fielding team must retrieve the balland throw it to each of the bases inorder, attempting to beat the runningbatter to the final base.

The batting team continues for a setamount of time or until all the battersare all out; teams then rotate.

The team which completes the mostruns (rounders) are deemed winners.

Adaptation / Variation :

Decrease / increase - the size of the base area- the distance between bases.

Add more bases.

Vary bowling speed and type, e.g.bounce the balll in front of the batter.

Change the bowler after six deliveries,fielders to take turns to bowl.

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Back

FrenchCricket

Each batter bats for a set period oftime or agreed number of deliveries,unless dismissed.

The aim of the fielders is to dismissthe batter. This is achieved by theball gently hitting the batter's legsbelow the knees or by the batterbeing caught by one of the fielders.

When a fielder retrieves the ball theycan bowl at the batter or pass toanother fielder to bowl. All bowlingmust be under arm.

The batter should remain in a 'fixed'stance, with their legs stationaryand in the same position for theduration of their innings.

Adaptation / Variation :

Decrease / increase - the size of the playing area- the number of fielders

Batters can be dismissed caught one-handed when the ball bounces once.

Add boundaries to score 4s and 6s.

Batters can change stance, to facethe bowler, if they successfully hit the ball.

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13

Front

Pairs Batt ingThe group is organised into 2 equalteams as illustrated. Ideally there should be 3 pairs of players per team.

Players bat in pairs for 2 complete“overs” (6 deliveries per over). Noboundaries - all scores have to be run.

Batters can be bowled, caught or runout in the normal way. However, theyremain in but 5 runs is deducted fromthe score for every wicket that thebatting team loses.

All fielders bowl 1 over each for acompleted innings before the teamsrotate.

The team with the highest overallscore wins. The pair with the highestpartnership score wins.

Adaptation / Variation :

Decrease / increase - the size of the playing area- the number of fielders

Run every delivery that is played at(as with Non-Stop / ContinuousCricket).

Vary bowling speed and type.

Change the scoring – add boundariesto score 4s and 6s.

Players waiting to bat can use thetime to practice their catching.

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Back

Cricket roundersThe bowler serves the ball underarm,one bounce, to player 1 of the battingteam who is standing at the crease.

Bowler to change after six deliveries.

Player 1 hits the ball and runs to firstbase or further if possible, dependingon where the ball was hit.

Batter 2 replaces batter 1 and so on.

To complete a run a batter has tosuccessfully reach fourth base; theythen join the back of the line ifsuccessful.

Batters can be bowled, caught or run out; once out they must join theback of the line. Fielders must attemptto retrieve the ball and throw it to thenearest base fielder or to a base fielderwhere there is a chance of a run out.

An innings can be a timed innings oruntil all are out.

The team with the most runs(rounders) are the winners.

Adaptation / Variation :

Decrease / increase - the size of the base area- the distance between bases.

Add more bases.

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15

Front

Games last 20 legal deliveries per teamor until the batting team is all out. Lastman stands, with a runner. No LBWs.

All the fielding team except keeper mustbowl 4 balls. If not, 6 runs are added tothe batting team’s score for each ballnot bowled. All bowling from one end.

If you hit the ball out of the definedplaying area you’re out but you score 6.

You can be caught off the walls or fence(& ceiling if indoors) but still score 1 runfor hitting the wall.

Indoors: no runs for hitting the ceilingbut you score runs by running.

ideal for playing in five-a-side pitches, basketball courts and sports halls

1 run for hitting side walls or wall behind the wicket keeper, plus 1 for each run you run.

4 runs for hitting the front wall(behind bowler) if the ball bouncesand 1 for each run you run. If you’rerun out after hitting a 4, it still countsto your score.

6 runs for hitting the front wall if theball does bounce or hit the ceiling orside wall. The ball is dead after a 6and the batter can’t be caught orscore more runs by running.

Balls down the leg side are wides.Wides & no balls score 3 but the ballisn’t bowled again except the last over of each innings.

Street 20 ......

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More game ideas can be found at

www.ecb.co.uk/easycricket