photo credit: nellistc
I've never been a professional player, but I've coached, played with and against many who have.
As you are reading this site I'm guessing you have aspirations to make it in some way yourself. I know I have despite my rational brain telling me that it's impossible considering my talent level and age.
You may still have a chance though. If you do, here are my observations on how it's done.
The basics (Skip this bit if you know the structure of cricket in the UK, otherwise read on)
In the UK cricket is run by the ECB. There are 18 fully professional county clubs that can take you on. Below this level there are several local recreational leagues. The best of these are called Premier Leagues but still run on an amateur basis. Most recreational clubs are affiliated to the ECB and players join the clubs (usually at a junior age). If you are good enough at your junior level your club can put you forward to play at a higher representative level within the county you are in.
The best players are playing first eleven club cricket and regular representative cricket by age 16. These are the guys who get first refusal for the professional county academies: the youth scheme all counties operate. Once you are in that system you are well on your way.
Alternatively, you could attend a University that has been allocated as a Centre of Cricketing Excellence (UCCE) and get spotted for a county through the University competition.
Older players can still make it though.
Good performances at senior club level or in the minor counties (non-professional representative cricket) can be rewarded with a county trial well into your twenties. The older you get the less likely this is to happen.
Additionally, there are many clubs who employ players on a short term basis as player coaches or paid professionals. Not many players can make a career of this but there are opportunities for good players not quite good enough to make it at first class level. You generally need to contact clubs directly to be considered and you will need a substantial track record in runs and/or wickets to have a serious chance.
The overseas basics
If you want to play professionally in the UK and you are based overseas it's a lot more difficult. You will need a work permit and to play county cricket that means having played at International level for your country of birth (although there are some loopholes).
More realistically is working in the UK as an overseas player for a recreational club. There are many clubs looking for good overseas players but most go though agencies like CricX for them. If you are of professional standard in your own country consider contacting a decent agency as that is the fastest route in.
How to make it as a professional
Now you know the basic system you need to know how to play it to maximise your chance.
- Be talented. There is no getting around this one I'm afraid. You need a basic semblance of ability to make it to the top. While there are many ways to maximise what you have (see below), if you have nothing to start with you will never make it. Be realistic with yourself and your talent and set lesser goals than making the county squad at least to start with.
- Have a lucky birthday. Due to the way age groups are calculated, the older kids in those groups are statistically more likely to succeed. This is because they will naturally be bigger and stronger growing up and so will be given more chances to play at a higher level and with better coaching. This has been proven in professional football where there is a lopsided number of players born at a certain time of the year.
OK, there is not much you can do about those things. What about the stuff you can control?
- Practice all the time. You know the law of 10,000 and with a bit of talent you can reach the magic number in about 10 years. The earlier you start the better and the more you can play and practice the better. There is no substitute. In addition to this you can get professional help from private academies to get the best bang for your buck. I recommend Ian Pont's Mavericks Cricket Academy and Pro Cricket Coaching Academy. There are several others though.
- Be pushy. If you are working hard at your game and producing results you deserve to be noticed. If that isn't happening you can push yourself into the limelight. Ask your coaches what you need to do to get to the next level and keep coming back to them when you have done what they asked. Jut do it in a polite way!
- Find a mentor. A mentor is an uncommon thing in cricket but it can make a big difference to whether you can make it or not. Mentors can not only help you (and how much they help is up to you), they can also argue your case for moving to the next level. Find someone you trust and admire and be confident enough to ask them their opinion. Most people love to talk about themselves so listen to what they say and see what you can learn.
- Become a coach. Doing a coaching qualification teaches you as much about your game as it does about coaching. You learn to interact with people and you learn the techniques most likely to give you success. I would recommend everyone who wants to be a pro to take at least the ECB Level 2 award with aims to get to Level 3 or 4 eventually.
- Know you mental game. Cricket can be won and lost in the head probably more than any other game. It's essential to learn the techniques to make your mental toughness and will to win as well developed as your cover drive (or googly). Study and practice this element relentlessly until it is part of your make up. You need to be able to bounce back from failure, win ugly and ride the wave of success in equal measures. That takes time but you will be playing so much (see above) you have plenty of games to hone the skills.
However, most importantly, there is one thing all aspiring professional cricketers should do: Subscribe to miCoach and let me know how your mission goes. I have faith in you.
Update: There is now a podcast that expands on this post. You can listen to it here.
© Copyright miSport Holdings Ltd 2008
[...] to become a professional cricketer Craig Ballantyne wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptI’ve never been a professional [...]
Here's a query for you.
you said that you cant play county cricket unless you have played cricket for your country
internationally....
Here is my situation, I am at school in the Caribbean, and I am working with a very realistic chance of getting a scholarship to Oxford UCCE....even if I dont get a scholarship I will still be looking to come and go to university over there (UK)
As I said before I play at a very high level in my island and I have represented at U1 level and am trying to get on my islands U19 team...
So what are my options?
My goals are firstly to secure an education and then get signed with a county and then ultimately play test cricket.
Can you please reply.
Nick
sorry I meant U15 not U1
I think the legal experts would know more than me. As far as I know anyone qualified for the West Indies can play as a Kolpak player. You can also qualify via 5 years residency in the UK although you would have to give up any chance of playing for the West Indies in doing so.
Why would I give up any chance for playing for WI
Because qualification via residency requires you to give up that right and play for England instead. It's not compulsory of course, it's your choice.
i have browse this website i want to know what steps i have to take practically to play a domestic cricket as i am 23yrs all rounder.
(India)
Azim, I'm afraid I don't know the system in India but the tips remain the same. What are you doing at the moment?
Ok, thanks for clearing that up David
Good luck Nick and let me know how it goes!
Explain this...Ruel brathawithe was spotted by Bill Athey and was carried to england to study at dulwich from which he moved on to longhborough(spelling?) and he is now playing for Surrey.
Now Ruel has not been in England for 5 years or has he ever represented WI senior side....he just got a scholarship and look where he is now...
I use this as my inspiration and am asking you to explain this one...
http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/england/content/player/244499.html
Thats his profile
I suspect because he is a student and therefore not working as a cricketer full time he is not subject to the same strict work permit rules for overseas players.
ok, so what would happen when he complete his education (one years time)??
I want to stress I'm not expert on this so you will need to confirm this information. If he is taken on a full time contract with a county he will need to qualify in some way as he would be unlikely to get a work permit. If he qualifies as a Kolpak player he will be fine. He also has a chance of staying if he says he wants to qualify via residency.
Having coached junior cricket for the past 5 years or so I note that in our junior county set up players selected at age 11 generally stay in the county side right through until U16/17, whilst lads who develop in their early teens don't get a look in. This means that the stronger 11 years olds are favoured over the potentially better technically equiped players who develop later.
I wonder if this is the same in all counties? I have seen players with junior county caps who would struggle to get into our club junior sides and players at our club and elsewhere who can't get county recognition and therefore lose out on a valuable chance of being "spotted".
When we next talk about lack of English talent maybe we should look at the way selection works at the county junior level and question if this is leading to us missing out on many talented players.
Ian that is very poor management from the rep coaches. It's also counter productive. The best players will win you games.Have you tried speaking to the coaches to see their reasons for not selecting talented players?
When questioned the response is normally "we like to keep the team/squad together" and "we looked at the others but thought they were not quite ready". I know all judgements on cricketers are subjective but the fact that in my county there is such a low "churn" factor of new players coming in after age 11/12 doesn't seem to give the best answer. I wonder if anyone has done research on whether this is a countrywide issue or just in our county?
Hello my name is umang. i am bourn 4-12-1987.i had played Cricket at school level.I am playing at collage level.There is not enough coaching &faciliTy avilable to go next level.If i have given chance to be prepare for my cricket then just after 1 year i am /will be playing next level.
Hello umang, good luck.
Hey David, I also have aspirations to become a professional one day, but I hope to earn this position through one of the UCCE teams that I hope to join in a couple of years time, I was wondering if you or Ian knew of the amount of skill players from the UCCE teams have and generally what speed the fastest of them are expected to bowl at.
Also I heard from someone that weight training isnt the right way to try and increase pace as a fast bowler due to high chances of stiffnes in arms etc. is this true? and if so are there any other effective ways? Thanks
great questions Waqur. To answer your question about stiffness, I am afraid that is a total myth. Look here for more information: http://www.pitchvision.com/why-cricketers-need-strength-training/ and http://www.pitchvision.com/why-ian-botham-is-wrong-about-cricket-fitness/ and http://www.pitchvision.com/cricket-fitness-myths/
As for the UCCE I have not seen the standard personally so it may be worth trying to get to a game or two this year to see. However I know the best play the counties preseason and although it is one sided, many players are potentially at first class level and many others play regular county 2nd XI or minor county cricket. I would estimate a UCCE to be around county 2nd team level.
Thanks a lot mate
No problem Waqar. Let me know how you get on!
my age is 21 can i able to become a internatinol player for any team or country
Theoretically Ranjith you can. You would have to qualify under the country rules though.
can u help me?? to become a internatinol player
im a good fast bowler n slog hitter...
i can murder the opposite batsmen through my fast bwlng...
Ranjith, I would love to help you but I am no expert. Have you contacted the local representive side to try and get a trial?
im not getting the contact of higher official..
its ok thanks for ur great suggestion n help.. if my luck is der den i would get a chance..
David Hinchliffe where u from???
do u need a scholarship to get into a UCCE
Hey mate
Im a 23 yr old fast bowler from Melbourne, Australia with a Euro passport. Ive been playing indoor cricket for 7 years and have represented at district and junior state levels. Now im concentrating on outdoor as i've started playing again this season. I've taken 18 wickets at an average of 13 this summer (my first summer for 5 seasons)and can bowl consistently around 140km mark with good accuracy. I'm handy with the bat with a highest score this season of 82 n.o. and avereging 35 in Melbournes Eastern Districts Competition 1st and 2nd XI district teams.
Any chance of getting a trial run with a county side? I'm willing and ready to make the trip up as working 1 year in the corporate world after graduating from uni isnt the career path for me at this stage. I want to play cricket for a living.
Let me know your thoughts Dave & how'd id go about getting a trial run, Cheers
Matt, I'm afraid I don't have the contacts to make that happen. You could come over here to play as a non-county club professional. Contact www.cricx.com for more information.
Bob, I don't know. I would call one of the UCCE's to find out.