The quick start guide to playing better cricket

Posted by David Hinchliffe on 21 May 07 at 18:48
Filed in:

Are you in a rush to start improving your game? Do you need something simple to start you on the road to more runs and wickets?

You need a quick start guide to playing better cricket.

Success on the field is about more than just talent and more than playing as much as you can. This guide give you the whole picture.

8 simple rules that have been built up over years of scientific research and practical application with real club cricketers:

Exercise at least twice a week. Excluding training and playing, the cornerstone of performance is fitness. You should be looking to improve your endurance, power, speed, agility and strength through regular training. While you don't have to go to a gym, you do need to do something.
Train more than you play. There is only so much you can develop while playing. Training is the time to learn and groove your skills, playing is the time to use those skills. If you don't have them in the first place through training, playing will only give you bad habits. To avoid this, train with a good coach or training partner at least one more time per week than you play.
Plan, plan, plan. You can't know where you are going without a map. Set yourself goals for each stage of the year that are relevant and challenging but achievable. They don't have to be complicated but they do have to be there, even if they are just written on the back of an envelope and stuck to your bathroom mirror.
Always be learning. Good players are hungry to learn more, great players are never stupid people. To improve your game you need to know how to apply tactics, ideas and strategies to make the most of what ability you have. Of course, reading harrowdrive is a great place to start, as is the recommended reading section.
Eat well all week. Most people instinctively know how to eat well. You know that they key is a consistent diet of lean protein from meat, fish and dairy, good fat from olive oil and nuts and plenty of fruit and vegetables. Eat well all week and the results will pay off on the field at the weekend.
Visualise success every day. Brain scientists have proven that your nervous system can't tell the difference between success on the pitch in real life and success you have imagined. This isn't wishy-washy new age rubbish. All it takes is a few minutes a day imagining past success and thinking how it would feel to succeed in the future.
Have a routine. Cricket, like all games, is unpredictable but people tend to work best when they feel in control. To get this feeling of control during games you can give yourself a routine. It might be something as simple as putting on your left sock first or it could be a full plan with military precision. The more in control you feel the better you will play.
Train like a professional. You no doubt have very little free time to train and play, but there is nothing stopping you from adopting a professional attitude the moment you enter the gym, go to the nets or step over the boundary line. Run your training sessions like a professional side and always have your 'game head' on.

For more details on each point, I recommend you read the free harrowdrive archives and subscribe to get the full story.

posted by neil on 22 May 07 at 14:52

brian specialists (point 6 ) should i assume be brain specialists :-)

posted by David Hinchliffe on 22 May 07 at 16:11

No no, the specialist was actually called Brian.

Ahem.

posted by lalchand on 27 Aug 07 at 09:58

it is great that i got this site.
lalchand yadav

posted by sreetam on 28 Oct 07 at 12:02

i m trying this,may this will be a path for my success

posted by David Hinchliffe on 28 Oct 07 at 17:13

Let me know how it goes friend.

posted by James on 29 Nov 07 at 12:13

thanks this has been inspirational. i will take these into my next game. cheers

posted by Tommy T on 22 Dec 07 at 23:34

David,
I really like what you are doing with this site, some of the information is brilliant.
Thanks

posted by David Hinchliffe on 23 Dec 07 at 06:56

It's a pleasure Tommy.

posted by Aussie on 02 Jan 08 at 00:45

Good site you got here.

Love it mate.

posted by David Hinchliffe on 02 Jan 08 at 14:12

Thanks Aussie.

posted by Ash on 25 Jan 08 at 06:59

Hey David,
I'm a 16 year old Aussie girl who only really became interested in cricket when I was forced to watch the 2006-2007 Ashes Test Series. Since then I have come to absolutely adore the game even though I know little about it. I am reasonably fit but sick and tired of individual sports and interested in starting to play cricket. I'm willing to train and try hard but want to know if I'm too late to start? Do you think I shoud give it a shot? Any help would be appriciated. Thanks

posted by David Hinchliffe on 25 Jan 08 at 14:15

Ash, it's not a clichÃ© to say: It's never too late.

What do you want to get out of playing?

posted by Ash on 27 Jan 08 at 11:34

David,
Thanks for the advice, its really appriciated. Now down to your question, I'd hope to get a challenge, a few new skills, a sense of being apart of a team and the social, pysical and mental fitness that is required to be a good team mate and also (probably most importantly) enjoyment.

posted by David Hinchliffe on 27 Jan 08 at 16:30

In that case I have not a single qualm in saying you can get all those at ANY age playing cricket. Good luck and keep me up to date on how it goes!

posted by Ash on 27 Jan 08 at 23:06

Thanks for the help and I'll be sure to let you know how I go when he cricket season starts again here.

posted by Liam on 18 Feb 08 at 08:40

yer i am hoping this will improve my cricket i mde the 13bs after making the 12a's opening bowler and im hoping this will help me get into the a team

posted by abc on 19 Feb 08 at 13:44

how can you detect the line and length of the ball early when batting

posted by David Hinchliffe on 20 Feb 08 at 06:42

Hi abc, Your question is a good one but not relevant for this particular post. Try posting it on the forum at www.simplycricket.net where I am a moderator.

posted by rohit sharma on 08 Mar 08 at 06:53

hiiiii,frIEnd this is rohit from india.i want to beceame a crickter brother but iam doing my graduation...and i didn'T JOINANY STADIUM FOR PRACTICE ALTHOUGH MY GAME IS QUITE FINE SPECIALLY MY BOWLING.PLZZZZ TELL ME BROTHER WHAT SHOULD I DO TO ENTER IN IN THIS FIELD AS I DESPIRATELY WANT TO BECOME A CRICKTER AND WANTS TO PLAY FOR INDIA...PLZ GIVE ME SUITABLE SUGGESTIONS....MY AGE IS 19YRS....IAM IN FIRST YEAR OF MY GRADUATION...PLZZZ SUGGEST ME WITH SOME INCOURAGEMENT..IAM WAITING FOR UR REPLY..

posted by David Hinchliffe on 08 Mar 08 at 08:03

Rohit, I'm no expert on Indian cricket but you can get some general tips here:

http://www.pitchvision.com/how-to-become-a-professional-cricketer/

posted by shailesh prasad on 10 Mar 08 at 09:31

I want the more informations about the techniques.

posted by David Hinchliffe on 10 Mar 08 at 19:57

What information do you need shailesh?

posted by rohit sharma on 11 Mar 08 at 07:23

david thanks for ur reply first but u wrote that u have no idea on indian cricket but u tell me 1 thing thatis iam to late to enter in this field.....my age is 19yrs.....i haven"t start coaching yet......

posted by David Hinchliffe on 11 Mar 08 at 09:19

rohit, 19 is not too late if you have the talent and the application to succeed. However, it takes 10 years to reach your potential so you have a long road ahead.

posted by tiffany on 18 Mar 08 at 15:22

this wedpage is so usful i am currently doing a cource called sports leader award and it totally helped me out

posted by Rorro on 21 Mar 08 at 20:50

Hi, I'm a 16 year-old boy from Argentina... I also became interested in cricket just a few weeks ago. I'm willing to join a local club and start training, but I have the impression that i'm now a bit "old" to start playing. Should I begin training? I know that it's never too late, but would it be possible to get the skills at this age?..greetings from argentina

posted by on 25 Mar 08 at 06:56

thanks david....for suggesting me but plz tell me what should i do means from where i start to improve my strenghth in this field

posted by David Hinchliffe on 25 Mar 08 at 08:36

It's quite possible to get the skills at 16 Rorro. You can take up the game at any age.

posted by David Hinchliffe on 25 Mar 08 at 08:36

Anon, which field do you want to improve?

posted by on 01 Apr 08 at 04:44

david plz tell me that my studies r stopping me to play me cricket but i dont want to leave both studies as well as cricket plz tell me how can i manage my time to practice in cricket field

plz brother tell me with suitable suggestions

posted by David Hinchliffe on 01 Apr 08 at 07:07

Time management is a difficult skill but it's possible to study and play with good planning. Read this article and buy the book:

http://www.pitchvision.com/getting-things-done-for-cricket/

posted by Aayan Mirza on 02 Jun 08 at 10:28

Hi, Friend How are you..
I m Aayan from (Pakistan) and i m in under 17 cricket team of Pakistan National Academy. I was not
a good before but when i starts to follow all those
above things, so i can feel that i m getting better
and better.

And its a humble request to the author of this site
that please send me more n more information about cricket at my mail address.

aayan_mughal@yahoo.com or aayan_rocker@yahoo.ca

posted by David Hinchliffe on 04 Jun 08 at 13:36

No problem, just subscribe here: www.pitchvision.com/subscribe

posted by Syed on 02 Jul 08 at 00:15

hey dude.. my name is syed from pakistan.. im 14 years old.. i started playing cricket when i was 11 (with a tennis ball ofcourse)ur above rules or should i say help tips are excellent and are indeed alot of help... i surfed this webpage about an year in a half ago and since then i started playing cricket very well!!!:D
i very nice website and i would recommend every person who is willing to be a cricketer to visit this website...
thnkz

posted by David Hinchliffe on 02 Jul 08 at 11:57

Thanks syed. Good luck!