Sports

Thursday, 7 November 2013

Cricket Training Idea: Half-Time Bowling

Pre-match warm ups at the grass-roots level have transformed in recent years, but how would you like an often missed yet simple upgrade to get you more wickets?

Coaches and players spend time making sure the warm up is specific to the game. Batters get their eye in; bowlers bowl at targets; and everyone catches, stops and throws balls. It's great stuff.

The problem occurs when the captain comes back from the toss to announce the team is batting, and the bowlers head of to put their feet up. Runs are scored and at the innings break we have some food to refuel. But it's rare to so this time used by the bowlers.

The warm up is long gone. You may have been sitting about for almost three hours if you have not batted. Unless you are a wily old campaigner, how are you going to get through your spell without some looseners?

So instead of an extra cake or cup of tea, the bowlers should spend 5-10 minutes getting ready to bowl.

Get the stump out

There isn't time for a full warm up, but a couple of stumps are all you need. Mark out 22 yards on the outfield and rope in the keeper or coach to catch the ball. You have halftime bowling all set up.

Extra bonus points are awarded to having some flat marker discs or PV/ONE to use as a target for a length ball, bouncer and yorker. If you have more stumps you can set up two areas and split up the bowlers (spinners and seamers for example).

The aim here is to get into rhythm for bowling and the way you do that is to build up.

A general mobilisation and activation if you have time (glutes, shoulders, core and t-spine are the places to focus)Walk through your actionJog through your actionDeliver from the full run up

How many balls you ball depends on the time available, the number of bowlers and the individual needs of the bowler. Some guys need to bowl a lot of balls to feel in rhythm and 10 minutes will never be enough time. Other guys can hit the spot after one ball. They should spend more time on quick injury prevention work.

Lose the looseners

With a small bit of effort, the halftime bowling drill reduces the number of poor balls you bowl, especially at the start of a spell. It works not only by physically warming you up, but also mentally preparing you for the task that you will be required in the next couple of hours

For more coaching tips, videos and courses, please visit the PitchVision Academy website

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Cricket TV - Tendulkar's 199th Test - India-West Indies Preview

John Pennington and Chetan Narula, covering the game for Cricket World in Kolkata, look ahead to the first Test between India and the West Indies at Eden Gardens.

There is huge attention being afforded to the game, which is Sachin Tendulkar's 199th and penultimate match for his country.

However, Chetan argues that perhaps the focus on Tendulkar has gone a little overboard and it is now time to focus on the contest ahead of us.

The pair discuss what sort of conditions the players can expect, whether Rohit Sharma might be given a Test debut, and if the West Indies can avoid the distractions and genuinely challenge India.

They finish by predicting how many runs Tendulkar will score in the series, which you can also do by clicking the link in the list of related articles on the right.

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CW Player Of The Week - Rohit Sharma

Rohit Sharma hit a double-hundred in the deciding ODI against Australia.REUTERS/Philip Brown. Picture Supplied by Action Images

With the southern hemisphere season now in full swing, there have been plenty of contenders from both the men’s and women’s games for this week’s Cricket World Player of the Week award.

Rohit Sharma, though, clinches it for his epic 209 in the deciding One-Day International against Australia on Saturday. Granted, his runs came in what was another ridiculously high-scoring match - spectacularly or worryingly so depending on your point of view - but nevertheless a double-hundred doesn’t happen that often in an ODI.

Despite starting slowly - his first fifty took 71 balls - he ended on 209 off only 158 balls to lead India to a mammoth 383 for six from their 50 overs. Along the way, he broke the record for the number of sixes (16) hit in an ODI innings and, along with MS Dhoni, took 115 runs from the final six overs of the innings.

That match alone produced a couple of other outstanding performances. Glenn Maxwell hit 60 off only 22 balls as a prelude to James Faulkner’s blitzkrieg century which was the fastest by an Australian and gave the tourists a sniff of victory.

The sixth match in that series had also been a run-fest, with four men hitting centuries. Australians Shane Watson and George Bailey were outdone by ones from Indians Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli as they levelled the series prior to Saturday’s decider.

Away from India, and Bangladesh whitewashed New Zealand 3-0 in an ODI series. Rubel Hossain shone in the first match by taking a hat-trick en route to figures of six for 26, while Mushfiqur Rahim and Naeem Islam both hit half-centuries. Naeem also passed 50 in the final match yesterday, while Shamsur Rahman was named man of the match for his knock of 96. Ross Taylor and Colin Munro had helped the Kiwis pass 300 by hitting 107 not out and 85 respectively.

In contrast to the series in India, Pakistan and South Africa are contesting a low-scoring series in the UAE. The Proteas won the first match by a single run thanks to a superb all-round performance from Wayne Parnell. He hit 56 from number eight to help South Africa cope with Saeed Ajmal and Shahid Afridi sharing seven wickets and then took three for 41. Pakistan won the second match to square the series as Afridi took his second three-wicket haul in as many games.

And finally, the women’s game produced a strong contender for this week’s award. England lynchpin Sarah Taylor helped her side make up for their disappointment at losing in the final of the T20 tri-series by leading them to a 2-0 win in the ODIs. She struck an unbeaten 55 in the first game after Kate Cross had led the demolition of the West Indies batting line-up with four for 51, and then 100 on Sunday. In doing so, she helped England become the first team to beat the West Indies at home in an ODI series since 2005 when the team came under the control of the WICB.

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England Women Triumph In Trinidad

Sarah Taylor hit an unbeaten half-century to help England to a comfortable win.

England 127-3 (Taylor 55no) beat
West Indies 126 (Cross 4-51) by 7 wickets
Second One-Day International, Trinidad

England Women earnt themselves at least a share of the One-Day International series against West Indies Women by thrashing the hosts in Trinidad.

Kate Cross, Natalie Sciver and Holly Colvin were all exceptional with the ball in dismissing the hosts for 126. Sarah Taylor then ensured that there would no problems for England in the run chase by hitting 55 not out off 74 balls.

West Indies had quickly slipped to 14 for three after winning the toss and electing to bat. Cross, in only her second ODI, was responsible for all of them, including getting the big wicket of Stafanie Taylor for only eight.

Shemaine Campbelle and Deandra Dottin then began to rebuild the innings during a cautious fourth-wicket partnership 39. They, however, both fell in quick succession for 19 apiece to end any realistic hopes of West Indies posting a match-winning total.

Sciver (3-19) got the other big wicket of Dottin and then followed that up by having Shanel Daley (1) caught and Tremayne Smartt (13) bowled. Holly Colvin, meanwhile, was virtually impossible to score off during her ten overs and delivered them for figures of two for seven, including an astonishing six maidens.

Shaquana Quintyne did at least push the West Indies score into three figures, top-scoring with 42 from 50 balls from number eight.

The hosts knew that they needed early wickets if they were to make England sweat. They got just one, when Subrina Munroe trapped Charlotte Edwards in front for six. Lauren Winfield and Sarah Taylor then added 64 for the second-wicket to lay the platform for the successful run chase.

Winfield was caught off Smartt for 31, but Taylor remained until the end and added a further 36 with Lydia Greenway (20) for the third-wicket. She was joined by Tammy Beaumont (9 not out) to hit the winning runs and make sure that England will go into tomorrow’s final match knowing that only they can win the series.

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How Many Runs Will Sachin Tendulkar Score In His Final Series?

Match reports, latest news and exclusive video content from the West Indies tour of India to play two Tests and three One-Day Internationals including the final two games of Sachin Tendulkar's international career.

How Many Runs Will Sachin Tendulkar Score In His Final Series?

Sachin Tendulkar brings an end to his glittering career at the end of the two-Test series against the West indies, but how many runs do you think he will score?

We are inviting you to guess how many runs the Little Master will score in the series of two matches.

Will he finish with a flourish by scoring at least one more century to wow the full houses at Eden Gardens and the Wankhede?

Or do you think he might struggle?

Simply let us know how many runs you think he will score in the form below and we will see who gets closest on 18th November!

Usual Cricket World competition terms and conditions apply.

How Many Runs Will Sachin Tendulkar Score In His Final Series?

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Impressive Bangladesh Take Series 3-0

Naeem Islam (left) and Shamsur Rahman played starring roles in Bangladesh's impressive win over New Zealand

Bangladesh 309-6 (Shamsur Rahman 96) beat
New Zealand 307-5 by four wickets
Third One-Day International, Fatullah

Bangladesh sealed a 3-0 One-Day International series win over New Zealand by chasing down 309 to win the final match in Fatullah by four wickets.

After New Zealand, thanks to Ross Taylor's 107 not out and Colin Munro's 85 had posted 307 for five, Bangladesh reached 309 for six with four balls to spare.

Shamsur Rahman hit 96, Naeem Islam 63 and Nasir Hossain 44 not out in 38 balls to help the Tigers maintain their impressive unbeaten run against New Zealand, which in ODIs stretches back to 2010.

They have not lost to the Black Caps in an ODI at home since 2008 and although this was their third highest total in ODI cricket, it wasn't quite their highest successful run chase, beaten by the 313 they achieved against Zimbabwe in 2009.

Nevertheless, it was quite a performance although New Zealand were hampered by the absence of both Kane Williamson and Brendon McCullum. While the former had already headed home with a fractured thumb, McCullum was a late withdrawal due to a back injury and he is on his way back to New Zealand, missing the Twenty20 International on Wednesday in Sylhet.

Bangladesh were missing Tamim Iqbal but his loss was hardly felt as Rahman opened the batting and made his 96 in 107 balls with nine fours and four sixes.

While he missed out on a century, Taylor had earlier reached his eighth ODI ton to help set up a late charge that lifted New Zealand's score past 300.

Anton Devcich (46) and Tom Latham (43) had given them an excellent and after Grant Elliott fell for three, Taylor and Munro added 130 for the fourth wicket.

Munro hit seven fours and two sixes in 77 balls but after he and Corey Anderson (1) fell, Taylor accelerated to reach his century and add 75 runs inside the final six overs with Luke Ronchi helping him along with 13 not out in 10 balls.

Bangladesh charged out of the blocks in reply, Ziaur Rahman making 22 in 20 balls but Shamsur dominating an opening partnership of 61.

He then added 65 with Mominul Haque (32) before New Zealand fought back. Devcich removed Mominul and Nathan McCullum had Mushfiqur Rahim caught by Taylor for two and at 129 for three in the 20th over, the game was still in the balance.

Shamsur and Naeem then shifted it back towards Bangladesh's favour with 75 runs for the fifth wicket; with Shamsur on the brink of a memorable maiden century he was caught by Ronchi off Anderson.

However, Bangladesh built another partnership - at no point did one wicket bring another for New Zealand's captain Kyle Mills.

Naeem added 50 with Nasir Hossain before Mitchell McClenaghan and Ronchi ran him out for 63 in 74 balls.

Nasir then took centre stage and with Mahmudullah (16) and then Sohag Gazi (11 not out) offering excellent support, his 44 in 38 balls with five fours and a six took Bangladesh home in the final over when he cut McClenaghan for four over cover.

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India On Top After Day One In Kolkata

Ravichandran Ashwin (back to camera) struck to take the key wicket of Shivnarine Chanderpaul

West Indies 234 (Samuels 65, M. Shami 4-65) v
India 37-0 (Dhawan 21no)
First Test, Kolkata, day one
Scorecard | Quotes

India bowled the West Indies out for 234 and then closed on 37 without loss as they dominated day one of the opening Test at Eden Gardens in Kolkata.

Earlier in the day, Darren Sammy won the toss and elected to bat first, on what seemed like a pitch with variable bounce. In Sachin Tendulkar’s 199th Test match, there were three debutants: for the West Indies, left-arm medium pacer Sheldon Cottrell and for India, middle-order batsman Rohit Sharma and medium pacer Mohammad Shami.

The Windies made a brisk start to the day, with both Chris Gayle and Kieran Powell chasing runs whenever the opportunity provided itself.

Despite the early introduction of spin in the form of Ravichandran Ashwin, the runs flowed for a bit as the opening duo added 34. Just as Gayle was beginning to look dangerous, Bhuvneshwar Kumar (1-33) struck and had him caught behind, for 18 runs. Shami too got into the attack at the other end, snaring his maiden Test wicket, as Powell mistimed his pull and was caught for 28 runs.

Darren Bravo and Marlon Samuels then put up resistance, seeing their team safely to lunch. And this was going to be the highlight of the day, for the two batsmen put on a wholesome display of shot-making and scoring runs.

They put on 91 for the third wicket, with Samuels completing his fifty in just 61 balls. He hit eight fours and two sixes, but was then bowled in spectacular fashion by Shami, with an inswinging delivery rising enough to take the top of his middle stump. He was bowled for 65 runs and thereafter the Windies’ downfall started.

Bravo (23 runs off 96 balls) was dismissed in the next over, the 45th, without a run being added. He was sent back by Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Shami's throw beat him to the crease.

In the next over, Shami clean bowled Dinesh Ramdin (4) to reduce them to 143 for five. Sammy (16) offered some support to Chanderpaul to stem the collapse and they added 29 runs for the sixth wicket. He was out caught by Bhuvneshwar Kumar off the bowling of Pragyan Ojha, trying to clear the boundary.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni brought on Sachin Tendulkar to bowl the last over before tea and the maestro struck with his fourth delivery, trapping Shane Shillingford (5) LBW. West Indies went to tea at 192 for seven, losing five wickets in the second session.

Following the tea break, Ashwin broke through Chanderpaul’s defences with a quicker straight one. In his 149th Test, he scored 36 runs. He then removed Veersammy Permaul for 14 runs and later Shami bowled Cottrell for a duck, meaning the West Indies' innings came to a halt at 234 runs.

Shami finished with four for 71 in a fiery debut effort, while Ashwin finished with two for 52. Ojha (1-62), Tendulkar (1-5) and Kumar finished with a wicket apiece.

India's opening pair of Shikhar Dhawan and Murali Vijay came together for the first time since March as they were left with 12 overs to negotiate. There were the odd short balls, rising sharply, one even hitting Dhawan, that caused them discomfort, but more or less the two batsmen were comfortable at the crease, showing no hurry to score their runs, unlike Mohali earlier in the year.

Dhawan was unbeaten on 21 runs while Vijay finished the day at 16 not out, with India trailing by 197 runs and all their wickets intact.

Select quotes from the press conference:

Marlon Samuels: "We had a particular target in mind when we opted to bat. And we have fallen short of it. But now we have to fight it out in the field and make India work hard for their runs.

"Mohammad Shami bowled really well, using the new ball and the old ball to good effect. He was able to bring it in and then shape it outwards, bowling with good pace. He should be happy with his Test debut.”

Mohammad Shami: "It is a dream, come true, for me to make my debut at my home ground as also play my first Test with Sachin Tendulkar in the same side.

"I would like to dedicate my debut performance to him as well as to my family who have yearned hard to support me all the way through to playing international cricket. I didn’t do anything special, just concentrated on my line and length. This is what I do irrespective of the format and the colour of the ball."

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