Presentation - Off Season Fast Bowlers Program

Presentation relating to The Off Season fast Bowlers Fitness and Conditioning Program I ran last winter and will be running in the future. For extra information contact jason@activatecricket.com.au

cricket(best moments)

Sports Quotes, Inspirational and Motivational

Cricket Fielding Drills - Close Catching

This is a very good example of the sort of "One Percenters" really good cricketers pay attention to. Everyone can improve their catching - but if you really want to become a match-winner in the field - you have to examine your technique and work hard at perfecting it!

Have a look at this drill - very basic but it will help make your close catching a reflex and help you put fewer catches down.

Brett Lee Bowling Action

A great breakdown of the Lee bowling action.
Delivery stride from a high right knee - strong pulldown of the bowling hand - left arm tucks and clears as the right arm comes through - and right knee drives towards the batsman. Violence but control!

This week at Activate

Junior Coaching continues with Jeff, Nathan and Lachlan. The juniors are working hard at developing their batting and bowling skills through the winter so they can enjoy their cricket when Spring arrives.
Our Holiday Clinics will be starting next Monday so we are fielding a lot of calls from parents eager to book their kids in for 3 days of fun cricket-based activities! The Centre should be choc-a-block throughout the holidays as we have clinics running for the next two weeks, plus Holiday Clinics for Canterbury and Western Suburbs Cricket Association and also a couple of days when the boys from Western Suburbs will be training here!
To all our juniors - Remember the basics:
Batting - watch the ball, move to the ball, then hit the ball. And always control the bat. You swing the bat - the bat doesn't swing you!
Bowling - strong front arm, head still, "flick" and follow through!

John's Fast Bowler's Off Season Strength and Conditioning Program shifts into a new phase this week as July comes around. They are in Week 9 so just starting the third month of the program. The boys work will shift from strength based activities to more endurance work as well as an increase in technical work on batting and bowling actions!

Ash has been working very hard with the older guys who are training through the winter in our Senior Coaching Programs with a view to lots of runs and wickets next summer at grade clubs across Sydney. Many of these players are being introduced to some pretty demanding fitness sessions to get them strong enough to maintain their technique for longer periods in the middle when it counts. More and more of our "regulars" are starting in on their pre-season programs in an effort to steal a march on the guys they are competing with for spots in grade clubs!

Remember - if you have any questions about Activate Coaching Programs, you can leave a comment here and we will follow it up within hours, or contact us at

mailto:ash@activatecricket.com.au

or

mailto:johnrhurls@yahoo.com.au

Train hard!

Ash and John

Cricket - Backfoot Batting Basics

Just a good basic introduction to playing on the backfoot. Keep it simple so you can move quickly into position to hit safely and with control!

The Activate - 4 Factor - Approach to Coaching

Coaching that gets Results!

Key Coaching Factors - Basic Seam Bowling

Australian Classic Catches (Including Paul Vautin's!)

Some great catches here including John Dyson in the outfield and that catch I talked about by Fatty Vautin.

Proves that great catching is withing us all by demonstrating:

* Sound technique
* Awareness
* Athleticism
* Determination
* Self-belief

The trick is being able to do it everytime the ball comes your way!

That is where practice comes in!

The harder you train the luckier you get!

Great catching - It is in EVERYONE!

Having watched all these catches many times, I am always amazed at the fantastic, almost super-human efforts of these wonderful fielders.
But in reality, these catches should re-affirm in us the belief that you can make great catches too! It is within the capabilities af every fielder to change the course of a game with one piece of inspirational fielding.

There is a very famous “Classic Catch” video of former footballer Paul ‘Fatty Vautin’ taking one of the best outfield catches ever seen in Australia. Playing in a nationally televised benefit match, it shows why ANYONE can take a great catch on his day! In that one moment in time, Vautin shows all the attributes of a match-winning fieldsman – the same attributes showcased in the video clips above:

Sound technique
Awareness
Athleticism
Determination
Self-belief

But fielders like Collingwood, Ponting, Rhodes and de Villiers take more than their share of great catches because they have recognized that the more you train to develop these attributes, the more likely you are to snaffle that screamer and turn the game. So they practice, practice, practice!

So what sort of practice can a player do to develop these attributes?

Sound technique – This can be developed through repetition. Take as many catches as possible at training and focus each time on employing the correct technique. Feet, shoulders head and hands all need to be put into the correct positions again and again and again. Catches off the bat, off a slips cradle or from the hand can all be employed to develop sound technique. Make sure you are changing the angles between thrower, bat and fielder regularly so that you are always working at getting in the right position.

Awareness – Catching drills can never be dull because each catch is unique and presents a new challenge to the fielder. So while the fielder is practicing sound technique, they should also be keeping themselves aware of the specific challenge of each catch and practicing their anticipation. This often translates into that split second advantage the great catcher seems to have over mere mortals. Remember – anticipation is only useful when combined with athleticism!

Athleticism - As I have said before in a number of different articles, all players should be working to continually develop their athleticism. This can be done via cricket-specific drills involving catching, throwing, running etc. But you can also use drills and activities that are not cricket-based to effectively develop your athleticism. Cross training can be very helpful here. Get on the net and see what drills are out there! There is a wealth of information at your fingertips so you should never be short of challenging, interesting and fresh drills.

Determination – This is often the area that separates the men from the boys! To develop this attribute, you need to approach each training session with a single-minded attitude to attack every chance and really push yourself physically to dive further, jump higher anticipate quicker…. By working to your absolute physical maximum, you develop mental toughness that stands you in great stead in games, be it in the field, or batting or bowling. The more you can push yourself at training the more likely you are to take that screamer on a weekend.

Self-Belief – When you train with a high level of intensity, you will be surprised at the number of amazing catches you can take! The more ‘classics’ you take at training, the more likely you are to take a classic when it counts in a game, simply because you are used to making the movements and you really believe you can do it! We often talk about great fielders always wanting the ball to come their way. This is because they believe that when the ball does come their way, they will take the catch, make the run out or save the boundary. This elf-belief can only come from constant and intense practice.

So look at this video again, and this time, don’t just be amazed by the wonderful, spectacular pieces of fielding. Realize that with a great deal of practice, you can make catches like these some day. And when you do, I promise you will never forget the exhilaration that accompanies your effort!

CATV Analysis: Why 'Punter' is the world's best fielder

Just a great insight into what it takes to be a great fielder - surprise surprise - it comes down to practice! Some great demonstrations of footwark and throwing mechanics in this clip Have a look!

Chasing a big score

Chasing a big score – Learning from what the Aussies did and didn’t do at the Oval.

 

In the wake of the Ashes series, I thought I would have a look at the way the Australians played during the big run chase in their second innings of the final Test when the series was on the line. They did a lot of things right and a few things spectacularly wrong and I am sure young cricketers can learn a lot about the way to go about a run chase by analysing this performance.

Firstly, the openers approached their task with great determination and batted out the first session. Their primary job was to get through to stumps on Day 3 with all 10 wickets intact. They did this by

·       staying positive. They left the ball, defended the ball or attacked the ball with total commitment to that shot. They realized the field was up so putting away loose deliveries – especially short bowling – was possible. So when they swung, they swung hard and by stumps 80 runs had been erased from the total required, without the loss of a wicket.

·       learning from other batsmen. There is no doubt that the wicket was difficult but Straus and Trott in particular handled the conditions and made runs. Good batsmen watch each other and try to learn what works on a particular deck. Straus and Trott played with soft hands, watched the ball obsessively and left as many balls as possible. On the evening of Day 3, the Australian openers took a leaf out of Straus’ book and successfully negotiated that final session.

·       running well between wickets (most of the time!). In order to wear down a bowling attack, batsmen must continually rotate the strike. This is particularly effective when one batsman is left handed and the other a righty. This causes the bowler to be constantly changing his line and fielders to be changing their positions and angles in the field. It also gives each batsman time off strike to relax so they can refocus when called upon to face up again.

 

In many ways, what Katich and Watson did on the evening of Day 3 was a blueprint for all opening batsmen looking to set the base for a big score the following day. Unfortunately, on the morning of Day 4 both batsmen showed precisely how NOT to set about a big run chase!

They were obviously trying to set the base for a big score, and they had proved they were up to it the previous evening. So what went wrong?

It is difficult to know what specific thoughts were going through their minds, but a few of the thoughts that may have been circulating that may have contributed to their downfall may have been:

·       getting ahead of themselves. In any situation the batsman can only play the next ball – that ball is the only ball that can get them out so they must focus all their attention on playing that ball as well as possible. If you think about the task of batting for a whole day, rather than just dealing with the next ball, you run the risk of losing focus and letting the next ball bring you undone. Both aussie openers were out in the first couple of overs – out LBW to straight deliveries.

·       Forgetting the one basic rule of batting: “Batting never gets easy!”  Having batted so well the previous evening, they may have tried to “just continue on from last night” rather than starting again - having a good look at each new bowler, leaving the wider deliveries and reacquainting themselves with the characteristics of the pitch. After any break in play, batsmen must take a little time – depending on the situation of the game – to settle back in. Trying to continue on as if there has been no break can often times be disastrous.

 

So having done a wonderful job at the end of Day 3, they put pressure back onto the middle order at the beginning of Day 4 – the one thing an opening pair should never do! Ponting and Hussey then showed us all how to approach a large run chase.

 

They played each ball with total concentration. They did not look concerned with the size of the task they faced – they broke it down into balls, overs and spells but always stayed focused on the next ball. They realized that – even if the wicket was difficult – the longer they batted the easier it would become. That was their motivation.

 

“It will never get easy but it will get easier!”

 

Then the run outs! We will never know what might have been if the run outs had not occurred but they may have changed the course of the innings. What we can do is look at the situation and learn some lessons from it.

 

·       Take responsibility. Once a batsman is set at the crease, he has a larger responsibility not to give his wicket away. Risk must always be balanced against return if successful and consequence if not. In a big run chase, the set batsman must not take excessive risks such as pre-meditating shots or initiating very short singles.

 

·       Run the first run hard. Regardless of the situation, each batsman must always run the first run as hard as possible. No ball watching – just run flat out when your partner calls you through.

 

·       Stay aware. Make sure you know where the ball is before heading down the wicket. Especially when you are still getting a handle on where the fielders are.

 

Finally, in any game, no matter how well you think your side is batting – add two wickets to the total and then re-examine how you are travelling. The Australians had a huge task still ahead of them but I am sure – in the back of the Englishmen’s minds the pendulum must have been starting to swing and doubts must have been germinating. The loss of Ponting (which was very avoidable) followed just 4 balls later by Clarke (which was just plain bad luck) really amplified the magnitude of the task facing the Aussies. And the Test was gone!

 

But even then, a final lesson can be learnt from the way the Australians batted on from this set back and the loss of North soon after. They did not give up!

 

Never give up!

 

Self-Belief

Hussey continued to bat with great skill and determination and when Haddin joined him they both gave the impression that – if they could bat through to stumps – anything could happen. Good players and good teams have self-belief. This self-belief impacts on how they play and how their opponents are forced to play. They are always in the contest and they force their opponents to “Go hard or go home”!

 

Once Haddin departed – another case of losing concentration and playing a loose shot – Hussey continued to bat as if it was the first over of the day. He was rewarded with his first test ton in 20 tests! The English bowlers kept at him and eventually got their man and The Urn.

 

So even though the Test was lost by the Australians, we can learn a lot about how to play the game by examining what they did right and what they did so terribly wrong. Young players should always actively watch the way more senior players play – there are always lessons to be learnt.

 

JH

This week at Activate - May 24-31

Junior Coaching continues with Jeff, Nathan and Lachlan. The juniors are working hard at developing their batting and bowling skills through the winter so they can enjoy their cricket when Spring arrives.
Remember the basics:
Batting - watch the ball, move to the ball, then hit the ball. And always control the bat. You swing the bat - the bat doesn't swing you!
Bowling - strong front arm, head still, "flick" and follow through!

John continues to work hard with the new Fast Bowler's Off Season Strength and Conditioning Program. They are in Week 5 so just starting the second month of the program. The boys who have been most diligent are starting to show real results as the first set of online test results come back in!

Ash has been working very hard with the older guys who are training through the winter in our Senior Coaching Programs with a view to lots of runs and wickets next summer at grade clubs across Sydney. Many of these players are being introduced to some pretty demanding fitness sessions to get them strong enough to maintain their technique for longer periods in the middle when it counts. He is also doing a great deal of work with Joe Mennie who has just received his first "Rookie" Contract with Cricket NSW.

STOP PRESS! Congratulations to Mitch Starc (NSW) who has been selected to play for Australia A in their winter tour. Mitch has been a prominent personality at Activate for a number of seasons. Well done mate!

Remember - if you have any questions about Activate Coaching Programs, you can leave a comment here and we will follow it up within hours, or contact us at

mailto:ash@activatecricket.com.au

or

mailto:johnrhurls@yahoo.com.au

Train hard!

Ash and John

Fitness. Step Drill - Posterior Chain Exercise

These Posterior Chain Activities are great for building strength is the important muscles you need to remain stable and powerful when running that you cannot see in the mirror. Sets of 15 on each leg will build strength gradually - remember to swap sides after each set of 15 as the activities actually create fatigue quite quickly! Enjoy - we have a few more variations we will add later if people are interested! Do these sets every second day.

Enjoy! Start with a single set of 15 reps on each leg in each direction - straight down, straight out, straight forward and back at 45 degrees - and build the sets to 3 or 4 over the course of 4-6 weeks.

Basic Batting Agility Drill

This drill is a good basic activity to develop agility. Spend 15 minutes repeating the drill with fast feet as many times as possible.

Are You Interested in Us Posting More?

There does not seem much point posting new content regularly unless there appears to be some call for what we are trying to produce so if you want us to continue to post new content - - - TELL US! Just post a comment - we will read EVERY comment made and - if the need is there - we will continue to strive to produce the best coaching content we can on a regular basis!

Cheers

John and Ash

Key Coaching Points - Basic Backfoot Play

Key Coaching Points - Basic Batting Technique

Elements of the Program

Welcome!

We are looking to provide an holistic program that will give players who cannot physically get to Activate regularly, access to all the elements that we think are neccessary for their development as cricketers.

The Four Components

There will be a physical component that will focus on cricket fitness (strength, agility, speed, flexibility and endurance); an emotional component (concentration, motivation and inspiration); a psychological component (discipline, organisation and developing positive attitudes); and technical component (focusing on developing and reinforcing specific skill sets for batting bowling and fielding).

Each week we will be adding demonstrations and explanations of the sort of drills and exercises we ask our athletes at Activate to do as part of their face-to face programs as well as occassional articles and videos we think support the program.

Please feel free to use the "Comments" section which accompanies each post to give us specific feedback about each post; your observations regarding the drills and exercises we are asking you to perform; and how your own game is developing.

We hope this program will be used in conjunction with occassional face to face coaching sessions for NSW country players or or even those cricketers from interstate and overseas - if you can manage a trip or two to Breakfast Point!

There is no substitute for face to face coaching, but we hope this blog will be the next best thing and will allow us to take our coaching to a wider network of players.

Come and see what we can do for you.

Ash and John