The Teesra

Author: Andrew Beaven

  • Do I have to hit it? SSG for the forward defensive…and more

    Latest addition to my collection of constrained SSGs — didn’t have a name for it at the time, but the theme is “block or whack”.

    I have a large group of U11s (large for the available indoor space), with a range of abilities and attention spans (this is an after-school activity, and I know how hard it can be to focus on “drills” after a day in class).

    I was keen to find a game that could test a valid batting technique whilst also challenging decision making. Oh, and I needed something to engage their attention.

    So a session centred on the front-foot defensive might seem an odd choice.

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  • Online coach development — more than just “telling”, surely?

    A Twitter contact (X contact?) posted this the other day.

    Excerpted from ECB research into helping coaches “develop potential international batters”

    Anything that increases time spent playing at the expense of deconstructed “skill drills” is going to find favour with an advocate for the ecological dynamics and a constraints-led approach (like me!).

    So I’d buy into this as an underlying coaching philosophy, although the numbers look low, too me. Only 50% “play” for young players — so the rest is still chores?. And just 40% “…highly random and game-based…”?

    But there’s surely a problem with “broadcast coach development”.

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  • Time (again)

    I played my final game of the 2023 season last week.

    A disappointing exit from the National KO stages, although we did get to enjoy a rather charming (if slightly confused) away-day to Worcestershire for the Vase quarter final.

    Birlingham Cricket Club, venue for our final game of the season…shame we were sent to a different ground!

    After a Championship-winning season with the over 60s 4th team in 2021, and a barely believable glut of runs (by my standards, at least) in 2022, 2023 has been less fun.

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