The Teesra

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  • Three years with the Legends and Masters – cricket coaching with 4-year olds

    Back in 2014, I started coaching at the MCC Cricket Academy, and was assigned to support a coach delivering a “Little Legends” session for a group of 3-5 year olds.

    Not really cricket, I thought – more 45 minutes of childcare, with a cricketing theme, perhaps, but not really cricket coaching.

    I found out later that some of my new colleagues had directly requested not to be scheduled to work with the Little Legends, and I could understand why. But as the new coach, I didn’t think I could get away with opting out.

    Three years later, I find myself leading the delivery for 5 weekly sessions for 5s and under. And the more I do, the more I appreciate the value of coaching the very young players in the Academy’s Little Legends (pre-school) and Mini Masters (Reception) programmes.

    What changed?

    I remembered one of the first pieces of advice I was given when I first trained as a coach – always coach the player, not the skill. And I also remembered how much I enjoy playing games.

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  • Shortcut to success? – how short is short enough?

    Quick follow-up on the previous post – back-of-an-envelope calculations on “appropriate” pitch lengths for junior cricket.

    Taking average heights as comparator: [pitch length at age 10]=[adult pitch length]*([average height at 10]/[average height for adult (male)])

    [pitch length at age 10]=20.12*(138/176) = 15.78 m (17 yards, 9″)

    Alternatively, taking average bowling speeds: [pitch length at age 10]=[adult pitch length]*([average bowling speed at U11]/[average adult bowling speed])

    [pitch length at age 10]=22*(58.9/93.4) = 12.69 m (13 yards, 2′ 5″)

    Nearly 18 yards  (based on average height) does feel too long at 11 and under; just 13 yards (from average bowling speeds) too close.  Something in-between, then.

    Perhaps 16 yards, in fact.

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  • Shortcut to success – are young cricketers playing on pitches that are too long?

    Very interesting short article in the current issue of the ECB Coaches Association’s annual Coaching Insight*, from Martyn Kiel, on an experiment with shortened pitches for young players.

    With U11s (club) and U10s (County age group), playing on pitches just 16 yards long, the study reported:

    • increased numbers of back foot shots to short pitched deliveries (and more deliveries reaching the wicket keeper on the full);
    • more running between the wickets (more running, more run-out opportunities);
    • fewer shots fielded at mid-wicket (so more players involved in the field);
    • and an overall increase in playable deliveries in club matches.

    The findings are certainly in line with those being reported by Cricket Australia (CA) after a season-long trial Down Under – more play, better skills, generally better involvement.

    It will be very interesting to hear how CA take this forward, and whether the Shortcut to Success will be adopted elsewhere.

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