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General Cricket => Cricket Training, Fitness and Injuries => Topic started by: MJB3 on November 13, 2012, 11:35:35 PM

Title: Improving Nets
Post by: MJB3 on November 13, 2012, 11:35:35 PM
Was pondering today over the fact that for those of us who net in a standard sports hall during pre season with a mat rolled out on the wooden floor, the bounce is so unrealistic given the pitches over here, especially at the start of a season, which is not really good practice as when matches come round you have been used to hanging back, when you need to get forward. So I'm wondering has anyone thought about a way to reduce the bounce in a net situation like this? Maybe rolling out 2 mats on top of each other?

It's been on my mind all day, as its one of my pet peeves, the difference between indoor nets and practice in terms of bounce
Title: Re: Improving Nets
Post by: ajm90 on November 14, 2012, 12:29:27 AM
Could be onto something there, throughout winter nets I play more pull/hook shots in half an hour than the rest of the season.

For extra simulation of the start of the season you could turn off the heating, open all doors to the outside and bat in about 5 layers. ;)
Title: Re: Improving Nets
Post by: Vantage_Cricket on November 14, 2012, 02:09:00 AM
It's not a bad shout - I would mainly suggest that the mat's are made to a better quality - other than that, you could possibly get the right thickness of foam (or another sort of spongey material) and then you could put this under the mat.

I guess the 2 x mats on top of each other would work in a similar sense, give it a try and see what happens - With this you may get the mats moving less (which is bloody annoying sometimes) at least.
Title: Re: Improving Nets
Post by: Johnny on November 14, 2012, 07:18:52 AM
I always thought an indoor net ball would work - something the same weight as cricket ball and still with a stitched leather out, but maybe some kind of dense foam filling - that way when the ball bounces it should absorb some of the energy that would ordinarily be absorbed by a grass pitch. It wouldn't feel as good of the bat, but theoretically it would still allow you to get into the right position to play shots and should bounce more realistically
Title: Re: Improving Nets
Post by: Kulli on November 14, 2012, 08:03:35 AM
Our problem is the opposite, the bounce off the floor indoor is very skiddy.
Title: Re: Improving Nets
Post by: thecord on November 14, 2012, 08:06:08 AM
Whatever Matt they use at our winter nets is already doing the job on this as you barely end up playing a back foot shot
Title: Re: Improving Nets
Post by: tim2000s on November 14, 2012, 08:26:05 AM
It seems to be down to the flooring. The sports halls where the floor is basically concrete based are very bouncy. I also net at Greenwich Uni Avery Hill campus, where the floor is wooden, sprung and has next to no bounce.
Title: Re: Improving Nets
Post by: gdb19 on November 14, 2012, 08:47:38 AM
Completely agree with tim's comments, I'll be going to two sets of nets after Christmas. One for my midweek team in a sports hall with a concrete floor that's really bouncy and one for my weekend team with a wooden floor that keeps low and skids on. Neither of which are like the slow tracks that we actually play on.
Title: Re: Improving Nets
Post by: MJB3 on November 14, 2012, 03:13:24 PM
I think the two mat idea is certainly worth a go anyway, or some sort of foam underlay. I dont know how you'd "fix" the issue going from skiddy to normal though
Title: Re: Improving Nets
Post by: Manormanic on November 14, 2012, 03:16:27 PM
I think its best just to work with what you've got really.  Okay, I'm lucky in that my club has very good, fast net facilities and a fast, rock hard ground to play on, but I think the fundamentals are the same for everyone - nets are for generic technique and situational practice.  Outdoor practice will help with early season slowness.
Title: Re: Improving Nets
Post by: uknsaunders on November 14, 2012, 03:28:51 PM
I'm sure I've asked before, which club for you play for?
Title: Re: Improving Nets
Post by: Manormanic on November 14, 2012, 03:36:57 PM
Hillingdon Manor.  You'll now make a snipe about Coney Green and I'll now point out we only play 3rd XI games there.... :-)
Title: Re: Improving Nets
Post by: 100 not out on November 14, 2012, 04:15:28 PM
Generally indoor nets too bouncy. The bounce is usually exaggerated by some idiots using new bat breaker balls too.
Title: Re: Improving Nets
Post by: uknsaunders on November 14, 2012, 05:01:15 PM
Hillingdon Manor.  You'll now make a snipe about Coney Green and I'll now point out we only play 3rd XI games there.... :-)

Can't knock anywhere that I've taken 4 wickets and it's swung round corners! Was 20 years ago and use to be a nice spot. Where do your 1s play?
Title: Re: Improving Nets
Post by: Manormanic on November 14, 2012, 07:17:16 PM
Can't knock anywhere that I've taken 4 wickets and it's swung round corners! Was 20 years ago and use to be a nice spot. Where do your 1s play?

RAF Vine Lane.  Just around the corner from "The Green" and everything that it isn't.  Fast, hard, true wicket with a bit in for quality bowlers but nowt for the muppets, outfield like rolled glass...
Title: Re: Improving Nets
Post by: Manormanic on November 14, 2012, 07:18:17 PM
course, Coney doesn't swing like it used to now that the trees have gone from alonmg the far side.  Tends to look like a green top and play like an early season pitch all year round now.
Title: Re: Improving Nets
Post by: uknsaunders on November 14, 2012, 07:43:02 PM
think I had 4 guys LBW or bowled and it swung very late that day. Could've had another 4 if it had been neutral umpires. Funny team Hillingdon 2's had, nearly every single guy was 6ft+. We were mainly 5'8 and below so it was like playing Land of the Giants  :D
Title: Re: Improving Nets
Post by: procricket on November 14, 2012, 07:48:33 PM
RAF Vine Lane.  Just around the corner from "The Green" and everything that it isn't.  Fast, hard, true wicket with a bit in for quality bowlers but nowt for the muppets, outfield like rolled glass...

Vine lane is a batting paradise
Title: Re: Improving Nets
Post by: Ciaran on November 14, 2012, 10:35:15 PM
Bowlers graveyard if its the pitch I played against you guys at! Although with the new ball it really swang just later there was nothing!
Title: Re: Improving Nets
Post by: ajmw89 on November 15, 2012, 08:25:10 AM
I don't bother buying balls for nets anymore, as I always seemed to end up with a bat breaker.  I usually try and pocket one or other of the match balls at the end of the game where possible.  It's easier to do that in games where we use 2 balls!