Custom Bats Cricket Forum
General Cricket => Your Cricket => Topic started by: LMQ21 on June 23, 2013, 06:00:11 PM
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After my weekend report I commented on a Sussex Vet player who hit 77 against us and should have got more, the guy also hit 114* against us two seasons ago.
I will not publish names, but the guy in question has played First's, Seconds alongside his Sussex playing history. This season he hasn't had a score under 50 in about 7 games.. However, he chooses/gets asked to play third team cricket in the lower leagues of the division (Please understand this league is mainly a colts and development team league).
Therefore I put it out to the forum members, what is the mentality behind this?
Is there really a sense of achievement of smashing younger and poorer players to all corners of the ground?
With the older thread that discussed playing at the highest level, surely there must be the desire to face the best bowlers you can and produce runs.
I must add that the guy adds nothing (aside runs) to the team, he doesn't coach or encourage, if anything he is quite a negative and arrogant person. Surely a player like this affects the overall development of the team as he prevents other players batting, which may prevent them developing into cricket.
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What division is it out of interest?
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Nothing new there, happens in all leagues.
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sounds like the twos don't want him!
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It also depends on the persons mindset. May be he might think that he is not fit for an upper league, or he might be more happy on earning the respect he is obtaining in your league.
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He might just want to play pressure free cricket....
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Doesn't have any contractual obligations. Guy round here used to have to play below 2s to avoid injury.
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It's up to those who select the teams and the player himself.
Nothing wrong with playing the level YOU want to play.
I'd say let the bloke play wherever he is picked and chooses to play.
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no better feeling that being a big fish in a little pond :P
unless ur an even bigger fish in an even bigger pond!
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We had similar today, were small village team and barely get 11. Played a team with 2 teams I think, obviously were playing their 2nds, bloke comes in at 5 after we had got first 4 out for 46 chasing 112. Bloke hits 24 off first over inc 2 6s, ends up hitting 40 odd in 5 overs. Found out he played Saturday for 1sts, thing is they won by a wicket, were top and still are but could be a defining game and his 40 odd made a big differance as at 46 for 4 they were not flying and we were just edging it. Now if he got brought in for confidence etc ok but fact he played Saturday is annoying.
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Therefore I put it out to the forum members, what is the mentality behind this?
He's a c-nt, plain and simple.
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He's a c-nt, plain and simple.
And an egotistical one at that
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no better feeling that being a big fish in a little pond :P
unless ur an even bigger fish in an even bigger pond!
Nice one mate :)
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We have a guy in our threes who consistently averages 50+ and is probably a similar sort of guy to the one you refer to. He plays in our threes because he's just turned 60 and he finds the demands of higher level cricket too much, so I don't see why there is a massive issue him playing down there. Yes some opposing teams sulk a bit, but at the end of the day its hardly a crime...
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Seems I have started a thread of mixed opinions!
I'm having a go at the bloke or anything, at the end of the day he does what he chooses! As manormaniac said, the guy in question is an older fella, and no he isn't contracted (strange thing to say) to play at a higher level nor is should he. Simmy saying he likes being a big fish just links to the comments of being egotistical and arrogant.
I wouldn't say he is respected in the league or by oppositions though.
The main issue I had was as I stated, he is playing in a colts side, opening the batting and not giving the younger players a real chance to play cricket. I know we all see differently within cricket and life.
Which is why I am questioning the psychology behind the decision, hence opening it up to the forum.
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I think there are loads of possible reasons for this, might be worth asking some of their guys next time maybe?
We had a guy who played in our 3s in 2009. Scored 4 tons and averaged over 80 for the season. I am sure some oppositions thought he/we were idiots because of it especially as he had played mainly 1s before that. The reality was a) without his runs the side would have been hammered most weeks which would have done nothing for the confidence of the youngsters in the team b) his sons were playing in the side and he wanted a season where he played in the same team as them
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Tough luck all i can say
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When you say he is not giving the colts the chance to bat, is he stealing the strike or just scoring runs.
As to have an older player at one end scoring runs can ease the pressure of the colt allowing them to play there natural game. Also if he is looking at running quick singles or twos and threes then that can only be good as you need to be able to rotate the strike.
Also if he helps win games this can only be good for the mentality of some of the colts as I often see heads get down quite quickly with some colt players.
Not saying that this guy does this. But these are the potential advantages.
Also ABDV averages over 50 in tests maybe he should take the step up and play for planet earth (OJ)
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TBH I can see it from all the different angles. There are reasons why a player would choose to play at a lower level than could potentially play at but there could be so many reasons for it
-maybe their children player and they want to play with them
-maybe they just want to turn up, have a good bat/bowl and have no pressure
-maybe they have an interest in helping coach and don't want to the limelight anymore
-maybe there are better players at the club so they are not good enough for their firsts so play 2nds that happen to be too low for them etc
-maybe they are just a complete **** and want to feel like they are awesome
-maybe the club is a bad club and is so desperate to 'win'
Of course, it's good in some ways for player and club BUT it's also a bad thing. Less players get a game which can lead to discontent, you can have worse games in general as oppo's just feel like it's taking the mick (which can of course ruin games for all but hardened 'win and all costs' types). Then you have the fact colts maybe don't learn to build an innings but get away for longer with just 'slogging' and so it' takes them longer to become better players.
Lots of reasons for and against it. At the end of the day if I come up against a player who is just way too good for that level (so most overseas pro's for example) I really do just try and pretend they are not there, I usually just see what their team scores without their runs, without their wickets etc etc.. Youd' be surprised how many teams (even though they won't admit it) rely virtually completely on that one player most weeks (of course odd weeks someone else will chip in). Just try and laugh it off, I won't generally clap anyone like that for tons etc as of course they scored big runs.. they are too good but I wouldn't let it bother me too much. If their team get cocky then you can just keep telling yourself 'it's easy to be gobby when it's a one man team'
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I'm having a go at the bloke or anything, at the end of the day he does what he chooses! As manormaniac said, the guy in question is an older fella, and no he isn't contracted (strange thing to say) to play at a higher level nor is should he. Simmy saying he likes being a big fish just links to the comments of being egotistical and arrogant.
I don't know whether I'm reading this right but I suspect I am - Simmy is a perfect example of the problem here. At his current level he keeps and scores runs batting in the top order. He's had the option to move upward but whilst he'd still keep, his batting chances would be limited. It is, I think we can all agree, a genuine dilemma...
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TBH I can see it from all the different angles. There are reasons why a player would choose to play at a lower level than could potentially play at but there could be so many reasons for it
-maybe their children player and they want to play with them
-maybe they just want to turn up, have a good bat/bowl and have no pressure
-maybe they have an interest in helping coach and don't want to the limelight anymore
-maybe there are better players at the club so they are not good enough for their firsts so play 2nds that happen to be too low for them etc
-maybe they are just a complete **** and want to feel like they are awesome
-maybe the club is a bad club and is so desperate to 'win'
There is another, and its mine so I'll offer it up. He doesn't want to block a good youngster from expanding their game. I could play Ones for another ten years, I'm sure - hell, I've made over a thousand runs this year on one leg - but figure its better than someone who'll improve and develop the club plays instead in the hope that his eventual level exceeds what my creaking bones can manage!
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I think there are loads of possible reasons for this, might be worth asking some of their guys next time maybe?
We had a guy who played in our 3s in 2009. Scored 4 tons and averaged over 80 for the season. I am sure some oppositions thought he/we were idiots because of it especially as he had played mainly 1s before that. The reality was a) without his runs the side would have been hammered most weeks which would have done nothing for the confidence of the youngsters in the team b) his sons were playing in the side and he wanted a season where he played in the same team as them
Our captain could play at a higher level but plays for our thirds because his son has started in the team, however, we are not a one man team. We have won games without him scoring runs.
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Our Sunday side has always been for people that weren't picked on a sat.
This year we have 3 Saturday sides, and not many want to play twice a weekend. So regularly on a sat there is only 9 and 10 picked. Which ends up with a first teamer filling the spot.
I did it a few weeks back, scored 48 of 23 balls batting sensible, I didn't enjoy it, and have said unless really desperate I won't play again as not my thing.
Last week an out of form batsmen played for some in the middle practice, he scored 130 of 72 balls. Now thinks he is the best batsmen in the club, wants to open sat and wed. And play every Sunday.
It certainly upped his confidence.
Well until I opened with him wed and he scored 4, and then this sat when he scored 0 and 6.
He still wants to play Sundays so he can "smash records"
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I suppose it still comes down to what you want. If you want to average high (if you exclude not outs!) then you are playing at a lower level than you should if you were to really test yourself. If you are struggling as a top order bastmen to get to 30 each week then you are probably at the right level. If you are getting out for <20 most weeks then you are probably playing above your level.
So as soon as I hear someone say 'I'm averaging 30+', and they've done it regularly then I'd say (in amateur cricket) they are playing below where they should be. However, it's far more fun to score 30-50 each week than struggle to 20