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General Cricket => Your Cricket => Topic started by: GoodLeave on August 08, 2017, 08:32:12 PM

Title: Who makes the best captain?
Post by: GoodLeave on August 08, 2017, 08:32:12 PM
I've been thinking about Root's first series as captain and it got me wondering if being a certain discipline aided captaincy. As far back as I can remember, I can't remember an "out and out" Bowler being England Test Captain. So I thought about current test captains around the world. None of them bowlers.

Why aren't Bowlers captains!?

Then that got me to thinking, I wonder what the stats are on clubbie captains? Do I play for the only side in England that has a bowler as a captain? And is that why we're so terrible!?

I know lots of us play for teams who let everyone have a bat and bowl, so for this purpose, just choose what they are best at. Keepers are obviously keeping batsmen, but perhaps this gives another dimension/take on captaincy.
Title: Re: Who makes the best captain?
Post by: UpandOver on August 08, 2017, 08:54:51 PM
At my club the first team captain is an all rounder (more of a batsman though), 2s captain is an all rounder, 3s captain is a bowler (bats 11 so out and out bowler), 4s captain is the keeper and all of them are very good at it. The other captains I've played under have been an all rounder or a keeper.

So in my experience bowlers do make good captains but they often bat as well. I've always thought it's more about the individual than what their role in the team is but maybe that the type of person that makes a good captain is, coincidentally or not, of a particular role.
Title: Re: Who makes the best captain?
Post by: smilley792 on August 08, 2017, 09:00:56 PM
Our skipper is an all-rounder.

But he is one of the best bowlers in league(won averages 2 seasons ago).

One of his big issues is not knowing when to take himself off. He always seems to want one over to many.

As vice captain, I have had take him off on a few occasions.  Leads to some arguments on field. But after game he usually agrees it was the right call.
Title: Re: Who makes the best captain?
Post by: WalkingWicket37 on August 08, 2017, 09:04:31 PM
I used to hate being a bowler and captain.
I would deliberately under bowl myself so that I wasn't accused of being selfish (to the extent I batted 11 and didn't bowl myself in some games)
Title: Re: Who makes the best captain?
Post by: InternalTraining on August 08, 2017, 09:11:54 PM

One of his big issues is not knowing when to take himself off. He always seems to want one over to many.

As vice captain, I have had take him off on a few occasions.  Leads to some arguments on field. But after game he usually agrees it was the right call.

This is a known issue with bowler captains but other than that, their field tactics can be very good.
Title: Re: Who makes the best captain?
Post by: Buzz on August 08, 2017, 09:12:27 PM
The person who reads the game the best. What they do for the team is irrelevant.
Title: Re: Who makes the best captain?
Post by: GoodLeave on August 08, 2017, 09:13:13 PM
Our skipper is an all-rounder.

But he is one of the best bowlers in league(won averages 2 seasons ago).

One of his big issues is not knowing when to take himself off. He always seems to want one over to many.

As vice captain, I have had take him off on a few occasions.  Leads to some arguments on field. But after game he usually agrees it was the right call.

Perhaps this is why I feel batsmen make the more logical choice for captain. Because they can stand in the slips and make an independent choice on who's going to bowl, not having their judgement clouded by thoughts of "I can get this guy", when perhaps someone more suited might be required.
Title: Re: Who makes the best captain?
Post by: InternalTraining on August 08, 2017, 09:14:07 PM
A bowler, batsman, or a keeper can be a good captain if they have good game assessment skills, awareness of team's skill and weaknesses, and good grasp of game tactics.
Title: Re: Who makes the best captain?
Post by: ppccopener on August 08, 2017, 09:14:57 PM
Most of my club captains have been bowlers, certainly when I first started playing all the first 3 were bowlers.

Current team captain is a bowler. The only difference I have known over the years is the batting order...ours changes so often and we get not much notice going up or down as the innings is going on.

When I captained I avoided this specifically, maybe because for loads of years I opened ...so I had to know where I was batting before the game started...I knew other guys liked to have a spot as well. So I rarely changed it.i think it helps to have a number and get used to it. It wasn't rocket science....decent technique and patience up the order, no patience or capable of whacking it..in the middle,non batting bowlers at the end.

But I've got used to changing position now, some others would like a set spot as well.

I don't know if this is because he is a bowler....my perception is that it is

But generally I don't  think it makes much difference Keeper, bowler or batsman who makes a better captain
Title: Re: Who makes the best captain?
Post by: Chalkie on August 08, 2017, 09:56:30 PM
Both our 1st and 2nd team skippers are batsmen (apparently  ;) ) but our Sunday skipper is a bowler.

I generally find that the 1st team skipper makes pretty decent decisions on who to bowl, and consults well with his vice (a bowler) and keeper about changes.

I stopped playing for the Sunday captain as he makes sure he (and his vice) get in at least 12 overs each before he gives anyone else a go.
Title: Re: Who makes the best captain?
Post by: uknsaunders on August 08, 2017, 10:12:24 PM
The person who reads the game the best. What they do for the team is irrelevant.

Go with this and add the guy who understands the game best. If you understand what makes good cricketers and what it takes to play good cricket then it helps. Maybe allrounders, with a foot in both camps understand bowlers and batsman better.
Title: Re: Who makes the best captain?
Post by: potzy248 on August 08, 2017, 10:27:29 PM
The person who reads the game the best. What they do for the team is irrelevant.

Don't agree with this. They have to be pretty good so they lead from the front. Pretty hard to tell people what to do/inspire if you're rubbish.
Title: Re: Who makes the best captain?
Post by: Tailendfielder on August 08, 2017, 10:41:33 PM
I find really tough to captain while keeping but a breeze from mid off
Title: Re: Who makes the best captain?
Post by: richthekeeper on August 08, 2017, 10:48:24 PM
I find really tough to captain while keeping but a breeze from mid off

Exactly this. I can't keep, open the batting and skipper on the same day so something has to give.
Title: Re: Who makes the best captain?
Post by: Neon Cricket on August 09, 2017, 06:31:35 AM
Personally, I've never been a fan of bowlers who captain.

Current club is a prime example, it's been the same for years by the sounds it - a classic case of bowling 1/2 too many overs when having an off spell (should note that the lad is a very good player, easily bowls 75mph+).

I'd prefer the skip to be a bat, but in the grand scheme of things I don't think it really makes all that much difference.
Title: Re: Who makes the best captain?
Post by: roco on August 09, 2017, 07:35:35 AM
If a bowler is captain for me they need a good vice as near impossible to captain when your bowling your over and you can under or over bowl yourself

A good vice to help and take some workload off and it can work well as a bowler may be able to spot weaknesses in a batsmen better

over all I'm with buzz player who reads game best and best man management as that is a big key at club level
Title: Re: Who makes the best captain?
Post by: SOULMAN1012 on August 09, 2017, 07:48:38 AM
Our captain on sat is an opening bowler, great bowler poor captain, young and gun yo with no idea about field placings and how to adapt to game situation and just believes it's ok I bowl rapid pace and that will get everyone out. In my opinion our best captain choices don't do it because always been the same couple of faces and we wanted to give a couple of younger players the chance. The further we go up the leagues however this will need to be addressed as already almost lost games we had in the bag due to inexperience and big ego
Title: Re: Who makes the best captain?
Post by: Seniorplayer on August 09, 2017, 08:43:57 AM
Our captain is the best guy for the job he has excellent man mangement skills  He  does the teas goes to the  league meetings and does his best to raise a side  Without his efforts there wouldn't be a club he is also a bowler well that's what he tells us
Title: Re: Who makes the best captain?
Post by: alexhilly1492 on August 09, 2017, 08:55:30 AM
They've got to read the game and adapt, it doesn't matter if they bat bowl keep or whatever, however that being said I also think having a good vice captain is just as important, and someone who isn't aftraid to speak up when they think the captain is wrong! I have to give my captain and vice captain a shout out here as I think they work incredibly well together @19reading87 and @Maverick79 theres been some close games where field positioning and bowling changes have won them for us!
Title: Re: Who makes the best captain?
Post by: brokenbat on August 09, 2017, 11:40:26 AM
What category would Lee Germon fit in? ;)
Title: Re: Who makes the best captain?
Post by: LBWCandidate on August 09, 2017, 02:34:00 PM
Our captain is our opening bowler, our best batsman, and our best keeper. He reads the game really well and keeps his cool.
I feel batsman make better captains as they manage bowlers well by letting them set their fields and guide them if needed. If he is a keeper, it helps even more as long as he can manage all the responsibilities.
Title: Re: Who makes the best captain?
Post by: Mortimer on August 09, 2017, 05:57:01 PM
I've been thinking about Root's first series as captain and it got me wondering if being a certain discipline aided captaincy. As far back as I can remember, I can't remember an "out and out" Bowler being England Test Captain. So I thought about current test captains around the world. None of them bowlers.

Why aren't Bowlers captains!?

Then that got me to thinking, I wonder what the stats are on clubbie captains? Do I play for the only side in England that has a bowler as a captain? And is that why we're so terrible!?

I know lots of us play for teams who let everyone have a bat and bowl, so for this purpose, just choose what they are best at. Keepers are obviously keeping batsmen, but perhaps this gives another dimension/take on captaincy.

It's a long time ago, but Bob Willis was England captain for a couple of years in the early 80s
Title: Re: Who makes the best captain?
Post by: fros23 on August 09, 2017, 07:15:39 PM
Our captain is the best guy for the job he has excellent man mangement skills  He  does the teas goes to the  league meetings and does his best to raise a side  Without his efforts there wouldn't be a club he is also a bowler well that's what he tells us

This is the best answer so far, club cricket captain is 90% sorting out off field stuff and getting a team out and 10% actually on the cricket field.