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[Mr Cricket]

Anyone playing indoor cricket over the winter?

Share your opinions on tactics, game plans and strategies here

[roco]

Start a week today with a double header

Tactics run run and run

[The_Bird]

Drop and run and back up!!!!

[Colesy]

Used to play last couple of years but it's nothing like playing outdoor so have quit this year. I'll just use a bowling machine please.

[hit4six]

I find that learning to paddle the paddle sweep and late cut come in handy and moving across the stumps to put bowlers off is something I do regularly. Always use extremely soft hands is all I would say!

[19reading87]

Hammer that back wall! Front leg out the way and boom!

[Simmy]

go big or go home doesnt work! thats all i know!

having a roof and being able to get caught out of the walls shafts my game up. so i have to practice them lovely cover drives into the three wall lol

[Byo]

Used to play last couple of years but it's nothing like playing outdoor so have quit this year. I'll just use a bowling machine please.

I am sure I played against you a couple of weeks ago Colesy!!!

[Colesy]

Haha yeah but that was because Steve asked me to play :L

Thought it was best to retire after that performance anyway

[Howzat]

Use the back of the bat and angle it down to third man

[mdl_1979]

Ours starts this Thursday but I have opted out.  I find that concentrating on fitness and other sports does more for me at this time of year.  I'm having a complete break from cricket until January - and have been enjoying the rest.

[Red Ink Cricket]

played one game so far. failed to defend 177. as a unit we were a little rusty but bowled ok except one guy who went for 30 odd in one over. lol

tactics wise, push it around. nurdle if you can and take the big shot when it comes. if you can get one or 2 to retire ( we retire at 40) then the rest can have a go as  you know you have a man or 2 back ready to come in if needed

[Mr Cricket]

The format I play is:

6 players per team
Batting side have 3 pairs who face 5 overs each
One over per pair is bowled by each outfield player on the bowling side
Batting side lose 5 runs per wicket and batsmen exchange ends upon the fall of a wicket
You can be caught one handed off any wall unless you hit a six
The back wall has a line 2/3rds of the way up it, anywhere above that line is a six
No runs for side walls, one run for the back wall

Im captain of my team and we have a very strong bowling line up but im the only recognised batsman, which means i bat myself in the last pair with our worst batsman and hog the strike, we are usually between -10 and 0 after the first two pairs and then its up to me to get us up to a total which the bowlers can defend, normally between 20 and 40.

How can i get the best out of my non batsmen? ask them to block out and accept we may be on 0 after the first two pairs, giving myself all the work to do, or get them to play their natural game where we might end up -50 after 2 pairs but could get us to 10 or 20 on another day. Im taking the conservative option at the minute, asking them to value their wickets, but against the better teams we have have totals around the 20 mark and not defended them. Its difficult to tell because we could lose the game before its began if they were to try batting properly because as mentioned theyre all bowlers!

Thoughts?

[Red Ink Cricket]

that sounds like an odd game.

i would say cautious approach. or maybe select another player who can bowl a bit and bat a bit more than someone else in the team. having never played that kind of indoor cricket its hard to say but i would imagine a slightly better balance to the side may help

[Buzz]

they have to try really hard not to get out and run as many singles as possible - give them a target of being plus 5-10 for each pair - and try to get them competing amongst themselves. "playing your natural game" is one of the most over used and unhelpful terms used in batting. Unless you have a wonderful technique/eye - people thing that you mean have a swing - which isn't what will bring success (consistently)

my view is try to get them to put a real price on their wicket and to work as hard as possible.