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The Highest level of your ability

54 (47.4%)

Enjoying yourself and your cricket

60 (52.6%)

Total Members Voted: 114

[alba caerulea]

Very interesting read

The pros and cons of modern times eh

[ProCricketer1982]

This is a situation I am currently facing. It's a big decision I have to say. Someone earlier said about choosing between having to battle for your runs or scoring a leisurely 50, I actually know what he means. Not saying every week you can score 50 without trying but over the course of the year you'd find yourself scoring big runs without actually having to take any risks, which is different to higher levels as the bowlers/fielders make you take risks to break the shackles etc.

[procricket]

Don't worry about standard play on th best decks possible i say of your a batter

[LDifa]

I have both, I am greedy though.

I play with a friendly team which is made up of brilliant people and is really good fun.

I also play league cricket and have gone from no.8 in my first season to no.3 last year and I am opening next week for the 2s.

If you can find both options you are onto a real winner.

[siridurrani]

Playing at a lower standard and enjoying yourself is the way to go unless you are being paid ect, at the end of the day you take out time of your life to play cricket, if you aren't enjoying it then it isn't the greatest experience, you only keep pushing yourself if there is a goal at the end of the tunnel e.g county/semi pro cricket where money gets involved. I'm completely the opposite when it comes to football though, as you get paid more the higher levels you go it is a sure bet to push yourself. It all depends on what you want from the game really.

[Tail Ender]

I made a post late last year/beginning of this, saying I wasn't enjoying my cricket (and reasons for). Not long after that I injured my side and couldn't bowl for a few months and as a result I could only play as a bat. I asked to be dropped into the lowest team, as I hadn't batted higher than eight or nine and didn't think I could hold my own as a bat in a higher grade, regardless what other teammates were saying. As a result, I started to really enjoy my cricket again and rediscovered a bit of the love that was starting to wane. So enjoying my cricket is the key for me now, whereas a year or two ago it would've been more important to push myself and try to play at the highest level I could.

[jamielsn15]

Difficult one.  One player can influence a game in cricket more than in other team sports.  Play T20 against a village side who have one guy who opens the batting and skippers the villages weekend 1sts.

Proceeds to usually hit a ton off about 12 overs and its an open secret that he is competition with a mate to see who can get the highest average every year, across all forms of the game.

No problem you might say.  But they typically finish 180-220 for 1 or 2, leaving a lot of young players, who play midweek only, not getting a bat.  In this case, I think he shouldn't be playing and I tell him as much whenever I'm fielding.  Nothing nasty, just "where do you want the next one?", "how's the average going?  Let me know and I'll tell you what it is ball-by-ball" and "those kids are learning a lot from 100 yards away."  I think I even suggested his mum must be very proud last time...

[uknsaunders]

I think you can go too far the other way - Big Fish Small Pond. For me if a guy averages 50-60+ he probably needs to think about going up a level and possibly under 10 with the ball. You would hope they want to challenge themselves enough to move, but also realise they limiting other people's participation and enjoyment.

[siridurrani]

Difficult one.  One player can influence a game in cricket more than in other team sports.  Play T20 against a village side who have one guy who opens the batting and skippers the villages weekend 1sts.

Proceeds to usually hit a ton off about 12 overs and its an open secret that he is competition with a mate to see who can get the highest average every year, across all forms of the game.

No problem you might say.  But they typically finish 180-220 for 1 or 2, leaving a lot of young players, who play midweek only, not getting a bat.  In this case, I think he shouldn't be playing and I tell him as much whenever I'm fielding.  Nothing nasty, just "where do you want the next one?", "how's the average going?  Let me know and I'll tell you what it is ball-by-ball" and "those kids are learning a lot from 100 yards away."  I think I even suggested his mum must be very proud last time...

ha! The mum quote is brilliant

[tbarnfield99]

Highest Possible.

I can't understand players who go and blast a ton every other week against poor opposition. Being a big fish in a small pond doesn't appeal to me at all. I think it says a lot about the person themselves.

I could drop down and play seconds or to a local league and get bags full of runs, but I'd much rather test myself against professionals and good quality players even if I do end up with half as many runs. I got to play against Amjad Kahn at the weekend and think it's great. He's lightyears ahead of me and I get to be on the same pitch!

[tbarnfield99]

I think you can go too far the other way - Big Fish Small Pond. For me if a guy averages 50-60+ he probably needs to think about going up a level and possibly under 10 with the ball. You would hope they want to challenge themselves enough to move, but also realise they limiting other people's participation and enjoyment.

Exactly.

[GarrettJ]

im rethinking the level i play at, i initially went to help out and coach a new team that had formed. We came 2nd in both seasons but i realise i am basically propping up the batting single handedly ... average 149 and 120 opening the batting in my 2 seasons.

the key moment came when i played agaisnt someone from the league above, 5 years ago i would have murdered his bowling but it seemed to me that i had lost the magic through playing at a lower standard.

I think next year i will ditch the coaching role and go back to the top league to take up a challenge i was set by the premier league golden boy who thinks a 40 average is brilliant and wins player of the year most years.

I will need a full winter of batting, so im going to buy a BOLA and maybe use that to coach my old team as well so not to let them down too much.

when im 40 i will have plenty of time to go down the leagues and coach, im only 34 so the eyes and reactions are still working so why not keep testing myself.....

[uknsaunders]

I reckon batsman mature around late 20s and have until their late 30s before the eyes and reflexes slow against quality bowling. Averaging 100+ is a sure sign you should be playing at a higher level I think!

[Tumo]

We have a lad in our local league who averages 50 or something silly, he plays at my level (actually, below, but still...) and he bats for about 25-30 overs, scores a ton, and they end up 250 odd-2 at teas. In fact, there was a facebook discussion between him and his side over it. However, when he went up to where he should be playing he only averaged 15-20, got found out big-style. He even had the cheek last year, when we played them and we only had 7 players, to tell me after I'd won the toss and batted first (makes sense, no?) that I'm a poor sport and should've let them bat first so he could win the averages. Chasing 70, he got cleaned up for a duck. Gave him a send-off. Possibly my favourite moment of the season!

[lethalshrapnel]

Highest. Alwaays. Death or glory!