Print

[MJB3]

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

[ajm90]

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.

[Vantage_Cricket]

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.

[Johnny]

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

[Kulli]

Our problem is the opposite, the bounce off the floor indoor is very skiddy.

[thecord]

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

[tim2000s]

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.

[gdb19]

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.

[MJB3]

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

[Manormanic]

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.

[uknsaunders]

I'm sure I've asked before, which club for you play for?

[Manormanic]

Hillingdon Manor.  You'll now make a snipe about Coney Green and I'll now point out we only play 3rd XI games there.... :-)

[100 not out]

Generally indoor nets too bouncy. The bounce is usually exaggerated by some idiots using new bat breaker balls too.

[uknsaunders]

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?

[Manormanic]

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...