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[thecord]

Just wondering how clubs set up their winter nets?

Our club is pretty much a free for all. People rock up somewhere vaguely around start time, some bowl, some bat and there really isn't much in the way of organisation. I have my own ideas about how best to organise them this year but how does your club go about making sure everyone gets the maximum possible from winter nets?

Appreciate any feedback.

[Ciaran]

We use the doodle system. People book a slot for coming so we have 6 people. Bowlers can then also agree to turn up but they wont have a bat.

[ProCricketer1982]

when you find a good answer let me know

Every club net I've ever been too just turns into a 'first team net' 'second team net' 'youth net' (mainly because first teamers don't like to be associated with anyone of 'lesser' ability).. THen it's the same 2 or 3 'stars' (or perceived stars) who bat first and usually for the longest.. Everyone else just bowls, then gets their 5 to 10 mins when bowls are bored or people are too busy trying to knock the batsmens head off because suddenly they can bounce people!

Of course, I would also say I've only been to 5 different clubs nets and none are what I'd call 'highly organised' clubs.

zero technical training, zero bowler training etc.. It's basically for the 'good' ones to slag off anyone else, the crap ones to get blasted in the head by the 'quicks' and then for people to have a slog.

It's the main reason why tbh, until I'm convinced by a clubs net I just don't value them other than a social gathering. If I go I usually just rock up and bowl. Even then I just bowl pies to the 'stars' and then bowl properly to the others to give them better training (always just bowl line and length too, nothing (intentionally) short.

[ProCricketer1982]

We use the doodle system. People book a slot for coming so we have 6 people. Bowlers can then also agree to turn up but they wont have a bat.

I don't know many people who would turn up and not bat, even the bowlers like to have a slog

[Ciaran]

True then they need to register first to get on the "batting list"
If they dont then they can turn up to bowl.
I regularly come down just to have a bowl at as many people as I can. The more overs under you belt the better!

[jamesisapayne]

Everyone else just bowls, then gets their 5 to 10 mins when bowls are bored or people are too busy trying to knock the batsmens head off because suddenly they can bounce people!

It's obviously quite a common thing then. I love it when guys at our club who bowl 60-70 suddenly think they're Dale Steyn and try bouncing you, yet when they play on a slow low wicket on Saturday they can't hit a length for toffee!

I always try and approach nets with a match frame of mind.

[thecord]

We use the doodle system. People book a slot for coming so we have 6 people. Bowlers can then also agree to turn up but they wont have a bat.

How many people do you generally get turning up for that Ciaran?
I can see the benfit but as Adie says I would be worried that we may only end up with 6 turning up each week!

[ProCricketer1982]

Oh I think it's good that the bowlers bowl and batters bat but (from my very limited experience), you never get everyone to nets anyway and hte ones that do go (barring the odd one or two) want to bat (and actually have a decent bat, not just 5 mins at the end when no one is actually bothering to bowl properly anymore etc).

Like I said, I have no answers I'm afraid. I know in theory what I'd like to see but to achieve that means you probably need more time, equipment and committment from your players than any 'normal' club actually ever has.

[thecord]

It's obviously quite a common thing then. I love it when guys at our club who bowl 60-70 suddenly think they're Dale Steyn and try bouncing you, yet when they play on a slow low wicket on Saturday they can't hit a length for toffee!

I always try and approach nets with a match frame of mind.

Our nets are the least bouncy I have ever played on which actually works out quite well for early season puddings and means the only danger is the beamers!

[Ciaran]

How many people do you generally get turning up for that Ciaran?
I can see the benfit but as Adie says I would be worried that we may only end up with 6 turning up each week!

We get 6 per lane each week minimum. That works out as a 10 minutes bat per batsman. Its not an amazing amount of time but more than enough to get going. For me 5 - 6 is the perfect number per lane anyway.

[thecord]

Oh I think it's good that the bowlers bowl and batters bat but (from my very limited experience), you never get everyone to nets anyway and hte ones that do go (barring the odd one or two) want to bat (and actually have a decent bat, not just 5 mins at the end when no one is actually bothering to bowl properly anymore etc).

Like I said, I have no answers I'm afraid. I know in theory what I'd like to see but to achieve that means you probably need more time, equipment and committment from your players than any 'normal' club actually ever has.

What would be your ideal set up then Adie?

[thecord]

We get 6 per lane each week minimum. That works out as a 10 minutes bat per batsman. Its not an amazing amount of time but more than enough to get going. For me 5 - 6 is the perfect number per lane anyway.

Ah ok so you book 6 batsmen per lane in advance for each net? Thought you meant 6 for the whole session! We have three lanes so would have been an issue!

[Ciaran]

Yep 6 per lane, Bowlers then rotate lanes if needed.
Im only a member of a small club so nets revolve around 7 key players really. So its usually 1 lane booked for 6. As a bowler I love just bowling for the full time and also works out best for the real batsmen to face proper bowling not just other batsmen throwing it down there!

[alba caerulea]

Nets on a mass scale aren't great practice to be honest.

Bowlers bowling one ball at a time can't be very helpful to them and batsman facing an array of different bowlers and actions is an absolute nightmare

My old club tried to implement a slow/spin, fast/medium and a bowling machine net a few years back. Each batsman faced 2 overs (full overs from 2 separate bowlers) in each net followed by a bucket of balls v the bowling machine.

It worked well while we had a coach overseeing it, when he wasn't it soon descended into a free-for-all.

Obviously it depends on your numbers

[jamesisapayne]

Our nets are the least bouncy I have ever played on which actually works out quite well for early season puddings and means the only danger is the beamers!

That sounds pretty realistic. Some of the concrete floors inside the  sports halls we've netted in have been like trampolines - not ideal prep for a late April wicket