Topic: Nets vs. Indoor games (Read 2546 times)

TangoWhiskey · « **on:** January 29, 2014, 09:14:37 AM »

From: http://www.pitchvision.com/ditch-the-nets-at-winter-training-to-make-a-better-preseason

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Ditch the Nets at Winter Training to Make a Better Preseason
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Coach Darren Talbot laments a wasted chance in this article. To find out more about Darren Talbot Cricket Coaching click here.

Around preseaon clubs plan their senior and junior winter net training sessions.

Maybe you are doing it now.

One of the biggest issues is finding a venue as there are still nowhere enough indoor net facilities to cope with the demand from clubs, schools and individuals.

But why do we do nets?

What are the real benefits, especially in the winter?

How much �netting� do the pros do in the winter and early spring? The answer is not much, if any. So if it�s not appropriate for them, why are we putting ourselves and our junior sections through net sessions?
It makes no sense at all.

The answer is because that�s the way it�s always been done. But that doesn�t make it right.

Leaving the seniors aside for one minute, if you are a coach of a junior squad, ask yourself these questions:

How many of my squad can ball every ball consistently in the right channel at a decent pace for a batsman to play a normal cricket shot? If you�ve answered 8 or more, you�ve either got a really good (or older) squad or you are kidding yourself. Any less than that and anyone who can�t bowl straight enough or well enough is ruining that net session.
How much actual cricket are my players getting in a net situation? How many balls will little Johnny bowl in 10 minutes; the answer is 2 if he�s lucky! How many hittable balls will little Harry get in his 7 minute net session; the answer is maybe 5 to 10. Is this really worth it?
What were the major problems my squad faced during the season with their performances and is a net session the right place to work on those shortcomings? If you�re honest with yourself and you can look upon it dispassionately I suspect the answer you will come to is �no�.
Am I doing nets because it�s easier for me as a coach/organiser? Only you can answer this truly but let�s be honest, net coaching is the easiest type of coaching to do. Lazy coaches do a lot of nets!

So what should you be working on?

For me the answer lies in indoor cricket matches and skills coaching leading up to that. Indoor cricket improves:-

Running between the wickets
Backing up
Calling
Judging a run
Manipulating the ball into gaps
Bowling accuracy
Bowling to a plan
Chasing a target
Setting a target
Wicketkeeping
Fielder reactions
Fielder decision making
Fielders backing up
Catching
Throwing

So why do nets over indoor hall coaching? Especially when you have the opportunity to choose almost any venue that has a hall big enough.

You don�t need the nets!

Even for seniors. I guarantee your players will start the season sharper for playing indoor cricket ahead of net sessions. There�s a stronger argument at adult level for maybe 5-6 weeks of focussed nets but only with and/or after 5-6 weeks of indoor cricket sessions.

And what about hardball practice?

Yes I accept that it is useful to feel ball on bat and bowling with a hardball again. If your group is good enough (and I take you back to that key question of bowling accuracy earlier) then I would consider doing maybe 3 weeks of nets at the end of the indoor training but only after a minimum of 5 or 6 indoor cricket type nets.

The pros don�t tend to do that much hardball batting until about 6 weeks before the season starts so as amateurs and coaches we shouldn�t either.

So don�t bow down to peer pressure, parental pressure or just plain �that�s what we�ve always done�, think wiser and think better.

Author: David.Hinchliffe | Wed, 01/02/2012 - 10:53

Buzz · « **Reply #1 on:** January 29, 2014, 09:23:40 AM »

this is really interesting and worth thinking about - I always prefer game related practice to nets - although I don't ever remember playing indoor cricket over winter nets... then again, I haven't done any team netting for about 4 years

smilley792 · « **Reply #2 on:** January 29, 2014, 09:28:47 AM »

Sundays indoor cricket league(all winter, although from a sat squad of 72, we only have 9 interested in indoor cricket)

Then from jan onwards Wednesday nets too.

I'd presume, or hope the Sunday players will be in form for sag league when it starts.

tim2000s · « **Reply #3 on:** January 29, 2014, 09:32:07 AM »

It's an interesting observation, and from what I've seen from doing indoor and nets, appears to be true, although both bowlers and batsmen need to have the month before the season with the hardball too, otherwise they haven't acclimatised to the differences.

TangoWhiskey · « **Reply #4 on:** January 29, 2014, 09:40:08 AM »

I think the main point of it is that you train more skills in a game situation as opposed to nets. The only focus our nets have is when the last 6 get called and 12 runs are needed, which has me trying to hit the ball even harder than I was doing during my net!

steyn92 · « **Reply #5 on:** January 29, 2014, 04:24:55 PM »

At our Uni training, we've recently scrapped the 'traditional net' i.e have 15 mins bat and then bowl. Our Bowlers work on hitting areas, and the batsman work on grooving their technique. I find it much more beneficial.

ProCricketer1982 · « **Reply #6 on:** January 29, 2014, 04:38:11 PM »

Personally I find indoor rubbish. The ball swings more than outside so is false, this thing about manipulating the ball is crap (IMO), as the better indoor guys are the worse ones outside! I find it doesn't help,judge a run as people run suicidal singles mainly just hoping the oppos miss the shy, how is that good,running?? Sod playing in a team that's xonstantly trying to,run me out in a 50 over game !

It doesn't reward cuts, pulls, leg glances and a lot of the time drives as they are either easily blocked or just hit the wall for one.

To sum up, while I think traditional club nets are even more pointless as that article describes, proper nets are focused and constructive. I'd take 30 mins of a quality net with the bat over an indoor game any day (even if scoring 25* etc). I can see why it's be better for bowlers playing onddors as the classic thing to happen at normal nets is bowlers suddenly Stsrt bowling shorter than they should because it goes through quicker and faster (as soon as I see it I just think 'tossed') and lose interest in the net.

Fielding indoors can be good in a way but again it's different to outdoor so it's hardly training the right things anyway

Just my 2p's worth, I'm sure some love indoor and think it's awesome. Funny how a club with 4 sat teams struggles to even get 6 out each week though if it is such a great game !

ajmw89 · « **Reply #7 on:** January 29, 2014, 04:41:33 PM »

Our 2 hour net session is usually an hours fielding-orientated fitness work, followed by an hour net. The batters bat and the bowlers bowl. If there's time, the bowlers can have a bit of a slap too

ProCricketer1982 · « **Reply #8 on:** January 29, 2014, 04:46:06 PM »

As I say, a properly run net where players are actually trying to improve is far better than a indoor game. However, indoor is better really against your traditional club net where bowlers either can't actually bowl or just try and prove how fast they are and knock peoples head off

fasteddie · « **Reply #9 on:** January 29, 2014, 04:50:13 PM »

Last season we tried a few indoor games and found it detrimental to our game.

You are forced to do things you would never dream of.

If you've got a local school hall/larger net facility, why not give the batters two nets to see where their shots go and have two batters to get them running and puffing a bit. When I was at Hampstead, Paul Weekes had us running in the nets to get the heart rate up and make you think when tired.

Indoor is a completely different game and we found had no relevance to our real game.

ProCricketer1982 · « **Reply #10 on:** January 29, 2014, 05:38:12 PM »

Quote from: fasteddie on January 29, 2014, 04:50:13 PM

Last season we tried a few indoor games and found it detrimental to our game.

You are forced to do things you would never dream of.

Indoor is a completely different game and we found had no relevance to our real game.

Pretty much what I find, it's take me a few hours of proper netting to get out of indoor mode which tbh, I didn't enjoy. Playing shots that I wouldn't normally play, having to go after balls I wouldn't normally etc.. Just alien and will not help,one bit outdoors.

Sam · « **Reply #11 on:** January 29, 2014, 05:59:05 PM »

Out of interest, is everyone here playing the English or Australian style indoor game as I believe there is a difference

.

ProCricketer1982 · « **Reply #12 on:** January 29, 2014, 06:02:46 PM »

English. What is the difference Sammy ?

wayward_hayward · « **Reply #13 on:** January 29, 2014, 06:13:34 PM »

I completely agree that the traditional nets are pointless. Unless structure and planning is put into a net session (haven't seen much of that at my clubs so far), batsman and bowlers don't receive the required activity time to improve as players. The traditional net has no relation to the game that we play. Who has come away from a traditional net thinking they were an improved player?

Regardless of age or ability, batsmen and bowlers can learn through games activities to develop other aspects than technique. While I believe that indoor cricket is weak in terms of set up (or the version of I have played), but it creates a game situation that requires correct decision making and planning and executing a successful/defending run chase.

joeljonno · « **Reply #14 on:** January 29, 2014, 06:17:14 PM »

Surely the whole point of indoor nets are to get a few overs of bat-on-ball and getting your arm over? Not to be in full swing ready for your first game.

For most people, it is the first time their kit has come out in 5 months or so.

The fielding, etc can come later.

Indoor cricket is a fairly new invention and very difficult to organise for an individual club. Then if you join a league, you can only get 6-8 players a game each week. Not really beneficial for those without a game.

Outdoor nets and pre-season matches are for focused practice.

Author Topic: Nets vs. Indoor games (Read 2546 times)

TangoWhiskey

Nets vs. Indoor games

Buzz

Re: Nets vs. Indoor games

smilley792

Re: Nets vs. Indoor games

tim2000s

Re: Nets vs. Indoor games

TangoWhiskey

Re: Nets vs. Indoor games

steyn92

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ProCricketer1982

Re: Nets vs. Indoor games

ajmw89

Re: Nets vs. Indoor games

ProCricketer1982

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fasteddie

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ProCricketer1982

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Sam

Re: Nets vs. Indoor games

ProCricketer1982

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wayward_hayward

Re: Nets vs. Indoor games

joeljonno

Re: Nets vs. Indoor games