Topic: Young legspinners and the free hit consequences (Read 3746 times)

shentser · « **on:** August 04, 2022, 02:35:34 PM »

I have been lucky enough recently to watch some junior cricket for the first time since lockdown but have witnessed some uncomfortable moments in the last couple of weeks.
I have now seen 3 instances of young legspinners who are still learning the game totally losing their composure and bowling multiple ball expensive overs. It all revolves around the Free Hit.
As most of you will know the legspinner is a very hard delivery to control and sometimes the ball can bounce twice or float towards the batmnan over waist height .
Both these deliveries are obviously no balls that the batsman has plenty time to dispatch to the boundary but is then offered a free hit which often is dispatched in the same way.
All the times I have witnessed this you can see the pressure building on the individual and it invariably goes from bad to worse.
One instance was a 17 year old girl who when she got it right was unplayable but had such a bad experience in her last over she doesnt want to bowl any more.
I can see the logic in a free hit for seamers overstepping the front line but I do worry that this law is a huge disincentive to continue as a spinner for the next generation.

Bats_Entertainment · « **Reply #1 on:** August 04, 2022, 07:08:09 PM »

Cricket's in a real mess.

Jimbo · « **Reply #2 on:** August 04, 2022, 07:26:41 PM »

We don't play the free hit rule in our leagues, other than the Premier. I can understand it at elite level but at clubbie level it's pretty brutal.

Kez · « **Reply #3 on:** August 04, 2022, 10:22:10 PM »

Quote from: Jimbo on August 04, 2022, 07:26:41 PM

We don't play the free hit rule in our leagues, other than the Premier. I can understand it at elite level but at clubbie level it's pretty brutal.

Exactly this! A totally irrelevant rule for non elite cricket.

cobweb1510 · « **Reply #4 on:** August 04, 2022, 11:38:56 PM »

I'm not sure I agree.

My son has played pairs for most of his cricket career as a wicketkeeper/batsman. He has had plenty of games ruined (for him) with his precious 12 balls being slung all over the place and being unhittable. However the bowlers are protected by a rule that limits the number of additional balls that the bowler can deliver (1 from memory). So he stands there as his 14 balls roll along the floor or are 8 feet wide as his opportunity to contribute and have fun goes up in smoke. Your spinner has been hurt by her own lack of skill- the batsman gets punished for the bowlers lack of skill.

A couple of further points specific to your example-
Is 17 really classed as that young to need extra protection? I'm not convinced.
Aren't all spinners at risk of being expensive when things don't work properly? I would think the mental resilience needed to cope with that was an important skill for all spinners to learn, and captains to manage.

Tonight I watched a 12 year old walk off the pitch in tears having got out 4 times in his 4 over partnership. He's not very good. The rule designed to protect him (loss of runs, keep batting) actually led to repeated failures rather than a single low score. In truth, no rule is going to protect him here- he failed and was going to feel bad. If he can't learn to accept that, I can't see him continuing to play the game for long irrespective of any accommodations made for him.

The point I'm trying to make (whilst probably sounding completely heartless

is you cannot legislate a poor player against a good one. If this spinner is being hit to the boundary repeatedly then it sounds like she's up against a batsman that is better than her (at least on the day) - in the same way my son's team mate was against bowlers better than him. My son has played games in all sports where he has been heavily beaten- and dished out heavy defeats. It's part of playing sport.

Chompy9760 · « **Reply #5 on:** August 05, 2022, 07:17:09 AM »

Quote from: cobweb1510 on August 04, 2022, 11:38:56 PM

My son has played pairs for most of his cricket career as a wicketkeeper/batsman. He has had plenty of games ruined (for him) with his precious 12 balls being slung all over the place and being unhittable. However the bowlers are protected by a rule that limits the number of additional balls that the bowler can deliver (1 from memory). So he stands there as his 14 balls roll along the floor or are 8 feet wide as his opportunity to contribute and have fun goes up in smoke. Your spinner has been hurt by her own lack of skill- the batsman gets punished for the bowlers lack of skill.

Yes, we see a bit of that in our cricket, particularly at the end when the younger members of the team (our team has 8-16 y.o.) come on to bowl. A partial solution is to have umpires who are on the ball, and if they see a bowler struggling, then have them deliver the ball three or so steps closer to the batter (assuming they are not quick). This isn't perfect but will get more balls on the pitch.

Umpires have to be a bit flexible, if a young kid bowls a ball that lands on the pitch but bounces a few times, we're happy to let it go unless the player happens to get out. 7 ball max overs here as well. With some teams it would be a long day if all wides had to be re-bowled!

There is a T20 junior competition my kids have played in where no-balls and wides both incur a 2 run penalty, but thankfully the 'free hit' has never been part of the rules. While the 2 run penalty does more to compensate for a ball you can't hit, ideally you still want something the batter can play.

Thor Odin�s Son · « **Reply #6 on:** August 05, 2022, 08:26:06 AM »

Your either good at sport or you�re not. Simple as. If the �enjoyment� if there as you aren�t good enough to adhere to the laws of the game - take up something else.

Jimbo · « **Reply #7 on:** August 05, 2022, 09:13:45 AM »

Quote from: Thor Odin�s Son on August 05, 2022, 08:26:06 AM

Your either good at sport or you�re not. Simple as. If the �enjoyment� if there as you aren�t good enough to adhere to the laws of the game - take up something else.

Could this be more Aussie if you tried 😂

Bungle · « **Reply #8 on:** August 05, 2022, 12:08:09 PM »

I like 2 runs for a wide/no ball, it's what we do at the level I play at and feels fair. The batter doesn't feel forced to try and hit it, bowler still gets punished for bowling poorly.

Bats_Entertainment · « **Reply #9 on:** August 05, 2022, 05:43:11 PM »

Quote from: Jimbo on August 05, 2022, 09:13:45 AM

Could this be more Aussie if you tried 😂

Yes. Shane Warne would have totally disagreed with developing cricketers being treated like this.

Warneymonster · « **Reply #10 on:** August 08, 2022, 02:05:14 PM »

Quote from: Bungle on August 05, 2022, 12:08:09 PM

I like 2 runs for a wide/no ball, it's what we do at the level I play at and feels fair. The batter doesn't feel forced to try and hit it, bowler still gets punished for bowling poorly.

works until oppo needs 8 off 3 to win so the bowler slings 3 massive wides, unfortunately have played in a game where this happened. both sides agreed no extra balls because of the weather forecast later in the day.

I like the rule at a kids level with maybe the tweak that extra balls are bowled in the last 2 overs of each innings. nobody should feel bullied out of the game because they are not very good at it, but there has to be a balance for those that are also a lot better so they are also enjoying it. we dont live in a culture of medals just for participating just yet and sport is supposed to be competitive, i bet these kids dont throw s##t fits when they lose a game of fifa

cricketbadger · « **Reply #11 on:** August 08, 2022, 05:02:54 PM »

Quote from: cobweb1510 on August 04, 2022, 11:38:56 PM

I'm not sure I agree.

My son has played pairs for most of his cricket career as a wicketkeeper/batsman. He has had plenty of games ruined (for him) with his precious 12 balls being slung all over the place and being unhittable. However the bowlers are protected by a rule that limits the number of additional balls that the bowler can deliver (1 from memory). So he stands there as his 14 balls roll along the floor or are 8 feet wide as his opportunity to contribute and have fun goes up in smoke. Your spinner has been hurt by her own lack of skill- the batsman gets punished for the bowlers lack of skill.

A couple of further points specific to your example-
Is 17 really classed as that young to need extra protection? I'm not convinced.
Aren't all spinners at risk of being expensive when things don't work properly? I would think the mental resilience needed to cope with that was an important skill for all spinners to learn, and captains to manage.

Tonight I watched a 12 year old walk off the pitch in tears having got out 4 times in his 4 over partnership. He's not very good. The rule designed to protect him (loss of runs, keep batting) actually led to repeated failures rather than a single low score. In truth, no rule is going to protect him here- he failed and was going to feel bad. If he can't learn to accept that, I can't see him continuing to play the game for long irrespective of any accommodations made for him.

The point I'm trying to make (whilst probably sounding completely heartless is you cannot legislate a poor player against a good one. If this spinner is being hit to the boundary repeatedly then it sounds like she's up against a batsman that is better than her (at least on the day) - in the same way my son's team mate was against bowlers better than him. My son has played games in all sports where he has been heavily beaten- and dished out heavy defeats. It's part of playing sport.

That's a great post and some very good points raised, hard to disagree

brokenbat · « **Reply #12 on:** August 08, 2022, 06:46:30 PM »

How a young child deals with a bad outing depends on his/her coach and parents. If the coach/parent drones on about the need for line and length and the standard unhelpful nonsense of �no full tosses� or �pitch the ball� then of course the child will be traumatized. On the other hand, if the child is receiving helpful advice like �remember to finish your action� and being encouraged (runs don�t matter, keep spinning the ball), then being hit around the park will be a learning experience. He/she will build character, learn how to handle pressure AND learn more about his/her game.

Young spinners need protection from terrible coaches/parents, not from the laws of the game.

Chompy9760 · « **Reply #13 on:** August 09, 2022, 08:33:20 AM »

Quote from: Warneymonster on August 08, 2022, 02:05:14 PM

works until oppo needs 8 off 3 to win so the bowler slings 3 massive wides, unfortunately have played in a game where this happened. both sides agreed no extra balls because of the weather forecast later in the day.

And for that exact reason our junior comp has a by-law that during finals, the last over must be six legal deliveries. It's never been a problem during minor round games, but removes any temptation for teams to do the wrong thing when winning counts more than ever.

Mtown Don · « **Reply #14 on:** August 09, 2022, 04:13:34 PM »

I�ve often wondered about the specific point of this post and why no balls are punished with a free hit when they can already be scored off (and treated as a free hit if called early enough) in comparison to wides? This has also been the case in county cricket where 2 runs have been awarded for a no ball in various competitions. Why is a no ball considered to be worse than a wide?!

Author Topic: Young legspinners and the free hit consequences (Read 3746 times)

shentser

Young legspinners and the free hit consequences

Bats_Entertainment

Re: Young legspinners and the free hit consequences

Jimbo

Re: Young legspinners and the free hit consequences

Kez

Re: Young legspinners and the free hit consequences

cobweb1510

Re: Young legspinners and the free hit consequences

Chompy9760

Re: Young legspinners and the free hit consequences

Thor Odin�s Son

Re: Young legspinners and the free hit consequences

Jimbo

Re: Young legspinners and the free hit consequences

Bungle

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Bats_Entertainment

Re: Young legspinners and the free hit consequences

Warneymonster

Re: Young legspinners and the free hit consequences

cricketbadger

Re: Young legspinners and the free hit consequences

brokenbat

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Chompy9760

Re: Young legspinners and the free hit consequences

Mtown Don

Re: Young legspinners and the free hit consequences