Cricket Show 280: Competition Winner
This week's winner of the Cricket Show podcast question competition is Mark. He wins a free coaching course from PitchVision Academy.
The winning question was:
"Far too often, players do not use the correct three words for calling ("Yes, No, Wait") whilst batting and I really need something which makes them use just those calls between two players and also in a real match scenario as that builds up pressure on them, I really get annoyed at hearing things like "right", "hold it", "go" or "c'mon" as they do not build confidence and understanding between the two batsmen and nor do they put the fielding team on notice that they won't get a run-out today. I've been toying with blindfolding players so that their partners have to give clear and concise calls to get the player from point A to point B but to date, haven't come up with anything that actually incorporates cricket standards or actually works. So, do you kind gents have any thoughts on how those facets can be not only taught, but practiced hard so they become second nature to everyone?"
Listen to the panels answer to his question here.
To enter your own question for the chance to win your choice of online coaching course send your questions in here.
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Comments
Where did this silly myth come from that there are only three things you can say? Its ok to teach this to kids to keep it simple, but adult batsmen need to be more advanced than that.
There are loads more perfectly valid things to say: looking, push hard, just one, looking two, looking three, your call, my end, your end, get back, not now, jog it in, in his hands, etc etc etc.
I also employ "next time", "stay there" and occasionally "get running you lazy f*cker".
If you don't use a whole variety of these as a runner, you're simply not giving your partner as much information as you could and a run out will be the result.
AB, I would add that it's important to understand the basic calls (and the basic mistakes) first, and that is where "there are 3 calls only" mantra originates. However, once you are confident of clear calling you can add in extra words.
Just don't let anyone say "GO!"
AB, I think you are clearly missing the point here. If you have players who cannot give clear & concise calls, then they have little chance of smooth running between the wickets as well as being able to turn 1's into 2's etc.
The things you are referring to (just one, looking two, looking three, your call, my end etc) are great AFTER you have been able to judge the run and have taken off from the crease.
However, its is a recipe for disaster when players think that standing flat-footed in their crease with their arm outstretched & palm out in a 'halt' fashion (like a policeman on traffic duty) as a satisfactory form of communication.
In my opinion, there are two phases for communication between batsmen :
Phase 1 = yes, no & wait
Phase 2 = looking for two, your end etc
The exact words used don't really matter though, do they, as long as both batsmen understand what's going on. Shouting "stay there" sends the exact same message as shouting "no", shouting "run" is as good as shouting "yes".
Quite often if a run is obvious, competent runners skip phase 1 entirely.
AB I think we are all broadly agreeing. The challenge for me is keeping it simple for kids. Tell a 9 year old he can only say "yes, no" or "wait" and he gets the concept right away. Nuances are excellent, and they come later once a player has moved past the basics calls. Using Yes, No, Wait is reductive but effective for beginners.