Burras wrote: Yep watching kids not being able to bowl the full distance was far more entertaining....
Watching under 12's have to play with a plastic ball is great for their development too
Different conditions for different skill levels, shouldn't have to drag the better player back to cater for the newbies, they have association teams for under 11's, what rules will they play by now? If they're allowed to have such competitions.
I've coached at all levels for most seasons of the past 16 years, I think they have gone a bit extreme, that's why we have milo cricket and other programs as such, if they can't bowl the distance, yeah, shorten it to suit.
Burras wrote: Yep watching kids not being able to bowl the full distance was far more entertaining....
Watching under 12's have to play with a plastic ball is great for their development too
Different conditions for different skill levels, shouldn't have to drag the better player back to cater for the newbies, they have association teams for under 11's, what rules will they play by now? If they're allowed to have such competitions.
I've coached at all levels for most seasons of the past 16 years, I think they have gone a bit extreme, that's why we have milo cricket and other programs as such, if they can't bowl the distance, yeah, shorten it to suit.
Think you'll find it's a 142g leather in U12's.
I just cant understand why we wouldn't want to see community cricketers play cricket in a format that helps them succeed. Give a kid a chance to hit a moving ball with less with less fielders so he gets value for his shot and watch him get better.
Too many people are happy to watch double bouncing no-balls and 1* retired after 20 odd ball IMO
cokadonkeytoo wrote:In the Barossa we have 3 levels of Under 12's all are 9 a side and range from beginner (milo cricketers) to advanced (as close to real cricket as possible) I was also apprehensive about the shortened pitch when I first saw it but now really like it as I have seen a big shift in quality of cricket played. No longer are all the runs scored over mid wicket and square leg, you now actually see some drives and it gives the spinners an opportunity to land the ball closer to the batsmen without having to get it up into the clouds to make the distance. The only thing I am interested in over the coming years is the struggle some clubs may run into transitioning from 9 a side in the 12's to full 11 in the 14's.
And we got great reviews from our juniors and parents on the changes implemented but I guess everyone's different
Summed up perfectly there, great idea.
I was always keen to whack the kids hat a quarter of the way down the pitch so he could bowl from there in the younger age groups, most other coaches who weren't playing for sheep stations were the same.
Having seen it operate we could actuall shorten the pitch further for some kids, the current regulations are only 2m shorter so 18m instead of 20m but that could be cut back to 15m for the younger ones. The key to it all is that all kids do the same so that there isnt that stigma around the little kid being told to bowl from 15 and the big kid full pitch. as soon as you let one bowl full length they all want to. Even the big kid off the shorter pitch is good for the batsman too. Agree with Handsy about the transition from 9 to 11 players in 14s. I guess thats where clubs need to try and get 2 teams of 9 at the younger level so that you get at least 11 players move through to 14s. I dont think there is anything wrong with playing with as little as 7 at u12 level either, more gaps, more batting, more bowling cant be bad
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I just cant understand why we wouldn't want to see community cricketers play cricket in a format that helps them succeed. Give a kid a chance to hit a moving ball with less with less fielders so he gets value for his shot and watch him get better.
Too many people are happy to watch double bouncing no-balls and 1* retired after 20 odd ball IMO
Absolutely, I think you and I are sort of on the same page but poles apart in how it's written.
Coaching an under 11 association team a few years back and most parents thought their kids were superstars because they retired or picked up a couple of wickets here or there, hitting 16 off an over because the ball dribbled to them by a 7 year old helped no one.
Some club coaches were great and made allowances for the younger ones regardless of whether they were the opposition or not, others were just pure selfish arseholes.
