Thought Process Towards Nets

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phil2oo8

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Thought Process Towards Nets

Hi
My (and many other GB club players) winter nets start next week and I want to know what you lot reckon is the best thought process to tackle nets with. I know i'm not the only person who nets "badly", by that I don't concentrate on "game bowling" and development, and put far too much focus into trying to be club cricket express where as in games i'm a sharpish line and length seam bowler. BUT these are winter nets off a fraction of my normal run up and i want to know what you lot reckon we should do inside. Should i take it slow and let my muscles remember my action (my development coach says indoor nets are all about muscle memory) and get it solid, or should i try and bowl like i would in a match (regardless of run up) and look at areas and pace rather then getting my body loose and ready for season?

I ask because i took 85 wickets last season (45 in 2nds, 22 in 3s, rest in 1st and 17s) from april/may to september but i only had 6 wickets upto June and i think that poor preperation indoors causes it because i had a similar issue the season before where i struggled badly at the start....

so yer what do you reckon?
 
Re: Thought Process Towards Nets

You have to gear it towards what you would do in a game. Yes, it's frustrating having a shortened run up but it's a waste to go and just mess around. Would you train for the 100 metres by swimming 4 miles day?

Build up to full pace but work on hitting good areas. Mark out zones (short, full and good) and practice on the control of hitting them at will. Use a channel to work on line etc. Bowl in pairs, as you would in a match (really hate the bowl one ball then talk at the back of the net mentality).
 
Re: Thought Process Towards Nets

Yer i hate the bowl one and have a minute breather, when it comes to the season your blowing a bit after an over. You mention markers but i don't think putting a cone down is a good idea when a lads waving a bat. Would drawing a chalk area be a better idea? And whats your opinion on in nets bowlers getting treated abit like cannon fodder? The development coach said that you should never have the roll your arm over mentality and even in winter nets you should aim to get the batsmen out even if your not at full match effort, But the club coaches (development coach is private paid for by the league) say we should bowl to allow the batsmen to improve. But in my opinion by "netting badly" we don't bowl full effort because we feel as if were just there to act as a variable bowling machine and then the batsmen don't take proper advantage of the time and try and bat like KP.

So yes What markers, and Should we just be there as bowling machines?
 
Re: Thought Process Towards Nets

How does the bat improve if he is simply facing 'turn your arm over' type bowlers? You want to be tested not lulled into a false sense. That mentality only works if you're looking to let someone get their eye in and gain a bit of confidence but it's not really going to improve them, long term.

What I try to do at nets is get everyone working at close to 100% and to challenge them. Before batting, have a chat with the bats (ideally they bat in pairs). Explain to them what field you've set and give them a match situation (opening pair, just come in with score at 100-3 off 30 overs etc) and tell them to bat accordingly. Even just have them so they have to leave so many balls and only play the ones on the stumps (if they chase a wide one then they have to swap the strike etc). There are loads of ways to do it.

As for cones, you can get away with placing some of this type down at the edges of the net -
Cones_PL.jpg
. We use them to give gaps for the bat to aim for as well as for bowling guides. If working on a channel then tape or chalk is best (also channel bowling can help bats as it gives them a guide to the line).

You can get some good ideas here - http://www.ecb.co.uk/development/ecb-coaches-association/inspired-cricket-drills/

The way I see it is this - if a bowler or a batsman needs to work on technique then this is where working in an empty net or with on a bowling machine comes in. Even with a willing coach to give throw downs or to act as a keeper etc. However, if you have bats facing real bowlers then it needs to be a contest 90% of the time.
 
Re: Thought Process Towards Nets

I like the intermediate bowling drill challenge 2, we use that at development, works better if the batsmen knows whats going on by giving a big bonus if you get them out, they play more releastically.

Any thoughts on how to avoid the achey shoulder muscles and leg muscles that always strike after the first few net sessions? I strech beforehand but i don't do a warm down (don't see the point), and next morning you feel like you've been heavy rolled.
 
Re: Thought Process Towards Nets

Not much you can do I'm afraid. Liz suggested that you have a contrast show afterwards (hot followed by cold followed by hot etc), try to eat some carbs (pasta) and stretch. I find drinking pineapple juice takes a day off the pain.

Google DOMS (delayed onset muscle stiffness) and you might find some more info.
 
Re: Thought Process Towards Nets

the way i look at it, as a bowler, is that youre a bowler and youre bowling at a batsman. in a match situation the batsman is the enemy. so treat them that way in the nets.

bowl at full intensity, treat it like a match situation, and try to get the batsman out with every ball. if they dont like it then tell them to get out and replace them with a batsman that takes the net sessions seriously. i dont see any point in a batsman facing a bowler if they arent practicing at 100% as well. if they want to take it easy then they should face a bowling machine or throw-downs.

if the batsmen are just being stupid and trying to smash every ball for 6 then just bowl deliveries that they cant hit. yorkers or face-height bouncers. if they get the arse about it then tell them to play proper shots and youll bowl them proper deliveries.

nothing annoys me more than batsmen that come at you with no regard for their wicket in the nets. its useless practice for everyone involved. your bowling gets smashed around and you lose confidence, they gain false confidence. and come match time everyone plays badly!!
 
Re: Thought Process Towards Nets

In the nets I just try and hit sixes... which unfortunately is exactly what I do in a game situation :p

As for the cone thing that was being talked about:

We have actually painted lines over two of the 6 nets (two are exceptional quality nets, so they are the two we use) and these lines have 4 different colours, representing right arm pace, left arm pace, off spin and leg spin. We have very few left arm spinners so they just have to tough it out, but you can use the other markings as a guide anyway. Then there are elongated ovals stretched on a line and length, with the length outside off stump marked the length of half the pitch, and stretching away to show where bouncers should be bowled. Then on the other pitches we put single dots with the coaches permission for reference points to where we want to bowl balls. I have my own colour and put dots where each of my different deliveries go, just as straight and full for the arm ball, outside off for the big turner and such. Also use chalk to work out lengths and draw lines to work out with my pace bowling what heights on the batsman I'm getting to with certain deliveries. I get a lot of bounce so I quite often bowl a lot of bouncers before I find a good enough length.

Just suggesting a more permanent approach.
 
Re: Thought Process Towards Nets

phil2oo8;383721 said:
...But the club coaches (development coach is private paid for by the league) say we should bowl to allow the batsmen to improve.
Click to expand...

I like to think that I am quite mild mannered but I actually saw red when I read this.

If that was the case, ask the batsmen to pay for your services ;)

The point of winter nets, is to get all your technique hitches out of the way before the season. However, this will only work if you have coaches who know what they are doing.

As the season progresses, your body can get quite tired and technique slips, little by little, as the season progresses.

During the close season, you should be concentrating on improving your fitness, which takes a back seat during the season as you concentrate on maintenance.

Come winter nets, your technique will be off. This is the time you concentrate on any biomechanical deviations and if something has cropped up [99.9%] this is where and when you spend the time to correct it; get the technique right. As your development coach says 'muscle memory'. This MUST be done before the start of the season; there will be no time then and if corrections have not been made, cronic issues are on the cards. Muscle memory also includes hand/eye coordination so, as mc says, work on the zones too. I prefer coloured, circle mats [cut out coloured paper will do]. When you can hit a colour at will, cut down the shapes until they are the circumference of a cricket ball. When you can hit these coloured shapes at will, you know you're ready!

You should try to get the batsmen out but by impriving your technique, don't spend your time trying to prove yourself to them, you are the important one in your net session. If the batsmen come forward to smash you all over the place, they are the only ones who suffer... you know if they do that in a match, you would have a wicket :) If they continue to net this way, they are wasting their time, not yours. For this is the time they should be concentrating on getting their mechanics right too.
 
Re: Thought Process Towards Nets

Liz Ward;383891 said:
I like to think that I am quite mild mannered but I actually saw red when I read this.

If that was the case, ask the batsmen to pay for your services ;)

The point of winter nets, is to get all your technique hitches out of the way before the season. However, this will only work if you have coaches who know what they are doing.

As the season progresses, your body can get quite tired and technique slips, little by little, as the season progresses.

During the close season, you should be concentrating on improving your fitness, which takes a back seat during the season as you concentrate on maintenance.

Come winter nets, your technique will be off. This is the time you concentrate on any biomechanical deviations and if something has cropped up [99.9%] this is where and when you spend the time to correct it; get the technique right. As your development coach says 'muscle memory'. This MUST be done before the start of the season; there will be no time then and if corrections have not been made, cronic issues are on the cards. Muscle memory also includes hand/eye coordination so, as mc says, work on the zones too. I prefer coloured, circle mats [cut out coloured paper will do]. When you can hit a colour at will, cut down the shapes until they are the circumference of a cricket ball. When you can hit these coloured shapes at will, you know you're ready!

You should try to get the batsmen out but by impriving your technique, don't spend your time trying to prove yourself to them, you are the important one in your net session. If the batsmen come forward to smash you all over the place, they are the only ones who suffer... you know if they do that in a match, you would have a wicket :) If they continue to net this way, they are wasting their time, not yours. For this is the time they should be concentrating on getting their mechanics right too.
Click to expand...

That's a very good point.

Even if the batsman are going crazy, and you see your good length ball go for what would be a six, it doesn't matter. As long as you are landing it in the spot you wanted it to land ball after ball then that is all that matters.
 
Re: Thought Process Towards Nets

if the batsmen at training are slogging your decent deliveries then "practice" your bouncers till they start batting properly. if your coach tells you to pitch it up so they get a decent hit just say to him that they can practice their hook shot if they r good enough
 
Re: Thought Process Towards Nets

mdf30586;384039 said:
if the batsmen at training are slogging your decent deliveries then "practice" your bouncers till they start batting properly. if your coach tells you to pitch it up so they get a decent hit just say to him that they can practice their hook shot if they r good enough
Click to expand...

Maybe even practice bowling your beamers? :p
 
Re: Thought Process Towards Nets

Yeah as Liz said go along with a plan and some intention that you're going to work on an aspect of your bowling. If you get hit all over the shop don't worry, as someone else said above (Jim I think) nets are nonesense if you don't go along with some kind of strategy. I've got 12 weeks or so and I know I was hit all over the park last season and had my figures ruined by two left handers over 2 spells. So I go along now and make sure I'm in the net with our best batsman (Leftie) and just work on figuring out what I'm going to have to do. 1st week was crap. Came home sat here thought about it did an evaluation, asked some questions over at the wrist spin thread, read a couple of paragraphs in a book or two, looked at a some vidz on-line and went back this week with a plan.

Did it work?..... Wrist Spin Bowling: Leftie Watch have a look.
 
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