How to Captain a Village Cricket Team
- Make sure you have 11 players on the field at the start of play! You can never take anything for granted. 14 players on a Thursday night quickly turns into 9 on Saturday morning. Have everyone’s phone number and make sure you confirm participation with everyone in good time.
- Give priority in selection to those who come to nets and turn up religiously to matches. If players are rewarded for doing the right thing, they’ll do it more often. Always chose youth over age in close selection calls.
- Know what you’ll do if you win the toss. Think about the conditions, the points system and the relative strength of your team. If in doubt then go with your teams strength, if you’ve lots of good bowlers then bowl first. If you all bat then bat first. Once you’re on top, you’ll probably win.
- Attack in the field. Bowlers bowl better with attacking fields. Always attack the new batsman. If a batsman hits two similar shots into the same place then put a fielder there. Always have a plan – or look like you have one. Never keep the same field for two different batsmen. Be active!
- Have a team plan when batting – improving everyone’s running between the wickets will win you every close game.
Tips
- Always make a youngster feel important and give them something to do. If they can’t bat or field well then put them at cover and tell them they’re the most important fielder in the side.
- Don’t let anyone but yourself move a fielder to another position. A bowler can move a fielder a few yards but should go through you to move him completely. Having ten captains on the field is a recipe for chaos.
- A group jog around the field before play is the best warm up and builds team spirit while intimidating the rag tag, smoking opposition.
- Put your best fielder at first slip, not your worst.
- Find a good dynamic wicket keeper and encourage him to stand up to medium pacers.
- Give everyone a role in the side and make them feel important, then let them get on with it. Encourage everyone to express themselves – spinners to toss it up, pacemen to bowl fast, stroke makers to hit it and stone wallers to rotate the strike without getting out.
