Tips for Cricket Captain

Like all team sports, the captain is responsible for the function of their side both on and off the field. In cricket, the captain plays a very active role in the 'playing' of the game - their decisions on the field can directly affect the outcome of the innings, thus bad decisions will lead to disaster and good ones will often lead to victory. Cricket captains, whether it be Ricky Ponting or your local club side usually have the most experienced and extensive knowledge about the game, as decisions must be made on the spot according to particular circumstances in the game. For instance, the captain must be able to determine when a field change is required, or to be able to set the right field for the particular batsman on strike. Also, the captain plays an active in selecting bowlers and the batting order of the innings - which again is another integral facet in the game of cricket.

The captain must know when to attack or defend, and set appropriate fields or send in an appropriate batsman for the given situation. For example, a captain may send in a powerful hitter ahead of a more conventional batsman in order to increase the run rate. Also, he/she must be able simultaneously perform at a high level consistently, whilst also monitoring the progess of the team and opposition and make changes accordingly.

Some basic decisions a captain may make include:
a) Setting a defensive field: This sees the fieldsmen spread out on the field, with the majority positioned around the boundary in order to stop batsmen who are hitting the ball powerfully. This is usually the case when trying to restrict as many runs as possible; or when a batsman has been in for a long period of time and is timing the ball perfectly; or a designated hitter is sent in to bolster the run rate of the batting side.

b) Setting an attacking field: This sees the field come close to batsman, basically encircling him/her in order to create pressure and to force mistakes. This ploy is often used on batsmen who are struggling to score or have just come in to bat.

c) Sending in a nightwatchman: A nightwatchman is a lower-order batsman who is deliberately sent in late in the day in order to protect a top-order batsman from being dismissed before the end of play. A perfect example of a successful nightwatchman would be Jason Gillespie. Nightwatchmen are usually told to defend and normally have very solid defensive techniques. This may backfire the following day if the nightwatchman remains in, as the run rate will fall due to the lack of runs, or if the nightwatchman is dismissed before the end of day's play.

d) Sending in a 'pinch-hitter': Here, the captain sends in a powerful hitter in order to score quick runs. This usually occurs at the end of an innings in order to 'pinch' extra runs by hitting fours or sixes.

e) Declaring: A captain may decide to declare an innings (end an innings) before all batsmen are dismissed in order to achieve a result in the game. This typically occurs when a side has amassed a comfortable amount of runs, and continuing to bat will only give less time to bowl the chasing side out.

To add to this, the captain must also complete a captain's regular duties, such as sustaining team discipline and ensuring player's are mentally ready for performance.

So as you can see, cricket is not merely hitting a ball with a bat, it is a game of thought and intuition. The captain is one person who can influence whether or not a team will win or lose a cricket match - so the better the cricket mind, the better the captain and the better the side.