COACHING : Talent Identification

What makes a successful bowler?

When looking to select bowlers the most important factors to consider are the following;

For a Pace Bowler;

1. That he can bowl fast

2. That he can bowl accurately

3. That he has good technique

4. That he is tall, strong, powerful and fit

 

To be a very talented pace bowler, you have to be quick. Medium pacers are good at lower levels but will not succeed at the highest levels.

For a Spin Bowler;

1. That he can spin the ball

2. That he has good technique

3. That he can bowl accurately

4. That he has strong fingers, wrists, forearms

 

For a spin bowler to be effective he must not only spin the ball, but has to get loop and drift. Significant movement both through the air and off the pitch will give the spinner maximum wicket-taking opportunities.

 

What makes a successful batsman?

The primary aim of every batsman is to become a consistent and rapid run-getter for the team. When looking to select batsman the most important things are in this order;

1. That the player has good hand eye coordination

2. That he can judge the length & line of the ball quickly, and move quickly into position.

3. That he can concentrate for long periods of time

4. That he has courage and a desire to score runs

5. That he has sound technique

 

A batsman perhaps more than a bowler, needs to be mentally strong. Good batsmen in test matches can bat for well over 6 hours. It is very hard to keep your concentration for every ball faced in this time. Batsmen who have the ability to apply themselves for a long period of time are more likely to be successful.

 

How do I identify a talented player?

Once your team is playing in a competition and you have selected your players in roles to suit their talents, you observe how well this player performs in matches. If all of the qualities above are identified in a player then he backs it up with good consistent performance, you may have a talented player.

 

Can this Player go to the next level?

This is a question that people often ask when talking about talented players. It is a combination of things. However progression to a higher level requires a combination of factors. The athlete must want to do well in the sport. He must be committed to training and train with 100% effort. He must also have the ability to handle pressure and expectation. He must be mentally strong. He must be fit and healthy with a supportive home life. Above all he must have the talent and back this up with performance. All of these things combine together for an athlete to have the best chance of reaching the top.