A few questions regarding Cricket 2004

[Jono]

I'd first like to apologise in advance if any of these questions are answered in previous topics, I looked around and couldn't find the answer.

I have Cricket 2004 on PS2 and have been playing it for about 3 weeks. It's an amazing game which is very fun but I have a few queries regarding it. Note, at the moment I have not played in any tours, test matches or pura cup matches as of yet. I have only mucked around with 10 over games on exhibition and knock out. I play the game on medium.

1) Are there any nicks and edges in the game? I have tried putting slips in hoping to get a nick but unfortunately all I get is a play and miss. Has anyone edged a ball or got a wicket from an edge, it'd be great to see a catch at first slip.

2) Unlocking things. I remember in Cricket 2002 you would unlock teams and such by winning the tournaments. Is this the same in Cricket 2004, because I see the All Star team is already available. I've won a knockout tourny on Medium but that's about it.

3) The difference between medium and hard. Does playing on hard make the game more enjoyable? Right now I can score about 80 - 100 runs in 10 over matches, I was wondering if Hard is any more realistic, and if there are any caught behinds in hard as well (relating back to my first query).

4) Is there anyway to change the regular exhibition teams? For example if I want to play India vs. Australia 10 over match on exhibition, Irfan Pathan isn't in the default squad. Can I change this in any way? I know he is available on tours and tournaments but can this be done on exhibition.

5) Is it possible to hit a pull shot? I spent a long time in the nets suffering with the commentary until I had to mute the tv just to master the hook. It was great in the game when I got on to an awesome hook shot with Gilchrist for six. I was wondering if pull shots are possible too?

6) Swing/Cutting with pace bowlers. On the PS2 I believe the 'circle' button allows for inswing/cut to the right hander and 'square' allows for outswing/cut however I often cannot get much on it. Is this different in test matches with the new ball or on green pitches?

7) Relating to the above question, the little white dot that you move around on the ball, does that effect swing and spin a lot? If so do you just move it right and left for swing and spin or do you move it right and up or left and down etc. to change it. This is something I've wandered.

That's all I got so far, it's a very realistic game and the best cricket game I've ever played. I've enjoyed countless hours playing it, but if anyone can answer these questions I'd be grateful. Thanks in advance to anyone who can.

 

[barmyarmy]

1. Edges seem to occur mainly in 50 over matches and not in 10 or 20.
2. Nothing to unlock.
3. Hard is a lot harder than medium, it's worth trying although some people still find that too easy as well.
4. No, someone is working on a lineup editor.
5. Pull shots are possible, it just depends on the length and pitch type.
6. Button 1 will also let you cut the ball if you use the touch metre. It's very hard to get seam not on a green or normal pitch.
7. Seam/Spin/Swing metre. Move it late on the right pitches to get movement.

The game is basically a good game but still very buggy. Watch out for the lineup bug whereby the lineup will revert to the default if you save the game and then load it. The number of runouts is also highly unrealistic. That said it's still an enjoyable game imo.

 

[Jono]

Thanks barmyarmy, appreciate the reply. I definitely have to try a 50 over match, and play on more green pitches because I'd love to see some edges to the keeper and slips and some swing.

Still, despite the minor bugs this game is very enjoyable, definitely worth having

 

[BlackCap_Fan]

there are edges in 50 over matches.Just pitch the ball up and set it so it swings out (bowl from the batsmens legs),and the batsmen will cover drive and will miss,but every now and then if you vary the swing they will edge it,and a couple of times I managed to nick offstump.

(I mean with a fast bowler)

 

[James90]

1. I get too many edges...even in hard...they nick almost all my leg cutters that are in the right spot, so I don't bowl legcutter I bowl outswinger and it reduces the edges. Don't waste too many fieldsmen in the slips for one-dayers. 2nd slips and gully that's about all you need.

2. Nothing I have come across yet, except trophy's of course

3. Hard is better than medium especially the batting side of it. I really struggle to get anything over 300 in a test however on medium i'd do it before lunch. Bowling marker's a little more twitchy and the batsman are a little better. That said if you can work out a plan to work with the pitch you can bowl anyone out for under 100

4. Go to team management, base copy, B Pres XI, Irfan Pathan, accept, add to database, India and put him over someone you don't want. Could work

5. I've only got it to work once or twice

6. I've only really seen swing on green pitches in overcast condions

7. Spin yes, Swing not a lot

 

[Jono]

Thanks again for the replies. Just clearing something up, with a fast or medium fast bowler, if I was bowling on a green pitch do I swing the ball with the straight/regular ball ('X' on PS2) or use the leg cutter and off cutter?

 

[barmyarmy]

You don't...

You can seam the ball with any of those buttons but no-one has managed to swing it with fast/fast-medium bowlers yet.

 

[Jono]

Okay thanks. So basically you can cut with fast bowlers on any pitches but you only get swing on green pitches?

 

[barmyarmy]

No, you can't get swing with fast/fast-medium bowlers on any pitch.

 

[Tom Halsey]

Strange...

I read somewhere that there was an aftertouch thing for swing...

Maybe this wasn't included in the end?

 

[James90]

Ok you can't swing the ball on any pitch with a fast or medium-fast, bowling leg cutters and off cutters won't get much movement either but can get you lots of edges. Mostly I get the seam on green pitches bowling outswingers and then it will move unexpected off the seam