Is it Really That hard to become a international cricketer?

[Sir Redman]

Is it really that hard to be an international cricketer?

Yes. It is really hard.

The skill level involved in international cricket is just incredible. No amount of hard work is going to make you an international player if you don't have the natural ability to begin with. The reaction speed required to face a really fast bowler is just insane. I have not faced a fast bowler (thankfully) but I have been fielding with one bowling (Te Ahu Davis for you NZ posters). This was when he was still nowhere near as quick as he is now - I'd guess he was 130ish km/h - and it was lightning. How anyone can react to bowlers like Akhtar and Lee is beyond me after seeing that.

When viewing a game on tv or even from the stands we do not get an appreciation of the skill involved. Us armchair critics may say that so-and-so is useless but in reality they are not. The captain of my club is one of the best players I know. Last season he averaged around 70 with the bat and is the opening bowler too. He has been the club all-rounder of the year for about the last 5 years (except 2 seasons ago when I won it because he couldn't bowl) and also captains our district. Despite this, he cannot (as far as I know) get a look in with Northern Districts and is not even close to making the ND A side. When players like this cannot even make provincial teams it makes you realise just how good you have to be to play test cricket.

 

[marc71178]

So did I made a 50 when I was living in pakistan at age 9 but wasnt proper cricket though but it wasn compettion and I was playing among older people around 20s or so They were bowling really fast to me.

Hmm, Bob's autobiography would be an interesting read, although it'll contradict itself a lot.

 

[marc71178]

Fardin, note how our Italian guy here has just been selected for the MCC Young Cricketers, which is pretty damn good going - and he's still being immensely modest about it. You have done precisely nothing in your career to date, and think you're the next Younis Khan.

Complete with a better defens than Dravid, a mixture of off and leg spin.

No doubt he'll be opening the bowling as well soon then keeping wicket when not bowling.

Move over Sobers, Imran and the like, Bob is here.

 

[social]

Most players that reach international level for one of the major countries are amazingly gifted.

As such, I object to TEC and others referring to players who under-perform as "rubbish." They may not be test-class but, in all likelihood, they are substantially better cricketers than most could ever hope to be.

 

[Link]

yeah exactly, that was a similar thing to what i was about to type.

fact of the matter is that nearly all international batsmen have hit centuries or bowlers have taken 5 wickets. We may call some people rubbish, but that is only in comparison to other players in on their level.

 

[Slats4ever]

I mean When I was a child I knew That The only thing I wanted to do in my life is to play cricket and perhaps be a international cricketer,but I have realized how hard it is as of yet,Can some one please give me step by step information in how becoming one and what is the secret,I can bat and bowl but as i said cricket is 99% hard work and 1% talent what Should Do

Maybe in the USA cricket team or something

 

[tooextracool]

Most players that reach international level for one of the major countries are amazingly gifted.

As such, I object to TEC and others referring to players who under-perform as "rubbish." They may not be test-class but, in all likelihood, they are substantially better cricketers than most could ever hope to be.

err yes, isnt that obvious?
obviously when we criticise people for performances at the international level, we are looking at it in comparison to the rest of the intl players. whether or not they are a million times better than you or me is irrelevant, it doesnt make them any more or less unfit to be playing cricket at the international level. unless of course you want me to start using the phrase 'relative rubbish' everytime someone manages to mess up at the international level.

 

[SpeedKing]

as for hick scoring a century at 6 thats just rediculas, i hadn't even heard of cricket till i was 7

I heard about it when i was 12 beat that.

From a Micheal Vaughan interview, he first played cricket when he was 14. Some scout guy found him playing in the park at about 15 and took him to Sheffield cricket as he was impressed with his high elbow. Lucky guy.

 

[SpeedKing]

We have got this Saffie guy at my club who when he bowls and i am at the boundary, i cant see the ball. He is dead accurate as well. Everytime i look at him, i get this feeling that he could have been a decent first Class bowler. but unfortunately, he is bout 30 so he will have to do a sort of Andersonesque 12 month rise from club to country to have any chance of a decent run in any county.

 

[SpeedKing]

In England, it is

School - Club - County - A Team - England. so , i dont have to go through all the grade things like in Australia

I am currently 15 and i hope to have a destructive season so i can get into the reckoning for Essex for next season. I am pretty confident that i will be quick enouh to play in Essex coz even other teams coaches cannot believe how quick i am. and opposition players always think i play for Essex.

If their is any Essex person out there, they will probably know about Gidea Park and Romford and about half their U-16s play for Essex. There is a rumour about scouts being there so if you want to get essex trials, play well at Gidea Park.

Had a match there last season and i had a right howler. too much pressure probably. but this season, i should be more equiped to destroy them [fingers crossed]

 

[Link]

I heard about it when i was 12 beat that.

From a Micheal Vaughan interview, he first played cricket when he was 14. Some scout guy found him playing in the park at about 15 and took him to Sheffield cricket as he was impressed with his high elbow. Lucky guy.

your right. He went to watch his dad play cricket when he was 14, he got bored so he and his brother went for a knock around. Then what you said follows

 

[SpeedKing]

Now that is having natural talent. Being able to hold a high elbow without any tutoring

 

[Link]

ahh, i like these Vaughan apperciation moments

 

[Kweek]

In England, it is

School - Club - County - A Team - England. so , i dont have to go through all the grade things like in Australia

I am currently 15 and i hope to have a destructive season so i can get into the reckoning for Essex for next season. I am pretty confident that i will be quick enouh to play in Essex coz even other teams coaches cannot believe how quick i am. and opposition players always think i play for Essex.

If their is any Essex person out there, they will probably know about Gidea Park and Romford and about half their U-16s play for Essex. There is a rumour about scouts being there so if you want to get essex trials, play well at Gidea Park.

Had a match there last season and i had a right howler. too much pressure probably. but this season, i should be more equiped to destroy them [fingers crossed]

whoa yeah sure fingers crossed from me! go get em Tiger!

 

[Langeveldt]

If you move to any test playing natio, such as the UK, I think you will be in for a huge shock as to the standard people play their cricket. And I'm talking about tens of thousands of people day in day out.. You clearly have a lot to learn if you think you can just make it through self belief.. But I failed to take you seriously the moment you have got here, so no worries..

The competition is vast, I'd like to get you in a net against our college 1st XI, and we are, ooh four/five/six steps below international cricket? It's a savage garden..

 

[cricket player]

If you move to any test playing natio, such as the UK, I think you will be in for a huge shock as to the standard people play their cricket. And I'm talking about tens of thousands of people day in day out.. You clearly have a lot to learn if you think you can just make it through self belief.. But I failed to take you seriously the moment you have got here, so no worries..

The competition is vast, I'd like to get you in a net against our college 1st XI, and we are, ooh four/five/six steps below international cricket? It's a savage garden..

No worries lang It is ok If i dont make it but atleast I will try my best to,but as far as I am concern and I said before I have the talent and If get one oppourtunity I will make the most out of it,I understand how hard people try in test natio I have been to india,pakistan and etc and they really work hard on their cricket and I was one of those guys who got up early in the morning playing cricket until 6 in the evening.But I understand this because no body know me as a human face to face no worrie if you dont take me seriousely.

 

[KishanTeli]

In England, it is

School - Club - County - A Team - England. so , i dont have to go through all the grade things like in Australia

I am currently 15 and i hope to have a destructive season so i can get into the reckoning for Essex for next season. I am pretty confident that i will be quick enouh to play in Essex coz even other teams coaches cannot believe how quick i am. and opposition players always think i play for Essex.

If their is any Essex person out there, they will probably know about Gidea Park and Romford and about half their U-16s play for Essex. There is a rumour about scouts being there so if you want to get essex trials, play well at Gidea Park.

Had a match there last season and i had a right howler. too much pressure probably. but this season, i should be more equiped to destroy them [fingers crossed]

Hey speedking, I've played against Gidea park and Romford a few years ago, some of their players are amazingly talented. I was asked to have trials with them a few years back, but nothing really materialised. I regularly hear their youth teams racking up 200-300 in 20 overs. I think the fundamental thing the coaches drill into their batsmen is pick the line and length early and trust ur instints! Seems too work very well for them.

Good luck to you mate, hope you destroy them, never been too much of a fan of the club, too ****y for my liking.

 

[Neil Pickup]

your right. He went to watch his dad play cricket when he was 14, he got bored so he and his brother went for a knock around. Then what you said follows

More proof that you either have it or you don't. That sort of person annoys me intensely!

 

[sledger]

I mean When I was a child I knew That The only thing I wanted to do in my life is to play cricket and perhaps be a international cricketer,but I have realized how hard it is as of yet,Can some one please give me step by step information in how becoming one and what is the secret,I can bat and bowl but as i said cricket is 99% hard work and 1% talent what Should Do

99% work and 1% talent, that idea is just ridiculous, if you dont have at least about %40 of one or the other then you have no chance if you ask me,

where you need to be able to work hard that will be useless if you (as you put it so well) have merely 1% talent, hard work is neccesary but is usesless without talent to back it up.

whereas vice versa talent is wasted without hard work. you need at least 40% talent if you are to suceed imo, the rest must be hard work. whereas alternatively talent is irrelevant and sucess cannot be achieved with anything less than 40% hard work. (unless you are very very talented or lucky)

 

[cricket player]

99% work and 1% talent, that idea is just ridiculous, if you dont have at least about %40 of one or the other then you have no chance if you ask me,

where you need to be able to work hard that will be useless if you (as you put it so well) have merely 1% talent, hard work is neccesary but is usesless without talent to back it up.

whereas vice versa talent is wasted without hard work. you need at least 40% talent if you are to suceed imo, the rest must be hard work. whereas alternatively talent is irrelevant and sucess cannot be achieved with anything less than 40% hard work. (unless you are very very talented or lucky)

Sure I have The talent,but how Do I know I have that Talent,I mean I bat and I am a very classic batsman dont like to go over the top personally but to play ground shots,I played againts big guys when I was around 11 years old I use to play with those fast bowlers they were personally older then me,And They couldnt make me out is that suppose to mean I am talented?If yes then I am but if no then I dont know what you have to be with the bat to be talented,because I have seen coaches who called me a very talented youngster in pakistan and sense I have moved to usa and I have been improved much more.