Cricket is the second most popular sport in England, and the recent World Cup victory in 2019 only made the nation more enamoured with the classy sport. Many people grew up playing cricket at school, or they would go down to the cricket nets at the local park to practice their batting and bowling.
For passionate cricket fans, you want your kids to share the same love of the sport, and you’ll no doubt want to get them on the pitch as soon as possible. First, though, they need to know how to play the game, so here are some tips for teaching kids to play cricket and learn the basics.
Learning the Rules
Cricket’s rules are relatively simple, but you won’t want to give them the full spiel straight away. Instead, let them watch a test match with you and go over the basics. This should include:
- The purpose of the bowler and the batter
- What the wickets mean
- What a catch means (without the ball bouncing)
- How the scoring works with runs
For cricket beginners, this is all kids need to know at first. You can talk about Overs and LBW once they get the hang of the basics, as they won’t be ready to play a proper game yet.
Knowing the Basic Skills
Once kids understand the basic rules of cricket, they can get onto some grass (even if it’s just your garden) and get to grips with the basic skills that make up the elements of the game.
The four basic skills your kids will need to know are:
- Batting
- Bowling
- Catching
- Running
These are all simple enough, but you can still teach kids the proper way to hold a cricket bat and how to bowl. However, you may want to save overarm bowling for later.
Besides these skills, you will also need to consider hand-eye coordination and focus, as full Cricket matches can be a long affair.
Get Them Prepared
If your kids show a satisfying interest in cricket, it’s time to prepare them for their first game, no matter how casual it might be. To achieve this, you’ll need to look for beginner cricket equipment from Mr Cricket Hockey that offers a range of options for all levels, including kids and junior.
Buying your kids the right cricket equipment will encourage them to play more often and give them the chance to hone their skills by themselves. If they’re passionate about cricket, they will look for any opportunity to improve their bowling and practice their batting.
Take It Slow
Of course, many of these skills will only come from experience, and you should recognise if your kids are not feeling it. Don’t keep them on the field for too long, and don’t pull out your Demon Bowler persona. You can always save that until they’re a little older.
Up to Bat
Cricket is the perfect summertime sport when it’s too hot to chase a ball around for 90 minutes, and learning how to play cricket will help keep kids active all year round. While the rules can seem a little complicated to outsiders, getting your kids into cricket early will prepare them for many a PE lesson in the future and maybe even encourage them to be part of a cricket club just like their dad was.
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