Why is junior cricket dying?

[Robanner]

Where do you start?!

How about the red tape and hassle involved now in ensuring you have the predetermined procedures in place to have a colts section. Yes there is a point there re child safety and welfare, but it's certainly put off helpers and clubs running child sections.

I'd also say the biggest problem for me is keeping kids interested in cricket once they get to the upper end of colts sections. Yes there are other things to do, more than in our day, along with the more traditional chasing of women and drinking of beer. But it's also the case that junior games of 20 or so overs a side are on thing, stick them into a full afternoon adult game, especially if they only bat, and it's a hell of a long day. And worse still it's not a fashionable game amongst their peers. So do you expect them to spend 9 hours or so on a Sat at the cricket whilst their mates are off doing far more fun things?

It's a changing of the times.

 

[ollie c]

Where do you start?!

How about the red tape and hassle involved now in ensuring you have the predetermined procedures in place to have a colts section. Yes there is a point there re child safety and welfare, but it's certainly put off helpers and clubs running child sections.

I'd also say the biggest problem for me is keeping kids interested in cricket once they get to the upper end of colts sections. Yes there are other things to do, more than in our day, along with the more traditional chasing of women and drinking of beer. But it's also the case that junior games of 20 or so overs a side are on thing, stick them into a full afternoon adult game, especially if they only bat, and it's a hell of a long day. And worse still it's not a fashionable game amongst their peers. So do you expect them to spend 9 hours or so on a Sat at the cricket whilst their mates are off doing far more fun things?

It's a changing of the times.

Yes, some very valid points there, mate.

 

[minty]

Most sports are dropping in participation. Cricket isn't the cheapest sports for kids to play so I'm not surprised that the numbers have dropped in the five years.

 

[The Omega Man]

Where do you start?!

How about the red tape and hassle involved now in ensuring you have the predetermined procedures in place to have a colts section. Yes there is a point there re child safety and welfare, but it's certainly put off helpers and clubs running child sections.

I'd also say the biggest problem for me is keeping kids interested in cricket once they get to the upper end of colts sections. Yes there are other things to do, more than in our day, along with the more traditional chasing of women and drinking of beer. But it's also the case that junior games of 20 or so overs a side are on thing, stick them into a full afternoon adult game, especially if they only bat, and it's a hell of a long day. And worse still it's not a fashionable game amongst their peers. So do you expect them to spend 9 hours or so on a Sat at the cricket whilst their mates are off doing far more fun things?

It's a changing of the times.

TBF their mates are away doing fuckall. I wondered what was going on whilst the bairn was playing cricket and the answer is nowt.

 

[Reedie8610]

Where do kids watch cricket it's never on telly. When I was a kid Sunday league and tests were always on and that's how I got intrested. Golf will be the same in 20 years now sky have it all, kids just won't see it and wanna have a go

 

[Rad1]

There are major changes at under 18s level for the forthcoming season with the introduction of coloured clothing and various fielding changes also I believe reducing some games to 15 overs so it's more of a blast... Theirs also a knockout competition at under 19 level that DCB have asked clubs to enter so they are making changes ( the scorecard should be able to add more information) most leagues finish the juniors at under 17 to align with county squads so that could change as well

Have to say my opinion of the DCB i, if you're not a strapping lad they have no interest..... My lad took over 50 wickets in the NEPL last season as a 14 / 15 year old playing senior cricket and over 80 wickets in all competitions so must have a little something and apart from a 3 week paid for spinning course at the riverside their is no contact.. So where do Durham find or look for their future cricketers.... Probably another reason why the gifted lads look to football or lasses for a better way to spend a Saturday afternoon... Only my opinion by the way.

 

[The Voice Of Reason]

There are major changes at under 18s level for the forthcoming season with the introduction of coloured clothing and various fielding changes also I believe reducing some games to 15 overs so it's more of a blast... Theirs also a knockout competition at under 19 level that DCB have asked clubs to enter so they are making changes ( the scorecard should be able to add more information) most leagues finish the juniors at under 17 to align with county squads so that could change as well

Have to say my opinion of the DCB i, if you're not a strapping lad they have no interest..... My lad took over 50 wickets in the NEPL last season as a 14 / 15 year old playing senior cricket and over 80 wickets in all competitions so must have a little something and apart from a 3 week paid for spinning course at the riverside their is no contact.. So where do Durham find or look for their future cricketers.... Probably another reason why the gifted lads look to football or lasses for a better way to spend a Saturday afternoon... Only my opinion by the way.

Great post Peter mate

 

[Rad1]

Have to say the most gifted junior cricketer I've ever seen in my 40 years of playing and watching I believe never even got into the academy.... He scores hundreds for fun and to my knowledge has had 3 200 plus innings... What do you have to do???? His brother is at Durham and played in the cup final by the way...

I watched over 50 games of cricket last season and am not aware of anyone from DCB there for a bit of scouting.... If I said more Derbyshire scouts than Durham that's the truth

 

[Skandhaless]

There are major changes at under 18s level for the forthcoming season with the introduction of coloured clothing and various fielding changes also I believe reducing some games to 15 overs so it's more of a blast... Theirs also a knockout competition at under 19 level that DCB have asked clubs to enter so they are making changes ( the scorecard should be able to add more information) most leagues finish the juniors at under 17 to align with county squads so that could change as well

Have to say my opinion of the DCB i, if you're not a strapping lad they have no interest..... My lad took over 50 wickets in the NEPL last season as a 14 / 15 year old playing senior cricket and over 80 wickets in all competitions so must have a little something and apart from a 3 week paid for spinning course at the riverside their is no contact.. So where do Durham find or look for their future cricketers.... Probably another reason why the gifted lads look to football or lasses for a better way to spend a Saturday afternoon... Only my opinion by the way.

They have always been the same, always seemed to me you had to get into the county set up by 11-12 and then they stuck with you . Form never counted for much , they were determined to see time invested pay off, right up until it didn't ( which it usually didn't, some very ordinary cricketers around now who were county favoured sons as kids )
One of mine had a major 'purple patch ' too was frightening at 15 , hooped it, hands like flypaper and could bat too. He was making well named seniors and his junior county contemporaries look like mugs. No interest , wasn't in the county mould already .
Good luck to yours though 50 nepl wickets is some haul.

 

[ollie c]

My lad was a decent player...had the same experience with Durham. He still loves the game, so went the route of doing coaching badges, and now coaches the kids.

 

[matt_catchpennie]

Have to say the most gifted junior cricketer I've ever seen in my 40 years of playing and watching I believe never even got into the academy.... He scores hundreds for fun and to my knowledge has had 3 200 plus innings... What do you have to do???? His brother is at Durham and played in the cup final by the way...

I watched over 50 games of cricket last season and am not aware of anyone from DCB there for a bit of scouting.... If I said more Derbyshire scouts than Durham that's the truth

I'm not sure how it works up here, but when growing up I lived in Leicester, and at 13 I was selected for trials, but Leicestershire don't go out and 'scout' players, they ask all the clubs within the area to send 2 players to trails whom they think have enough potential to play at a higher level,

From what i remember it was 4 weeks of indoor nets facing the other trailists and some of the older Leicestershire lads.

They then selected 11 players to play in 2 trail matches against other countys, we played against Warwickshire , and notts,

They then selected the players to add to there set up.

There was no 'academy' so I'm not sure where you went from there, as I didn't get past the trail matches, James Taylor did like...... So there must have been a 'route'

And he was the smallest lad you'll ever see playing cricket,
I personally think it all comes down to coaching, the better te standard of coaching the more you enjoy playing. And the more encouraged you are to continue playing

 

[leecoo]

Have to say the most gifted junior cricketer I've ever seen in my 40 years of playing and watching I believe never even got into the academy.... He scores hundreds for fun and to my knowledge has had 3 200 plus innings... What do you have to do???? His brother is at Durham and played in the cup final by the way...

I watched over 50 games of cricket last season and am not aware of anyone from DCB there for a bit of scouting.... If I said more Derbyshire scouts than Durham that's the truth

JC?

 

[badger55]

There are major changes at under 18s level for the forthcoming season with the introduction of coloured clothing and various fielding changes also I believe reducing some games to 15 overs so it's more of a blast... Theirs also a knockout competition at under 19 level that DCB have asked clubs to enter so they are making changes ( the scorecard should be able to add more information) most leagues finish the juniors at under 17 to align with county squads so that could change as well

Have to say my opinion of the DCB i, if you're not a strapping lad they have no interest..... My lad took over 50 wickets in the NEPL last season as a 14 / 15 year old playing senior cricket and over 80 wickets in all competitions so must have a little something and apart from a 3 week paid for spinning course at the riverside their is no contact.. So where do Durham find or look for their future cricketers.... Probably another reason why the gifted lads look to football or lasses for a better way to spend a Saturday afternoon... Only my opinion by the way.

Disagree with the "strapping lad" bit.
I watched one age group from U11's to U17's and the two smallest players were Scott Borthwick and Mark Wood.
Wood, in particular, was a late developer, not coming into Academy until he was 18.
The better U17's from Northumberland and Cleveland play for Durham but Wood was still playing for Northumberland, at that age.
Durham rarely get it wrong but like all professional sports, some lads develop at different rates.

 

[The Omega Man]

There are major changes at under 18s level for the forthcoming season with the introduction of coloured clothing and various fielding changes also I believe reducing some games to 15 overs so it's more of a blast... Theirs also a knockout competition at under 19 level that DCB have asked clubs to enter so they are making changes ( the scorecard should be able to add more information) most leagues finish the juniors at under 17 to align with county squads so that could change as well

Have to say my opinion of the DCB i, if you're not a strapping lad they have no interest..... My lad took over 50 wickets in the NEPL last season as a 14 / 15 year old playing senior cricket and over 80 wickets in all competitions so must have a little something and apart from a 3 week paid for spinning course at the riverside their is no contact.. So where do Durham find or look for their future cricketers.... Probably another reason why the gifted lads look to football or lasses for a better way to spend a Saturday afternoon... Only my opinion by the way.

Is he in the Durham system or has he ever been in their system?

They have always been the same, always seemed to me you had to get into the county set up by 11-12 and then they stuck with you . Form never counted for much , they were determined to see time invested pay off, right up until it didn't ( which it usually didn't, some very ordinary cricketers around now who were county favoured sons as kids )
One of mine had a major 'purple patch ' too was frightening at 15 , hooped it, hands like flypaper and could bat too. He was making well named seniors and his junior county contemporaries look like mugs. No interest , wasn't in the county mould already .
Good luck to yours though 50 nepl wickets is some haul.

Tbf to Durham 3 x cc in the last 8 years tells you that they have it pretty much spot on. If there are players that people think should be considered get the local club to press their case. Free country and all that. The county are always on the lookout for good players. In fact they are look for fast bowlers atm.

Disagree with the "strapping lad" bit.
I watched one age group from U11's to U17's and the two smallest players were Scott Borthwick and Mark Wood.
Wood, in particular, was a late developer, not coming into Academy until he was 18.
The better U17's from Northumberland and Cleveland play for Durham but Wood was still playing for Northumberland, at that age.
Durham rarely get it wrong but like all professional sports, some lads develop at different rates.

The lads jump in and out of the system when they get older. My mates son was dumped at under 15 level but is back in at under 17 level this year.

 

[Skandhaless]

Is he in the Durham system or has he ever been in their system?


Tbf to Durham 3 x cc in the last 8 years tells you that they have it pretty much spot on. If there are players that people think should be considered get the local club to press their case. Free country and all that. The county are always on the lookout for good players. In fact they are look for fast bowlers atm.

That boat sailed many moons ago marra and the next generation Yorkshire will have first pick .

 

[The Omega Man]

That boat sailed many moons ago marra and the next generation Yorkshire will have first pick .

Who does / did he play for?

 

[matt_catchpennie]

Is he in the Durham system or has he ever been in their system?


Tbf to Durham 3 x cc in the last 8 years tells you that they have it pretty much spot on. If there are players that people think should be considered get the local club to press their case. Free country and all that. The county are always on the lookout for good players. In fact they are look for fast bowlers atm.


The lads jump in and out of the system when they get older. My mates son was dumped at under 15 level but is back in at under 17 level this year.

I'm not sure how it works up here, but do the county not contact the clubs each season and ask them to send players to a 'trial' surely as its for there benefit they should be the ones contacting clubs? fair enough some coaches may well push the case of a talented young person to the county, but I would have thought the county would cast there net across the region with annual trials?

 

[The Omega Man]

I'm not sure how it works up here, but do the county not contact the clubs each season and ask them to send players to a 'trial' surely as its for there benefit they should be the ones contacting clubs? fair enough some coaches may well push the case of a talented young person to the county, but I would have thought the county would cast there net across the region with annual trials?

Yes that's how it works.

My response was to someone who said that the county hadn't seen their son. Plenty of parents whose son have missed out on the cut have asked the county to have another look at them.

 

[Rad1]

JC?

Yes that's him.... I remember seeing him reverse sweep a 6 as a under 13 and thought he's got something

@ Omega man... Yes he's in the Durham under 15 squad last season on the strength of his under 14 club year where he took over 50 wickets And 500 runs. This season over 75 club wickets and 1000 club runs including 50 w and over 500 runs in the NEPL.

Have to say everything about the DCB under 15 season was great and the lads are well looked after and will have memories that will last their lives...

For me I would have thought their would be some discussions on how to improve and lots more DCB interaction during the closed season

 

[leecoo]

yeah massively surprised hes not in this years intake, hopefully he gets given a good opportunity/run in the 1sts this year...out of curiosity who has been selected for the academy this year?