Task 1: Initial Observation

Introduction & Global Context

My client is a cricket lover. He is a competent and capable player but just like any other player at
the beginning of his training, he is far from his full potential. As a coach, I will help him to reach
his potential and improve him as a player. To do so, I will take advantage of his natural
environment. Many players often do not have “access to equal opportunities” as they have to
share "finite resources (such as playing and practising space, equipment etc.) with other
people". Due to this, people have to make use of what they already have and to use the natural
environment to their advantage.

Factual & Conceptual Knowledge

An important element to take advantage of the natural environment is by having good

knowledge about biomechanics. Biomechanics is the study of body movement, including
muscles, bones, ligaments etc. Knowledge of biomechanics can help to target specific parts of
the body. For example, knowing the biomechanics of squats will help target feet, hips, knees,
back, shoulders and arms.

By analysing an individual’s biomechanics for physical activities, one can recommend

improvements to their technique in order to improve his/her performance on the field.
Biomechanics reduces the use of external machinery and replaces it with the body itself as a
development tool. One example of this is bodyweight exercises, which do not need external
machinery but instead makes full use of the body to develop muscles.

Coach Information

I am a cricket coach who has had experienced training other players at many local cricket clubs. I
specifically coach bowlers and since most of my clients have been medium or fast pace bowlers,
I have detailed knowledge on various aspects regarding this style of bowling. I am aware of the
significance of bowling accuracy as well as length and speed variations. I understand how these
aspects are influenced by bowling arm and non-bowling arm action, run-up distance, speed,
and follow-through. These attributes will help my client to improve his overall performance.

Client Profile and Physique Analysis

By interviewing and communicating with the client about his height and weight, I was able to
understand that his BMI is 21.0. This BMI falls into the normal weight category and hence it
does not need to be improved, only maintained. His normal BMI ensures that there is no
adverse impact on his performance. His overall physique is good enough for decent
performance but could be further improved. The physique is quite reasonable concerning sprint
speed, agility, and flexibility but it lacks in cardiovascular endurance, stamina, muscular strength
and muscular endurance.

It is also good that he does not indulge in any unhealthy habits like smoking or drinking as those
have a negative impact on a player’s performance, physique, health etc. His sleeping habits are
also fine, as he sleeps no later than 10 pm daily. Another positive aspect of my client is that he is
determined to maintain and improve his physique. Although he does not visit the gym regularly,
he does participate in sports on a regular basis and avoids extra amounts of junk food. He
knows that a good and healthy body is the most important thing needed for good performance
in his game of choice and hence he is motivated to ensure that he maintains his physique.
Sports Specific Skills Analysis

I interviewed my client to inquire him regarding his positions, skills, etc. This is because cricket is
a complex and broad game with various different game formats – such as test, ODI (One-day
matches) as well as T20 (20 overs innings matches) – and different positions i.e. batsmen,
bowlers, fielders & wicketkeepers. From this, I learned that my client is a medium-paced bowler
who prefers to play in T20 matches compared to one-day and test formats due to his lacking
stamina and cardiovascular endurance.

I also interviewed my client to learn about his performance and more specifically, his positives
and negatives in sport specific skills (bowling skills, fielding skills etc.) and physical capabilities
(muscular endurance and strength, stamina etc.). A coach needs to understand his client profile
completely in order to help him improve as a player. His strengths and weaknesses are as
follows:

Positives & Strengths

His core strength regarding his sport-specific skills is his bowling technique, particularly the
action of his bowling hand. My client has been practising cricket bowling for about 4 years and
this can be seen by how accurately rotates his arm and swings it over the top towards the
batsman. He fully extends his arm while bowling and releases the ball just when his hand is at
its highest right above his shoulder.

Another forte of his bowling skills is his accuracy. My client is an accurate bowler who manages
to aim for the wicket and avoid wide balls most of the time. This pairs nicely with my client’s
knowledge and game sense about when to target the wicket and when to lead the ball away
from the wicket.

Another positive about my client is that his physique compliments his performance. As
mentioned earlier, my client’s physique is suitable for the role he plays. Since he is a medium
pacer, his physique should ensure that he could have momentum during the run-up and throw
as well as able to run fairly well on the field. Overall, his agility and flexibility compliment his
style of bowling (medium pacer) but developing his cardiovascular endurance and muscular
strength can help to improve his already reasonable physique.

Challenges & Weaknesses

While my client has some positive aspects, he has some challenges as well. One such weakness
is his variation in bowling length or rather lack thereof. He has little variation in balls with most
balls being of full length with some balls even going as far as a full toss. He seems to avoid short
balls (which are bad in certain situations) but a consequence of this mentality is that he bowls
fewer good length balls, which are usually difficult to play.

Another sport-specific skill that I think is lacking in my client is my client’s fielding. My client’s
fielding is not up to standard especially compared to his bowling skill. One reason for this is that
he does not have a good grip for catching the ball in the first attempt. His fielding is further
deteriorated by the fact that he is not focussed one hundred percent of the time hence he is
caught off guard many times.

Furthermore, another aspect of my client’s performance that requires attention is his follow
through after he has thrown the ball. A good follow-through is important to conserve
momentum, which in turn helps to maintain speed and stamina. The follow through of my client
does not happen naturally but instead, the movement comes to an abrupt stop. A good follow
through for pacers should be done by bending and tucking the elbow of the non-bowling arm
before a full extension.

Performance Analysis

We can evaluate many different aspects of my client’s performance that include length,
accuracy, bowling, and non-bowling arm action and follow through. First, I will evaluate the
length, which is the weakest aspect of my client’s performance as there is little to no variation
between his lengths. Furthermore, he consistently bowls predictable lengths, which includes full
length and full toss that can lead to easy pull shots played by the batsmen for boundaries. He
needs to bowl a variety of lengths including Yorkers, good length balls, short lengths balls etc. in
order to surprise the batsman and taking more wickets.

Fig. 1: Different Bowling Lengths

Another aspect of his performance is his bowling arm and non-bowling arm action. His
consistency with the bowling arm is commendable as he fully extends his arm and releases the
ball right at the peak of his swing almost every time.

Another problem with my client’s performance is his short run-up distance. Although medium
pacers do take a smaller run-up than fast bowlers do, the run-up taken by my client was more
compared to spin bowlers and hence the player was unable to get good momentum from the
run-up. His major strength in his bowling is his accuracy in hitting his target whether that be
aiming for the wicket or leading the ball away from the batsman.

Good things, however, cannot be said for the non-bowling arm action, which seems
uncoordinated with the other arm. Although the movement of the arm is fine during the
throwing action, the way it rotates back during the follow-through is satisfactory at best. The
main reason for this is that the non-bowling arm is kept straight instead of having the elbow
bent. Due to this, there is a slower and less efficient pull through.

Performance Benchmark
Aspects of Needs
Excellent Good Satisfactory Comments
Bowling Improvement
Run-up
Bowling Arm
Action
Sudden stop after the
Non-Bowling ball is thrown stops all
Arm Action momentum
Follow- Non-bowling arm not
through extending fully
No variation and very
Length predictable
 Accuracy

Improvement Areas

One strategy I will use to improve my client’s performance is targeting specific body muscles
that do specific roles. First, I will develop the shoulder muscles, biceps, and wrist muscles as
well as elbow muscles of the bowling arm to increase the pace of the ball thrown and increasing
the power of the hand. I will also help in developing muscles, which include obliques,
abdominal and back muscles to support the body of the bowler as he sprints to the crease
hence increasing his sprint speed during the run-up. A bowler also spends a lot of time fielding
which requires strong muscles especially calves, quadriceps, hamstrings and gluteus muscles.

I will also assist in developing his technique and action in order to improve his length and follow
through. I want to improve the non-bowling arm action as it plays a vital role in the pace and
accuracy of the ball as well.

Non-bowling Arm is extended Arm and Elbow Bent Full Extension Backwards
Fig.2: Recommended non-bowling arm action

In order to develop these aspects of my client’s performance, I will take advantage of the
natural environment present around me. For example, I will conduct bodyweight exercises in a
park where there is a continuous supply of fresh air, which is beneficial for the respiratory
system. This makes it easier to breathe and helps to avoid different diseases such as asthma.

As regards to health, I would improve my client’s diet using a diet plan to make it more suitable
to the sport he plays. For example, he would take more carbohydrates to stay more active in the
field. I would improve his mental psychology through discussions and improve communication
with teammates in friendly matches.

Safety Precautions

I will ensure that my client is safe during the entire training process. To do this, I will ensure my
client has proper gear and safety kit and that he follows all instructions during the training.
Exercises will be designed such that the client does not have a significant burden and intensity
of exercises will increase gradually based on his ability. In addition, the diet and training plan
will be designed as per his workload and lifestyle. This would avoid stress, which can negatively
affect the client mentally.

References
CentreWicket.com. (2014, June 24). Cricket bowling, 4 key tips for the follow through. Retrieved February 17, 2019,
from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrUx5TU0Jgo
Pngkey.com. (2018). Lengths According To The Pitch Map, Cricvision - Bowling Lengths In Cricket. Retrieved February
17, 2019, from https://www.pngkey.com/detail/u2w7t4e6r5a9r5q8_lengths-according-to-the-pitch-map-cricvision-
bowling/
Sibi, S. (2017, October 12). What major muscle groups are involved in fast bowling? Retrieved February 17, 2019, from
https://www.quora.com/What-major-muscle-groups-are-involved-in-fast-bowling
Yabsley, C. (2013, July 29). Playing the game: Cricket. Retrieved February 17, 2019, from
https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/playing-the-game-cricket-20130726-2qnx9.html