HOME Cricket Answers Cricket COACHING Q&A

First o/8 cricket practise

Hi I have my first lesson with my team and like some help with some drills for new players. How do i start the practice? They never played so i have to start from scratch.Thank you lucinda
Asked using Sportplan Mobile App

Lucinda TerblancheParent, South Africa

1 answer

ANSWERS

Tom BeanCoach, England

Hi Lucinda,

It`s great to see some new players starting off. I recommended starting out by making sure they understand the complete basics of how the game is played and what the aim of it is.

Then, I recommend this Forward Defensive drill. It`s really simple to give the kids a straightforward idea of what is going on, before building up the rest of their understanding of the more complex parts of the game.

It`s a perfect way to introduce them to the idea of batting and bowling in a really straightforward way plus you can begin to introduce the knowledge of how to hold the bat properly for cricket, getting them into the mindset that it is different to baseball. This is a great place ot start developing a good cricketing technique.

I hope this helps and you can get the kids really excited about cricket!

Tom

Forward Defence

DESCRIPTION

Each batter gets 6 balls each and then rotates. The thrower delivers the ball on one knee making the ball bounce once to the knee height of the batter. If the ball is wide or the ball is left then another ball is bowled. The aim is for the batsmen to defend the ball and aim to hit the ball through the cones. For safety reasons no attacking shots are permitted.

Forward Defence

DESCRIPTION

JOIN SPORTPLAN FOR FREE

search our library of 350+ cricket drills
create your own professional coaching plans
or access our tried and tested plans

Cricket

LATEST COACHING TRENDS

Pre-Season Batting Foundations: Building Technique That Lasts All Summer

Pre-season is the best time to rebuild and refine batting technique without the pressure of match results. This article covers the fundamental batting positions that underpin consistent run-scoring, provides a progressive session framework from shadow batting to live bowling, and highlights the common pre-season mistakes that coaches should avoid.

April 2026

Sportplan Coaching

Fielding Positions in Limited Overs: Tactical Placement for Every Phase

Fielding placement in limited overs cricket is a tactical chess match that changes with every phase of the innings. This article breaks down how captains should set fields during the powerplay, middle overs, and death overs, and provides practical coaching sessions for developing game-aware fielders who anticipate rather than react.

April 2026

Sportplan Coaching

Powerplay Bowling: Setting Fields and Executing Plans in the First Six Overs

With IPL 2026 starting this month, we break down the art of powerplay bowling - field placement, line and length, and how to turn the fielding restrictions to your advantage.

March 2026

Sportplan Coaching

VIEW ALL COACHING TRENDS