Cricket Coach Tactics Thread

[Dutch]

I realise that this thread has probably about much as much chance of being used as I have of being chosen "Miss Wet T-Shirt Baghdad Central 2011" (Nobody has won it twice in a row anyway!), but I would like to see if we can get some players of the game sharing their knowledge and which tactics they use.

I particularly need advice and help regarding bowling tactics and how to use the information the game gives in a useful way.

*waits eagerly whilst making sure he has a large pile of books, lots of crisps and a box of Kleenex at his disposal*

 

[Dutch]

Well the crisps are all gone, I have read every single book ever written by Charles Dickens and my DVD "Boycott's Magic Moments" is finished so the Kleenex is all used up as well. Ah well suppose I will post some tactics here then to start us off with.

As with real cricket the clue with this game is to cause pressure by stifling the runs. In the beginning this is hard because it means fiddling about with the bowling tactics screen which is not very user friendly.

If you leave the game to run by itself you will bleed runs heavily, especially if you want to play as an associate team against the better teams.

You will just have to experiment with the line and length of a given pitch and get to know how well your bowlers do in different situations.

Unlike ICC there is no easy click and place system for the fielding. It is more complicated than that. Add to this that there is no manual it makes life interesting and you just have to experiment.

Doesn't sound very clear I know but I will see if I can get some kind of walk through set up here.

On the batting side you have to really get to know your batters skills and have them in the right spot. I unknowingly had a middle-order batsmen opening and although he was really skilled he kept getting out until I moved him down and then the runs came.

Also the aggression button seems to work differently on different players.
Some players will score quicker on a defensive setting than on a more attacking setting, depending on their skills and attributes.

It is also very helpful to get young players coming through, to bleed one or two who seem to have potential in to the first class side. After a few years they start to come through nicely.

Well this for starters. Will add more when I can be arsed and hopefully others will add something as well.

God I am bored!

 

[6ry4nj]

On the batting side you have to really get to know your batters skills and have them in the right spot. I unknowingly had a middle-order batsmen opening and although he was really skilled he kept getting out until I moved him down and then the runs came.

Do you mean that he had the 'O' for opener on his icon, but he really preferred batting further down the order (eg. preferred batting position of 3)?

It is also very helpful to get young players coming through, to bleed one or two who seem to have potential in to the first class side. After a few years they start to come through nicely.

Do their skills improve quickly? Or do you just have to put up with their consistent failures until they do improve?

I have about two completed games in CC09 under my belt, so I don't think I can be much help to you on the tactics front.

Just the one about when you change a field or go round the wicket, you have to do it on all six (usually six) balls of the bowling plan, not just one.

More obvious is that bowling tactics are batsman-specific, so if you want to try the same tactics with both batsmen, that's two bowling plan edits (and 12 balls to change).

PS: Boycott/Kleenex: were you crying or laughing?
PPS: "Boycott's Magic Moments"? I know it SEEMS longer, but that title has a running time of under 10 minutes. Unlike the others in the Boycott range - they really ARE long! Recommend "Boycott's Ripping Yawns" - my personal favourite.

 

[Dutch]

Do you mean that he had the 'O' for opener on his icon, but he really preferred batting further down the order (eg. preferred batting position of 3)?

Well the program kept putting him in there until I cared to look at what position he prefered to play in.

Do their skills improve quickly? Or do you just have to put up with their consistent failures until they do improve?

Yeah you have to just carry them on the back of the team for a while letting them bowl a bit and bat a bit depending on their role. It is good to look at the age as the younger players have more growth potential.

I have about two completed games in CC09 under my belt, so I don't think I can be much help to you on the tactics front.

Just the one about when you change a field or go round the wicket, you have to do it on all six (usually six) balls of the bowling plan, not just one.

Ah really? You can't have a bowler bowl a couple of balls over the wicket? Mmmm....

More obvious is that bowling tactics are batsman-specific, so if you want to try the same tactics with both batsmen, that's two bowling plan edits (and 12 balls to change).

PS: Boycott/Kleenex: were you crying or laughing?
PPS: "Boycott's Magic Moments"? I know it SEEMS longer, but that title has a running time of under 10 minutes. Unlike the others in the Boycott range - they really ARE long! Recommend "Boycott's Ripping Yawns" - my personal favourite.

No I am afraid I was doing something rater different with the Kleenex: Boycott just does that to me!

My favourite Boycott movie is "Stuff My Mother Does With Rubarb".

Including lending it out to most of the Aussie top-order of course! (Kaboom-tish!)

 

[6ry4nj]

No you can bowl over the wicket only for one ball, or just the first ball of each over, if you want to. I was talking about if you want to switch your bowler to round the wicket for more than an over at a time.

Same with field changes. Intuitively you'd expect a field change to take effect until you change it again. But in CC you have to change it six times for that to happen...

 

[Dutch]

No you can bowl over the wicket only for one ball, or just the first ball of each over, if you want to. I was talking about if you want to switch your bowler to round the wicket for more than an over at a time.

Same with field changes. Intuitively you'd expect a field change to take effect until you change it again. But in CC you have to change it six times for that to happen...

Ah okay thanks for that. Yes it is complicated and it should be more well documented (hell there is no manual at all!) but once you start sussing this game it becomes very enjoyable indeed.

I just played an ODI between Holland and Australia and it went right down to the wire with Australia 3 runs short in the final over. I set fields, worked out good bowling plans and changed things around.

The Aussies got off to a flyer and then I had a look at the batting chart and saw that Watson and Hughes were scoring heavily off the fuller ball. Got my bowlers to bowl good and shorter lengths and that stemmed the run flow. The runs dried up and the had to start hitting out again and the chances came.

The trick is to judge each situation at a time. Not be too aggressive or too negative. It does have massive scope to really think about what you are doing rather than just hit the bowl button. First time I have really enjoyed this game. Cool!

In batting as well it was good to be able to judge which bowler to go hard at and which bowler to stay defensive on.

I thought the AI could have set better fields tactically but nothing is perfect I guess.

If I can find the time I want to write a walk-through just to show people how good this game can be.