Resources - Hamilton Cricket

In August 2018, New Zealand Cricket (NZC) launched the National Coaching Framework to enhance the coach and player experience at the junior and youth grassroots game. This framework is aligned to the Sport NZ Coaching Strategy and is being implemented nation-wide for the 2019/20 season. Coaches that completed a qualification prior to August 2018, please see section below “Previously Qualified Coaches”. Any Level 1 and/or Level 2 coaches that qualified after 01 January 2016 are considered qualified. All Level 3 coaches regardless of course completion date are considered qualified.

The National Coaching Framework focuses on the journey and development of ‘how to coach’, assisting coaches to deliver a safe, enjoyable and progressive season for all involved. To complement the Framework, a national Vulnerable Persons Policy has been released to best ensure a safe environment for all participants and coaches.

Hamilton Cricket Association greatly acknowledges the hugely valuable contribution that our community coaches provide to local children and communities. Hamilton Cricket would like to say a big thank you, to all coaches for helping the wider NDCA community to best ensure a safe environment, and for all the energy and effort that each individual coach contributes to creating a progressive, fun and safe cricketing environment.

COACHES FIVE STEP PROCESS TO BE FULLY COMPLIANT FOR 2020/21

Please note that the purpose of this process is to best ensure a safe environment for all participants. From all of Hamilton Cricket, thank you in advance for taking the time to complete this process.

For every coach with a team that includes players under 18 years of age, five steps need to be completed for the coach to receive the necessary qualification and ‘active coach’ status valid for three years. During this three year period, coaches will only be required to complete further qualifications if the playing level at which is being coached increases – eg. Softball cricket coach changing to hardball.

The five step qualification process is outlined as below with all contact information listed for any further information (Select either 1a or 1b):

1a.) Unregistered coaches must Register with NZC Coaches Corner; Click Here to Register

1b.) Existing registered coaches Log In with NZC Coaches Corner; Log In Here

2.) Complete “The Welfare of Children and Vulnerable Adults” guidelines/modules

3.) Complete the online coaching modules for the appropriate coaching level. Each of the three courses listed below are FREE of charge. A hardcopy coaching manual which provides skills and drills is recommended for coaches who complete the Advanced Foundation. This manual costs $30.00.

Click Here to see the full NZC Junior Cricket poster which identifies the appropriate coaching level;

SuperStar Cricket Academy Course

– Recommended for any parents, coaches or helpers regularly involved in a Superstar Cricket Academy programme or similar

Foundation Cricket Course

– Mandatory for coaches involved with junior teams which participate in softball leagues

Advanced Foundation Cricket Course

- Mandatory for coaches involved with junior teams which participate in hardball leagues

4.) Attend the Practical module as run by the local district. Please note all online modules must be completed prior to attending the Practical session. Please note ID verification must be provided for police vetting purposes eg. Drivers License or Passport; Please click here to see acceptable forms of identification.

Practical dates are set and can be registered for within the events calendar on the Coaches Corner Events page or alternatively coaches can contact the necessary person as below:

Hamilton:

Keith Vincent - keith@ndca.co.nz

Lachie Holt - lachie@ndca.co.nz

For coaches that do not know the local district or require any further information in relation to the National Coaching Framework, please contact the NDCA Coach & Umpire Development Officer Cliff Dickeson at cliff@ndca.co.nz.

Please note that Northern Districts Cricket Association leads the Performance Level Course, formerly known as the Level 2 coaching course. Attendees for this course need to be nominated by District Associations. This course runs on a 12 month cycle, with the 2019 course already completed. For information regarding the 2020 course, please contact Cliff Dickeson at cliff@ndca.co.nz

PREVIOUSLY QUALIFIED COACHES

Coach a Cricket Team (CaCT) Coaches
Qualified after 01 January 2016: These coaches will be required complete the online Advanced Foundation modules only without having to attend a practical.
Qualified prior to 01 January 2016: These coaches will be required complete the full Advanced Foundation course which includes both the online modules and practical session.
Foundation, HAG, Kiwi or Entrapment
Qualified after 01 January 2016: These coaches should complete the online Superstar Cricket Academy Coach or Foundation modules.
Qualified prior to 01 January 2016: These coaches should complete the full Superstar Cricket Academy Coach or full Foundation modules.
Level 1 Coaches Qualified prior to 01 January 2016:

These coaches should have started the Development course prior to 31 December 2018 as a minimum requirement*. The $40.00 fee (payable to local District Associations) covers the E-manual and online Admin costs which coaches will be able to access.

*Alternatively, coaches can choose to complete the Advanced Foundation Course for free if that qualification is more appropriate to the level at which the coach is active.

Level 2 Coaches Qualified prior to 01 January 2016:

These coaches should attend any two modules of the next Level 2 course but are not required to complete any of the assessments, workbooks or 100 hours of coaching. There is no cost to attend the modules.

Level 3 Coaches Qualified prior to 01 January 2016:

All Level 3 coaches are considered qualified

Coaches who started a coaching course but may not have fully completed the modules, did not receive a coaching certificate/qualification or are unsure of the year of completion, please contact Cliff Dickeson at cliff@ndca.co.nz

Umpiring

An Introduction to Umpiring

Umpiring Pathway

Scoring

Getting Started

NZC limited overs scoresheet

NZC multi-day scoresheet

Year 5 & 6 Scoresheet

Covers

Covers Instructions:

1. Start at end A,B and fold all the way to end C,D

2. Repeat this fold five times (until you have a narrow strip as pictured below)

3. Start at one end and roll the cover up tight like a sleeping bag

Artificial Pitch Construction

A majority of junior cricket in Hamilton, as well as a sizable amount of early-season and lower grade senior cricket, is played on artificial wickets, and almost all practice wickets are artificial too. There are a number of reasons for this: not least the ability to minimize time lost through poor weather, the chance to play earlier in the season when grass blocks are still being curated, and providing a more easily maintained surface with consistent play and bounce.

Turf wickets require huge amounts of labour, skill and resources that are beyond most clubs and schools, and even local council, to provide more regularly than is currently done. Artificial wickets provide an efficient answer to this issue, and remove the issue of players losing interest in the game with dangerous or poorly prepared turf wickets.

The first section of this page deals with concrete base-wickets with permanent artificial turf. Roll-up wickets are also discussed below.

Selection of site

Where you choose to put your artificial wicket is very important.

The Auckland Cricket Association & New Zealand Sports Turf Institute's guide for groundspersons and cricket administrators lists the following:

The best overall area is running preferably North-South to avoid sun problems. Good drainage is essential so avoid depressions on areas subject to "waterlogging". The area should be reasonably level with no more than 150mm fall in length and 20mm in width.
When a concrete base is being laid the fall requirements should be more stringently kept. Concrete should be laid higher than the outfield to allow for a natural build over the life of the concrete. Soil from the excavation to be used for the leveling with the two surfaces. This also helps to keep a dry area around the wicket.

It's also worth taking into account the size of the area around your wicket: being laid too close to hazards, especially roads, has rendered artificial wickets nearly unusable in the past.

Once you've taken drainage, ground level, sun, and hazards such as roads, footpaths, buildings or reflective surfaces into account, the next stage is laying the concrete base.

Concrete Bases

Concrete bases are preferable where possible. The ACA & NZSTI guide notes that Care should be taken to ensure excavation for the pitch is done properly. Levels should be checked to ensure water drains away and ground surface is compatible to wicket levels. Excavate only to desired depth to ensure a firm base is maintained.

The following are the ACA & NZSTI recommended specifications for concrete bases; though it's worth noting that most suppliers will generally supply their own recommendations, which will follow the below.

50mm of compacted sand, scoria or other similar material as a sub-base
Polythene sheeting between sub-base and concrete is a must
100mm thick concrete slightly above outfield soil
Minimum size 24.9x2.64 meters
Crossfall of 12mm
20MPa concrete
668 mesh reinforcing
Mesh should be curtailed 50mm from the ends and sides
Expansion concrete poured in two bays with 10mm expansion joint at pitch center
Steel trowel to finish
At least three weeks curing time should be allowed before gluing to surface

Dimensions: remember that this will vary depending on whether it is a single pitch for match use, or multiple wickets for practice sessions. The width of a wicket is recommended at 2.64m by the ACA & NZSTI guide (which is the width of the bowling crease), however the Laws of Cricket stipulate that it should be 3.05m wide. This allows for room outside of the return creases.

The length of a pitch is 20.12 meters, however this should be extended to at least 24.9m to ensure a reasonable length beyond the bowling crease at each end. If desired, up to 30m is practicable.

For practice nets, the width of each pitch should be at least 3.3m wide to ensure that enough space is provided for netting, steel frame and bowlers. Length can be shorter than a full pitch, as matting can be laid for the bowler's end.

Consideration needs to be given to a location hole for the stumps, assuming the pitch will be used for match play. The centre of the two holes should be 20.12m apart (i.e. the length of a pitch) and should be 120mm in length and 250mm in width.

The ACA & NZSTI guide also gives the following suggestion. Another consideration is for the concrete pad up to one foot (0.3m) past the popping creases to be recessed 8mm to accommodate an 8mm heavy crumb rubber run-up mat. In this case, the concrete outside the central 56ft or 17.07m of pitch is recessed by 8mm and filled with an 8mm rubber mat. This should be seriously considered for adult or heavy use. This is costly but should be considered if the wicket is used for practice sessions.

Artificial turf

Synthetic surfaces are regarded as the most suitable surface for concrete. Research should be done for this, as different types of turf are available, some giving more help to bowlers than others, and some are more heavy duty.

Contacts are provided below for synthetic turf providers.

Roll-up wickets can be laid on concrete bases, which does have some advantages (namely reducing the risk of vandalism) but is also more time and labour intensive to use. Flicx pitches can also be used on grass; this is a low-maintenance and easy set-up solution, as no concrete base has to be laid, and the pitch simply has to be rolled out and played on. Contacts for the New Zealand Flicx provider are below.

Bowler run-ups

Run-ups are often troublesome, as they are often more subject to weather than artificial wickets, face a lot of wear-and-tear, and can be the cause of many injury issues among bowlers.

Matta Products have developed a matting product which provides a more consistent run-up area, uses a non-slip surface and is "maintenance-free". This allows bowlers to have more confidence in their run-up and delivery, creating a more realistic match-like scenario for practice sessions.

Matting must be installed over a stabilized compacted base, with the Cricket Mattas brochure recommending limestone or crushed rock. For more information about this, use the Matta contacts below.