Improve Your Game

[PowerBug]

As voted, we now have a separate thread to talk about all things tactics related. Everyone can help anyone, and comment if you have a thought, because generally people will chip in if they see a comment they think is incorrect.

If you have issues with setting orders in general, or on a particular pitch/weather combo, or against different opponents, this is the thread. Try to provide as much information as possible, which will assist those assisting you :)

Who wants to go first?

[DazBurg]

sticky

gimmie everything you guys got...lol

[Hellopplz]

Pitches made for upsets! I bat first on a sticky and used to work a treat. Mainly because it is very bowler heavy influence, so setting a target is easier to defend when the pressure is on the opponent's batting lineup and your own bowlers would be fresher when bowling second anyway (as not fielding 50 overs first).

And wouldn't recommend more than 1 Agro Batters (2 complete MAX) because of it being bowler heavy. I ire on the side of caution and play 1 Agro at most (late middle order usually) and like 4-5 guys on Defensive.

[JBs-Hawks]

Tactic #1: Pull UAE

Tactic #2: Repeat

[DazBurg]

Tactic #1: Pull UAE

Tactic #2: Repeat

^^^^^
This times infinity :D

[PowerBug]

Whenever I get a Sticky wicket, the first thing I do is remove all aggression form my orders, batting definitely, and even bowling to a certain extent. Humid/Hot weather changes things a bit, but when it comes to Sunny, Cloudy, Overcast, Windy, I love to bat first and score 170-200, then defend like crazy.

I haven't got many recent matches on a Sticky, unfortunately the latest ones I have, between me and an opponent that rates similar, are where I pull off ridiculous upsets. I may as well post them though haha. So my first is from two months ago, where I played Cyrus in a match on Sunny/Sticky
http://www.fromthepavilion.org/scorecard.htm?gameId=2958149

My reasoning behind the friendly was to see what I'd rate without the oldest lads (Wardlaw and Zahra). So at the time, it was a 30 and younger friendly. The bowlers I went in with were of nice variety, but Harry Roach is very very weak, only outs/outs with roughly the same power at that time. So 2rfm, 1lm, 1rfs, 1rws was my lineup

So I'll point out the key things from these orders:
- My best three batsmen batted at 3, 5, and 6. This allowed for an early wicket and to have someone there to consolidate, or if his opening bowlers were to rip through me with an Aggressive spell, then I'll still have quality to help me along.

- My opening bowling overs. I'm privileged enough to have a New Ball Bowler Medium. Not many like this, but I love it for the reason above, 7 overs on a pitch like this, on defensive. He's only spec/spec with about accomplished power at the time, and if you look at his figures, 7.5-0-14-2, it shows how great that opening 7 was. I think it can work with any medium, I've trialled it with a normal medium in NATs a fair bit, and I still get good results.

- Close with the weak bowlers. No need to bowl 50 overs on a Sticky, you want to wrap up the result before then. Roach (outs/outs) and Mupariwa are my weakest, I close with them. It's a big risk, as if you don't get the wickets, things can get really ugly at the close. But if you have better bowlers, then you back them in.

- Limited Aggression. It's not necessary to take wickets early, I've gone with two 5 over attacking spells, I felt that was necessary as I was playing a stronger team and needed early inroads. Which didn't come from Kuhlengisa or Austin for that matter, so I guess i was lucky there.

- Finally, and this goes for every match I think, the "key" overs. To me, they are from around the 30 mark (Plus/minus 1) to the 40 mark (Plus/minus 1). In this time you want your best on, and you want to attack BEFORE the end of the 35th over. Teams start to chase the runs after the 35th over is bowled, it is not necessary to attack after this over, but attack before it, as if you take one in this period, you can bag a couple straight after the 35th.

Idk if that helps, I just wanted to show off another upset win. I need to find times where I screwed up though, just to show I'm not that good.




I have my own question, how do people have success on a Dry pitch in the first 10 overs with the ball? Everything I try fails, meanwhile my opponents find a way to take two wickets...

[JBs-Hawks]

On a Dry i usually just go with my seamers for 5 each, one on N one on A.

[nrich102]

What approach should I take to playing bots? So far I've pretty much just made everyone aggressive, hoping to get the highest score possible, regardless of pitch. Am I taking the wrong approach?

[Colliwobblers]

What approach should I take to playing bots? So far I've pretty much just made everyone aggressive, hoping to get the highest score possible, regardless of pitch. Am I taking the wrong approach?

i'd be interested in the experts view on this too.

i set aggressive batting orders when i am sure i will win too, but i generally avoid batsmen on aggressive because they seem to score no more than normal, and just get out a LOT quicker. so therefore score less

[Torpedo10]

On a Dry i usually just go with my seamers for 5 each, one on N one on A.

That seems to be a common mistake.

I always approach the first 10 overs defensively with seamers on a Dry. No aggression at all, always pick up 2 wickets during the first ten.

[DazBurg]

i think you can have a mixture i've had 1 on A and 1 on D
with varying success
usually if not a wicket they have built pressure to ensure wickets have fallen in the next 10

[Colliwobblers]

question?

in which circumstances do you bat first and which do you bowl first?

[PowerBug]

question?

in which circumstances do you bat first and which do you bowl first?

Because I feel like it, I'll do all 48 combinations for you. In my opinion, obviously. And this is for the 50 over game only as well. :)

Sticky
Sunny - Bat
Cloudy - Bat
Overcast - Bat
Humid - 50/50
Hot - Bowl
Windy - 50/50

Uneven
Sunny - 25/75 Bowl
Cloudy - 50/50
Overcast - 75/25 Bat
Humid - 50/50
Hot - Bowl
Windy - Bowl

Green
Sunny - Bat
Cloudy - Bat
Overcast - Bat
Humid - Bat
Hot - Bowl
Windy - 25/75 Bowl

Hard
Sunny - Bowl
Cloudy - Bowl
Overcast - Bowl
Humid - 50/50
Hot - Bowl
Windy - Bowl

Flat
Sunny - 25/75 Bowl
Cloudy - 25/75 Bowl
Overcast - 25/75 Bowl
Humid - Bowl
Hot - Bowl
Windy - Bowl

Slow
Sunny - Bat
Cloudy - 75/25 Bat
Overcast - 75/25 Bat
Humid - 50/50
Hot - Bowl
Windy - Bat

Dry
Sunny - Bat
Cloudy - Bowl
Overcast - Bowl
Humid - Absolutely no clue
Hot - Bat
Windy - Bat

Crumbling
Sunny - Bat
Cloudy - Bat
Overcast - Bat
Humid - Bat
Hot - Bat
Windy - Bat

This is assuming you are expecting a tight match. If you have an easy match and you need NRR then bat first more often, if it's an easy PC game then bowl first more often.

[Colliwobblers]

thanks PB :)

where you have 25/75 Bowl - do you mean 75% best to bowl? 
where you have 75/25 bat - do you mean 75% best to bat?

seems pretty obvious but just checking.

and printed and added to my how to not suck at FTP file.

[PowerBug]

thanks PB :)

where you have 25/75 Bowl - do you mean 75% best to bowl? 
where you have 75/25 bat - do you mean 75% best to bat?

seems pretty obvious but just checking.

and printed and added to my how to not suck at FTP file.

Yeah that's right. I obviously look at my opponent's strength when in doubt on what to do. Don't quote me though, others may have different ideas, especially the Crumbling section. I think batting and trying to defend anything that is given to you is the way to go.