First-Class batting tactics

[Jobi1K]

I was 27 for 7. The bowlers manage to limp us to 100 but Leics easily chase down the 200 ish (aside: does the computer ever fail to chase sub 250 scores, given time, and if you've managed it, tell me how).

You need to be ultra aggressive with your best bowlers for the first 10-15 overs. If that doesn't work, you need to go into 'contain' mode by adjusting your fields to specs of the situation. I once bowled out a full strength NSW for 88 (target 161) using these tactics. Keep trying and you will instinctively know how to defend totals.

I find that aggressive approach never works for me bowling in the fourth innings. As has been discussed on other threads, the AI seems to approach the second innings with a super aggressive mentality in almost all circumstances, so going for 'contain' mode from the start is often a better idea. I had a game a while ago where I had a nightmare second innings myself, leaving the opposition needing a sub-100 total to win, so thinking I had nothing to lose I experimented with having the bowling set at average-to-low aggression, but kept plenty of fielders in cathcing positions, and sure enough the AI seemed to try to knock the total off in boundaries, made an absolute hames of it and I bowled them out and won! I must stress that is not a foolproof method and that was quite an extreme example of it working perfectly, but definitely seems more successful than trying to blow the opposition away.

In terms of my own first class batting, I broadly follow the conventions others have described. Now that this edition shows the actual target RPO the batters are aiming for when you adjust the aggression, I sometimes use that number more than the bars in FC batting - e.g. I'll start with batsmen aiming for 2.5–3 RPO when they're first in, then move it up however many bars are needed for them to be aiming for around 3.5 once they're about 50% settled. As some others have said in this thread, I'll push it even higher sometimes, depending on circumstances. One of those is I keep an eye on the opposition bowlers' economy rates, and if one is proving quite expensive and I've got some good batsmen in and set, I'll try to capitalise on that and aim for as much as a run a ball off that bowler. Conversely, if one opposition bowler seems to be absoutely on fire, or for some specific circumstances like if they've got a good spinner and pitch has become a raging bunsen, I'll drop the aggression right down and try to ride it out. Again, none of this is foolproof, but I don't think I do too badly with FC batting, certainly not like my trials and tribulations with T20 batting!

[Yorkie]

More or less same as you guys, start on 2 (1 if unfavourable conditions) then to 3 about three quarter settled. Favourable conditions/fully settled sometimes 4.

I tend to err on the side of caution when batting, drawing is better than losing and thus look for 100 runs a session so 300 a day. I win the Championship every year now but never have the most batting points!

Build a large decent squad, study players carefully before buying. I’ve also painstakingly identified EVERY Regen in the game which I update every season. I also record every ‘toss’ result, there is a pattern, so am now able to win 95% of tosses, anything to give yourself an advantage..

[Fitzroy FC]

Has anyone noticed a change in first class batting in the recent update?

I'm finding *a lot* more collapses. Even though I've improved my first class team since my first season, they're getting rolled for around 200 regularly now.

In my most recent match, we were all out 233 batting first. FFS, I thought, until we tumbled Leics for 113. Here we go, says I, unassailable fourth innings lead here we come.

I was 27 for 7. The bowlers manage to limp us to 100 but Leics easily chase down the 200 ish (aside: does the computer ever fail to chase sub 250 scores, given time, and if you've managed it, tell me how).

You need to be ultra aggressive with your best bowlers for the first 10-15 overs. If that doesn't work, you need to go into 'contain' mode by adjusting your fields to specs of the situation. I once bowled out a full strength NSW for 88 (target 161) using these tactics. Keep trying and you will instinctively know how to defend totals.

[frustratedofnewport]

Well, I just had my own complete batting collapse out of nowhere.

The forecast was a sunny first couple of days with minimal bounce and wear but heavy clouds/rain due towards the end, so I was relieved when I won the toss and got to bat first. Conditions were about as good as it gets for batting in England. My batsmen were also in good form and fitness so I opened with my usual 2 bar aggression for good conditions. You can imagine my disbelief when I then see them all getting out almost immediately for scores of 7, 5, 9, 2, 0, 2 and 0. Half of them didn't even last a full over! I was looking at being lucky to scrape 70 runs before my final two tailenders - bowlers with awful batting records - made a stand for 70 runs, dwarfing the runs of my entire batting team combined.

Middlesex then hit it for 503, initially in the same conditions with the wicket worsening through the innings.

When it's time for my second innings it's cloudy, poor visibility and the wicket has has turned but despite the conditions being far worse the same batsmen manage to make 381 with the exact same aggression approach.

That first innings collapse was about the strangest thing I've seen so far in CC20. It felt like my batsmen were all drunk!

I've come to accept it as part of the game, but boy does it make you tear your hair out in the moment.

[Chris_]

Well, I just had my own complete batting collapse out of nowhere.

The forecast was a sunny first couple of days with minimal bounce and wear but heavy clouds/rain due towards the end, so I was relieved when I won the toss and got to bat first. Conditions were about as good as it gets for batting in England. My batsmen were also in good form and fitness so I opened with my usual 2 bar aggression for good conditions. You can imagine my disbelief when I then see them all getting out almost immediately for scores of 7, 5, 9, 2, 0, 2 and 0. Half of them didn't even last a full over! I was looking at being lucky to scrape 70 runs before my final two tailenders - bowlers with awful batting records - made a stand for 70 runs, dwarfing the runs of my entire batting team combined.

Middlesex then hit it for 503, initially in the same conditions with the wicket worsening through the innings.

When it's time for my second innings it's cloudy, poor visibility and the wicket has has turned but despite the conditions being far worse the same batsmen manage to make 381 with the exact same aggression approach.

That first innings collapse was about the strangest thing I've seen so far in CC20. It felt like my batsmen were all drunk!

[galvatron]

Most of my top 7 are very aggressive players, so I get strike rates well above 50 and maybe even 60 at times. Looking at Deakin - the best bat I've had on the game. His FC strike rate was 70! But he was an exception, most of my batsmen strike at around 57-65 in FC.

In four day games, I aim to get 350+ in a day. Fewer in tests

I don't have 7 players of that quality... more like one or two... look at the best XI thread and there's screenshots of most of my current lineup.

You can get great players at any point in the game... it's luck really!

[cde]

galvatron those are good figures. How long does it take to find 7 players up to that standard?

I find that that if I put too many aggressive players in the team it is more prone to all-or-nothing scores, do you find the same.

I’m usually happy with about 300 in a day, depending on conditions. If the pitch is 2 bar bounce/1 spin, or if they have good spinners vice versus, I would expect to reach 375-400 with a good team. If it’s 1 bar pitch for both I would expect about 450, more if it is just 1 bar bounce/spin. If the pitch is flat I expect 600+ batting first and pretty much the same batting second - sometimes less because I really go for it to force a result. How about you? Or anyone else, for that matter.

[galvatron]

galvatron what sort of strike rate are you getting? And what sort of totals? They sound like they should be pretty high.

Most of my top 7 are very aggressive players, so I get strike rates well above 50 and maybe even 60 at times. Looking at Deakin - the best bat I've had on the game. His FC strike rate was 70! But he was an exception, most of my batsmen strike at around 57-65 in FC.

In four day games, I aim to get 350+ in a day. Fewer in tests

[cde]

As a comparison I have played a second first season as Glamorgan alongside the one I am writing about in Tolstoy-esq length in the stories thread. In the first save I finished 3rd in D2 and won the OD and T20 trophies. This time around, with pretty much the same team (not the regen, of course) I finished 5th in D2, missed the OD knock-out phase on nett RR and got knocked out in the T20 quarter finals after just scraping through. The players who hit such splendid form first time around - Selman, de Lange and Wagg in particular - all suffered bouts of shocking form and the viability of the team seriously impacted when Labuschagne failed to do well. I went 4 straight matches without a batting bonus point. I lost three times, once by an innings and a million runs.

Just to say, you can have sound tactics that work for you most of the time but if your players can’t find form you’re stuffed.

[cde]

This happens in real life so it’s no surprise to see it in the match. It’s the lack of depth that hurts, especially if you are relying on a few key players who are on the slide.

I have found it pays to get in early and get the replacement in before it’s too late since collapses can be as contagious as a virus form a bat and put pressure on players who are doing well lower down the order. Their form suffers and the decent begins...

I’m cheerful, aren’t I.

The last years of watching England play tests illustrates what happens quite well. How many times did we see them 30 or 50 odd for 3? Almost every match and it put all the pressure on the middle order. We were constantly relying on the all-rounders we kept packing into our tail to bail us out.

[frustratedofnewport]

I was going to ask the player’s form. Are the whole team in poor form or is it a few key players?

If there are no viable alternatives through either lack of form or talent, I’ve found this quickly becomes a death spiral from which it is almost impossible to get out of, I’ve even sacrificed matches, putting my better (but out of form) players in the 2nd XI to build form and save them for the more lucrative T20s.

If you go for the slow and steady approach then you have to chose the players best able to make it work. At Glamorgan, for example, I seem to find that Humphrey is a player who lasts about 60 balls at most and no matter how careful you go he will last no more. If I have to adopt Cling On And Hope tactics He is almost useless. Selman on the other hand, if in decent form, seems to be able to bat for longer if batting carefully.

It's this: the death spiral. I've made a much stronger Glamorgan but we still have zero depth. So if top players are out of form the replacements are much less effective, even if they're in form, and you lose either way.

It hurts but I'll figure through it.

[cde]

I was going to ask the player’s form. Are the whole team in poor form or is it a few key players?

If there are no viable alternatives through either lack of form or talent, I’ve found this quickly becomes a death spiral from which it is almost impossible to get out of, I’ve even sacrificed matches, putting my better (but out of form) players in the 2nd XI to build form and save them for the more lucrative T20s.

If you go for the slow and steady approach then you have to chose the players best able to make it work. At Glamorgan, for example, I seem to find that Humphrey is a player who lasts about 60 balls at most and no matter how careful you go he will last no more. If I have to adopt Cling On And Hope tactics He is almost useless. Selman on the other hand, if in decent form, seems to be able to bat for longer if batting carefully.

[Sureshot]

I've now made less than 250 batting first in for consecutive games. I've been approx 100 for 4/5 in all of them. It's killing me! Has anyone else had these runs of insanely terrible luck or am I likely to be doing something wrong?

There was an FC scoring change in the last update which made it more realistic. This was roughly worked out at 20 runs per day over a season. The change won't affect "collapses".

[Chris_]

I've now made less than 250 batting first in for consecutive games. I've been approx 100 for 4/5 in all of them. It's killing me! Has anyone else had these runs of insanely terrible luck or am I likely to be doing something wrong?

Are your batsmen all stuck on 0-2 stars Form? Do you have alternate batsmen at 3+ Form you could switch in to see if they perform better? Do you have a bunch of Spin Specialists with strong leg side preference facing teams full of seamers who bowl at middle to outside off?

[frustratedofnewport]

Has anyone noticed a change in first class batting in the recent update?

I'm finding *a lot* more collapses. Even though I've improved my first class team since my first season, they're getting rolled for around 200 regularly now.

In my most recent match, we were all out 233 batting first. FFS, I thought, until we tumbled Leics for 113. Here we go, says I, unassailable fourth innings lead here we come.

I was 27 for 7. The bowlers manage to limp us to 100 but Leics easily chase down the 200 ish (aside: does the computer ever fail to chase sub 250 scores, given time, and if you've managed it, tell me how).

I've now made less than 250 batting first in for consecutive games. I've been approx 100 for 4/5 in all of them. It's killing me! Has anyone else had these runs of insanely terrible luck or am I likely to be doing something wrong?