Batsmen throwing away starts in 4 day cricket

[Yossarian]

Hi guys, tearing my hair out currently as my Somerset side just cannot make big first innings scores. I rarely score less than 250 as a side, but this is always built on 5-6 30-50 scores, and I can never go big because I very rarely get one big score to tie the team together. My strategy is to start on 2 bars, then move to 3 when half settled. If my run rate is below 3 I sometimes push fully settled batsmen to 4, but I haven’t seen an increase in wickets since without fail my boys score 30-50 off 60-100 balls and then get out. Any way to encourage my side to turn starts into big scores consistently?

[Cam]

I start on 2 bars till 10 runs, 3 bars till 30 runs, 4 bars till 50 runs, 5 bars till 80 runs, 6 bars till 100. Then drop down to 3 bars till 130 and build up again.
works well for me in 4 day n test cricket...

[Yorkie]

Unlike Cam I normally err on the side of caution, also taking the conditions carefully into account.
Batting first I start on 1 bar then when a fifth settled move onto 2. Then 3 when half settled. I stay on 3, unless a part timer comes on as I find 4 aggression just increases a wicket chance. Nip back down to 2 agg 3 overs before and after breaks etc then back to 3.
Look to make 100 runs a session. There’s no reason why you can’t canter into end of session 2, day 2 having put on 500+
It’s better to draw a game remember, than loose. I’ve won the Championship various years with the value of a draw compared to 2nd place who had an extra loss.

[Wilted]

Unless I need to really up the ante, I never put my batsmen above three bars in FC matches. Only times I do go above three bars is when I need to chase down a win with wickets in hand or nearing a declaration.
If you're concerned about your run rate, having a couple of aggressive batsmen in your line up can help since they tend to have a SR of 55+ at three bars and can easily push to almost a run a ball at four or five bars.

Also don't forget to check form before selecting your XI. I'm not sure how the form mechanics work exactly but having two or less starts seems to make it harder for batsmen to get get settled once they've made a start.

[Yorkie]

Yes I agree with Wilted,
make sure you have a good mix of batsmen, Def, Ave and Agg. If conditions/cloud worsen for a spell It is often better to put in a Def batsman, in theory these won’t give away their wicket as they’re not playing adventurous strokes under dark cloud etc.
Agg batsmen can thus be used for chasing/nearing declarations and accomplishing batting points.
Also try and use an Agg batter/wicket keeper at pos 7. These guys can score their runs with the tail before running out of partners. (I’m biased) but a Jonny Bairstow for example can easily knock 50 off with the tail for a final push!
Good luck..

[Cam]

Unlike Cam I normally err on the side of caution, also taking the conditions carefully into account.
Batting first I start on 1 bar then when a fifth settled move onto 2. Then 3 when half settled. I stay on 3, unless a part timer comes on as I find 4 aggression just increases a wicket chance. Nip back down to 2 agg 3 overs before and after breaks etc then back to 3.
Look to make 100 runs a session. There’s no reason why you can’t canter into end of session 2, day 2 having put on 500+
It’s better to draw a game remember, than loose. I’ve won the Championship various years with the value of a draw compared to 2nd place who had an extra loss.

I have won alot of championships with my strategy. Mine is more like real life, batsmen usually start getting more aggressive the more confident they feel.
My standard innings would be 350-400 on average. I know with mine I can get 150+ a session meaning I win more than lose and draw and if I need to chase the last day I can.
It's also rare for my team to have def bats. Almost all are average aggression.

[Yorkie]

There’s more than one way to skin a cat. That’s what makes this game so interesting. I can make 550 to 650 runs by end of Day 2 most games, then declare. So I’ll stick to what works for me.
So there’s 2 different strategies here for you to work on Yossarian to get you going.
Try them both and post which one works for you.

[TJHC]

Just wondering guys, when you increase a batsman's aggression, when precisely do you do it?

I find I lose a wicket quite soon after increasing the aggression if I make the change when the batsman is facing the next over. I could be just paranoid but I now wait until he is not facing to change the aggression.

[Cam]

Just wondering guys, when you increase a batsman's aggression, when precisely do you do it?

I find I lose a wicket quite soon after increasing the aggression if I make the change when the batsman is facing the next over. I could be just paranoid but I now wait until he is not facing to change the aggression.

See my post above, that is my tactics that are yet to fail me.

[galvatron]

Tactics should vary really depending on the opposition.

I generally start on one or two. Usually one in tests and two in FC. I go up to three once they're a little settled and then go up to four or five bars. I'm usually more cautious in test matches where the opposition is better and there's more time.

I don't go much more than this unless I'm going for quick runs or there's someone batting with the tail.

[TJHC]

See my post above, that is my tactics that are yet to fail me.

Hi Cam, sorry I might not have been clear in my question. I'd like to know exactly when you change a batsman's aggression.

Is he facing the next over or does he start off being the non-striker?

I find if I change aggression when the batsman is facing the next over, he gets out shortly after (No matter which level of aggression and how settled he is).

I'm wondering if anyone else experiences this or if being a little too suspicious!

[Cam]

Hi Cam, sorry I might not have been clear in my question. I'd like to know exactly when you change a batsman's aggression.

Is he facing the next over or does he start off being the non-striker?

I find if I change aggression when the batsman is facing the next over, he gets out shortly after (No matter which level of aggression and how settled he is).

I'm wondering if anyone else experiences this or if being a little too suspicious!

As soon as he makes 10,30,50,80,100 doesn't matter about being on strike or not

[Yorkie]

TJHC,
I don’t think there’s anything in it to be honest but I’m same as you I tend to change their aggression when they’re at the no strikers end. Nothing to support the notion, it’s just what I like to do.
Hope that helps

[cde]

Unlike Cam I normally err on the side of caution, also taking the conditions carefully into account.
Batting first I start on 1 bar then when a fifth settled move onto 2. Then 3 when half settled. I stay on 3, unless a part timer comes on as I find 4 aggression just increases a wicket chance. Nip back down to 2 agg 3 overs before and after breaks etc then back to 3.
Look to make 100 runs a session. There’s no reason why you can’t canter into end of session 2, day 2 having put on 500+
It’s better to draw a game remember, than loose. I’ve won the Championship various years with the value of a draw compared to 2nd place who had an extra loss.

Much the same - openers start on one bar, everyone else on two going to three when it turns green.

First innings on a two bar batting one bar spin pitch I take 350 as a par score if they have decent bowlers. The same if it is two bar spin and they have good spinners. Anything less than that and I am looking to bat once and hit 550-600.

[cde]

Hi guys, tearing my hair out currently as my Somerset side just cannot make big first innings scores. I rarely score less than 250 as a side, but this is always built on 5-6 30-50 scores, and I can never go big because I very rarely get one big score to tie the team together. My strategy is to start on 2 bars, then move to 3 when half settled. If my run rate is below 3 I sometimes push fully settled batsmen to 4, but I haven’t seen an increase in wickets since without fail my boys score 30-50 off 60-100 balls and then get out. Any way to encourage my side to turn starts into big scores consistently?

Have a look at the percentage of 50s and 100s a batsman gets compared to their number of innings. You might just be going for batsmen who have an average of say 40 but do so because they almost always score somewhere between 35-50 every match. These players are great and you need a few but you also need the players whose average is about the same but have a higher percentage of 100s. These are the guys who might get out for 20 but could also go big and take you total to the next level.

Personally, if I have a player with a low percentage of 100s compared to innings I give them general training as this will often push up their average.