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Normally I post a review each year, this year I haven't but thought I'd throw in a few thoughts for discussion on this year's version.
Match Engine - As ever I feel this continues to offer a very accurate rendition of real cricket. My one real qualm is that I think wickets falling in bunches in t20 is a bit too prevalent, I see too many hatricks, especially in the death overs. I've found it not unusual to clean up half a dozen wickets in the last 2 overs so the balance in the death overs doesn't feel right.
Mobile UI - Dropdowns are a superb addition.
Split Aggression - I've really enjoyed this addition, I think it was definitely needed in this modern age where players are capable of very different levels of batting aggression across formats. A couple areas where improvement could be made in my opinion though:
- The algorithm is too tough on very young/fringe players with few games played, categorising them as very defensive based on just a few innings. I'd like to see it have some weighting moving it closer to average for these players with little experience especially given very defensive players are at a real disadvantage in t20.
- I think there should be a slight weighting towards T20 strike rate in the algorithm when deciding on limited overs strike rate. It's the premier format and many players dont play much one day cricket now.
Coaching - I enjoy the new options that match split aggression although I'm still unsure whether batters ability develops in the separate formats the way bowlers do. Bowlers can clearly be more or less suited to either red or white ball however beyond strike rates I'm not sure if this is the case for batters. The increased prevalence of technique coaching messages is nice but I still see little evidence of players actually improving.
Player Development - I still think this area is very poor. The change to existing young players now using the same ability generation model as regens is for me an admittance of this. Don't get me wrong, on balance this is an improvement because at least they won't all always be useless now but it just seems that both regens and real young players start off with either good or bad ability wise and then stay there. I've started a Leicestershire save with an Alex Evans who started on 50k and was in the England squad within a season, that shouldn't happen he should start just as poor as he ever was but if a roll of the dice has given him England level potential he should reach it after a couple seasons of steady improvement. This is the same for regens they shouldn't spawn in large numbers scoring tons in the first season.
I'd also like more control over player development in terms of all rounders or keepers. I'd like to be able to tell an all rounder to drop bowling and focus on his batting where appropriate and the same with a keeper. Cricket is full of Calum McLeods, Steve Smiths and so on who started as all rounders or bowlers and then developed into batters. Or the likes of Lewis Hill at Leics who when told to focus on batting and not keeping by Paul Nixon went from a pretty average bat at best to a very solid one.
Regens - There are just too many. I don't think the 'youth' uncontracted players are necessary at the start of the season and with the increased size of squads due to the One Day Cup I don't think any are necessary in the first season either. I hate seeing "Vic Chai" score a ton against me in the first season, it's just very immersion breaking.
Match Engine - As ever I feel this continues to offer a very accurate rendition of real cricket. My one real qualm is that I think wickets falling in bunches in t20 is a bit too prevalent, I see too many hatricks, especially in the death overs. I've found it not unusual to clean up half a dozen wickets in the last 2 overs so the balance in the death overs doesn't feel right.
Mobile UI - Dropdowns are a superb addition.
Split Aggression - I've really enjoyed this addition, I think it was definitely needed in this modern age where players are capable of very different levels of batting aggression across formats. A couple areas where improvement could be made in my opinion though:
- The algorithm is too tough on very young/fringe players with few games played, categorising them as very defensive based on just a few innings. I'd like to see it have some weighting moving it closer to average for these players with little experience especially given very defensive players are at a real disadvantage in t20.
- I think there should be a slight weighting towards T20 strike rate in the algorithm when deciding on limited overs strike rate. It's the premier format and many players dont play much one day cricket now.
Coaching - I enjoy the new options that match split aggression although I'm still unsure whether batters ability develops in the separate formats the way bowlers do. Bowlers can clearly be more or less suited to either red or white ball however beyond strike rates I'm not sure if this is the case for batters. The increased prevalence of technique coaching messages is nice but I still see little evidence of players actually improving.
Player Development - I still think this area is very poor. The change to existing young players now using the same ability generation model as regens is for me an admittance of this. Don't get me wrong, on balance this is an improvement because at least they won't all always be useless now but it just seems that both regens and real young players start off with either good or bad ability wise and then stay there. I've started a Leicestershire save with an Alex Evans who started on 50k and was in the England squad within a season, that shouldn't happen he should start just as poor as he ever was but if a roll of the dice has given him England level potential he should reach it after a couple seasons of steady improvement. This is the same for regens they shouldn't spawn in large numbers scoring tons in the first season.
I'd also like more control over player development in terms of all rounders or keepers. I'd like to be able to tell an all rounder to drop bowling and focus on his batting where appropriate and the same with a keeper. Cricket is full of Calum McLeods, Steve Smiths and so on who started as all rounders or bowlers and then developed into batters. Or the likes of Lewis Hill at Leics who when told to focus on batting and not keeping by Paul Nixon went from a pretty average bat at best to a very solid one.
Regens - There are just too many. I don't think the 'youth' uncontracted players are necessary at the start of the season and with the increased size of squads due to the One Day Cup I don't think any are necessary in the first season either. I hate seeing "Vic Chai" score a ton against me in the first season, it's just very immersion breaking.
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