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  • Serious help needed

    Hi all,

    New to the forum and to the game (ICC2012) having bought it just last week. Really is a devilishly addictive game so hats off to all concerned.

    Anyway, I started out on normal mode with Kent for the challenge and it sure as hell is, no kidding on that front! Anyway, the first season I half played before realising that we were gash in every format of the game so skipped to the next season. Last season we were okay with the bat in FC mostly averaging between 3-400 but (and it's a big'un) we just couldn't take wickets (lucky to take a total of 7 in an infinite amount of draws and the odd defeat). So I decided that seam bowling particularly was a big a problem so addressed that in the summer. My seamers are now: Mark Davies, Philander, Matt Coles and Tim Groenewald. A pretty good unit you'd agree? I sacrificed Brendan Nash to be able to afford Philander but I regret that now as he was our best batsman (although I didn't realise just how until this new season) So this is my line-up in FC:

    Rob Key
    Moeen Ali
    Mark Pettini
    Fabian Cowdrey
    David Stevens
    Jamie Dalrymple
    Geraint Jones
    Matt Coles
    Vernan Philander
    James Tredwell
    Tim Groenewald
    Mark Davies

    So we're halfway through the season, the bowling was great at the start but then Philander just started losing form (despite not bowling too badly) and is now not even on a half star, Davies has been excellent, Groenwald ok, and Coles is a wicket-taker but very expensive. The batting however, is just awful and I'm lucky to scrape even 250 at times on good pitches. We usually get an opening stand but it's usually too slow (even though the top three are aggressive players). I try increasing the aggression but it either doesn't work or they just jizz their pants and hole out off some Leicestershire pie-chucker. Then the top and middle order usually get a 20 or 30 off 80 balls before getting out, leaving Tredwell or Philander to smash a 20 to not completely embarrass ourselves. So, my batting is too slow. The computer in contrasts, bats really fast (probably why my bowlers form has dropped off even though they're taking wickets) and gets past our total in no time. If we follow-on, the batting is usually much better and we always draw comfortably in the end but the first innings are not giving my bowlers any chance at all So, we got at 2.3 an over and crawl to 250 all out. Not good is it? Please help. i realise my middle order is a bit weak in terms of ability but the top should be getting off to quicker starts. Also, how can I stop the CPU ging at 3.5-4 an over? I try everything, like I say I can get the wickets but they come at a price. I've set defensive, attacking fields, bowled full, short, length balls. No idea what to do. I'd love any of you decent players to give me advice!

    Also, my ODI batting is too slow. Very occasionally it comes off (i put 6 aggression on both openers at the start) but then sometimes get 10 off 30 or even more annoying, 30 off 50 to waste so many balls that we just can't get the totals again. It's all just infuriating me. I have the makings of a really sound ODI side but what to do if we're posting 170/180 in CB 40 games and 120 in T20. Awful.

    Love the game, but really want to succeed. Any help would be appreciated! Batting is a major problem but so is keeping runs down in the bowling..

    Cheers.

  • #2
    Firstly, welcome!

    Second, congratulations on having the guts to play with Kent! They really are awful to start with... Your batting line-up really is weak (do you not have a youth player to give a chance to in place of Dalrymple?), which is probably half of your problem. Your bowling unit should be pretty strong with your signings though, even though Groenewald and Coles can go for runs, Coles being especially underrated last year! Have you been giving bowling practice to them to keep form up? That should help a bit with run rates, anyway. Also try setting seamers' pitches if you don't already. Definitely prioritise signing one top quality English batsman next year if you can!

    One-dayers are more my specialty in county mode... I'd suggest setting your openers to no more than 4/5 bars to start with if you're batting first... when setting a target it's pretty easy to go from 30/0 from the first 10 overs to well over 220 in a CB/YB40 game if you increase the aggression going through the innings, maybe 4 bars for the openers, up to 5 for everyone from about the 8th over, 6 for people who are in from the 20th and start really attacking with everyone starting on 6 by the 28th if you still have wickets in hand. You can sometimes win games with 180 too if your bowling's right. It probably is, again, the weaknesses in your batting line-up that really aren't helping your chances. One really good player in there with Key and all the decent ones would probably help. In terms of bowling, don't be afraid to keep a slip in for a fair while, wickets really are important.

    Saying all this, I have a Kent game I gave up on after a year and a half stashed somewhere... winning really is much easier when you have a decent side!

    Comment


    • #3
      Thanks for the reply mate. I'll give your tips a try and let you know how it goes. I do have a couple of youngsters who have an FC average of 30 ish to play instead of Dalrymple but JD has got 2 centuries this season which is the same as Rob Key. The line-up just keep getting starts then getting out, or in terms of the youngsters, getting a really solid 70 or 80 then getting out for between 0-5 in the next couple of innings.

      I still don't really understand how the coaching works in this game. To maintain a players form you should give them the bowling/batting practice? Is it only effective to give young players technique coaching or can it work on senior players too? Should youngsters always be coached throughout the season? What do you do?

      Comment


      • #4
        Ah, well if JD's going okay keep him in a bit longer... I think I just remember signing him and him being utter dross for me! Yeah, that's how it is a bit when you have mediocre players, they can score well, they just can't do it consistently.

        Coaching's a bit more tricky and depends on the person. Practice is to maintain form, and should be given to anyone important who's going out of it, probably for you, Philander, Davies, Tredwell and as many batsmen as you can! General technique training is effective properly until about 26/27, and I would pick maybe 2/3 youngsters to give that to at all times through the season. Specific technique training isn't something I use as much as I should, but that works on players right through their careers, so if there are weaknesses you want to work on, you can. Physios, obviously, just improve the player's condition, but they do so quite quickly, so you can manage with one or two.

        In terms of those youth batsmen, blood whoever you feel is worth blooding based on performances to date and 2nd XI stats. They probably won't do too much worse!

        Comment


        • #5
          Great advice from Imager so I won't add much. I think that specific technique training is effective at any age (eg back foot, aggressive bowling etc), but General Technique is only effective till a player is 26/27. Personally I feel that a player's raw ability continues to improve until 30 in real life and perhaps the game should reflect this?

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