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Which sportsmen would make the best cricketers?

Which sportsmen would produce the best cricketers?

  • Basketball

    Votes: 1 2.0%
  • Football

    Votes: 2 4.1%
  • Baseball

    Votes: 20 40.8%
  • Tennis

    Votes: 20 40.8%
  • Badminton

    Votes: 2 4.1%
  • Other

    Votes: 4 8.2%

  • Total voters
    49

Sir Redman

State Vice-Captain
Barney Rubble said:
I voted tennis. They have the athleticism, the height, the power, and above all, phenomenal hand-eye co-ordination. The muscles used in the serving action would also be used for bowling; those used in the action for a forehand would be very useful when batting, particularly for hitting through the leg-side.

As for fielding, they're used to running around and changing direction very rapidly - their ability to pick up a ball quickly and throw it would be second to none after years of sprinting to the net to reach opposition drop-shots.
Not completely. When you're serving, most of your power comes from your legs, with your wrist and shoulder providing a lesser amount, so just because someone can serve well doesn't mean that they would make a could bowler. Case in point: me - when I played tennis I could serve at around 170 kph (played seriously until I was about 16), yet I struggle to bowl at anything quicker than slow-medium.

That said, I reckon tennis players would make good cricketers. They'd definately have the co-ordination, reactions and concentration required and would probably also move their feet very well.

I think badminton players would be even stronger at whipping the ball through mid-wicket though because they'd have extremely strong and flexible wrists - you use your wrists far more in badminton than you do in tennis.
 
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oz_fan

International Regular
I'll say Tennis because I think it requires similar skills as cricket (e.g hitting fast moving balls, running quickly, etc).

I reckon a baseballer would make a good slogger.
 

andyc

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Tennis for me, just the hand-eye co-ordination, being able to move fast and hit moving balls at different heights and angles.
 

silentstriker

The Wheel is Forever
oz_fan said:
I'll say Tennis because I think it requires similar skills as cricket (e.g hitting fast moving balls, running quickly, etc).

I reckon a baseballer would make a good slogger.

And an outstanding fielder. When I was little, I was a great fielder by cricket standards (middle school standards that is), but the next year when I came to the US and tried out for the baseball team, I was merely average, if that.
 

silentstriker

The Wheel is Forever
And baseball pitchers, if they could make the transition to bowling, would be absolute experts at using flight and doing other things with the ball in the air.
 

vic_orthdox

Global Moderator
One from out of left field - hockey.

Also, I think anything with a high degree of hand eye co-ordination. A number of AFL players played high standard junior cricket.
 

vic_orthdox

Global Moderator
silentstriker said:
And an outstanding fielder. When I was little, I was a great fielder by cricket standards (middle school standards that is), but the next year when I came to the US and tried out for the baseball team, I was merely average, if that.
A lot of fielding techniques are coming from baseball now. Even the age-old "walking in with the bowler" is being questioned.
 

adharcric

International Coach
silentstriker said:
And an outstanding fielder. When I was little, I was a great fielder by cricket standards (middle school standards that is), but the next year when I came to the US and tried out for the baseball team, I was merely average, if that.
Yeah I know exactly what you're talking about there. A few years ago I was talking outfield catches and returning throws and really blasted one and the guy conducting the drills (an international player, mind you) said "that's one hell of an arm, you're in the wrong sport here, get on the baseball field".

Or maybe he said that because I was an Indian with a strong arm (rare specimen until recently?).
 

Sir Redman

State Vice-Captain
vic_orthdox said:
One from out of left field - hockey.
Yes! Good man.

Hockey is insanely skillful - you need exceptional hand-eye coordination and have to be able to turn on a fifty-cent piece.

One of the old guys at my club is always going on about how we should be playing hockey in the off-season - he says that all the best cricket players played hockey in their youth. Bit over the top - I can only think of two cricketers that played hockey to a high level (Jonty Rhodes and Hayden Shaw).
 

Sir Redman

State Vice-Captain
silentstriker said:
And an outstanding fielder. When I was little, I was a great fielder by cricket standards (middle school standards that is), but the next year when I came to the US and tried out for the baseball team, I was merely average, if that.
Not sure why, I've always found fielding in softball really easy compared to cricket. You've got a big fat glove on and the ball only comes from one direction (i.e. you haven't got a whole heap of variety in viewpoints like mid-on, gully etc) so I don't see how people can drop catches.
 

pasag

RTDAS
Easily baseball. Although dealing with spin bowling, I think table tennis players would be best suited, with the top spin and all the other types of spin.
 

vic_orthdox

Global Moderator
Sir Redman said:
Not sure why, I've always found fielding in softball really easy compared to cricket. You've got a big fat glove on and the ball only comes from one direction (i.e. you haven't got a whole heap of variety in viewpoints like mid-on, gully etc) so I don't see how people can drop catches.
But because it's "relatively simple", you've got to be really good at it to be successful. Just like kicking a soccer ball is easy, but you've got to be able to perform that skill at a very high level to make a living out of it.
 

Matt79

Global Moderator
Baseball, just, over tennis. Hand-eye coord., used to catching and throwing a small hard ball. Used to trying to hit said hard ball being thrown at you.
 

Jungle Jumbo

International Vice-Captain
vic_orthdox said:
A lot of fielding techniques are coming from baseball now. Even the age-old "walking in with the bowler" is being questioned.
Not doubting you at all Jack, you should know what you're talking about, but what's the theory with not walking in?
 

Isolator

State 12th Man
Jungle Jumbo said:
Not doubting you at all Jack, you should know what you're talking about, but what's the theory with not walking in?
The idea is to walk in the opposite direction and giggle when the bowler throws a fit. For best results, do this when Andre Nel is bowling.
 

crickhowell

U19 Vice-Captain
BoyBrumby said:
Border is supposed to be his sporting hero.

As I mentioned in another thread today Phil Neville was a very decent cricketer as a youth as well, but I guess if one has comparable skills in two disciplines going for the better rewarded option is only human.
Apparently Neville was selected over Mike Atherton for the 1st XI while they were at Manchester Grammar.
 

BoyBrumby

Englishman
crickhowell said:
Apparently Neville was selected over Mike Atherton for the 1st XI while they were at Manchester Grammar.
He musta been very precocious then, I'd guess Ath is 8 or 9 years older! :p
 

Jamee999

Hall of Fame Member
Wiki says:
Michael Andrew Atherton (born March 23, 1968)
Philip John Neville (born January 21, 1977)
 

alternative

Cricket Web Content Updater
A good thread, i actually opted for Baseball myself.. for the hard hitting power to clear the ground and also the fielding skills..

But on another note i also think being a Soccer Goal Keeper can enhance the ability to do wicket keeping..
 

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