Cricket: A Leading Edge
A Leading Edge. Wesley Durston & Patrick Latham
As young people and new players to the game, we are taught the basic skills to allow them to play the game in its simplest form. We coach batting technique and shots, bowling skills and fielding skills (& positions if we are lucky!). We also get to learn some of the laws of the game, and some of the basic principles – one team bats and the other team fields. The bowler bowls to try and take wickets, while the batters try to score runs, etc.
Who then teaches the game itself? Who is it that educates us in the finer and more subtle aspects of the game? This is one of the main reasons we wrote our book, ‘A Leading Edge for Captains’, to solve a problem that we as coaches and school masters identify in the youth cricket that we see on a regular basis. Sometimes the young captain might go out into the field armed with a piece of paper in his or her pocket with a list of bowling changes on it, other times the coach/umpire will take on the role of captain the game for the young player. This will involve giving the team talk, organising the bowlers, setting the field, encouraging the players to move around the field and then setting the batting order. A deeper understanding of the game is something that a few young (and old) players are fortunate to have.
Where can they get their greater understanding from? For me, I learned from a young age, almost by osmosis. I am fortunate to be from a cricketing family, and the summer timetable was built around the events of the village cricket club. If dad wasn’t playing in a match, he was playing with me in the yard, in the nets, hitting catches and, probably most importantly of all, watching with me on tv and talking with me about the game. Being around the men as a young boy and taking an interest in the game gave me the opportunity to see how the game was played. Hearing the stories in the bar after the game (when I was a bit older!), hearing players talking about the game, the old gnarly pro using salt & pepper, torn up beer mats and ketchup bottles to map out fields and game situations to help explain the magic of the game are particularly vivid memories from my childhood. I fear this doesn’t happen as much today as then. Alternatively, maybe I was just one of the very lucky ones and it never really happened that much at all in the past either!
Our book, ‘A Leading Edge for Captains’, looks to fill that gap in general coaching. It raises questions and promotes a greater thinking about the game of cricket. Our hope as authors is that the reader will not only gain a wider understanding of the game, but possibly even have more questions as a result of reading it. Those questions, we hope, will promote more discussion around games of cricket in the pavilion or the changing rooms.
Included in the pages are fantastic contributions from some of the wonderful characters we have been fortunate to play with and against as well as current and past county and first-class players from around the world. Their insight into the game is invaluable for players young and old, experienced and novice.
We are very much looking forward to our upcoming first public event, the late-night shopping in Oakham on Monday 10th December. If you are attending, you can find us in the Victoria Hall where we will be signing copies of the book will make great stocking fillers for any cricket lover. Whether you are looking for a book for a young cricketer starting out or developing a greater understanding of the game, or if you are looking for a great gift for a hard to buy for cricket mum, dad son or daughter, this book is perfect for you and should be in every aspiring young cricketers stocking on Christmas morning!
PL
A Leading Edge
Two former county cricketers turned cricket coaches have collaborated to write and illustrate their first book, in a new series under the title, ‘A Leading Edge’. Wesley Durston, (Millfield School, Somerset CCC and Derbyshire CCC) and Patrick Latham (Kimbolton School, Somerset 2nd XI & Cambridgeshire CCC) are cricket coaches from Rutland. Wesley coaching the Loughborough University and Superleague sides and Patrick based at Oakham School. Both still play club cricket in the county.
The first book, ‘A Leading Edge for Captains’ is available through Amazon as a paperback and eBook. The book is a thought-provoking look at the role of the captain and draws on the career experiences of the two authors, supported by contributions from a range of current and past cricket captains, coaches and umpires. It is aimed at younger players who want to learn more about the finer points of the game, but still with plenty inside for the club player or young professional looking to improve their understanding of cricket.
“We have been fortunate to be helped by some experienced cricketers, including foreword by Caroline Atkins (Durham MCCU & England), and quotes from Tom Abell (Somerset), Rob Bailey (Northamptonshire), Ed Young (Gloucestershire), Wayne Madsen (Derbyshire), Dean Hodgson (Gloucestershire) and Alec Swann (Northamptonshire/Lancashire) amongst others, who have all been kind enough to contribute their personal thoughts and stories on cricket captaincy”. PL
Including illustrations by Patrick and running to over 150 pages, this paperback is the first in a series of ‘A Leading Edge’ books. With writing already underway for the second book, ‘Cricket: A Leading Edge for Bowlers’, and further cricket and sport related books already available, Wesley and Patrick have found a niche for a new type of cricket book which explains the previously unwritten side of the coaching of the ‘game’ rather than just cricketing skills. Touching on topics such as formulating plans, setting fields for different bowlers/situations/conditions, making tough decisions, spotting clues from the batter to inform your plan and communication with players on and off the field, this book is a must read, not just for aspiring leaders, but anyone who wants to develop their understanding of the game of cricket.
www.aleadingedge.co.uk e: aleadingedge@hotmail.com
Twitter: @aleadingedge1 #aleadingedge
