A Study On The Effectiveness Of Reaction Ball Training For Novice Cricket Player To Improve

Hand-Eye Coordination And Reaction Time.

B.Kannabiran, V.S.T.Saikumar, S.Gerald Edwin Raj, G.Sathya Bharathy

INTRODUCTION

Cricket has been an established team sport for hundreds of years and is one of the most
popular sports in the world. It originated in England and is today very popular in countries such
as India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Australia, West Indies and South Africa. It is played by two teams on
a pitch and involves batting, fielding and bowling. There are 11 players a side and a game can
last anywhere from one day to 5 days. Cricket is a game that would appear to require little
muscular strength, agility and hand-eye coordination. In fact, cricket is misleadingly difficult and it
also presents major physical training challenges for the athlete, particularly at an elite level. For a
cricketer, the most overlooked part is the aspect of good fielding. With good fielding ability & skills,
one can save many runs and hold on to those catches that makes a great difference in the game
of cricket. Moreover, fielding is not like batting or bowling. Player with fielding skills even when they
less contribute from their batting/ bowling they make-up the loss by fielding. Keeping your eyes
on the ball right through the game. Improving your fitness, stamina level and hand-eye coordination
through exercise and proper training. Practicing catches & improving your ball throwing technique.
Practicing to hit the stumps from different areas of the field. Certainly your fielding will only improve
through practice.

Fielding in cricket requires a range of different skills such a Close catchers require the ability to
take quick reaction catches with a high degree of consistency. This can require considerable efforts
of concentration on, as a catcher may only be required to take one catch in an entire game, but
his success in taking that catch may have a considerable effect on the outcome of the match.
Infielders field between 20 to 40 yards away from the batsman. The ball will often be hit at them
extremely hard, and they require excellent athleticism as well as courage in stopping it from
passing them. Infield catches range from simple, slow moving chances to hard hit balls that require
a spectacular diving catch. Finally, infielders are the main source of run outs in a game of cricket,
and their ability to get to the ball quickly, throw it straight and hard and make a direct hit on
the stumps is an important skill, for this ability a player must possess good agility and hand - eye
coordination, Many cricketers are particularly adopt in one fielding position and will usually be
found there. Slips and bat pad require fast reactions, an ability to anticipate the trajectory of the
ball as soon as it takes the edge, and intense concentration They should see relatively little fielding
action with plenty of time to react, allowing them to rest between over’s. Players noted for their
agility, acceleration, ground diving and throwing accuracy will often field in the infield positions
such as point, cover and mid - wicket.

METHODS

The study was a pilot quasi-experimental study involving pre- and post-test design. Ten recreational
cricketers were randomly selected by random sampling technique. All ten of them were trained with
reaction ball drills followed by warm up activities for one session per day for a period of 1 month.
The study was conducted in RVS cricket academy RVS College campus cricket ground, Tamil Nadu, India.
Male players aged between 18- 22 years & Dominant hand either right hand or left hand. Players wearing
contact lenses or power glasses, any recent trauma or injury, hypomobility of joints, any infections ,
or under any medications , low back pain and professional cricket players were excluded from
participating in the study. Reaction time and hand-eye coordination were measured before and after
reaction ball training. first the Pre-test for Reaction Time and Hand-Eye Coordination on all ten
subjects, using Ruler Drop Test and Alternate Hand Wall Toss Test followed by Training with Reaction
Ball after proper warm up exercises. Finally Post-test for dependant variables for all ten subjects,
using Ruler Drop Test and Alternate Hand Wall Toss Test.

Steps of procedure

Warm-up exercises:

The players are trained with warm-up exercises so that there won’t be any discomfort during
the training session. The main aim of the warm-up exercises is to elongate and lengthen the
muscles. The warm-up exercises also helps the players to rule out the asymmetries in the body
and makes the muscles in both sides equal. Mainly the warm-up exercises reinforces the flexibility
of the body to optimize the during training session.

Reaction ball drills:

At first the player is explained about the training with reaction ball, before going for reaction
ball drills the player is trained with the reaction ball by simple throw and catch and toss and
catch. This will help the player to understand how the ball bounces in different directions and
how to react to it. During the beginning the players found difficulty in reacting to ball, by that
time the players were taught touching the ball is enough. Later the players were enjoying the
training session and the players were quick enough to catch the ball. As a progression smaller
reaction ball is introduced to the player this will be much more difficult for the players. The
subjects were trained specifically with two drills namely burning ball drill & side step drill.

Procedure

Burning Ball: Burning Ball involves three different levels of exercises which increase in difficulty.
Throughout this exercise, maintain feet at shoulder width with knees slightly bent. This stance
provides good balance and enables trainee to “spring” into the necessary step to catch the ball.
The player will Catch the ball in one to two bounces without chasing it. Starting to Drop the ball from
knee height, waist height and chest high and catch.

The Side Step: This exercise involves quick movement using side-to-side steps. The player has to catch
ball with a minimal amount of steps. Standing approximately 5 feet away from the wall, facing the wall &
Bounce the ball off the wall and catch it using one or both hand then Slide toward the ball using side-to-
side steps but Do not chase the ball.
DATA ANALYSIS & RESULTS

The number of subjects for the study was 10 (n=10). The age group of subjects were 18-22 years
males and were assigned in one single group. The subjects were trained for reaction ball drills
followed by warm up exercises. The subjects trained with one session per day like that of 2
months. Before starting of the training session the pre-test was conducted for reaction time and
hand-eye coordination using ruler drop test and alternate hand wall toss test. Followed by the
training program post-test was conducted for reaction time and hand-eye coordination using the
same tests. The readings for pre-test and post-test values of ruler drop test and alternate hand
wall toss test is given in table 1 and table 2 respectively. The ‘t’ value ruler drop test=8.201 , and
for alternate hand wall toss test=16.51,both the test shows significant ‘t’ value signifying that
Reaction Ball training for novice cricket player will improve reaction time and hand-eye coordination

TABLE 1 : Shows the mean value, mean difference and ‘t’ value between pre- test and post-
test in players for Ruler Drop Test.

S. Variables Important Standard

N deviation
O Reaction Time Mean Mean difference Paired t value

1 Pre- test 15
2.22 0.81 8.201
2 Post - test 12.7
In paired ‘t’ test, the calculated ‘t’ value is 8.201;‘t’ value is 3.250 at 0.005 level above values shows
that there is significant improvement in reaction time among the pre-test and the post-test value.

TABLE 2: - Shows the mean value, mean difference and ‘t’ value between pre- test and post-test
of in players for Alternate Hand Wall Toss Test.

S. Variables Important Standard

N deviation
O Reaction Time Mean Mean difference Paired t value

1 Pre- test 28.6

6.7 1.264 16.51
2 Post - test 35.3

In paired ‘t’ test, the calculated ‘t’ value is 16.51; ‘t’ value is 3.250 at 0.005 level above values
shows that there is significant improvement in hand-eye coordination among the pre-test and the
post-test value.
Figure1 : Shows pre-test and post-test mean value in Ruler Drop Test.

RULER DROP TEST

20

15
PRE-TEST MEAN
10
15 POST-TEST MEAN
5 12.7
MEAN DIFFERENCE
0 2.22
PRE-TEST MEAN POST-TEST MEAN MEAN DIFFERENCE

Figure 2:Shows pre-test and post-test mean value of Alternate Hand Wall Toss Test

ALTERNATE HAND WALL TOSS

40
30
PRE-TEST MEAN
20 35.5
28.6 POST-TEST MEAN
10
MEAN DIFFERENCE
6.7
0
PRE-TEST MEAN POST-TEST MEAN MEAN DIFFERENCE

DISCUSSION

In the game of cricket agility and quickness plays an important role rather than fitness, to
perform well in the field it is essential to have these qualities for a player. The study shows that
reaction ball training will improve reaction time and hand-eye coordination for novice cricket
players, thereby improves the fielding skills and agility of a player. The number of subjects for the
study was 10 (n=10). The subjects were trained for reaction ball drills followed by warm up exercises.
The subjects were trained for one session per day for a period of 1 month. During the initial
period of training the players found difficulty in reacting to the ball after certain training showed
improvement and were able catch the ball easily. Mark verstegan (2009) proved that reaction ball
training will improve a players reaction time, hand-eye coordination, agility and quickness. When a
player is good in these aspects the fielding skills and batting skills, it is essential to possess the
ability to react quickly to a ball.

CONCLUSION

Reaction ball training & drills with burning ball & side step are effective in improving the hand eye
coordination & reaction time among non-regular cricket players
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