Handedness and longevity: archival study of cricketers.

OBJECTIVE--To test whether handedness is associated with a change in longevity. DESIGN--Archival survey. SETTING--British Isles. SUBJECTS--All first class cricketers born before 1961 whose bowling hand was specified (right, n = 5041; left, n = 1132) in a comprehensive encyclopaedia. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES--Bowling hand and life span. RESULTS--Regression analysis of the 5960 players born between 1840 and 1960 (3387 dead, 2573 alive) showed no significant relation between mortality and handedness (P = 0.3). Left handedness was, however, associated with an increased likelihood of death from unnatural causes (P = 0.03, log hazard 0.37, 95% confidence interval 0.04 to 0.70). This effect was especially related to deaths during warfare (P = 0.009, log hazard 0.53, 0.13 to 0.92). CONCLUSION--Left handedness is not, in general, associated with an increase in mortality.     

Physiologic profile of professional cricketers

This study aims to provide a physiologic profile of professional cricketers and note positional differences at the start of the 2007/08 competitive season. Fifteen participants (9 bowlers, 6 batsmen) aged 25.0 ± 5.0 years (mean ± SD) took part in this study. Participants (bowlers and batsmen) completed a series of field-based fitness assessments: body composition (sum of 7 skinfolds, 72.5 ± 16.5 and 65.5 ± 19.3 mm, respectively), flexibility (sit and reach 8.1 ± 10.3 and 6.0 ± 6.2 cm, respectively), predicted maximal oxygen uptake (multistage shuttle run, 54.1 ± 2.8 and 56.1 ± 4.5 ml-1·kg-1·min-1, respectively), upper- (medicine ball throw, 7.7 ± 0.6 and 7.0 ± 0.1 m, respectively) and lower-body strength (countermovement jump, 45.7 ± 5.8 and 43.9 ± 4.1 cm, respectively), speed (sprint 17.7 m, 2.76 ± 0.6 and 2.77 ± 0.1 s, respectively), and explosive power (repeated jump, 31.0 ± 2.0 and 34.1 ± 4.8 cm, respectively). The data provided the physical fitness profile for each player, which, compared with normative data, identified that this cohort of professional cricketers had some superior fitness parameters compared with the general population, and where applicable, were comparable with other professional athletes. In addition, after effect size calculations, the results showed that some physical fitness differences existed between playing positions. Cricket professionals possess a superior level of physical fitness and strength, and conditioning coaches should seek to progress these physical parameters and further identify position-specific physical requirements to progress the modern game.     

Comparison of training and game demands of national level cricketers

Although the physiological demands of cricket match play are emerging, the demands of contemporary training practices have not been reported. The aim of this study was to quantify the physiological demands of selected cricket training activities and compare these to known match demands. Twenty-eight different training activities were monitored in national academy level cricketers (n = 42) using global positioning system units during a 14-week residential training program. The training activities were classified into 3 categories: conditioning sessions (n = 8), skill sessions (n = 9), and game simulations (n = 11). Conditioning sessions were further classified into high- (n = 4) and low- (n = 4) intensity drills. Time-motion measures included movement patterns (walk, jog, run, stride, and sprint distances), total distance covered, number of sprints, number of high-intensity efforts, maximum speed, and recovery time between high-intensity efforts. Inferential statistics were used to quantify magnitudes of difference between various training drills. Movement patterns were then compared to recently published game data (Twenty20, One-Day, and Multiday games) from the same sample group of cricketers. Conditioning drills were twice as long in duration as skill drills and twice as intense as both the skill and game simulation drills. Exercising heart rates were 9-26% and lactate levels up to 3.5 times higher in conditioning compared to other training drills. Conditioning drills matched or exceeded (up to 10 b·min?1; 5%) peak game heart rates. Conversely, skill and simulation drills replicated mean game heart rates for some, but not all positions. In conclusion, training replicates or exceeds cricket match demands in conditioning-type drills but not in simulation or skill-based drills. Modification of skill and simulation training drill practices will ensure closer replication of match and training demands.     

Anthropometric and strength correlates of fast bowling speed in junior and senior cricketers

The aim of this study was to characterize relationships between anthropometric and isoinertial strength characteristics and bowling speed in junior and senior cricket fast bowlers. Subjects were first-class senior (n = 24; mean +/- SD age = 23.9 +/- 4.8 years, height = 187.4 +/- 4.8 cm, mass = 87.8 +/- 8.4 kg) and junior representative (n = 48; mean +/- SD age = 14.8 +/- 1.3 years, height = 175.7 +/- 9.8 cm, mass = 65.8 +/- 12.9 kg) male fast bowlers. A full anthropometric profile, upper- and lower-body isoinertial strength tests, and peak bowling speed (Vpeak) were assessed on the same day. The senior bowlers had a substantially faster Vpeak (126.7 km.h(-1)) than the juniors (99.6 km.h(-1)), a larger estimated muscle mass (seniors 40.0 +/- 3.9 kg, juniors 28.3 +/- 5.6 kg), and a greater bench press throw and deltoid throw (all p < 0.01). The best multiple predictors of Vpeak for the junior bowlers were the static jump, bench throw, body mass, percentage muscle mass, and height (multiple-correlation r = 0.86). For the senior bowlers, static jump and arm length correlated positively with Vpeak (multiple-correlation r = 0.74). The 1-legged countermovement jump was negatively correlated with Vpeak in both groups. We conclude that differences in Vpeak between junior and senior bowlers relate primarily to body mass and upper-body strength. However, lower body strength is a more important contributor to Vpeak in senior bowlers.