Emergence of Skilled Behaviors in Professional, Amateur and Junior Cricket Batsmen During a Representative Training Scenario.

Jonathan D Connor,Ian Renshaw,Damian Farrow

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02012

Jonathan D Connor, Ian Renshaw + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02012

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Abstract

The aim of this study was to explore the emergence of skilled behaviors, in the form of actions, cognitions and emotions, between professional state level cricket batters and their lesser skilled counterparts. Twenty-two male cricket batsmen (n = 6 state level; n = 8 amateur grade club level, n = 8 junior state representative level) participated in a game scenario training session against right arm pace bowlers (n = 6 amateur senior club). The batsmen were tasked with scoring as many runs as possible during a simulated limited-overs game. The actions, cognitions, and emotions of each batsmen were recorded in situ with findings showing differences between state level players and those lesser skilled. State level batsmen played more scoring shots and scored more runs, underpinned by superior bat–ball contact and technical efficiency. Furthermore, the state player’s cognitive evaluations of their own performance differed from junior batters, with more reported strategies based on an external outcome focus, such as where to score runs, rather than a focus on internal processes, such as making technical changes. State level batsmen also reported lower levels of nervousness compared with junior level batsmen. These results highlight the importance of viewing the emergence of skilled behavior as multi-faceted, rather than simply the acquisition of superior execution and technical proficiency.

Highlights

Analyzing skilful behaviors in sport performance has long been of great interest to researchers and practitioners alike
Amateur level batters scored significantly more runs than junior level batters, no difference was found between the number of scoring shots played between these two groups (Figure 2)
Reinforcing the work of Stretch et al (2000), the findings of this study demonstrate that more skilful batters are better able to perceive and act upon the affordances presented to them within their performance environment

Summary

Introduction

Analyzing skilful behaviors in sport performance has long been of great interest to researchers and practitioners alike. Unlike being exposed to a novel or unfamiliar stimulus, observing individuals with various levels of skill or prior experience within a sporting task can reveal crucial information about skilful behavior. To better understand skilful behavior in more dynamic environments, there have been calls to progress toward methodological approaches that are more representative of the performance environment (Abernethy et al, 1994; Renshaw and Gorman, 2015). Skilful behavior can be viewed as the resultant product of Emergent Behaviors of Cricket Batsmen an individual’s adaptive actions, cognitions and emotions to the evolving (i.e., dynamic) constraints in their environment. Must contain key information that enables fidelity in the actions, cognitions and emotions of the performer attempting to achieve a specific performance goal (Pinder et al, 2011b; Seifert et al, 2013)

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