Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Cricket players in fiction'

Background: Modern day cricketers are faced with longer, more strenuous seasons which are more physically demanding than the traditional forms of the game. Due to these increased physical demands, players are more prone to both overuse injuries, particularly of the lower back (bowlers) and lower limbs (batsmen), as well as acute, impact injuries (fielders/wicket keepers). The increase in injury risk is of particular concern at younger levels as research has shown that adolescents are at a higher risk for injury than their adult counterparts. Therefore, there is a need for strength and conditioning programs that reduce the risk of injury and improve performance at this level. However, of the programs that are available, most are not multi-factorial in nature and are aimed at elite cricketers. This is of concern in low-to-middle income countries such as South Africa, where players often do not have access to facilities or equipment and thus need to be exposed to low-cost, no-cost training programs. Furthermore, most information is anecdotal and there is a distinct lack of injury prevention programs at an adolescent level. Objective: The purpose of this thesis was to investigate the strength and conditioning practices of adolescent cricket players, particularly from a South African context, where there is a distinct lack of resources. This was through the completion of three phases; firstly, a literature review was completed to determine the information currently available on injury prevention strategies in cricket. The review also examined the injury statistics of five major playing cricket nations. Secondly, a survey was conducted to determine the current strength and conditioning practices of schoolboy and university coaches in South Africa. Lastly, a novel intervention program (CricFit) was designed and implemented within an adolescent population. The main purpose of the intervention was to determine whether players’ physical fitness parameters improved over time and whether the risk of injury was reduced. Methods: For phase one of the thesis (review paper), a search of the different scientific databases was undertaken to determine the nature and incidence of injuries in cricket activity as well as well as current strength and conditioning practices in place to reduce these injuries. These injury statistics and prevention programs where then reviewed. For the survey based research, an online questionnaire, adapted from previous strength and conditioning studies, was sent to 38 school boy and 12 university teams that participated in the top competitions in South Africa. In addition to the previous questionnaires, cricket specific practices and injury statistic questions were added to the survey. The survey consisted of three sections: a general, cricket specific and injury and injury prevention section. The survey also allowed coaches at both university and school levels to describe their practices and ideas in order to understand their basic knowledge of scientifically-based principles of strength and conditioning. Thus coaches were encouraged to explain what conditioning practices they implemented through a number of open ended questions which were then analysed for minor and major themes. The focus of the intervention program was to improve general physical fitness for cricket players. The study was a pre- and post-test design where twenty eight schoolboy cricketers (aged 15-19 years) were allocated to a control (n=14) or experimental (n=14) group during the cricket pre-season period. Both groups performed traditional net and field based training over a four week period (one net and one field based session), with the experimental group performing an additional two, 35-45 minute, conditioning sessions per week (“CricFit” intervention program). The intervention consisted of exercises that centred on the movement demands associated with the sport of cricket as well as injury prevention exercises (specifically Nordic lowers and core strength). Prior to and post the four week intervention period, responses were measured using a test battery that was designed to replicate the demands of cricket activity. Results: The results indicate on overall thesis summary. The literature view showed that there is a limited amount of injury prevention programs available for adolescent cricket players. It was also confirmed that for both adolescent and adult players, fast bowlers (lower back), followed by batsmen (lower limbs) and then fielders (impact) are the most prone to injuries. The survey showed that schools and universities in South Africa do conduct some form of conditioning, workload monitoring and injury prevention exercises; however the incorrect practices are being administered when considering the movement demands and most common injuries in cricket. It was also shown that most coaches did not have the adequate qualifications and experience to implement acceptable strength and conditioning programs. For the intervention study, both the control and experimental groups showed significant (p<0.05) improvements in most responses, but the changes for the experimental group were greater than those shown in the control group. Furthermore, significant (p<0.05) changes were shown between the two groups (control vs. experimental) for percentage body fat (12 vs. 11%), sit and reach flexibility (40.79 vs. 80.50mm), plank time (105.36 vs. 185.29s), 20 m sprint time (3.27 vs. 2.84s), push ups (34 vs. 41) and 25 m shuttle distance (699.18 vs. 746.79m). Conclusion: Coaches need to be educated and trained to implement the correct strength and conditioning practices at an adolescent level as well as to better understand the link between the movement demands and principles of testing and training. An improved education process may be needed to improve the quality as well as the qualifications of strength and conditioning coaches. If coaches and trainers are educated properly, then the “CricFit” intervention program may be used to improve cricket specific fitness throughout the pre-season period. The “CricFit” programme is useful in countries such as South Africa, where often players do not have access to coaches and facilities and thus can be implemented easily with minimal cost.

The primary aim of this study was to determine whether a cricket specific visual skills training program has an impact on the visual performance of cricket fielders. The specific visual skills included accommodation, visual memory, speed of recognition, peripheral awareness, hand-eye coordination and saccadic eye movement. The study was exploratory and true-experimental in nature and utilized a quantitative approach. The pretest-posttest randomized group design was used. A total number of 20 participants that met the inclusion criteria were included in the study by means of purposive sampling. The 20 participants were randomly assigned to control (n=10) and experimental (n=10) groups. The experimental group underwent six-weeks of visual skills training. The tests used consisted of the Accumulator, Evasion, Corner Stretch and Flash tests on the Batak Pro, Hand-eye-coordination test, Hart Near Far Rock Chart and a Saccadic eye movement chart. Differences between the pre- and post-test scores were all positive and statistically (p<0.05) and practically (d>0.2) significant for the experimental group for the following visual skills tests: Hart Chart (M=7.90±3.73), Saccadic Chart (M=17.50±9.58), Accumulator (M=19.60±5.13), Corner Stretch (M=10.50±9.56) and Flash (M=5.40±3.75). The Evasion test (M=17.50±25.67) also showed a positive but insignificant improvement from pre- to post-test for the experimental group. The control group did not show any statistically significant improvements from pre- to post-test except in the case of Hart Chart (M=3.00±2.16) and Accumulator (M=2.40±2.55). Overall the experimental group produced significantly larger (p<0.05, d>0.20) pre- to post-test mean differences than the control group for six of the seven tests implemented. The Ball Toss test which was one of three hand-eye coordination tests did not show any significant differences between experimental and control groups even though the experimental group produced larger improvements. The other two tests that assessed hand-eye coordination (Accumulator and Corner Stretch) did, however reflect significant improvements for the experimental group. The findings of this study therefore revealed that improvements in visual skill performance of cricket players can be achieved through specific training.

Thesis (PhD (SportPsych))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009.
There has been a greater awareness in the psychological aspects of sport over the past few decades, and in particular, how the psyches of the players affect their performance. The game of cricket has been no exception. Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) has been used successfully in the business world, but very little research has been done in the sport milieu. The motivation for this research was two-fold. First, there was the need for a cricket team to be mentally prepared to play at their highest potential on provincial level; second, the researcher was curious about NLP techniques being successfully applied in sport. NLP is the study of human excellence. It describes human functioning, and focuses on experience and experimenting rather than prescription; it can focus on how to intervene, transform and improve human functioning. NLP uses modelling to identify particular skills in successful people. (They like to say: “If he can do it, then I can do it too”.) Neuro refers to the nervous system and how it processes particular codes in the body through the five senses. Linguistic refers to the use of language and how it gives meaning to the neural processes through communication and symbolic systems. Programming refers to how a person sequences his actions to achieve his goals.

During the last few years, much effort has been devoted to measuring the ability of sport teams, as well as that of the individual players. Much research has been on the game of cricket, and the comparison, or ranking, of players according to their abilities. This study continues preceding research using an optimization approach, namely, a binary integer programme, to select an SA domestic Pro20 cricket team.

Sports fans often scrutinise the team selection strategies employed by their favourite team's coach or selection panel. Many of these fans believe that they can perform the selection process far better than those tasked with the responsibility. Fantasy leagues, provide a platform for fans to test their hand at this selection procedure. Twenty20 cricket is a new and exciting form of cricket and has become very popular in recent years. This research focuses on bringing these concepts together by proposing a binary integer program to determine a team selection strategy for fantasy league cricket. This is done in a Twenty20 setting. The approach used in this study focuses on evaluating the effectiveness of previously developed performance measures in a fantasy league setting. Adjustments to these measures are made and new measures are proposed. These measures are then used to select a fantasy league team using a prospective approach. This is done to provide fantasy league participants with a mathematical procedure for fantasy league team selection.

Background: Current traditional cricket practices incorporate the use of a netted-off pitch to provide cricket players the opportunity to hone their skills with bat and ball. The lack of ecological validity of these training environments results in the absence of important task and environmental constraints which influences the manner in which the sport is played. Objectives: The purpose of the current research was two-fold: firstly, it aimed to establish a profile database of adolescent cricket players in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa; and secondly, it aimed to investigate the efficacy of a constraints-led training intervention on skill development in adolescent cricket batsmen. Methods: Study I required 90 participants (u13: n = 40; u15: n = 50) to perform measures pertaining to anthropometric, morphological, flexibility and physical performance characteristics. This included stature, mass, body composition, limb length, flexibility, agility, and power measures. Study II was a case-control study (u15: n = 24), whereby the experimental group (n = 12) was exposed to a constraints-led batting protocol during the course of the cricket season. The objective of the protocol was to encourage the manipulation of the ball around the playing field. Pre- and post-intervention measures were performed using a batting skills test, which assessed batsmen’s capability to manipulate the ball to various areas of the playing field. Results: Study I revealed significant differences (p <0.0001) in stature, mass, limb length and power variables when comparing the u15 age group with the u13 age group. No differences were recorded for agility. The u13 age group had greater linear correlations for the variables of interest compared to the u15 age group. Study II revealed no differences in technical skill between the experimental group and the control (p <0.315).. The tests also revealed that adolescent batsmen favoured hitting deliveries through the extra-cover scoring zone. The third-man and fine-leg scoring zones were least preferred to hit deliveries through. A number of limitations to the study design resulted in the inability to determine the efficacy of a constraints-led batting protocol on skill development in an adolescent batting cohort. Conclusion: The results of study I indicated that the onset of puberty played an important role in the measures and performances between the u13 and u15 age groups. The results of study II indicated that adolescent batsmen are not adept at manipulating the ball around the field. Recommendations are provided for both studies.

This thesis investigates the England Visually Impaired Cricket Team, whose squad members comprise sixteen men aged 18-54, and their lived experiences' of playing visually impaired cricket. This is the first piece of research to examine elite visually impaired cricket and the first to explicitly analyse the social dynamics of any visually impaired sports team. Through an embodied theoretical approach, that accounts for the corporeal experience of impairment alongside the role of social institutions and discourse in the high performance culture of modern disability sport, this thesis establishes the significant aspects of this previously unexamined research 'site', both on and off the pitch. This study consisted of ten months of ethnographic fieldwork using participant observation and semi-structured interviews shaped by a new method of recording and eliciting data. To capture the participants' sensorial experiences of playing visually impaired cricket, 'soundscape elicitation', the process of composing auditory 'tracks' of the players' participation and then using these recordings during semi-structured interviews to prompt sensorial discussions, was utilised. This original and innovative method was central to the production of previously unexamined knowledge and is a significant methodological advancement in the wider field of sensory studies. The findings present a number of original contributions to knowledge regarding 'sporting bodies', the sensorial experiences of sport, and the construction of identity through disability sport. The participants' embodied experiences of playing visually impaired cricket reveal an alternative way of 'being' in sport and physical activity. However, it is the inescapable ocularcentric value of 'sight' that inhibits the resistive potential of the game. Instead of the presumed empowering experience, elite visually impaired cricket is disempowering for many participants due to the irreversible relationship of blind cricket institutions with mainstream cricketing bodies. Furthermore, a 'hierarchy of sight' based upon the official sight classification process emerges that highly values those players with the highest sight classifications and marginalises the blind players. All of these factors inform visually impaired cricket players’ construction of their own identities. Although many players view visually impaired cricket as a way of demonstrating their 'normality', it actually accentuates the impairment that they are attempting to dissociate from and is one of the few social situations where they are 'outed' as disabled or blind.

This study investigates the effects of cumulative concussive and subconcussive mild head injury on the cognitive functioning of professional rugby players. A comprehensive battery of neuropsychological tests was administered to 26 professional rugby players and a noncontact sport control group of 21 professional cricket players. The test performances of the rugby players were compared to those of the cricket players. Within the rugby group, forward and backline players were compared. An analysis of mean score differences between the rugby and cricket group failed to support the presence of brain damage effects in the rugby group. However, there was significantly increased variability of scores for the rugby players compared with the cricket players on tests particularly sensitive to cognitive deficit associated with mild head injury. This invalidates the null indications of average effects, indicating that a notable proportion of rugby players’ performances were falling off relative to the rest of the rugby players on tests vulnerable to the cognitive effects of diffuse brain damage. Mean score comparisons within the rugby group indicated that it was the subgroup of forward players, in particular, whose test performances revealed deficits suggestive of cerebral damage. Specifically, deficits were found in working memory, visuoperceptual tracking, verbal memory and visual memory, a pattern of deficits commensurate with cumulative mild head injury. The theoretical perspectives of Satz’s (1997) Brain Reserve Capacity Theory and Jordan’s (1997) ‘Shuttle’ model of variability are drawn upon in order to elucidate research findings and suggestions for future research are provided.

Self-efficacy is considered to be a significant variable for enhancing all aspects of human performance (Druckman, 2004). Social support may influence self-efficacy through each of the four channels of self-efficacy information which consist of performance accomplishments, vicarious experience, verbal persuasion and physiological responses (Bandura, 1997). The primary aim of this study was to explore and describe the nature of change that occurred in selfefficacy and received social support of university-age academy cricketers over the duration of an academy programme. The secondary aim was to explore and describe the relationship between the two constructs, self-efficacy and social support. Sixty-five male, university-age (18-25 years) provincial academy cricketers completed a social support measure and a self-efficacy measure specifically designed for the purposes of this study. These measures were based on Rees and Freeman’s (2007) items and Cox, Martens and Russell’s (2003) revised Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2 (CSAI-2 - Martens, Burton, Vealey, Bump & Smith, 1990) respectively. The perceived pre- and post-academy personal ratings of self-efficacy and social support, obtained prior to the start of the South African Interprovincial Academy Cricket week, referred to participants’ perceptions before and after attending their respective provincial academies. An inferential pre-experimental post-pretest design was used. The results included significant changes found in self-efficacy, esteem social support, informational social support and tangible social support over the academy season. There were no differences attributed to the length of time a cricketer had spent at the academy or to the cricketer’s highest level of achievement in cricket. The only significant correlation that existed between self-efficacy and social support was the correlation between self-efficacy and x informational social support. This study provided an initial insight into the role of self-efficacy and social support in talented cricketers, especially in a South African context.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of cumulative mild head injury on the cognitive functioning of professional rugby players. A comprehensive battery of neuropsychological tests was administered to 26 professional rugby players and to a comparison group of 21 professional cricket players. The group test results of the rugby, cricket, rugby forwards and rugby backline players were each compared with established normative data. Generally, the comparison of the rugby and cricket mean scores relative to the normative data did not reveal significant differences on tests known to be sensitive to the effects of mild head injury. However, the comparison of variability for each of the rugby and cricket playing groups relative to variability for the normative data, revealed a pattern of increased variability among the rugby players. This implies a bimodal distribution in which a significant number of rugby players were performing poorly across these tests whereas a significant proportion were not. This variability effect was accounted for by further mean score comparisons which revealed that, as a group, it was the forward players whose performances were disproportionately poor on tests sensitive to the effects of mild head injury. The implications of these results are developed theoretically within the context of brain reserve capacity theory and suggestions for future research are provided.

Introduction: With batting in cricket, there is no known end point, making the allocation of resources and the development of a suitable pacing strategy more difficult. How batsmen allocate resources and pace themselves when repeatedly sprinting between the wickets is therefore not known. According to the ‘anticipatory feedback’ model, the level of expertise/experience has a substantial influence on the development of a suitable pacing strategy. Skilled or experienced batsmen may therefore have a greater ability to develop and implement a pacing strategy compared to that of novice or less-skilled batsmen. Purpose: To assess whether the absence of a known end point at the beginning of repeated sprint bouts between the wickets effects how batsmen pace themselves comparing skilled and less-skilled batsmen. Methods: Twenty-four male cricketers from a university league were selected. Twelve skilled batsmen (players in the top five batting order), and 12 less-skilled batsmen (players in the bottom five batting order) completed three experimental. All trials required batsmen to complete the same number of shuttle sprints (14 shuttles and therefore 28 runs), while only the information provided before each trial differed. Control Trial: This trial is also referred to as the ‘informed’ trial as the batsmen are aware of the exercise requirements (end point). Unknown Trial: The batsmen were not informed of the exercise end point and were required to run on command for an indefinite period (28 runs). Deceptive Trial: Batsmen’ were incorrectly informed with regards to the number of sprints (told they were only doing 14 runs when in fact they were doing 28 runs). Muscle activity, sprint times and RPE measures were obtained during all three trials and compared. Results: Significant (p<0.05) group effects were apparent for sprint times and, ‘central’ and ‘local’ RPE. Specifically, skilled batsmen obtained the faster mean sprint times, and less-skilled batsmen reported the higher mean ‘central’ and ‘local’ RPE values in all three experimental trials. There were no significant group effects for muscle activation. Skilled batsmen did however have lower muscle activation compared to less-skilled batsmen in all three trials. Furthermore, general trends revealed that sprint times and muscle activation decreased over time (from shuttle 1 to shuttle 14), and RPE (‘central’ and ‘local’) ratings increased, regardless of the experimental trials. Skilled batsmen performed the best in all three trials. This was determined by the attainment of faster sprint times, lower muscle activation and low RPE ratings in each of the three trials. The assessment of the relationship of the dependent variables measured in each trial, did however suggest that skilled batsmen performed best in the deceptive trial while less-skilled batsmen performed best in the control trial. Skilled batsmen thus showed superior performance when trial requirements were unclear. Less-skilled batsmen however, were seen to experience decrements in performance when information regarding the end point was unknown or misleading. Conclusion: It can thus be concluded that previous experience facilitates in the obtainment of improved sprint times between the wickets, especially when the exact end point is unknown.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Sydney, 2009.
Title from title screen (viewed 10 Dec. 2009). Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy to the Faculty of Education and Social Work, University of Sydney. Includes bibliographical references. Also available in print form.

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
This study examines professional Australian coach and athlete perceptions of effective coaching. Rather than assess the ability or effectiveness of the coaches and teams involved, the purpose was to gather perceptions of what professional coaches and players believe it takes to be an effective coach. Given the broad range of tasks that fit under the auspice of coaching, an important question to address was ‘what’ a coach does in order to be considered effective. In addition, an understanding of ‘why’ and ‘how’ these factors are effective was also essential. These questions formed a starting point in order to find out what professional coaches do (including how they behave), and why players and coaches perceive certain coaching strategies to be effective. This study employed a qualitative research design to identify perceptions about, and strategies of, effective coaching within the professional sport context. Interviews enabled participants to discuss their interpretations of the world in which they live, from their own point of view – a key feature of the present research. Observational data allowed me to view coaching behaviours and interactions with players in training and competition contexts. Using professional Australian coaches and players from cricket, rugby union and rugby league, 6 coaches and 25 players were interviewed while up to 16 coaches and 80 players were observed during 41 observation sessions at training and competition venues. The constant comparative method (Côté, Salmela, Baria, & Russell, 1993; Côté, Salmela, & Russell, 1995b; Glaser & Strauss, 1967) was used to analyse the observation and interview accounts. This enabled rich descriptions of what effective coaches do as well as providing information regarding how and why they carry out certain actions. Findings from the current research indicated that an effective coach possesses specific personal characteristics, qualities and skills as well as a general philosophy or direction for the team. The effective coach uses their own unique leadership, player management, communication and planning skills to create and maintain the team environment to ensure that everyone involved with the team ‘works off the same page’. The interaction of all these features leads to the primary goal of player development, improvement in player performance and winning matches. This thesis identified key perceptions and applications of effective coaching based on Australian professional coach and player experiences.

It is the time of war in Vietnam, of civil rights trailblazing, of social upheaval, and Kurt and Ellis Frye, an immigrant father and his first-generation American son from the small farming town of Homer, Colorado, are forced to navigate the changing American West in absence of one another. After discovering an aptitude for pitching--especially the volatile knuckleball--Ellis takes it upon himself to become a professional ballplayer, leaving the wheat farm he was to inherit from his father and starting off across the country on a journey that will force him to encounter what it means to be an authentic person. Meanwhile, Kurt, his health failing, struggles to tend the farm on his own, forced to realize the gravity of loneliness in both the departure of his son and the death of his wife. The unpredictable flow of life brings the two back together, and, burdened with the choice of whether or not to reclaim the home they built together, discover one another's autonomy, the life they knew not. A Lonely Place Where the Heart Beats Loud is a story about baseball, of farming, of life in a changing America, but more importantly it examines what it means to experience homecoming and what we inherit from those we care for.

Thesis (M Sport Sc (Sport Science)-- University of Stellenbosch, 2010.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of a perceptual-motor training programme on the coincident anticipation timing and batting performance of university club cricket players. The intervention programme focused on developing players‟ visual attention and concentration. Vickers‟ (2007) Three-Step Decision Training Model was used to structure the training sessions. The study followed a repeated measures experimental design with three groups (experimental, placebo, and control) formed by volunteers from a university club cricket team. The independent variable was a four-week training programme. The dependent variables were coincident anticipation timing and performance on a cricket batting test. Subjects were pre- and post-tested with retention tests occurring after a set period of “no training” following the post-tests. Differences between groups were compared using Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA by Ranks Tests. Differences within each group were compared using multiple Mann-Whitney U-Tests. No significant improvements were observed in the experimental group‟s coincident anticipation timing and batting performance. Although neither coincident anticipation timing nor batting performance significantly improved, further research into the use of Vickers‟ (2007) Model to enhance sport performance is recommended.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie studie was om die uitwerking van ʼn perseptueel-motoriese opleidingsprogram op die samevallende vooruittydsberekening (“coincident anticipation timing”) en kolfprestasie van universiteitsklubkrieketspelers te bepaal. Die klem van die intervensieprogram het op die ontwikkeling van spelers se visuele aandag en konsentrasie geval. Die opleidingsessies is volgens Vickers (2007) se drieledige model vir besluitnemingsopleiding saamgestel. Die studie het ʼn eksperimentele ontwerp van herhaalde metings op drie groepe (eksperimenteel, plasebo en kontrole) van ʼn universiteitsklubkrieketspan toegepas. Die onafhanklike veranderlike was ʼn vier weke lange opleidingsprogram. Die afhanklike veranderlikes was samevallende vooruittydsberekening, en prestasie in ʼn krieketkolftoets. Proefpersone het voor en net ná die opleiding toetse ondergaan, sowel as behoudtoetse drie weke ná die na-opleidingstoetse. Verskille tussen groepe is met behulp van rangtoetse uit Kruskal-Wallis se variansie-analisemodel (ANOVA) bepaal, terwyl verskille binne groepe met veelvuldige Mann-Whitney-U-toetse vergelyk is. Geen beduidende verbetering is in die eksperimentele groep se samevallende vooruittydsberekening of kolfprestasie waargeneem nie. Hoewel nóg samevallende vooruittydsberekening nóg kolfprestasie aansienlik verbeter het, word verdere navorsing oor die gebruik van Vickers (2007) se model vir die verbetering van sportprestasie aanbeveel.

Lower back injury remains the most important injury problem in professional cricket with lumbar stress fractures in fast bowlers accounting for the most lost playing time. Previous research has associated workload, paraspinal muscle asymmetry and technique factors with lower back injury in fast bowlers, however, preventative strategies such as workload directives and coaching guidelines have not reduced the incidence and prevalence of these injuries. Recent developments in medical imaging technology have improved diagnosis of pathologies such as lumbar posterior bony element (partes interarticulares and pedicles) stress fractures and intervertebral disc degeneration in athletes whilst also allowing quantification of other, potentially associated factors such as paraspinal muscle asymmetry. However, there is very little published research regarding the use of modalities such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the identification and prognosis of these types of injuries in fast bowlers. Similarly, advances in three-dimensional (3D) motion analysis has aided technique evaluation in a variety of sports, however, little remains known about the pathomechanics of lower back injury in fast bowling. Therefore, the aim of this doctoral research was to investigate relationships between lower back injury and; the MRI appearance of the lumbar posterior bony elements and intervertebral discs, MRI-derived lumbar muscle morphology and the three-dimensional (3D) trunk kinematics of professional fast bowlers in cricket. This was examined in a series of five studies. The first study undertaken was an investigation of the MRI appearance of the lumbar spines of 36 asymptomatic professional fast bowlers and 17 active controls.
It was identified that the fast bowlers had a high prevalence of multi-level, predominantly non-dominant side, acute and chronic stress changes in the posterior bony elements of the lumbar spine. Multiple level disc degeneration was also more advanced in the fast bowlers compared with the control - iv - participants. However, disc degeneration appeared not to be associated with lumbar stress injury. The second study investigated the reliability and accuracy of using MRI to determine the FCSA of the lumbar paraspinal muscles (psoas, quadratus lumborum, erector spinae and multifidus). The novel methodology developed in this study was determined to be both valid and highly reliable. In the third study, this technique was then used to describe the functional crosssectional area (FCSA) morphology of the paraspinal muscles in a group of 46 professional fast bowlers and the 17 control participants scanned in the first study. It reinforced that there was a higher prevalence of lumbar muscle asymmetry in the fast bowler group. Paraspinal muscle asymmetry, consistent with hypertrophy of the dominant side muscle, was most prevalent in the quadratus lumborum of fast bowlers, and was also evident in the lumbar multifidus in both groups of subjects. The aims of the fourth study of the thesis were to quantify the proportion of lower trunk motion utilised during the delivery stride of fast bowling and to investigate the relationship between the most accepted fast bowling action classification system and potentially injurious kinematics of the lower trunk. 3D kinematic data were collected from 50 male professional fast bowlers during fast bowling trials and these were normalised to each bowler’s standing lower trunk range of motion. A high percentage of the fast bowlers used a mixed bowling action attributable to having shoulder counter-rotation greater than 30°.
The greatest proportion of lower trunk extension (26%), contralateral side-flexion (129%) and ipsilateral rotation (79%) was utilised during the front foot contact phase of the fast bowling delivery stride. There was no significant difference between mixed and non-mixed bowlers in the range of motion used during fast bowling. It was concluded that fast bowling action characteristics currently used to identify potentially dangerous action types may not be directly related to the likely pathomechanics of contralateral side lumbar stress injuries. It is proposed that coupled lower trunk extension, ipsilateral rotation in addition to extreme contralateral side-flexion, during the early part of the front foot contact phase of the bowling action may be an important mechanical factor in the aetiology of this type of injury. In the final study, a combination of the factors described in earlier studies i.e. the lumbar MRI appearance of the partes interarticulares and intervertebral discs, paraspinal muscle asymmetry and selected bowling action and delivery stride trunk kinematic variables, were examined. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the relationship between fast bowler lower back injury occurrence (one season either side of testing) and the aforementioned factors that were measured when participants were asymptomatic and bowling competitively. The results of this study indicated that a high percentage of professional fast bowlers in the United Kingdom continue to sustain a high number of acute lumbar stress injuries and these result a significant amount of lost playing and training time. Fast bowling action classification and lower trunk kinematic variables were not conclusively linked to acute lumbar stress injury occurrence. However, further investigation of the effect of coupled lower trunk motion on nondominant side lumbar bone stress is indicated.
The presence of acute MRI stress changes (particularly acute stress changes such as bone marrow oedema, periostitis and acute fracture lines) in the non-dominant side lumbar posterior elements seem to have a relationship with acute stress injury occurrence. Regular lumbar MRI scanning may assist in identifying early acute stress changes prior to the onset of symptoms. Intervertebral disc degeneration was less prevalent amongst professional fast bowlers who suffered acute stress injuries than those who had no significant lower back injury. Finally, although fast bowlers have a high prevalence of quadratus lumborum and lumbar multifidus asymmetry (larger on the dominant side), there was no observed relationship between acute lumbar stress injury and these findings.

Dissertation (MScSportSc)--University of Stellenbosch, 2000.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Over the years the Maties have made an invaluable contribution to both Western Province and Boland cricket. The purpose of this study is to document the origin, formation and experiences of the Matie Cricket Club. The nucleus of this study therefore documents the development of the Matie Cricket Club. The history of the club dates back to 1865, perhaps the end of 1864, and an attempt has been made to reconstruct all gathered information as accurately and thoroughly as possible. Although there is much popular writing on sport in South Africa, very little scientific documented information is available. Studies such as these are thus hampered by the unavailability of primary information. Since this study is sporthistorically orientated, the historic-scientific method has been implemented. Preference has been given to primary sources of information. These sources include minutes of the Matie Cricket Club, Stellenbosch Municipality, University Council, Sports Committee, Colours Committee and the Stellenbosch College Athletic Club, as well as University of Stellenbosch publications, such as the Stellenbosch College Ramkie, Stellenbosch College Times, Stellenbosch Students' Annual, Stellenbosch Students' Quarterly, Stellebosse Oud-Student, Stellenbosse Student and the Stellenbosse Universiteitsblad, interviews with those involved in the club and photos. Secondary sources of information include books and newspapers. The introductory section gives a broad outline of the history of Western Province cricket from as early as 1808. The first chapter has been devoted to the aim and statement of the problem, scope of the study, method of research and the evaluation of the resources. The growth of the club is discussed in detail under the following headings: Cricket during the 1800s, cricket before the First World War (1900-1913), cricket between and during the World wars (1914-1945), and cricket after the Second World War (1945-200). The progress and achievements of the club over 135 years are outlined. The club played in the Western Province since its formation in 1865, whereafter they moved to the Boland in 1901 and competed there for the following 60 years. However, there were, a couple of years in between when the first side competed in the Western Province, but only on a friendly basis and against sides in lower leagues, while the junior sides still competed in the Boland leagues. During the 1960/61 season, the first side was allowed to compete on a friendly basis against sides in the first league of the Western Province; at the end of 1963 the club moved all four of its teams to compete in the Western Province league. The sports fields of the University and especially the various venues of the cricket club are dealt with. At first games were played at the "Braak", from where they moved to the "Vlakteveld", Pavillion field and the famous Coetzenburg fields. The Matie Cricket Club also contributed to the success of the South African Universities' tournament. A brief history of the Matie Cricket Club since 1947 when the tournament was first played and their success in the national club championships are outlined. The role of the Stellenbosch College Athletic Club during the early history of the cricket club is also briefly discussed. Since the formation of the Victoria-College Cricket Club in 1912, only students were allowed to play in the matches against the South African College and the last of these matches were played in 1917. After the formation of the University of Stellenbosch in 1918, these matches were played between Stellenbosch and the University of Cape Town. These Intervarsity matches are discussed until the late 1960s whereafter it came to an end. Due to the fact that the University goes to the South African Universities tournament in December they do not undertake a lot of tours. Some tours preceded the tournaments and they are only briefly discussed. Coaching deserves its own section to show the progress made in this field. The efforts of various coaches contributed to the success of the club and the fact that so many players were included in representative sides. This section is followed by those people who made a major contribution to the club over the years. The Matie Cricket Club has 12 Springboks in its history, namely Nico Theunissen, Izak Buys, Eddie Barlow, Mike Procter, Michael Melle, Peter Kirsten, Garth Ie Roux, Denys Hobson, Adrian Kuiper, Darryl Cullinan, Kepler Wessels and Dave Rundle. A player profile of each is given as well as a list of Matie players in the various representative sides, as well as the players who regularly played in the first side of the Maties.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Oor die jare het die Maties 'n groot bydrae tot die Westelike Provinsie en Bolandkrieket gelewer. Die doel van hierdie studie was om die oorsprong, stigting en gebeure van die Matie-krieketklub na te vors en te dokumenteer. Die kern van hierdie studie gaan oor die ontwikkeling van die Matie-krieketklub. Die klub se geskiedenis strek vanaf 1865, moontlik einde 1864, tot op hede en alle inligting wat bekom is, is so deeglik en akkuraat moontlik weergegee. Die doel was dus om die oorspronklike gebeure te rekonstrueer. Hoewel daar baie oor sport geskryf is, is die meeste inligting nie wetenskaplik bewaar of gedokumenteer nie. Aangesien hierdie studie sport-histories van aard is, is die histories-wetenskaplike metode van navorsing soos toegepas in Menslike Bewegingskunde gevolg. Dit behels die versameling van inligting uit veral primêre bronne. Onder hierdie bronne tel die notules van die Matiekrieketklub, voorsitters- en bestuursverslae, jaarverslae, Universiteitspublikasies, onderhoude met ooggetuies en foto's. Sekondêre inligting is uit boeke en koerante verkry. Die studie word ingelei deur 'n algemene oorsig oor die ontwikkeling en geskiedenis van krieket in die Westelike Provinsie (WP) wat reeds so vroeg as 1808 gespeel is. Die eerste deel word aan die metodologie gewy. Daar word onder andere na die doel en probleemstelling, afbakening van die studieterrein, metode van ondersoek en die evaluering van bronne gekyk. Daarna word die ontwikkeling van die Matie-krieketklub uiteengesit. Daar word na krieket in die 1800's, krieket voor die Eerste Wêreldoorlog (1900-1913), tussen en tydens die Wêreldoorloë (1914-1945), en krieket ná die Tweede Wêreldoorlog (1945-2000) gekyk. Aandag word aan die groei van Matie-krieket tot 'n volwaardige sport bestee. Daar word na die prestasies van die klub oor ongeveer 135 jaar gekyk. Die klub het vanaf sy stigting tot 1901 in die WP gekompeteer, waarna hulle vir die daaropvolgende 60 jaar in die Boland deelgeneem het. Daar was jare tussenin wat die eerstespan in die WP gespeel het, maar al die wedstryde was op In vriendskaplike basis beslis en meestal teen spanne in die laer ligas. Die junior spanne het egter steeds in die Boland gekompeteer. Gedurende die 1961/62-seisoen is die eerstespan vir In proeftydperk in die WP se eersteliga opgeneem en het die klub met vier spanne sedert die einde van 1963 op In permanente basis in die WP gespeel. Hierna word die verskillende terreine waar krieket gespeel is, behandel, by name die Braak, Vlakteveld, Pawiljoenveld en Coetzenburg. In hierdie hoofstuk word die geskiedenis en die gebruik van die velde uiteengesit. Matie-krieket het ook In bydrae gelewer tot die sukses van die Suid-Afrikaanse universiteite-toernooi en In kort geskiedenis hiervan word uiteengesit. Die sukses wat Maties in hierdie toernooi behaal het, word vanaf 1947 bespreek. Daar word ook na die klub se deelname aan die nasionale klubkampioenskappe verwys. Die rol wat die Stellenbosch College Athletic Club in die vroeë geskiedenis van Matie-krieket gespeel het, word ook bespreek. Sedert 1912 toe die Victoriakollege krieketklub gestig is, was die inter-kollege wedstryde tussen Victoriakollege en die South African College In suiwer kollege aangeleentheid en die laaste wedstryd tussen dié twee instansies is in 1917 gespeel. Met die stigting van die Universiteit van Stellenbosch in 1918 is dié wedstryde teen die Universiteit van Kaapstad gespeel. Hierdie Intervarsity-wedstryde word tot en met die laat 1960's bespreek toe die wedstryde doodgeloop het. Omdat die klub jaarliks in Desember na die Suid-Afrikaanse universiteite-toernooi gegaan het, is daar nie baie toere onderneem nie. Daar word net kortliks na dié toere verwys wat wel deur die klub op pad na die toernooie ingepas is. Afrigting wat 'n baie groot rol in enige klub se sukses speel, geniet ook aandag. Die harde werk van verskeie afrigters het onder andere daartoe bygedra dat Matie-krieket 'n aantal nasionale en provinsiale spelers opgelewer het. Dié afdeling word opgevolg deur ander persone wat ook 'n groot rol in die sukses van die klub gehad het. Die Matie-krieketklub het tot op hede 12 Springbokke, naamlik Nico Theunissen, Izak Buys, Eddie Barlow, Mike Procter, Michael Melle, Peter Kirsten, Garth Ie Roux, Denys Hobson, Adrian Kuiper, Darryl Cullinan, Kepler Wessels en Dave Rundle opgelewer. 'n Sportprofiel word van elkeen gegee. 'n Lys van die Maties in verteenwoordigende spanne, asook Maties wat vir die eerstespan op 'n gereelde basis gespeel het, is saamgestel.

Background: Accurate and reliable in-game data is fundamental when designing effective batting training. A simulated batting protocol that could aid research and training has not been specifically designed for female cricketers because of a distinct lack of empirical in-game data for the women’s version of the game. Objective: The purpose of this study was to quantify the motion demands and run-breakdown of a century and T20 half-century for women’s cricket matches to establish a simulated batting protocol specifically designed for female batters. Method: Time-motion analyses of four one-day international and six T20 innings were conducted on international cricket matches played around the world between 2012 and 2017. The innings was divided into the bowling and batting innings. The ODI innings that met the criterion of 100 runs scored and T20 innings with scores above 50 runs were used in the run breakdown, which included scores from the top 10 countries ranked by the ICC. The time-motion analyses and century breakdown were utilised in the establishment of a simulated batting protocol. The simulated batting protocol for female batters was created/developed by utilising the method designed by Houghton et al., (2011), who developed the BATEX© protocol. Results: The time-motion analyses indicated that the mean duration of an ODI innings was 169 minutes. An over lasted 2.45 minutes, with 24.86 seconds between each delivery and 55 seconds between each over. When the bowling side changed to a new bowler, it was 1.12 minutes between overs. The mean score for the first power play in an ODI was 41 runs with 1.38 wickets being taken. The mean score during the second power play was 28 runs with 0.714 wickets being taken. The T20 bowling innings lasted 75.50 minutes, with an over lasting 2.52 minutes with 25.58 seconds between deliveries. The mean score in the T20 batting innings was 122 runs. During the power play, which lasted 24.35 minutes, 37 runs were scored with 1.45 wickets being taken. The simulated batting innings was then designed as four stages lasting the duration of a typical women’s century. Each stage was based on theoretical phases of play that may occur during a batting innings. Conclusion: The study indicated that the women’s game has different movement requirements compared to the men’s game in both the ODI and T20 formats. Further, the demands differ depending on the country that is playing. A training and research protocol specifically designed for female batters is an important outcome.

Modern research being conducted on Mental Toughness is now shifting away from efforts aimed at developing definitions for the construct and instead moving toward efforts at understanding its development. This particular research study focuses on the development and implementation of a Mental Toughness programme designed specifically for, and tailored exclusively to, the needs of schoolboy cricket at Kingswood College in Grahamstown, Eastern Cape. The programme development was an intricate process and the research procedure was guided by the Organisational Development Process model. Data from a focus group as well as various individual interviews were integrated with currently existing Mental Toughness literature and theory to devise this particular Mental Toughness programme. The programme entails educating the athletes on six specific mental skills and incorporates elements of practical application as well as awareness of the importance and influence of Mental Toughness and mental training in a sporting sphere. The programme took the form of mental skills workshops held over a three week period. An analysis was conducted post-programme to document the experience of the athletes as a result of exposure to the programme. Results drawn from the array of analysis procedures were used to help identify the level of success of the Mental Toughness intervention as well as help validify current Mental Toughness models. In addition to highlighting the benefits as a result of the programme experience, various recommendations were drawn in order to shed light on the programme limitations and assist future researchers with understanding the intricacies behind better and more efficient programme implementation.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Technology, Sydney, 2000.
Sportsmen: Tarpot, Tom Wills, Mullagh, King Cole, Jellico, Peter, Red Cap, Harry Rose, Bullocky, Johnny Cuzens, Dick-a-Dick, Charley Dumas, Jim Crow, Sundown, Mosquito, Tiger and Twopenny. Bibliography: p. 431-485.

Creative Project Abstract: The creative project of this thesis is a script prototype for Underland, a crime drama video game and digital playable story that demonstrates writing and design methods for negotiating narrative and player agency. The story is set in October 2006 and players are investigative psychologists given access to a secure police server and tasked with analysing evidence related to two linked murders that have resulted in the arrest of journalist Silvi Moore. The aim is to uncover what happened and why by analysing Silvi’s flat, calendar of events, emails, texts, photos, voicemail, call log, 999 call, a map of the city of Plymouth and a crime scene. It is a combination of story exploration game and digital epistolary fiction that is structured via an authored fabula and dynamic syuzhet and uses the Internal-Exploratory and Internal-Ontological interactive modes to negotiate narrative and player agency. Its use of this structure and these modes shows how playable stories are uniquely positioned to deliver self-directed and empathetic emotional immersion simultaneously. The story is told in a mixture of enacted, embedded, evoked, environmental and epistolary narrative, the combination of which contributes new knowledge on how writers can use mystery, suspense and dramatic irony in playable stories. The interactive script prototype is accessible at underlandgame.com and is a means to represent how the final game is intended to be experienced by players. Thesis Abstract: This thesis considers writing and design methods for playable stories that negotiate narrative and player agency. By approaching the topic through the lens of creative writing practice, it seeks to fill a gap in the literature related to the execution of interactive and narrative devices as a practitioner. Chapter 1 defines the key terms for understanding the field and surveys the academic and theoretical debate to identify the challenges and opportunities for writers and creators. In this it departs from the dominant vision of the future of digital playable stories as the ‘holodeck,’ a simulated reality players can enter and manipulate and that shapes around them as story protagonists. Building on narratological theory it contributes a new term—the dynamic syuzhet—to express an alternate negotiation of narrative and player agency within current technological realities. Three further terms—the authored fabula, fixed syuzhet and improvised fabula—are also contributed as means to compare and contrast the narrative structures and affordances available to writers of live, digital and live-digital hybrid work. Chapter 2 conducts a qualitative analysis of digital, live and live-digital playable stories, released 2010–2016, and combines this with insights gained from primary interviews with their writers and creators to identify the techniques at work and their implications for narrative and player agency. This analysis contributes new knowledge to writing and design approaches in four interactive modes—Internal-Ontological, Internal-Exploratory, External-Ontological and External-Exploratory—that impact on where players are positioned in the work and how the experiential narrative unfolds. Chapter 3 shows how the knowledge developed through academic research informed the creation of a new playable story, Underland; as well as how the creative practice informed the academic research. Underland provides a means to demonstrate how making players protagonists of the experience, rather than of the story, enables the coupling of self-directed and empathetic emotional immersion in a way uniquely available to digital playable stories. It further shows how this negotiation of narrative and player agency can use a combination of enacted, embedded, evoked, environmental and epistolary narrative to employ dramatic irony in a new way. These findings demonstrate ways playable stories can be written and designed to deliver the ‘traditional’ pleasure of narrative and the ‘newer’ pleasure of player agency without sacrificing either.

Dissertation submitted in partial compliance with the requirements for the Master's Degree in Technology: Chiropractic, Durban University of Technology, 2008.
To compare trunk flexion and lateral flexion range of motion (ROM) pre-post intervention. To compare the bowling speed of Action Cricket fast bowlers pre-post intervention. To determine the correlation between change in bowling speed immediately post-intervention to change in trunk flexion and lateral flexion ROM immediately post-intervention. To determine the association between change in bowling speed immediately post-intervention and the subjects’ perception of change in bowling speed. Methods: Forty asymptomatic Action Cricket fast bowlers were divided into four groups of ten each. Group 1 received lumbar spine manipulation, Group 2 received thoracic spine manipulation, Group 3 received combined thoracic and lumbar spine manipulation and Group 4 received the sham laser intervention (placebo). Pre- and post-intervention trunk flexion and lateral flexion ROM and bowling speed were measured using a digital inclinometer and a SpeedTracTM Speed Sport Radar. The subjects’ perception of a change in bowling speed post-intervention was also recorded. SPSS version 15.0 was used to analyse the data. Two-tailed tests were used in all cases. Results: Trunk flexion and lateral flexion increased significantly (p < 0.05) post-spinal manipulation. There was a significant increase in bowling speed post-thoracic (p = 0.042) and post-combined manipulation (p < 0.000). A significant yet weak positive correlation (p = 0.003; r = 0.451) was seen in change in bowling speed and change in thoracic flexion and lateral flexion. There was no significant difference in the percentage subjective change by intervention group (p = 0.217). Conclusions: Spinal manipulation is a valid intervention for short-term increase in bowling speed.

Presently the literature available on women’s cricket is very limited. This thesis attempts to redress this gap by telling a story about the experiences of women’s club cricket in Toronto and Victoria. The player’s social spaces were examined, as were the intersections of gender, race and culture.. Using qualitative methods, narratives were interpreted and analyzed using post-colonial, spatial and feminist theoretical frameworks. Major findings indicated that there are specific challenges to women’s participation in cricket in Canada and revealed differences between players due to geography, access to resources, ethnicity and race. Women also experienced inclusions and exclusions based on gendered reproductions. The results indicate that much more support is needed for women’s cricket to flourish in Canada. One strong recommendation this study makes is that we pay more attention to, and develop better strategies for, the integration of Canadian immigrant and racialized women into the Canadian sport and recreation system.

Cricket in a Fist is composed of seven stories about a secular Jewish family settled in Canada. The central character, Ginny Reilly, is raised by her mother and grandmother, who emigrated from the Netherlands after surviving the Holocaust. When she is thirty-seven, Ginny suffers a head injury that causes temporary memory loss and a permanent personality change, and she becomes a self-help guru. Following a cultural crisis such as the Jewish Holocaust, a family may disconnect itself from cultural memory, and a family without cultural memory, like an amnesiac patient, must reformulate a sense of identity. As the characters in Cricket in a Fist grapple for an unblemished identity in Canada, they try to dismiss their unruly history. Analogously, the conscious formation of self is the basis of Ginny’s self-help philosophy, which urges wilful forgetfulness as a means to cast off all traces of irresolvable ambiguity and traumatic memory.

M.A.
Sport in South Africa forms part of the fabric of our society. Unfortunately research into the psychology of sport has largely been overlooked in South Africa and where it has been applied it was based mainly on results arrived at in other countries. The development of future cricketers has enjoyed great success in both Australia and South Africa, with many current international cricketers having been through the respective Academies. The identification of future talent may be facilitated through the use of appropriate psychological interventions. The role of anxiety in sports has been much researched over the past four decades. There have been many theories advanced with regards the role that anxiety plays in effecting sporting performance. There is however a lack of research in a South African context. Foreign studies have found that anxiety (somatic) tends to follow an inverted-U and extremes of anxiety will negatively impact on performance. State anxiety has been found to enjoy an area or zone in which an atWetes performance is enhanced and outside of which performance is negatively effected. Research has found contradictory evidence as to the relationship between cognitive anxiety and performance. It is proposed that there is a negative relationship between the two. Research with regards to temperament has not been conducted in a cricketing context. The Iceberg Profile posits that there is a personality profile which identifies elite athletes. Studies have been conducted using the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory and have found that vigour, extraversion and the interest variable were significantly different between athletes and non-athletes. In order to establish whether there is a statistically significant difference in the levels of anxiety between successful and unsuccessful cricketers, three measuring instruments were used. The Revised NEG Personality Inventory, The Sport Competition Anxiety Test and the Profile of Mood States. Temperament differences were examined using the Revised NEG Personality Inventory and the Profile of Mood States. The two groups consisted of 20 male cricketers each. The successful group were all part of the 1999 Plascon Cricket Academy and the other cricketers were from non-premier league cricket sides. The study revealed that the successful group were significantly lower on the Neuroticism scale of the NEG PI-R and were less vulnerable to stress and anger than the unsuccessful group. The study also found that the successful cricketers were more extravert, had more energy, were more receptive to emotions and more sympathetic, less trusting and modest, more straightforward and had higher levels of aspiration than the unsuccessful cricketers. This supported some of the findings of the foreign studies. The Iceberg profile was not supported using the Profile of Mood States however, the fatigue sub-scale was found to be higher for the unsuccessful group. The Sport Competition Anxiety Test did not reveal significant results. A discussion of the results, limitations of the study and recommendations for future research follow this.

Dissertation submitted in partial compliance with the requirements for the Master's Degree in Technology: Chiropractic, Durban University of Technology, 2009.
Objective: Literature has focused its efforts on professional cricket players and player related risk factors to injury with little information being available with regards to coaching / management and environmental risk factors to injury. Therefore, this study aimed to profile the injuries and risk factors in Premier League club cricketers in the greater Durban area. Methods: This was a prospective, cross-sectional based study, using a self-administered questionnaire, developed specifically for this research utilizing a focus group and pilot study. The questionnaire consisted of a demographics section, as well as an injury history and risk factor section. Letters of informed consent and questionnaire were distributed to 144 players / coaches for completion. Data was analysed using Pearson‟s correlation and t-tests. Results: A response rate of 70% (n=109) was achieved. Selected parameters from demographics, injury history and risk factors were found to be significantly related to current and / or previous injury. Conclusion: It is advised that coaches heed significant injury parameters in order to improve player health, decrease injury risk and decrease time out of play. Key words: Athletic injuries; questionnaires; cross-sectional study‟s; risk factors; sports; sports medicine; risk assessment; cricket.

Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree MA (Counselling Psychology) at the University of Zululand, 2010.
This South African study used a phenomenological approach which researched lived experiences of twenty Black cricketers in the Gauteng region who have been or are currently involved in the transformation process. Data was collected in the form of one-on-one tape recorded interviews from a pre-determined list of qualitative questions. This study explores the factors that are motivating Blacks in Gauteng to take up and play cricket and subsequently persist or drop out; how they have experienced the transformation process; whether or not they consider that they have progressed in the transformation process. The study provides an insight into these young Black Gauteng cricketers‟ perspectives of how Gauteng Cricket Board could make transformation work more effectively and efficiently and contribute meaningfully to the transformation process. This will aid in finding additional explanations to the challenges surrounding meaningful transformation in Gauteng cricket and could hopefully bring a more holistic approach to the issue of transformation. Five themes emerged from the participants‟ responses, namely: Theme one: Dearth of support and resources There are different aspects that are important in the development of a cricketer. A player may have the technical cricketing skills and the talent but a holistic perspective is also necessary. With insufficient off-field requirements that they are experiencing - such as family and community support, cricketing facilities, good cricketing equipment, and independence to travel to and from games - participants say their success in the game is affected negatively. Theme two: Frustration, hopelessness and despair Participants were critical of the transformation process in Gauteng. Relocating to, for example, the Eastern Cape appears to be for many participants their only hope of progression within cricket teams. This continues to entrench their attitude of hopelessness, despair and hurt towards the Gauteng Cricket Board, because the participants‟ views are that there is strong Black cricketing talent in Gauteng. Their frustration is that they contend that transformation in Gauteng is only window dressing. Theme three: Lack of commitment by Gauteng Cricket Board The participants believe there is less focus by the Gauteng Cricket Board on older Black players; they evidence the Gauteng Cricket Board buying players, specifically Coloured players, from other provinces; they experience poor communication and a lack of opportunities; they believe Gauteng Cricket is not doing enough to help Black players progress within the cricket structures; according to them, transformation is not taking place in Gauteng Cricket and is weak in the under-19 structures; they believe Gauteng Cricket does not have enough faith in Black Gauteng cricketers; they feel the Gauteng Cricket structures are weak and are not working efficiently and; Gauteng Cricket is in need of good leadership. Theme four: Increasing racial divide instead of unifying Thirteen participants made ongoing comparisons with their White counterparts, whom these Black players position as being more privileged than them in cricketing terms - even though the directive from the South African Government is to progress transformation. These Black players see the racial integration of the game of cricket more as a comparison and competition between themselves and their White counterparts rather than as unification. Theme five: Value of cricket in personal development and adding value to one’s life The participants cited their learning experiences in cricket as affording them the following: Interacting with people of all races; learning to set a good example; greater self-awareness; learning to make wise decisions; persistence; self-discipline; confidence; tolerance; strengthening of character; self-respect; commitment; aspiring to a greater lifestyle; acquiring leadership skills and educational opportunities; being empowered and empowering others and working together; playing for the team and; acquiring the ability to trust others. The findings of this research allow for a holistic framework that could be developed in conjunction with the Gauteng Cricket Board to help progress transformation in cricket in Gauteng and, therefore, South Africa.

Mental toughness is accepted to be an important component of sporting performance, especially so in the domain of cricket. It has been called many names, such as Big Match Temperament, bottle, and mettle and it is widely believed that it plays a role in how successful a cricketer may be, although very difficult to define and explain. James Loehr described it as one’s ability to consistently perform to the upper limit of your talent and skill and numerous researchers have since tried to define the construct based on more empirical research. This research project consists of three articles on mental toughness. The first focuses on the consideration of extra-personal influences on the development and implementation of mental toughness programmes. The second focuses on examining the psychometric properties of the paper-and-pencil versions of the Sports Mental Toughness Questionnaire (SMTQ) and the Psychological Performance Inventory-Alternative (PPI-A). The third examines the differences in the demographic characteristics of a sample of cricketers on the online versions of the SMTQ and the PPI-A. The results suggest that extra-personal influences are exceptionally important in the development and implementation of mental toughness programmes for school level cricketers, especially motivational climate and social support. While the PPI-A and the SMTQ displayed some promising psychometric properties in the current study, researchers should apply these mental toughness inventories with circumspection, taking into account questions regarding dimensionality, item formulation and variation in sample characteristics (e.g., age and sporting code), until more research can be conducted using these inventories with larger and more varied samples and the understanding of the mental toughness construct improves. The examination of the demographic differences on scores of the SMTQ and PPI-A revealed inconclusive results on age, sex, and ethnicity, while competitive level was the only distinguishing characteristic in which respondents at high levels produced higher mental toughness scores. The three studies comprising this “by articles” format PHD dissertation will be referred to as Article 1, Article 2, and Article 3 and can be found in Chapters, 2, 3, and 4 respectively.
Psychology
D.Phil. (Psychology)

M. Tech.
Method The purpose of this study was to determine whether spinal manipulative therapy (SMT) of the cervical spinal segments would have any influence on the reaction and response time of a cricket player. It has been suggested that a dysfunctional vertebral subluxation complex can cause a decrease in visual performance. The decreased visual performance may be due to decreased blood flow to the visual centers of the brain. Thirty six participants (3 cricket teams) participated in this study. They were divided into two groups. Group A consisted of eighteen subjects who received spinal manipulative therapy (SMT) of the cervical spine. The eighteen subjects in Group B received detuned ultrasound to the cervical spine The inclusion criteria required the participant to be a male cricket player who was asymptomatic, without any history of cervical spine surgery and without any current injuries (e.g. hand or wrist fractures). The participant had to be between the ages of sixteen and twenty one and have no contra-indications to spinal manipulative therapy. Measure Objective data was obtained by the Wayne’s Saccadic Fixator ® which determined the patients’ visual reaction time. After testing the participants’ visual reaction time, the one group received SMT and the other group received detuned ultrasound. After which all participants’ reaction and response time were retested. vii Results Although there was a decrease in the reaction and response time of the players after spinal manipulative therapy, the objective results showed that due to the small sample size and different baseline values of the participants in this study there was no statistical proof that Chiropractic treatment had a positive influence on the reaction and response time of the participants.

碩士
中國文化大學
體育學系運動教練碩博士班
101
Running-between-the-wickets (RBW) is important skill in cricket batting for the game today. Purposes: The study is to examine the usefulness as predictors of run-a-single (R1) and run-a-two (R2). Also, it is used to investigate the interrelationships among isokinetic knee flexion-extension, countermovement jump (CMJ), straight sprinting speed (20 m. sprint), change of direction speed (CODS), and both R1 and R2. Therefore, the study wants to compare different performances among dominant and alternate leg to start, sliding the bat into the crease, and the change of direction speed for 15 male Thailand’s National Cricket Players. Methods: The isokinetic was assessed on Cybex isokinetic machine, CMJ was tested on Fitness Technology machine, the sprint and RBW tests were assessed by Smartspeed® machine. The forward stepwise multiple regression, Pearson product moment correlations, and the independent t-test were used to analyze. Results: With regard to multiple regression analysis, St20 (r = .96) was the best predictor of R1 and St20 (r = .87) as followed by CODS (r = .73) were the best predictor for R2. The Person correlation analysis showed that St20 correlation with CMJ (r = -.88) and CODS (r = -.56). It was interesting that the speed of R1 was significantly related with R2 (r = .91). According to the independent t-tests analysis, there were no significant differences between dominant and alternate legs. Conclusion: Start, sliding the bat, and the change of direction using dominant or alternate side were not showed significant difference. Both R1 and R2 showed significant relationship with the St20, therefore the St20 was also significant correlated with CMJ. The speed and vertical jump performance should be developed together. Hence, speed and power (vertical jump) training are important in order to improve running between the wickets performances. Key words: countermovement jump, isokinetics, speed, agility

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of a psycho-educational intervention program on the mental toughness of secondary school cricketers. The general aim of the study was to use psychological skills and psychological techniques to enhance the mental toughness of secondary school cricketers, within a psycho-educational framework. This general aim of the study was actualised by employing the following specific aims: • A literature review was conducted to explore the psycho-educational model. It was found that the psycho-educational model was an appropriate model to use as the framework of the intervention program. • The literature review investigated and evaluated different psychological skills and psychological techniques that influenced the mental toughness of cricketers positively. • A questionnaire was designed. This questionnaire (CMTQ) fulfilled the role of a psychological skills measuring tool. • A psycho-educational intervention program was designed around the findings of the literature study. • Guidelines were compiled to follow when coaching mental toughness to secondary school cricketers. • The intervention program was presented over a six week period. • An empirical study was conducted to evaluate the successfulness of the intervention program. The first phase of the empirical study was done before the presentation of the psycho-educational intervention program. The data suggest that Confidence and Motivation were the two main psychological skills that the participants employed in their mental game of cricket. The second phase of the empirical study was only done after the completion of the six week intervention program. The selected data analysis method employed to evaluate the effectiveness of the program was the t-test for dependant groups. v The results of the data analysis indicated that the participants in the experimental group improved in their mental toughness performance significantly. When the findings of the literature review and the results of the empirical study are combined, it appears as if this intervention program will have a positive influence on the cricket performance of secondary school cricketers.
Psychology of Education
D. Ed. (Psychology of Education)

Yes
Background: The importance of optimal and/or superior vision for participation in high-level sport remains the subject of considerable clinical research interest. Here we examine the vision and visual history of elite/near-elite cricketers and rugby-league players. Methods: Stereoacuity (TNO), colour vision, and distance (with/without pinhole) and near visual acuity (VA) were measured in two cricket squads (elite/international-level, female, n=16; near-elite, male, n=23) and one professional rugby-league squad (male, n=20). Refractive error was determined, and details of any correction worn and visual history were recorded. Results: Overall, 63% had their last eye-examination within 2 years. However, some had not had an eye examination for 5 years, or had never had one (near-elite-cricketers: 30%; rugby-league players: 15%; elite-cricketers: 6%). Comparing our results for all participants to published data for young, optimally-corrected, non-sporting adults, distance VA was ~1 line of letters worse than expected. Adopting α=0.01, the deficit in distance-VA deficit was significant, but only for elite-cricketers (p<0.001) (near-elite cricketers, p=0.02; rugby-league players, p=0.03). Near-VA did not differ between subgroups or relative to published norms for young adults (p>0.02 for all comparisons). On average, stereoacuity was better than in young adults, but only in elite-cricketers (p<0.001; p=0.03, near-elite-cricketers; p=0.47, rugby-league -players). On-field visual issues were present in 27% of participants, and mostly (in 75% of cases) comprised uncorrected ametropia. Some cricketers (near-elite: 17.4%; elite: 38%) wore refractive correction during play but no rugby-league player did. Some individuals with prescribed correction choose not to wear it when playing. Conclusion: Aside from near stereoacuity in elite-cricketers, these basic visual abilities were not better than equivalent, published data for optimally-corrected adults. 20-25% exhibited sub-optimal vision, suggesting that the clearest possible vision might not be critical for participation at the highest levels in the sports of cricket or rugby-league. Although vision could be improved in a sizeable proportion of our sample, the impact of correcting these, mostly subtle, refractive anomalies on playing performance is unknown.
Funded by the UK’s Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) grants BB/J018163/1, BB/J016365/1 and BB/J018872/1.

The main purpose of this study was to determine: * If there is a relationship between certain personality traits and participation in sport. * Whether cricket players possess certain personality traits in general and with regard to levels of play, playing positions and age. The literature study indicated that the study of personality tend to be complex and showed a relationship between personality traits and participation in sport. Furthermore the literature study showed that personality is not static, but dependant on acquired traits and responses. The empirical study revealed that certain personality traits in cricket players figure stronger than others regarding levels of play, playing positions and age, for example cricket players on club level tend to have more self control than school players and bowlers tend to show a larger tendency to disregard social rules and tend to be more enthusiastic, and greater risk-takers than batsmen and wicketkeepers.
Educational Studies
M.Ed. (Guidance and Counselling)

M.Phil. (Sport Management)
The purpose of this study was to investigate the management of cricket coaching programmes at u/19 level in the Gauteng Province. Specifically, this study attempted to determine the current situation regarding management of coaching programmes and the delivery of in-school driven programmes in the province. Data was collected from schools offering cricket as a sport from both the Gauteng Lions and Northerns Cricket Union franchises. There were 10 schools in the Northerns franchise and 14 first-team players from these schools were selected as respondents. There were 10 schools in the Gauteng Lions franchise and 14 first-team players from these schools were selected as respondents. The managers and coaches were selected to respond to a questionnaire as their portfolios make them the foremost sources of information regarding programmes, and they could locate records containing relevant information. Executive committee members from the boards of Gauteng Lions and Northerns Cricket Union were also questionnaire respondents as their primary role is the implementation of policies. Chairpersons of the high schools committees were also respondents and an official from Cricket South Africa (CSA) participated. A total of 324 (n=324) questionnaires were distributed 162 (n=162) to the Gauteng Lions franchise and 162 (n=162) to the Northerns franchise. One questionnaire was sent to CSA, making a grand total of 325 (n=325) questionnaires. From the 162 questionnaires submitted to Northerns, only 111 (n=111) respondents returned their questionnaires; these 111 participants comprised of white (n=70), black (n=25), coloured (n=10), indians (n=2) and chinese (n=4). From the 162 questionnaires submitted to the Gauteng Lions franchise (162), the 96 respondents who returned their questionnaires were white (n=44), black (n=30), coloured (n=12), indians (n=9) and 1 chinese (n=1). The results revealed that the majority of players involved in u/19 programmes come from the white population group. The results revealed that the Gauteng Lions participate in inter-provincial weeks with a very small number of players that have caps at u/19 level (5.2%) and this reduces their chances of being selected to represent the SA u/19 team. Both franchises indicated financial challenges, but the Gauteng Lions have even bigger challenges ...