What Fitness Is Required for Cricket?

By Kasim Javed Cricket

Cricket is one of the most loved sports in the world. The regional popularity of the sport is highest in South Asia, where India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh top the list as the most cricket-passionate countries. It can be played almost anywhere, using players of all abilities, which makes it a deeply enjoyable sport for groups.

So, what health benefits does playing cricket bring? You can burn between 350 to 450 calories an hour while playing the sport, but what fitness is required for cricket?

We will discuss this question in this article, so keep reading to find out.

Why is cricket a good sport to keep fit?

Cricket is an great form of exercise to stay active and get your heart pumping. You and your fellow players will be bowling, batting, running, fielding, catching, and returning the ball to each other throughout the game. So, there is lots of movement involved, which will help you burn calories and improve your balance and agility.

Playing cricket activates many muscles in the upper and lower body, such as the hamstring, calf muscles, rotator cuff muscles of the shoulder, and the forearm muscles. Because the heart has to pump extra blood to supply more oxygen these muscles, this also means that cricket actually benefits your cardiovascular health.

What fitness is required for cricket?

You don’t need to have big muscles or be the fastest runner to play cricket. The sport is welcoming to beginners, because it is a team sport where every player will bring their own strengths.

So, what fitness is required for cricket?

Every cricketer needs the following core skills to perform well in the sport:

Strength: for batting the ball with power, and to prevent acute injuries.
Speed: for running between the wickets and catching the ball.
Stamina: to use energy as quickly as possible, to harness the maximum power and strength.
Excellent hand-eye coordination: the sport requires high levels of concentration, an awareness of one’s surroundings, and quick reaction times.
Accuracy: the players must use precision and attention to detail when bowling, batting, fielding and catching.
Teamwork: the players on a team must communicate clearly and productively with each other, for instance, so that the wicketkeeper understands exactly how the bowler is going to play the ball.
Organisational and tactical skills: the players have to prepare a strategy and then execute it well, to disrupt the game plan of the opponents.
The ability to cope under pressure: a cricket match is a pressurising situation, so the players must be calm, composed and patient throughout the game.

Where can I buy cricket equipment?

Here at Sports Maxx, we are proud to offer excellent cricket equipment and protective gear at affordable prices, without compromising on quality.

Shop our Cricket collection on our website here.

Read on to discover some of our favourite pieces of cricket equipment, which are ideal for experienced cricketers, or newbies to the sport:

Leg pads

We highly recommend wearing leg pads during cricket, to protect your lower body from impact with the ball. During the game, the cricket ball can travel through the air at speeds as fast as 95 mph, which is sure to cause a lifelong injury if a player gets hit in their legs, with no leg pads on.

Our Maxx Pro Core Gold Series Men’s Batting Pads offer the ultimate protection to any cricket player. They feature high-density plastazote foam and high-resistance sidebars, to keep the knees and shins protected and cushioned.

If you are looking for protection for your upper legs, then look no further than our Maxx Pro Men’s Cricket Thigh Guard Protector. This lightweight protective guard works effectively to protect your thighs from hardball impact.

Alternatively, opt for our Maxx All In One Thigh Guard Set (Lightweight Dual Thigh Pads). These protective pads offer dual level protection to the thighs. Being lightweight, they will fit comfortably without bunching or squeezing too tight.

Cricket bats

No game of cricket can function without a good bat. The ideal cricket bat should be made from wood from a willow tree, of 6 to 12 grains.

At Sports Maxx, we provide cricket bats produced from only the best quality materials.

Our Long Handle Cricket Bat is used by cricket professionals within UK leagues and cricket enthusiasts alike. It comes in weights of 2.10 lb, 2.12 lb and 2,14 lb.

We also offer a Ready to Play Red Range Cricket Bat, which comes in weights of 2.7 lb, 2.8 lb, 2.9 lb, 2.10 lb, 2.12 lb, 2.14 lb and 2.16 lb.

If you prefer a cricket bat in a sleek gold design, then go for our 2.8 lb Top Grade English Willow Cricket Bat, which is a brand new, factory-knocked English Willow, rated grade A.

Another terrific option is our Grade G3 English Willow Cricket Bat, which comes in stylish colours of pink, red, yellow, green or grey. The weight ranges from 2.8 lb, all the way up to 2.16 lb.

Shop our Cricket Bats here. We have something for everyone!

Cricket helmet

Protective headgear is essential for cricket players to protect themselves against head and facial injuries, especially those who stand in close proximity to batsmen.

Our Maxx Pro Cricket Adjustable Helmet is a classic blue helmet which provide fantastic protection against hard cricket balls. This sturdy helmet features an adjustable rotation wheel in the back, to fit and adjust to your head size.

Cricket gloves

Every wicket-keeper should wear cricket gloves, so they can catch the ball safely and prevent injury to their fingers and palms.

Gloves should also be worn by the batsman, in order to reduce the shock in their hands when they hit the ball with the bat.

Our Maxx Pro Core Series Two Men’s Batting Gloves will provide great protection for your hands and lessen the blow of a fast-moving cricket ball. An added bonus is that the white and gold design looks super elegant!

If you are left-handed, then you are in luck. For you, we have our Maxx Pro Tiger Series Men’s Left Hand Batting Pads and Gloves.

Groin guards

In cricket, batters are at risk of any part of their body being hit by a hard ball, with a lot of force. but the groin and pelvic region is particularly at risk of facing unfortunate blows from a fast-travelling cricket ball.

That is why many cricketers choose to protect the groin area with a groin guard.

At Sports Maxx, our groin gu

rds can be used for virtually any sport. They are strong, durable and long-lasting, so you can stay safe and comfortable throughout your match.

Click here to view the groin guards that we offer at Sports Maxx:

Cricket stumps

A cricket match would be rendered useless without stumps. These are 3 vertical posts which form the wicket.

The bowler’s job is to bowl the ball in a certain way, to try and get the ball to hit the stumps- this would mean that the batsman is knocked out.

At Sports Maxx, we have our Maxx 1x Cricket Wooden Stump, which is perfect for any cricket game.

How do you knock in a cricket bat?

‘Knocking in’ a cricket bat refers to the process of using a mallet to lightly hit the flat part of a new cricket bat. This helps toughen up the cricket bat and gets it ready to withstand hard impact.

It is vital to knock in your cricket bat. If you don’t ‘knock in’ your bat and you start playing cricket with it, then your bat will remain too rigid and it might even crack.

To knock in your cricket bat, you should use a cricket mallet. A cricket mallet is made of wood and has a round head.

Remember not to hit too hard or deliver large blows around the bat.

Click here to purchase our Maxx Sports Wooden Cricket Bat Mallet, which is sure to give your cricket bat the sweet spot it needs for a successful match!