title: Novel coaching cricket bat: can it be used to enhance the backlift and performance of junior cricket batsmen?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In the current literature, it is questionable whether cricket bats in their current form and dimensions allow a young cricketer to hit the ball effectively. The aim of this study was to test the effectiveness of a novel coaching cricket bat among junior cricket batsmen with regard to enhancing performance and the direction of the backlift.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional research study with analytical research methods was employed, in which 2 groups (coached: n=12 and uncoached: n=35) of participants (ages 9-13) took part in a pilot and intervention study. Participants were required to use a novel coaching cricket bat in a coaching game format. Biomechanical and video analysis was conducted in the frontal and lateral planes. Effect sizes (ES) were calculated to determine the effectiveness and the level of significance was set at p<0.05.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pilot study results demonstrated that participants scored an additional 100 runs when using the coaching cricket bat compared with a conventional cricket bat (p=0.003). 6 weeks postintervention (training with the coaching cricket bat), the experimental group displayed improved performance (ES=5.41). Players' backlifts had subsequently become more lateral, which may have promoted more effective ball striking as a result of this training effect.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The recommendation from this study is that coaches should encourage young cricketers to use the coaching cricket bat as it is perceived to be a potentially significant training aid for enhancing their performance and the direction of their backlift when they use conventional cricket bats in match play.
authors.affiliation: Department of Sport Management, Faculty of Business, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Cape Town, South Africa; Cricket Science (Pty) Ltd and 149, South Africa.
authors.forename: M Habib
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Noorbhai
authors.affiliation: Cricket Science (Pty) Ltd and 149 , South Africa.
authors.forename: Russell C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Woolmer
authors.affiliation: Cricket Science (Pty) Ltd and 149, South Africa; Division of Exercise Science and Sports Medicine, Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Sports Science Institute of South Africa, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
authors.forename: Timothy D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Noakes
keywords: Biomechanics; Cricket; Young