Sharing nets and the centre wicket across teams

Most cricket clubs have a few nets and one centre wicket, shared by every team from the youngest juniors to the top grade. Without a plan, the senior teams fill the nets and the juniors end up bowling on the outfield.

This is a method you can explain to coaches and repeat every season.

1. Count what you actually have

List every net and the nights you can use it. Note which nets are synthetic and which are turf, and which have lights.

Turf nets depend on your curator. They may only be ready on some nights, or not until a few weeks into the season. Ask before you plan around them.

2. Match the surface to the team

• Synthetic nets play the same in most conditions. They suit juniors, early pre-season and wet weeks.
• Give turf nets to the teams that play on turf, closer to the start of the season.
• Keep the centre wicket for match practice. Book it ahead with the curator, because the square needs time to recover between uses.

3. Give every team one session before anyone gets two

Start with the youngest teams in the earliest slots, so they finish before it gets dark. Senior and open teams take the later slots. Only once every team has one session do you hand out second sessions.

4. Agree on a few net rules

Put these in writing so every coach runs the nets the same way.

• Batters facing a hard ball wear a helmet and full protective gear.
• Bowlers take turns and wait until the batter is ready.
• Nobody walks into or behind a net while a bowler is running in.
• Batters swap on a timer, so everyone gets a hit.
• Junior bowlers bowl a set number of balls, then swap to batting or fielding.
• Spare players do fielding drills nearby instead of waiting in a queue.

5. Write it down where everyone can see it

Publish the plan before pre-season starts, with who trains where and when. Coaches who can see the whole plan are much less likely to ask for a change.

6. Plan for the wet night

Turf nets and the centre wicket are often closed after rain, and the curator's call is final. Synthetic nets may still be usable once the surface dries.

Decide in advance who moves to the synthetic nets, who moves indoors and who cancels. Agree who tells the families, so it isn't decided at 5 pm on the day.

Do it in Sportdify

Create each team's net session once and make it repeat weekly. Players and parents see their night on the schedule.

How to