Player skills
Each player has seven main skills that determine their ability :
Stamina
IMPORTANT FOR: All players.
The level of stamina affects the fitness deterioration rate during a match.
It also influences the rate of fitness recovery post-match.
How stamina affects players during a match
During a match, players get 'tired'. The lower the player's stamina level, the quicker the player loses fitness and gets tired. Even players with maximum level of stamina will be affected by fitness loss.
Players with low stamina can still put in a good performance at times - the random effect sees to that. Over the course of time, however, things will balance out.
- No matter how high a player's stamina skill, he will experience some reduction in his fitness during a match - the extent of which will depend totally on his stamina.
- There is a limit to how high a players stamina level can be trained - Superb +6. This is displayed in-game as Superb*.
- Different bowler types tire at different rates. Faster bowlers will tire faster than slower bowlers.
- There is some personal fitness recovery during a match, when the player is not bowling or batting.
- Bowlers with insufficient stamina are likely to give away more runs if they are used in the last ten overs of a limited overs match.
- Stamina skill level can be increased by training via stamina nets.
Stamina skill level decay - due to old age
The player's level of stamina will start to decay due to old age - this process starts when the player is 33 years old. No other skills decay due to age.
For more info on stamina decay rates, go to the Age page.
Stamina decay due to age
The only skill that decays in BT is stamina - this starts to slowly decrease, beginning at age 33.
A very old player may still be an exceptional batsman, but his stamina will end up so low that he will probably be too tired to play after even one ball and his average performance (and fitness recovery rate) will be terrible. There is no 'retirement age' for players, they live on until they are fired.
NB. Further research is being done in this area. All the following information is theory only, based on early indications.
Check the 'Stamina Decay Rate' thread on Global for details of players being tracked to provide a better idea of decay rate.
Stamina decay rate
The (estimated) rate of stamina decay seems to be fairly linear in relation to age:
- 33 years old = stamina decays 1 level every 16 weeks (approx)
- 34 years old = stamina decays 1 level every 13 weeks (approx)
- 35 years old = stamina decays 1 level every 10 weeks (approx)
- 36 years old = stamina decays 1 level every 7 weeks (approx)
- 37 years old = stamina decays 1 level every 4 weeks? (approx)
- 38 years old = stamina decays 1 level every 2 weeks? (approx)
Some recent finds:
- A 42yo player with competent stamina on the transfer list.
- 38yo player - has been on a stamina net since he plopped to proficient on 30/07/11. He hit superb stamina on 15/10/11, and 6/9/12 he hit Superb*.
Batting
IMPORTANT FOR: Batsmen, All players.
This is the primary skill for determining a batsman's overall skill, in combination with concentration. The level of batting skill is important for all players that are going to bat.
In T20 matches and some 50 over matches, you may not need to bat past #7 or #8 in the order as they may not get to bat.
All players in your team should have some batting ability - some of the greatest victories have been won, and losses been avoided, by the tenacity and determination of the lower batting order.
Bowling
IMPORTANT FOR: Bowlers.
This is the primary skill for determining a bowler's overall skill, in combination with consistency The level of batting skill is important for all players that are going to bat.
Only 5 bowlers are required in T20 and 50 over matches, however you may wish to play an extra bowler or two in the First Class matches to share the load and to ensure that personal fitness hits are shared amongst your bowlers.
Fielding
IMPORTANT FOR: All outfield players (including wicket-keeper).
They do say that catches win matches, and if your team's fielding is not up to scratch, then you will not catch those catches.
Catching opporunities don't always go to your strongest fielder. Dropped catches will be reporters in the match commentary.
Wicket Keeping
IMPORTANT FOR: Keepers.
It will help to have a good wicket keeper as he will tend to hold on to a lot of chances for catches and make more stumpings.
He will also be responsible for keeping byes and leg-byes down to a minimum.
Make sure your keeper is a decent batsman, preferably with lots of stamina and enough fielding to make him competitive.
Byes - sometimes caused by poor bowling, but mostly caused by poor wicket keeping ability and a slight factor of the pitch type.
Concentration
This is an important skill for batsmen. The importance of this is larger for First Class games than for one day games, although it is valuable in both forms of the game.
It is believed that concentration level directly influences a batsman's average over time - a batsman may be very well endowed in batting skill, but if he can't concentrate then he is likely to make a silly mistake and get out earlier than he would have otherwise.
It also has an effect on a player's ability to field and wicketkeep; you need to stay alert in the field or risk missing that chance for a catch!
Consistency
This is an important skill for bowlers. The importance of this is larger for First Class games than for one day games, although it is valuable in both forms of the game.
It is believed that consistency level directly influences a bowlers's strike and economy rates - a bowler may have a great amount of bowling skill, but if he can't consistently put the ball in the same areas then he is likely to find himself disappearing to all areas of the park more often than he otherwise would.
It also has an effect on a player's ability to field and wicketkeep; the more consistent the individual, the more likely they are to hold their catches and save runs.