Targeting Those Cricket Numbers
From Ron:
Hello Sherilyn,
What's the big secret to bulls-eye's anyway? It is the biggest target on the board, right? You'd think once in a while it would be easier to hit then a trip 20, right? All players go thru phases of their game where their skill level of play is high and low. We all go thru phases where all of a sudden one number on the dart board is hard to hit for some reason? Why is that? No other number is more likely to give a player that problem then the bulls.
We all go thru that phase where we suck at bulls or 18's, then something else. Only to practice and start seeing improvement on those weaker area's. Only to lose control on a number you never had a problem with like the 17's. Arrrrrh! The horror of it all. It's frustrating, I still go thru these phases, and the only thing I've linked them to is mechanic's, stance, grip, throw, and release. I realized a problem in my throw, I kept finding my elbow kicked out to the right instead of straight up and down. I am still working on this to this day.
In cricket you have just so many targets, then you only want to really worry about a few of them, right? Bullseye, trip 20,19,18,17,16, and 15. They say "cricket is a game of triple's and single's." I have witnessed the reality of that statement. You know, the real close game you lost just because you couldn't close that 16! That single 16. Where your opponent followed up your missed single with a nine count to bury you. Where you feel you dominated the entire game to that point to lose it on one single miss. The horror of it all.
Cricket is believe to be more popular here in the states because of strategy. Of opening numbers and pointing. Hardly ever, do you feel you've played the same game over. They all have a different out come. You may win more then your opponent, but no two games are alike. In league play, depending on skill level, you can find an assortment of strategies. From the point monger to the quick open and close cowboy. The quick open and close cowboy is the type of player the races to the finish. Avoiding pointing as much as possible, believing this strategy is rare and will hope to catch opponents off guard. The point monger is the type of player that loves burying their opponents in points. Even when it's unnecessary, in order to destroy their opponents confidence. Both strategies will eventually evolve. The point monger will learn the hard way, not understanding with all those points why he/she still loses. In time they'll learn even with a 200 point lead, if you can't hit your target to win, all those points won't help.
I can't count the time's I've drawn a partner in the blind draw tournaments that has told me "I can't hit 18's, you get 'em." I never bring it up at the time, but I always want to ask them "Isn't the 18 on the board you usually play on?" I admit, 18's is a rough one for right handers for some reason. Have you ever noticed that? South paws, (left handers) always make it seem easy to hit 18's but almost all right handers struggle with that number. I remember I used to dread having to open or close the 18, it was at one time my most inconsistent number to hit. With practice and determination, I learned it's just another number on the board.
What do you think Sherilyn? Have I opened a can of warms here or what? I think this could be getting on to a subject of a life time. Learning to hit your target!
~ Ron
Sherilyn's response coming soon...
Hello Sherilyn,
What's the big secret to bulls-eye's anyway? It is the biggest target on the board, right? You'd think once in a while it would be easier to hit then a trip 20, right? All players go thru phases of their game where their skill level of play is high and low. We all go thru phases where all of a sudden one number on the dart board is hard to hit for some reason? Why is that? No other number is more likely to give a player that problem then the bulls.
We all go thru that phase where we suck at bulls or 18's, then something else. Only to practice and start seeing improvement on those weaker area's. Only to lose control on a number you never had a problem with like the 17's. Arrrrrh! The horror of it all. It's frustrating, I still go thru these phases, and the only thing I've linked them to is mechanic's, stance, grip, throw, and release. I realized a problem in my throw, I kept finding my elbow kicked out to the right instead of straight up and down. I am still working on this to this day.
In cricket you have just so many targets, then you only want to really worry about a few of them, right? Bullseye, trip 20,19,18,17,16, and 15. They say "cricket is a game of triple's and single's." I have witnessed the reality of that statement. You know, the real close game you lost just because you couldn't close that 16! That single 16. Where your opponent followed up your missed single with a nine count to bury you. Where you feel you dominated the entire game to that point to lose it on one single miss. The horror of it all.
Cricket is believe to be more popular here in the states because of strategy. Of opening numbers and pointing. Hardly ever, do you feel you've played the same game over. They all have a different out come. You may win more then your opponent, but no two games are alike. In league play, depending on skill level, you can find an assortment of strategies. From the point monger to the quick open and close cowboy. The quick open and close cowboy is the type of player the races to the finish. Avoiding pointing as much as possible, believing this strategy is rare and will hope to catch opponents off guard. The point monger is the type of player that loves burying their opponents in points. Even when it's unnecessary, in order to destroy their opponents confidence. Both strategies will eventually evolve. The point monger will learn the hard way, not understanding with all those points why he/she still loses. In time they'll learn even with a 200 point lead, if you can't hit your target to win, all those points won't help.
I can't count the time's I've drawn a partner in the blind draw tournaments that has told me "I can't hit 18's, you get 'em." I never bring it up at the time, but I always want to ask them "Isn't the 18 on the board you usually play on?" I admit, 18's is a rough one for right handers for some reason. Have you ever noticed that? South paws, (left handers) always make it seem easy to hit 18's but almost all right handers struggle with that number. I remember I used to dread having to open or close the 18, it was at one time my most inconsistent number to hit. With practice and determination, I learned it's just another number on the board.
What do you think Sherilyn? Have I opened a can of warms here or what? I think this could be getting on to a subject of a life time. Learning to hit your target!
~ Ron
Sherilyn's response coming soon...