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- Turn your cricketing ability into a career
- You'll need the desire to succeed and dedication
- Opportunities to travel overseas for matches
As a cricketer, you'll play cricket at club, county or international level.
DAY-TO-DAY DUTIES
- Practising batting, bowling and fielding skills
- Building up your fitness with strength and conditioning coaches
- Working with physiotherapists to treat any injuries
- Reviewing videos of your games to identify areas for improvement
- Discussing team tactics for games
- Playing competitive matches
- Travelling to play matches, including overseas on international tours
- Taking part in promotional and media activities for your team
- Mentoring younger players
DAY-TO-DAY ENVIRONMENT
You could work at a sports arena or on a sports field. Your working environment may be outdoors in all weathers, physically demanding and you may spend nights away from home.
You'll need
To be a cricketer, you'll need thoroughness and attention to detail, the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure, patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations, ambition and a desire to succeed, excellent verbal communication skills, physical skills, the ability to monitor your own performance, and physical fitness and endurance.
You may be able to apply for a place at one of the 6 MCC University Centres of Excellence. During your time at university, you would study for your subject degree and get professional coaching, with opportunities to play at a high level. Depending on your progress, you may be offered a professional contract with a first class county team. As well as normal academic requirements, you'll need a high level of playing ability to get a place.
You could also do a Level 3 Extended Diploma in Cricket Studies or Level 3 Diploma in Sport (Cricket) at one of a number of colleges that have close links to elite county cricket teams. These courses are usually aimed at students aged 16 to 19, who have the potential to go on to play first class cricket.
You may be able to start by doing an advanced apprenticeship in sporting excellence (AASE). You'll need the support of your club to do this. Once you've completed your apprenticeship, your club will decide whether or not to offer you a professional contract.
You may also be able to join a first class county's academy or player development programme if you show you have the potential, with your school or club, to play at a high level. Players are selected by coaches and scouts and invited to go for trials. Places are available at different age group levels from juniors onwards, and are open to male and female cricketers.
There are also a range of non-playing roles available in the cricket industry - these include coaching, management, marketing, sales, PR, finance, HR, content creation, and roles in the cricketing media.
CAREER PROSPECTS
With experience, you could move into coaching with clubs, schools and colleges. Your experience would also be useful for jobs in community sports development, sports science or sports management. You might also re-train to become a sports journalist, physiotherapist or PE teacher.