The Health Benefits of the Cricket Game

Cricket is a popular bat & ball sport that is in many ways similar to the American baseball. The batters attempt to hit a ball that has been pitched in order to score runs. The teams consist of eleven players, with each one of them having specific responsibilities. The cricket game offers a lot of competitive fun and excitement among other benefits. The game seeks to improve an individual’s physical, social and emotional well-being. The benefits of cricket include:

· Physical benefits

Just like other competitive games, cricket requires skill, stamina, strength and coordination. The batsmen require an extraordinary hand to eye coordination in order to strike the pitched ball thrown at a speed of about 90 mph. The act of swinging a long and flat bat helps to build the upper body strength. The pitchers, who are commonly referred to as bowlers, require an exceptional flexibility and coordination to help hurl the cricket ball in an overhand throwing motion. On the other hand, fielders require speed and athleticism in order to chase the batted ball. When the batsmen put the ball in play, they need to sprint around the wickets to score runs. This helps a great deal in enhancing cardiovascular health. Furthermore, the games last for several days; therefore, the game helps to promote improved physical stamina.

· Emotional benefits

Playing cricket allows the player to learn how to handle success and failure. The intense pressure of the sport can be transferred to other aspects of life. Therefore, a cricket payer needs to work with his team to foster camaraderie, to accomplish goals, sense of unity and cooperation. This teamwork needs communication, helping to build stronger and new social relationships. Furthermore, cricket provides for emotional satisfaction in defining and achieving goals. A batter attempts to score a number of runs for every game, which gives them a high sense of purpose. Seeking to achieve these goals helps to improve confidence and discipline, making the sport an effective tool in shaping the player’s self-esteem.

· Mental benefits

The cricket game needs a sharp mind. The batter needs to read the bowled ball and the fielders as well to recognize any weaknesses in the setup of the defense. Truly skilled batsmen have the ability of processing information and exploiting the vulnerable points in a blink of their eyes. A bowler too needs to analyze the swings of each individual batter and their tendencies to discover any exploitable weakness. Manning the field too helps to build the mental focus, as the players put into effect strategies for every hitter. Regardless of the positions played, cricket players attain toughness and superior mental concentration. They also achieve a strong mind that is required for handling the sport’s rigors.