i know how to play against an opponent , but i was wondering what the best practise routines are. also i understand this game has a lot more strategy involved, any tips for practising that. i play 501 against the computer on an app i have on my phone , does anyone know of anything similar that you can also play cricket?

I'd be interested in this info as well. We play cricket (doubles) in league and sometimes we win based on strategy more than accuracy, but I'd like to know what others think. Last night for example, I was throwing bull very well and after two rounds my partner looked at me and told me to throw everything at bull for the rest of the game.

It was a "strange" strategy, but it completely demoralized the other guys. You could see it in their next throw when I stepped up and "should" have shot at 18 and hit a double and a miss that got a mark in 15. They just completely lost the plot and eventually the game.

But how do you "practice" something like that. It was pure intuition and gamesmanship.

I know the "chasing" and point scoring strategies fairly well, but how can you practice that alone?

Never played Cricket on darts not the U.S, version that is.

Hey Jamie! Cricket is my favorite and preferred game, so I tend to practice this the most. There are several routines you can use for this, but I like to keep it simple. It involves two things.

1: Scoring 3 or better for a given number with 3 darts. I have to hit at least a score of 3 before I move on to another number.

2: Practice throwing out of order with still having to score 3 or better. This helps in the event your opponent throws a T20, T19 and T18. You have to be able to quickly adjust and hit 17's or 16's. I like to Throw at 20 then move to 16, then to 18, down to 15 etc..

Strategy varies greatly and it also depends on if you are playing soft or steel as they are typically played differently.

Thanks for that . Ill try that out . Played a cricket game on computer and I fo like that there is a stratagy aspect to it. I had no idea that there was diffrences between US UK soft and steel though. Ill need to Google a few things! Whatever version I was playing it was good lol

I was speaking to the American version of Cricket! Most of our brethren over the pond can't be bothered with it. I think it is a good game because of the strategy, but also I think it help's with the 01's as you practice a lot of triples in the larger numbers.

A lot will say it's not good to practice against yourself but I do this all the time. I get into some pretty good matches. I just hate losing to myself!

The best way to play plenty of pick up games with different people. You can't feel the pressure of different shots in different situations unless you're in the game. When I was younger, or when I'm working with newer players I'll ask them after the game, "What if you'd have done this...or, you know that took the pressure off of me right?"
Cricket is a much more of a fight than 501. You don't know if you can take a punch unless you have. Your throw can affect them, so use that to your advantage.

Having said that, a game some of us play warming up for cricket is called 28. You throw one full turn at each cricket target. You simply add up marks. 4 marks a turn equals 28 which is the goal. You can set your own goal of course.
Earlier this year I was playing with Larry Butler, Darin Young, and Johnny K. The low man had to buy a round. (Yes I know it was stupid, lol)
Larry started off with 9mark 9mark. He had 18 after the 19's! Luckily Johnny and I both tied for third so we only had to get 2 beers each.

I agree Robbie the best way is to play others. Giving he is in Glasgow, not sure it would be as easy for him to find a pick up game of Cricket as it is for us here in the states.

Perhaps you can elaborate on how you practice solo in cricket to give him more ideas? I like when I see people trying to learn a new game and the more ammo and advise they have the better.

yeah living in glasgow cricket is a dirty word lol thanks for the help guys. once i can get me level up i'm going to see if i can get a webcam and try playing people on line. i'm also looking at getting a soft tip board and darts to give that a go

jamie373 wrote:

yeah living in glasgow cricket is a dirty word lol thanks for the help guys. once i can get me level up i'm going to see if i can get a webcam and try playing people on line. i'm also looking at getting a soft tip board and darts to give that a go

I play soft tips for both steel and soft! My practice board at home is a bristle board 25 years old at that. Stapled and rounded wires. I get very few bounce outs and have never had a dart fail to stick and stay in. Just need to use rigid soft tips like LipPoints. Works like a charm!

Flight School IMHO. Grouping and spot shooting routines. Gonna do another vid on this soon.

That's my take guys.

There really is no practice routine that you can do to help you with your strategy. However, like Larry said doing the Flight School exercises will help you develop a good consistency with your cricket game

I play against the dartslive 100s. Level 4 and 5 are very challenging and requires you to hit atleast 4 MPR which is great practice for me. Then ill move to steel board and do cricket triples around the board twice and also fat segments around the board

i seen a clip for the dartslive 100s on youtube looks like a good machine, pricey though especially getting on shipped here i've been looking the last few days for soft tip boards so as you say can play against the board . choice here is limited though and i'm not sure about how the specs,rules and games differ than the ones you see them playing in dartslive tournaments. also i don't know if the rules in that are common for other soft tip events . the 50 for anywhere on the bull and checking out on any number is that standard for soft tips ? i read the the oche distance differs as well ?

yes distance is further back. on the 100s machine you can choose whether you want the bull split of 50

I do have a Dartsmaster lll thats good practice.

If you like to practice where you can keep score on a computer, search for a program called nScore. It will let you play against the computer at various different skill levels and abilities.

I used to play against a "ghost" player. When I first started playing this game, the ghost player would shoot a 3 count each and every turn. I'd cork to see who started, if I hit a bull I would go first and if not the ghost would go first. I'd mark my shot and then mark for the ghost player as well. You have to be honest, and mark as if you were the ghost player. I found this also let me experiment with some strategy too. Depending on your ability, beating the ghost can be tough at first but if you find it too easy, move to 4 marks a round, 5 marks a round, etc.

I think it's fun to test sometimes against a program like nScore or the ghost game, or the 28 game Robbie brought up is a great one too. But, like a couple others have said, the stroke drills and the grouping drills are the best ones to practice to become a better player. You'll be a better cricket player and you'll hold up under pressure better with a consistent stroke.

I play LOTS of american cricket on steel boards. Over here, most of my local country men have an aversion to math, so it is really the bar game of choice. I practice at home with rings over the triples and just go round and round the board of cricket triples. I can hit t17 t15 t19 like none other! Mostly though it has helped me move from target to target accurately instead of just pounding away on the twenty, especially when i go for outs in 501

jamie373 wrote:

i know how to play against an opponent , but i was wondering what the best practise routines are. also i understand this game has a lot more strategy involved, any tips for practising that. i play 501 against the computer on an app i have on my phone , does anyone know of anything similar that you can also play cricket?

Play this weeks (new) weekly challenge over and over. By the end of the week I PROMISE you'll be a better cricket player.

Cricket definitely King here in the USA.

England are the best at Cricket

avaholic wrote:

If you like to practice where you can keep score on a computer, search for a program called nScore. It will let you play against the computer at various different skill levels and abilities.

I agree with this.

If you don't have anybody to play Cricket against, or if you're wanting to play Cricket against different opponents with different levels of play, then you should download "nScore" as it is the best electronic Cricket program available and it is free.

Written by the same guy who wrote the 501 game "n01". Both n01 and nScore are tiny programs that are packed with features.

Cricket practice: http://www.nakka.com/soft/nscore/index_eng.html
'01 practice: http://www.nakka.com/soft/n01/index_eng.html

I have also been using the practice rings with it. Ill set up one of the smaller rings over three different triples and just keep going till i get all three in one shot. Helps me when transitioning say from t16 to t15 to bull