Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / Bibliography. Also available via the Internet.

<b>Background:</b> Sport is an important form of physical activity and has been shown to have many health benefits. Cricket is a popular sport in the UK and internationally, but little is known about the short- and long-term health effects of a career in elite cricket. This thesis will describe the long-term physical and mental health of former elite cricketers compared to the general population, explore the association of cricket-related factors with their long-term musculoskeletal health, and evaluate the effect of elite fast bowling on the knee cartilage of current elite fast bowlers. <b>Methods:</b> A sample of male former elite English cricketers was recruited for a cross-sectional retrospective questionnaire study of the long-term health of former cricketers. Chronic conditions in the former cricketers were compared to a general population sample and cricket-related factors including playing position and injury were tested for their association with musculoskeletal outcomes. A sample of male and female current elite fast bowlers was recruited for a biomechanics and cross-sectional MRI study of their knee cartilage. The knee cartilage was compared between the bowlers' trailing leg versus the higher loaded leading leg, and was tested for associations with bowling kinematic and kinetic parameters. <b>Results:</b> The former elite cricketers reported a higher prevalence of osteoarthritis, total hip replacement, total knee replacement, anxiety and depression than the general population sample and a lower prevalence of heart problems than the general population. Injury was the only cricket-related factor analysed to be associated with the musculoskeletal outcomes of joint pain, osteoarthritis, and joint replacement in the former cricketers. The current elite fast bowlers did not demonstrate a statistically significant difference between the compartmental knee cartilage volume in the trailing leg versus the higher loaded leading leg. A clinically significantly greater cartilage volume was found in the lateral tibia compartment of the leading leg than the trailing leg. The lateral tibia cartilage of the leading leg was also found to be significantly associated with the knee flexion/extension moment and abduction/adduction moment at leading leg strike of the bowling action. <b>Conclusions:</b> This research identifies risks and benefits of a career in elite cricket, providing targets for prevention and resource provision for chronic conditions in current cricketers and cricketers transitioning out of elite cricket. These results also suggest that cartilage may be sensitive to bowling loads in current elite fast bowlers, providing evidence that increased physical activity and loading is associated with increased cartilage volume.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:30:15Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2009-05-29Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T21:00:38Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 martins_lp_me_rcla.pdf: 1219585 bytes, checksum: 53d3447720b08aa3206a28981bb6b5de (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / O gênero Gryllus Linnaeus, 1758 compreende 78 espécies descritas, ocorrendo na América desde o Canadá até a Argentina, bem como em diversas regiões da África, Europa e Ásia. Na América do Sul existem registros da ocorrência de 12 espécies que foram descritas no século XIX e desde então pouca informação foi adicionada à taxonomia desses insetos. Trata-se de um dos gêneros mais complexos de Grylloidea devido à presença de espécies crípticas e à taxonomia confusa, gerada por diferentes critérios taxonômicos e baseada em amostragens reduzidas, desprezando as variações intraespecíficas. O objetivo deste trabalho foi aplicar diversas ferramentas, com destaque à bioacústica e à morfologia da fileira estridulatória, retomando o trabalho taxonômico nos Gryllus da América do Sul, a partir de uma área restrita do extremo sul do Brasil. O trabalho foi dividido em três capítulos: I - Taxonomia de Gryllus Linnaeus, 1758 (Orthoptera, Gryllidae) do extremo sul do Brasil: duas novas espécies e Gryllus argentinus Saussure, 1874; II - Revisão do som de chamado e da fileira estridulatória de Gryllus Linnaeus, 1758 (Orthoptera, Gryllidae); III - Variação intraespecífica no som de chamado de Gryllus sp. n.2 (Orthoptera, Gryllidae): implicações taxonômicas. Os resultados deste trabalho servirão como base para os estudos taxonômicos em Gryllus na América do Sul e facilitarão as revisões do som de chamado e da fileira estridulatória neste gênero. A análise de proles provenientes de fêmeas fecundadas na natureza permitiu delimitar a variação no som de chamado de Gryllus sp. n.2, assegurando a determinação específica desse táxon. / The genus Gryllus Linnaeus, 1758 includes 78 described species, occurring in America from Canada to Argentina, as well as in several areas of Africa, Europe and Asia. There are 12 species in South America described in nineteenth century. Since few data were added to the taxonomy of these insects. This genus is among the most complex of Grylloidea due cryptic species and ancient taxonomy erected by different criteria and based on small samples, despising intraspecific variations. The aim of this work was to apply tools such as bioacoustics and stridulatory file morphology, retaking the taxonomic study in South America’s Gryllus, in a restricted area of Southern Brazil. The work was structured in three chapters: I - Taxonomy of Gryllus Linnaeus, 1758 (Orthoptera, Gryllidae) of the southern Brazil: two new species and Gryllus argentinus Saussure, 1874; II – Revision of the calling song and stridulatory file of Gryllus Linnaeus, 1758 (Orthoptera, Gryllidae); III – Intraespecific variation in the calling song of Gryllus n. sp.2 (Orthoptera, Gryllidae): taxonomic implications. This work presents information about calling song and stridilatory file features supporting new taxonomic studies on Gryllus. The offspring from field inseminated females confirmed that variations on the calling song of Gryllus n. sp.2 were intraspecific improving specific determination of this taxon.

This thesis is a study of the history of women’s cricket from the 1880s until 1939. Although the primary focus of this thesis is the interwar years, it explores the earliest forms of women’s cricket to provide context for the motivation of individuals to promote the game as acceptable for women, and of those who denounced its suitability. By exploring societal concerns over correct masculine and feminine behaviour and ideals, this thesis provides insight into the methods that contemporaries adopted to contrast these restrictions. Through a detailed examination of local newspapers and archival sources, this thesis investigates the reactions by society to the concept of women playing what was hitherto seen as a masculine sport. In particular it examines the relationship not only between the women and men who organised cricket on a national scale, but between middle- and working- class women and how class played an equally important role as gender as a restricting influence on opportunities for working-class women to participate in leisure. As a consequence, this thesis will demonstrate the willingness of working-class women to participate in physical activities when given the opportunity, either through their male counterparts, or the workplace. Although academic work on the history of women’s sport is an expanding field, little attention has been paid to specific team games, with the exception of football. Similarly, research on women’s sport has primarily focused on women of the upper- and middle-classes, with the activities of working-class women being largely overlooked. This thesis aims to expand our knowledge of women’s cricket by not only providing a detailed examination of the national sporting organisations, but also to redress the knowledge gaps surrounding the participation in sport by working-class women.

Transformation is one the most talked about topics within the cricket circles in South Africa and will continue to remain so until all the imbalance are addressed. Even today, more than twelve years after unity there are still worrying aspects of resistance. There exists an opinion in some clubs, schools and even corridors of white opinion, a notion that there was no past culture of cricket in previously disadvantaged communities. The transformation process, devised to regulate for speedier redress and access to higher levels of participation, is often regarded as reverse discrimination and violates the rights and diminishes opportunities for selection of players from previously advantaged communities. As time goes by more questions will be asked about the successes and failures of the United Cricket Board of South Africa’s development programmes in their quest to close the gap between black and white cricket players. The main objective of this study is to establish if the transformation agenda as outlined in the National Transformation Charter and the policies designed by the United Cricket Board has made an impact with its efforts to reshape the game and build a new national cricket culture in a new democracy. Within this study the aim is to evaluate the impact transformation has made on cricket since unification in 1991. To understand why transformation is fundamentally important to cricket an outline is given on the current status of South African sport and a brief introduction is given as to the goals and objectives of the study. The literature review gives an overall view of sport under Apartheid in South Africa, and how sport in particular contributed to culture creation and nation building. The role of sponsors and their duel purpose in the promotion of sport and seeking future business is also touched on in the literature review. The literature review also reflects on the National Transformation Charter which includes the ten thrusts. The transformation challenges faced by the United Cricket Board is included in the literature review, but one must discuss transformation taking into consideration the controversial decision by the United Cricket Board to scrap the “quota” system so early into the new democracy. This is discussed at length as it had far reaching effects on the transformation policies of the United Cricket Board and all its affiliates. Chapter three focuses on the various methods applied during the study. Given the nature of the study a qualitative approach is preferred as the intentional focus is on personal perceptions, attitudes, conceptual understandings and objectives of the research participants. A brief outline is also given in this chapter on the sampling method used, gaining access and the use of a structured questionnaire during formal interviews. Mention is also made of the documentary research, observational studies and the challenges and constraints faced during the course of the study. Chapter four highlights the views of the government on cricket transformation and also explains the United Cricket Board’s transformation perspective. The overall development plan of the United Cricket Board is discussed. This is followed by the evaluation of the successes and failures of the various development programs within cricket. The study aims to highlight the role played by the United Cricket Board and all its administrative structures as well as contributions made by the private sector in their attempts to address the imbalances of the past. The study of the cricket development with specific reference made to certain programmes that were designed to make a significant contribution to transformation is discussed and evaluated. The question concerning transformation and nation building is questioned and answered. Practical examples are given on how players benefited and failed as a result of some the programmes that were designed to give them opportunities to succeed as cricketers. The perception of parents, teachers, players and administrators relating to transformation is highlighted in this project. A short statistical summary is given in this chapter to highlight the responses to certain questions pertaining to transformation. The concluding chapter gives an account of the contributions made by the cricket development programmes as well as the failures in trying to transform the game. It gives an account of the opinions expresses by current as well as former national players on the issues surrounding transformation and the inclusion of black player in the national team. This chapter also highlights the mentality and perceptions that still exist within certain sectors of the cricket establishments. It attempts to highlight possible reasons as to why transformation has been such a contentious issue and the reasons why it will take a while before the true impact of the National Transformation Charter can be measured. It also makes mention that development is an ongoing process and the United Cricket Board together with all its stakeholder should continue to promote and encourage cricket at all levels as it is the second most popular sport in South Africa. / Prof. W.M. Conradie

The present study sought to determine the influence of environmental conditions and protective clothing on physiological, perceptual and performance responses during batting activity. The investigation examined mean skin temperature, average heart rate, estimated sweat rate, rating of perceived exertion, thermal sensation rating, average sprint time and pre-post choice reaction time. Twenty-five cricketers (18-22 yr, 73.1 ± 9.6 kg, 1768 ± 75 mm, 12.6 ± 3.1% body fat, 1.89 ± 0.16 m2) performed a work-bout consisting of a seven-Over batting period, during which time they faced deliveries from a bowling machine and performed two shuttle runs every third ball to total four sprints per Over. Trials were carried out under High-stress (23.8 ± 2.2 °C) and Low-stress (13.3 ± 1.9 °C) environmental conditions (WBGT). Within each environmental condition subjects performed the test wearing full protective batting gear and no protective gear. Thus, four specific conditions were examined; high full-gear (HFG), high no-gear (HNG), low full-gear (LFG) and low no-gear (LNG). Two-way ANOVAs were calculated to determine whether there were differences between environmental conditions and whether differences existed between the clothing conditions. One-way ANOVAs were utilised to compute differences between the four specific conditions combining clothing and environment. High environmental stress and wearing protective clothing caused batsmen to experience significant physiological strain. The environment was the greatest stressor, with the protective gear exacerbating these effects. However, when padding covered skin areas directly, this was the primary skin temperature stressor, particularly later in the activity. For skin temperature and heart rate, the strain was the most pronounced at the end of the trials. Perceptual responses indicated that the protective gear had no influence on effort sense, thermal sensation or thermal comfort. However, environmental conditions had an effect, and High-stress conditions resulted in significantly higher perceptions of effort, elevated sensations of heat and greater thermal discomfort. Effort was perceived to be greatest towards the end of the trial. There were mixed findings for performance factors. In general sprint performance was not hindered by environmental stress, but protective clothing caused a reduction in several sprint times. Choice reaction times were for the most part unaffected by either environment or clothing and few differences were observed between pre and post times. It is contended that intense short duration batting activity, likely encountered during one-day participation, imposes a stress on batsmen. The stress is greater when conditions are warmer and protective padding is worn, although it is not sufficient to impede choice reaction time. However, protective gear did have a deleterious effect on sprint performance.

Sports fans often scrutinise the team selection strategies employed by their favourite team's coach or selection panel. Many of these fans believe that they can perform the selection process far better than those tasked with the responsibility. Fantasy leagues, provide a platform for fans to test their hand at this selection procedure. Twenty20 cricket is a new and exciting form of cricket and has become very popular in recent years. This research focuses on bringing these concepts together by proposing a binary integer program to determine a team selection strategy for fantasy league cricket. This is done in a Twenty20 setting. The approach used in this study focuses on evaluating the effectiveness of previously developed performance measures in a fantasy league setting. Adjustments to these measures are made and new measures are proposed. These measures are then used to select a fantasy league team using a prospective approach. This is done to provide fantasy league participants with a mathematical procedure for fantasy league team selection.

Research findings have supported a relationship between psychological characteristics and optimal performance states, indicating that elite and successful sports participants are more motivated, committed, self-confident, focused and able to peak under pressure compared to non-elite and less successful participants. The reason for this is that a human being’s biomechanical and physiological harmonisation of movement is mediated by various aspects of psychological involvement. The psychological components of physical-skills execution in sport can be enhanced by the corrective application of mental-skills training. Personalised mental-skills training enables participants to understand their cognitions in order to allow a degree of flow in the coordination and execution of task-related skills through the various mood states of participation. A participant’s ability to control the mental and emotional aspects associated with competition not only facilitates task performance but also serves as a psychological keystone of self-belief and wellbeing. Sports psychology has recently directed its focus to identifying psychological skills relevant to different types of individual and team sports for the purpose of providing on-the-field psychological support. Investigations in South Africa, addressing the psychological constructs conducive to performance in cricket are limited, at both the professional and the amateur levels of competition. At this stage, there are no documented findings available in which the relationship between mental skills and skilled performance in cricket is addressed. Therefore, research questions for this study are formulated as: <ul><li> “Are there significant differences in the psychological background information on cricket players from different levels of cricket competition?” </li><li> “Is there a significant relationship between mental skills and the level of cricket player participation?” </li><li> “Is there a significant relationship between mental skills and the specialised roles played in cricket?” </li><li> “Is there is a significant relationship between mental skills and batting order in cricket?” </li></ul> The study was approached from a quantitative (descriptive) perspective since it was the perceptions and mental skills relative to cricket players’ levels of participation that were assessed. A questionnaire assessing the general perspectives on psychology of respondents, and three other standardised psychometric measures (Competitive Anxiety Inventory-2 [Martens et al., 1990]; The Athletic Coping Skills Inventory-28 [Smith et al., 1995], and Bull’s Mental Skills Questionnaire [Bull et al., 1996]) with Cronbach’s alpha coefficient ranging between 0.79 and 0.90, were used as research instruments. These Likert-type scale questionnaires were administered to 127 cricket players (30.7% Junior Academy; 53.6% Premier League/Senior Academy and 15.7% Senior Provincial players) to explore their general psychological background information and the mental skills differences between three progressive levels of cricket participation established and recognised by the Northerns Cricket Union (NCU) in the Pretoria Gauteng region of South Africa. Other aims were to investigate the relationship between mental skills and the different tasks (e.g. batting, bowling, wicket keeping) performed in cricket and as well as to investigate the relationship between mental skills and batting order. Overall results obtained from the respondents’ general psychological background information revealed that cricket players, regardless of level of participation, have insufficient exposure to, training in and knowledge of the psychological aspects associated with cricket performance. It is evident from the results that cricket players spent limited time on psychological-skills training and that they exercise only the physiological and skills-related aspects of the game. One-way analysis of variance (one-way Anova) indicated that there were no statistically significant differences between the three levels of participating respondents in terms of their performance in the various mental-skills and coping-skills subscales. Analysis of the Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2 subscales indicated no statistically significant differences in the cognitive and somatic anxiety scores between the three levels of participation. However, a statistically significant difference was found in terms of self-confidence in the senior provincial players whose scores were higher on this construct than those of the other two levels of cricket participants. A comparison of the performance of the various specialised roles in cricket on the mental skills questionnaire indicated that the all-rounders had significantly higher imagery ability and motivation scores than batsmen and bowlers. The various specialised roles showed a very similar outcome on the cognitive, somatic and state self-confidence levels. A significant difference in batting order was revealed in top-order batsmen scoring the highest on motivation and lower-order batsmen scoring the highest on coachability. No other mental-skills difference existed between the different groups of batting order. The conclusion was that, in essence, there are no mental-skills differences between cricket players from various levels of participation in the one-day cricket format. A definite psychological-skills profile did come to the fore, indicating that successful cricket participants, regardless of what level of competition they compete in, express high proficiencies in motivation, self-confidence, coachability, imagery ability, concentration ability and peaking under pressure. The study concludes with recommendations for expanding knowledge on the direction and intensity of mental skills in contributing to cricket performance. A more holistic view on the psychological differences between successful and less successful cricket participants at the same level of participation is recommended as well as a comparison between the mental skills of one-day and multiple-day cricket players. Sports psychologists and cricket coaches are also encouraged to collate their experience and expertise in developing and implementing individualised psychological-skills-training (PST) programmes to satisfy the players’ psychological needs when dealing with the performance demands of the game. Implications for further investigations are listed since there were several aspects that did not fall within the aims of this investigation. / Dissertation (Master of Arts)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Biokinetics, Sport and Leisure Sciences / unrestricted

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