Technology boost creates cricket 'badgers' at Framlingham College

School using Frogbox, Lilypad and On-Form to get best out of players

When Jack Beaumont was appointed head of cricket in September 2021, one of his aims was to improve the school's use of technology in coaching and matches, hoping to "eradicate" himself from the process by developing cricketers who understand their own game. 

Fast forward two years and in addition to fielding 40 teams across the senior and prep school and running a year-round programme which gives every pupil "the option to do something cricket-related every week", Framlingham have installed Frogbox to livestream all matches on the main square and use analysis software, including Lilypad and On-Form, during coaching sessions. 

"I love the technology aspect. It can be a great help to kids because cricket is so technical,” Beaumont explains. "We video every session, every 1:1 or group element will get recorded at some point. The pupils all have access to that, and the aim is we build up this knowledge [and] the kids take ownership. The number of questions I've had from sharing the videos is really good.

^{The school emphasises match play in its cricket programme}

"I had a lot of badgers in my year 13 boys. They'd come and watch rewatch the livestream ball by ball, something they never had access to before. They got a lot savvier to match situations because they were looking at clips, how they got out, the few balls before they got out. I’d have batters walking in going, 'Sir, I get stuck in this scenario' which is a shift from when I’d have to tell them [what was wrong]. They could work it out themselves."

Framlingham’s programme also has an emphasis on match play, with regular, competitive fixtures throughout the year to keep pupils engaged. 

"We do so much training over the winter [but] you can’t test your skills because there’s no fixtures. Sometimes kids lose the plot, not knowing if it’s making an outcome change. We try and create little tournaments, indoor matches, to create a bit of competition – kids don’t want to be training in October for no reason."

Some of the college’s fixture innovations include the Masters League, an internal franchise competition for C and D-team players who would otherwise only play a handful of matches per year, and the East Independent Schools' Cricket League, a six-school competition with points feeding into not just team leagues but also an overall school league, encouraging pupils to take an interest in results outside their own team: "Everyone has something to play for!"