the effect of a perceptual-motor training programme on the coincident anticipation timing and

122 Pages·2010·1.33 MB·English

THE EFFECT OF A PERCEPTUAL-MOTOR
TRAINING PROGRAMME ON THE
COINCIDENT ANTICIPATION TIMING AND
BATTING PERFORMANCE OF CLUB CRICKET
PLAYERS

Grant David van Velden

Thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements
for the degree of Master of Sport Science
at Stellenbosch University

Study Leader: Prof. E.S. Bressan

December 2010
Declaration

By submitting this thesis electronically, I declare that the entirety of the work
contained therein is my own, original work, that I am the owner of the copyright
thereof (unless to the extent explicitly otherwise stated) and that I have not
previously in its entirety or in part submitted it for obtaining any qualification.

______________________ _________________________

Signature: Grant David van Velden Date

Copyright © 2010 Stellenbosch University

All rights reserved

ii
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of a perceptual-
motor training programme on the coincident anticipation timing and batting
performance of university club cricket players. The intervention programme
focused on developing players‟ visual attention and concentration. Vickers‟ (2007)
Three-Step Decision Training Model was used to structure the training sessions.
The study followed a repeated measures experimental design with three
groups (experimental, placebo, and control) formed by volunteers from a university
club cricket team. The independent variable was a four-week training programme.
The dependent variables were coincident anticipation timing and performance on a
cricket batting test. Subjects were pre- and post-tested with retention tests
occurring after a set period of “no training” following the post-tests.
Differences between groups were compared using Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA
by Ranks Tests. Differences within each group were compared using multiple
Mann-Whitney U-Tests. No significant improvements were observed in the
experimental group‟s coincident anticipation timing and batting performance.
Although neither coincident anticipation timing nor batting performance
significantly improved, further research into the use of Vickers‟ (2007) Model to
enhance sport performance is recommended.

Keywords: cricket batting; perceptual-motor training; coincident anticipation
timing; batting performance; gaze control.

iii
Opsomming
Die doel van hierdie studie was om die uitwerking van ʼn perseptueel-
motoriese opleidingsprogram op die samevallende vooruittydsberekening
(“coincident anticipation timing”) en kolfprestasie van
universiteitsklubkrieketspelers te bepaal. Die klem van die intervensieprogram het
op die ontwikkeling van spelers se visuele aandag en konsentrasie geval. Die
opleidingsessies is volgens Vickers (2007) se drieledige model vir
besluitnemingsopleiding saamgestel.
Die studie het ʼn eksperimentele ontwerp van herhaalde metings op drie
groepe (eksperimenteel, plasebo en kontrole) van ʼn universiteitsklubkrieketspan
toegepas. Die onafhanklike veranderlike was ʼn vier weke lange
opleidingsprogram. Die afhanklike veranderlikes was samevallende
vooruittydsberekening, en prestasie in ʼn krieketkolftoets. Proefpersone het voor en
net ná die opleiding toetse ondergaan, sowel as behoudtoetse drie weke ná die
na-opleidingstoetse.
Verskille tussen groepe is met behulp van rangtoetse uit Kruskal-Wallis se
variansie-analisemodel (ANOVA) bepaal, terwyl verskille binne groepe met
veelvuldige Mann-Whitney-U-toetse vergelyk is. Geen beduidende verbetering is
in die eksperimentele groep se samevallende vooruittydsberekening of
kolfprestasie waargeneem nie. Hoewel nóg samevallende vooruittydsberekening
nóg kolfprestasie aansienlik verbeter het, word verdere navorsing oor die gebruik
van Vickers (2007) se model vir die verbetering van sportprestasie aanbeveel.

Trefwoorde: krieketkolfwerk; perseptueel-motoriese opleiding; samevallende
vooruittydsberekening; kolfprestasie; visiebeheer

iv
Acknowledgements

I would like to acknowledge the following individuals and institutions for their
invaluable contribution to the completion of this thesis.

 Professor E.S Bressan, for her guidance and support over the last two
years

 Maties Cricket Club and the subjects who gave of their time to take
part in this study

 My family and friends, for their unwavering support of this study

 Department of Sport Science, Stellenbosch University

 Centre for Human Performance Sciences, Stellenbosch University

 Stellenbosch University Sports Performance Institute

 Mr Justin Harvey

 Mr Matthew Richardson

 Mr Douglas Saxby

 Mr Gareth Paterson

 Mr Kevin Daniel

Opinions expressed and conclusions arrived at, are those of the author and do not
necessarily reflect those of the above institutions.
v
Table of Contents

Page
Chapter One Setting the Context of the Study 1
The Gaze Control Framework 2
Object Recognition Phase 4
Object Tracking Phase 4
Object Control Phase 4
The Decision Training Model 5
Behavioural Training 5
Decision Training 6
Purpose of the Study 11
Research Questions 11
Significance of the Study 11
Methodology 13
Limitations 14
Summary 14
Chapter Two Review of Literature 16
Vision and Sport Performance 18
Expert-Novice Differences 20
Cricket-specific Research 21
Eye Dominance as a Consideration 24
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Visual-Motor Control 26
Batting and Visual-Motor Control 26
The Role of Coincident Anticipation Timing 27
Visual Skills and Visual-Motor Control 28
Visual Skills 28
Training Visual Skills 29
Support for Transferability to Sport Performance 30
Doubts about Transferability to Sport Performance 37
Vision Training and Decision Training 38
Vision Training vs. Visual Skills Training 38
Decision Training 39
Conclusion 40
Chapter Three Methodology 42
Research Design 42
Procedures 43
Selection of Subjects 43
Inclusion Criteria 43
Exclusion Criteria 44
Pre-Test Assessment Protocols 45
Coincident Anticipation Timing Test 46
Batting Performance Test 48
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Eye Dominance Test 53
Administration of the Post- and Retention Tests 53
Intervention Programme 54
Data Analysis 55
Summary 56
Chapter Four Results and Discussion 58
Descriptive Data 58
Preliminary Data Analysis 59
Eye Dominance and Coincident Anticipation Timing 59
Eye Dominance and Batting Performance 61
Similarity between Groups 63
Inter-rater Reliability 65
Research Question One 67
Research Question Two 69
Research Question Three 72
Research Question Four 74
Chapter Five Summary and Conclusions 79
Effects of the Training Programme 79
80
Whole-Body Coordination Training
81
Disruptions for the Control Group
82
Additional Concerns
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Assessment of Batting Performance 82
Psychological Aspects of Batting 83
Thoughts on Training Programmes 83
Thoughts on Vision and Cricket 85
Recommendations for Future Programmes 85
Future Research 86
Conclusion 87
References 88
Appendix A Informed Consent Form 97
Appendix B Expert Information Sheet 102
Appendix C Sports Vision Intervention Programme 103

ix
List of Figures

Page
Figure 1. 3
Vickers‟ (2007) Gaze Control Framework for interceptive timing tasks
highlighting the lack of gaze control research on cricket batting.
Figure 2. 7
Vickers‟ (2007) Three-Step Decision Training Model highlighting the skills,
triggers and tools used in this study.
Figure 3. 45
The playing positions of the subjects in the study (N=21).
Figure 4. 46
The Bassin Anticipation Timer (Lafayette Instruments, Lafayette, IN).
Figure 5. 47
A right-handed subject standing in his batting position, ready to perform the
coincident anticipation timing test on the Bassin Anticipation Timer.
Figure 6. 50
Kanon Dimple Ball used in conjunction with the Kanon Bowling Machine.
Figure 7. 51
Kanon Bowling Machine set-up for cricket bowling.
Figure 8. 60
Eye dominance of subjects in the study (N=21).
Figure 9. 61
Mean absolute error ± SD of right-eye vs. left-eye dominant subjects.
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