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CRICKET 2004
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PLAYING GUIDE VERSION 1.0
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BY JAMES GORDON (AKA RONALDO77)
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CONTENTS
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1.0) Introduction
2.0) Batting
(2.1) Game Controls
(2.2) Batting Tips
3.0) Bowling
(3.1) Game Controls
(3.2) Bowling Tips
4.0) Fielding
5.0) Permission & Contact
6.0) My Other Guides
VERSIONS - V1.0: This guide is made. Contains all the game controls and also my
current tips.
In future versions look for more tips as I find them, and also guides on the
best batting teams, and best bowling teams. Also a Fielding Section
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1.0 INTRODUCTION
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This is the Cricket 2004 Playing Guide. I have come up with this guide due to a
number of requests on the Cricket 2004 board, so I can share my knowledge of the
game and also my tips in both batting and bowling.
Cricket 2004 is made by EA Sports and contains all the test match sides, as well
as all of the competitors from the 2003 Cricket World Cup. The whole of the
English County Game is included, first class and one day matches. The whole
Australian state competition is included too, as well as a few South African
club sides.
There are a lot of sides, ranging from the best teams such as Australia, to the
worst sides, the likes of the Duke's XI who are representative sides who give
warm up matches to the test sides in preparation for a Test Series. This guide
will hopefully help you play against the best and the worst teams.
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2.0 BATTING
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Well there are two main factors in Cricket, one of them being batting. It's
important to get a good score whilst batting to ensure you have something to
bowl at. So, in this section you will find Batting game controls and tips!
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2.1 GAME CONTROLS
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ACTION - CONTROL
Move Batsman/Direct Shot - Directional Button/Left Analog Stick
Back Foot shot/shortcut - Triangle Button
Front Foot shot/shortcut - X Button
Play no shot/Duck/Cancel Run - Square Button
Power boost (when playing a shot) - L1 Button
Advance down wicket shot/start run - Circle Button
When playing an attacking shot, directional button/left analog stick to choose
the shot.
To make a further run, press the circle button again before the batsmen reach
the crease.
SHOT SELECTIONS
Press the relevant shot button (ie. X) and push the left analog stick to perform
these shots:
(these are mirrored for a left-handed batsman)
UP Only - Defensive
UP & RIGHT - Sweep/Hook
RIGHT ONLY - Leg Glance
DOWN & RIGHT - On-drive
DOWN ONLY - Straight Drive
DOWN & LEFT - Cover Drive
LEFT ONLY - Square Drive/Square Cut
UP & LEFT - Late Cut/Steer
SHOT GUIDE
1. Press the X button to signal that you are ready to face the next delivery
2. Watch the bowling cursor to see where the ball is going to pitch
3. Directional button/left analog stick LEFT/RIGHT to line up the batsman
- The bowler begins his run-up, towards the end of which the batsman can
no-longer move
- As the bowler begins his run up, press the L2/R2 buttons to look left and
right (from a first-person perspective) so that you can see where there is space
in the field to place the perfect shot.
4. Choose the best shot to play. Hit a fantastic shot and watch the confidence
of your batsman soar.
- Press the X Button/Triangle Button and direction button/left analog stick UP
to play a defensive shot.
- Press the X Button (front foot shot)/Triangle Button (back foot shot)/O button
(advance down wicket shot) and direction button/left analog stick to play an
attacking shot.
- To play no shot or duck, press the square button
- To add power to your shot, press the L1 button
5. If there is a run available, press the O button (press the O button again
before the batsmen reach the crease to run again)
- Press the square button to abort the current run
- If there are two players controlling the two batsmen then both players will
need to press teh O button to run.
- Continue batting through the order until the end of your innings or until you
lose all your wickets.
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2.2 MY BATTING TIPS
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OK, this is the section where my experience (!!) of the game is designed to help
you, the reader, out. So, enjoy!
1. When you first get in, try not to play any shots on the offside (to the right
with a right hand batsman) as with a low batting confidence meter, the batsman
will more than likely miss the ball, or worse edge to the keeper or the slip
fielders. At worse, press UP to defend, but if you are definite that it will not
hit the wicket then leave it by pressing square or by not pressing a button at
all.
2. If the ball is bowled right to your feet, on the wickets (at any stage of the
innings) obviously do not leave it, but also dont play a defensive shot. The
chances are that you will miss it and lose your wicket. So to avoid this, press
O and down to advance down the wicket. Depending on the field, you might be able
to get a few runs!
3. Dont think you have to be aggressive all the time. If ever you think a ball
may hit the wicket, use UP to play a defensive. There is no shame in it, and
theres no rush in the test match. Admittedly, I have never played out a maiden
over against the computer, but I have defended 5 balls in a row, particularly
off spin bowling.
4. Dont think you have to slog either. I hardly press L1 unless I know it will
go for six/four and there is no risk. There are plenty of spaces in the field to
hit boundaries by just pressing X and hitting it along the floor.
5. Build your innings by defending balls on the wickets, but punishing
deliveries played down leg side. Just press RIGHT to hit a leg glance along the
floor.
6. When your confidence meter goes over the halfway mark, then you can start
playing cover drives etc. Dont do them all the time, but if you get the right
delivery (pitched up) then hit it through the covers!
7. Dont take risky runs. If you know there isnt another run, dont go for it! If
you hit it through the inner fielders and there is no one directly onto the ball
on the boundary, you should get 2. If you hit it directly to a fielder on the
boundary, you can grab a single.
8. Look for quick singles. Especially in one day matches. If you defend, and
there are no fielders close in, and the bowler and keeper are not right on the
ball, then go for the single. You can always turn back if it isnt on.
9. If you are ever going to press L1 to put the ball in the air, use LEFT or
RIGHT, never DOWN. If you try to slog it back over the bowlers head, you will
never get it right and will lob a simple catch to mid on or mid off.
MY FAVOURITE SHOTS
When the ball is going down leg side and is pitched in the middle, I tend to go
for a Leg glance shot by pressing L1, Triangle and RIGHT (or left for left
handed batsmen). Usually this gets me a six. Dont try it early in your innings
though!
Early on in your innings, there will be a lot of fielders around the bat and in
the slips. So, if the ball is going down leg side, press UP and LEFT (or right
for left handed batsmen) to hit an on drive. It will go past the bowler and
should go for four without a fielder reaching it, presuming there isnt a man at
mid-off or on the boundary.
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OK so thats the batting section done. Ive probably got a few more tips, but I
cant remember them right now. If I do think of any more, I will put them in the
next version of this guide!
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3.0 BOWLING
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This section will tell you all of what you need to know to help you become a
good bowler on Cricket 2004.
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3.1 GAME CONTROLS
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ACTION - CONTROL
Start a delivery - X button/O Button/Triangle Button/Square Button
Position bowling cursor/movement marker - Directional Button/left analog stick
Stop the bowling meter filling up - X button/O Button/Triangle Button/Square
Button
BOWLING GUIDE
Effective bowling is a vital factor in winning a match. There are three steps to
follow when bowling:
1. Select a delivery by pressing the X button/O Button/Triangle Button/Square
Button.
2. Directional button/left analog stick LEFT/RIGHT to position the bowling
cursor. This will determine where the ball will pitch. Less skilful bowlers have
a larger cursor because it is harder to predict where the ball will pitch.
NOTE: You have a limited time in which to position the bowling cursor - after
that time it cannot be moved.
3. Once the bowler has started his run-up, the power meter begins to fill up.
Press the same button again (X button/O Button/Triangle Button/Square Button)
when the sweet spot on the meter is reached. If the meter goes beyond the sweet
spot, it is a 'no-ball'.
- Keep an eye on the ball counter for each over and the stamina of your current
bowler. At the end of the over you have the chance to change the bowler.
4. Directional button/left analog stick to adjust the movement marker and apply
spin or seam to the ball. The further you adjust thte movement marker from the
centre of the ball, the greater the spin or seam. The amount of spin or seam
that can be applied is dependant on the type of delivery you selected when
starting to bowl.
BALL DELIVERY SELECTION
Each type of bowler has a number of deliveries to choose from. Select one by
pressing the relevant button.
NOTE: A new bowler's details are displayed before he begins to bowl, indicating
his bowling style as well as match statistics.
- Fast/Medium-Fast Bowler
ACTION - CONTROL
Normal Delivery - X Button
Slower Ball - Triangle Button
Leg Cutter - Square Button
Off Cutter - O Button
- Medium Bowler
ACTION - CONTROL
Straight Delivery - X Button
In-swinger - O Button
Out-swinger - Square Button
- Off Spin Bowler
ACTION - CONTROL
Normal Delivery - X Button/O Button
Arm Ball - Triangle Button
- Leg Spin Bowler
ACTION - CONTROL
Normal Delivery - X Button/Square Button
Googly - O Button
Flipper - Triangle Button
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3.2 MY BOWLING TIPS
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OK, this is the section where I provide tips learnt from playing the game. I
have to admit, I enjoy batting more than bowling, but I still have a few good
tips for bowling.
1. Early on in the innings, bring on a LEG SPINNER. Leave the field as it is,
with a number of fielders crowded round the bat. Bowl varied deliveries by
pressing a different button for each delivery (X button/O Button/Triangle
Button/Square Button). Pitch the ball in the middle or near the batsman's feet.
There is a good chance he will get trapped LBW, or he will lunge for a defensive
shot and spoon a simple catch to the close in fielders.
2. When bowling on a hard surface with a fast bowler, use the spin/seam marker
cleverly. Move the marker to the far left of the ball (in the bottom left hand
corner as you run up to bowl) and then pitch it just outside off stump. If you
are lucky, a good swing bowler will get the ball to cut back. The batsman,
thinking it was going outside off stump, leaves the ball which cuts in and hits
top of off stump. This is a tricky technique though, as you have to get it
almost perfect for the batsman to leave it. Also, you have to get it right so it
doesnt bounce over the stumps.
3. Dont bowl your bowlers too much. If you have a star bowler, dont use him
loads. 10 overs is stretching the limit, so bowl fast bowlers for perhaps 6 or 7
overs, give them a rest and then bring them back on later if needed. Spin
bowlers can go on for 15 or 16 bowlers, useful if you want to tie up one end
when you are risking runs with a fast bowler.
4. In one day matches, start with your best two fast bowlers. Then after they
have used half of their alloted overs, take one bowler off and save him for the
end of the innings. That way, you have a better chance of keeping the run rate
down at the end of the innings.
5. When bowling to left handers, use the slower ball. If you do this every so
often, and put a bit of spin on the ball, it may take the batsman by surprise,
and trap him LBW.
6. Try and avoid pitching it down the leg side. The batsman will take every
opportunity he can to take runs off the leg side as there are very little risks.
7. Maybe once every two overs, bowl a yorker right at the batsmans feet. If you
have tied the batsman down with good bowling, he may take a lazy shot and edge
to the slips. Or, he may go for a defensive and the ball may creep under his
bat, knocking out middle stump. Its worth a try!
Thats all for bowling tips for now, but look out for more tips in the next
version of this guide.
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4.0 FIELDING
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Coming soon....
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5.0 PERMISSION & CONTACT
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The following websites have permission to use this guide
www.neoseeker.com
I, James Gordon, have produced this guide alone and the copying of this guide
for uses other than personal is not permitted. If you wish to host my guide on
your website or have any questions concerning this guide, email me at
james@sportreport.tk.
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6.0 MY OTHER GUIDES
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Well Im starting to do quite a few guides for PS2 Games now, so look out for
them. They are:
Rugby League PS2 - Leigh Centurions Creation Guide
Rugby League PS2 - Salford City Reds Creation Guide
Rugby League PS2 - Hull KR Creation Guide
Rugby League PS2 - Neoseeker RLFC Creation Guide
Rugby League PS2 - York City Knights Creation Guide
Rugby League PS2 - Game Customisation Help Guide
Rugby League PS2 - 2004 Updated Rosters Guide
Pro Evolution Soccer 3 - Neoseeker FC Creation Guide
Pro Evolution Soccer 3 - Euro 2004 Squad Guide
Smash Court Tennis Pro Tournament 2 - Unlockables Guide
Coming soon: General Cricket 2004 Guide, General F1 04 Guide.
If you wish to request an FAQ/Guide, email me at james@sportreport.tk.