CAREER MODE TIPS
TIPS FOR HOW TO GET SUCCES IN CAREER MODE
The Career Mode gives Don Bradman Cricket (14) the longevity that will keep you playing longer than you'll care to admit. Many of the weekends has dwindled past as I thought to myself "just one more match" in an attempt to revive my fledgling averages.
After starting my third career file, and devising plans for a fourth, here are some beginner's tips for those starting as a virtual cricketer for the first time.
Update teams before you start
The Don Bradman Cricket Academy is a great licensing workaround and ensures the onus is on the community to keep player lists updated. The automated “replace with best” option is now out of date – unless you want Alex Doolan at number three in the Australian Test team. Instead, you should manually download the best “rising” teams, which are more recent, at least for the domestic and international teams you intend to play as. You can then edit the squads, usually of 30 players, and the batting order to suit – remember if your career player is a number four batsman, the number four in the team will never play.
Unfortunately, these are the teams you’re stuck with for an entire career. Even when you become captain, you can’t change the playing XI or even the batting order. It won’t change automatically, and can’t be changed manually even to other players in the squad who aren’t playing. Ensure you’re happy, very happy, with the teams for the long haul. It cannot be changed once you’ve started a career.
Begin at ‘Pro’ difficulty
There are easier options, which aren’t tracked for leaderboards but don’t bother with them. “Pro” is how Career Mode is meant to be played. The jump from Amateur to Pro is immense and requires timing to be completely relearnt. You’re better off starting on the medium difficulty, despite the steep learning curve. The difficulty in career will eventually rise, but before it does, you’ll find it too easy too soon playing on anything lower.
Make yourself older to play international cricket sooner
Your career player can begin at ages 16, 21, 26 or 31 and will retire at 36 regardless. There’s no option to choose your own retirement age, or selectively retire from certain formats, so you won’t be following Misbah-ul-Haq and leading Pakistan to a World Cup at 40 or dominating the IPL at 44 like Brad Hogg (as well all hope to be the case in real life).
Skills are built regardless of age by playing shots and taking wickets, but it is a factor in promotions. Even if you’re smashing centuries (well done) as a 16-year-old, you're unlikely to be called into the national side. However, at 26, a few good games will get you noticed, and at 31, you’re practically in the international team before you start.
If you don’t want to spend years toiling away in the Sheffield Shield working your way up the ranks, and want to play for your elected country sooner, start at least at 26. You’ll limit yourself to a five or 10-year career, but that’s still a long time to play. I actually made my first career century playing in my player’s third ODI. He was picked on the back of a couple of 70s.
Hit the nets if you’re struggling to bat
The nets are your friend to master timing, and again I suggest starting on Pro. The lower difficulties are too generous and will teach you bad habits for the real stuff.
The nets are especially important to evolve beyond premeditating shots. I used to try and guess what the bowler was going bowl, based on his last delivery. Sometimes there is a fairly obvious pattern, but it’s hard to predict the balls you’ll be able to smash over the field – that’s always risky.
I still favor the front foot, but before spending time in the nets, it’s because I felt I didn’t have time to react. With practice, you’ll begin to pick up if the ball is pitching short, full or a good length with enough time to pick your shot and footwork. A front foot leg glance is nearly always the safe option to get through the nervous nighties, but you’ll feel more in control when playing each ball on its merit. It's not possible all the time, and spinners can be tricky to pick, but those mind games and the necessity of deep concentration upon each ball are what makes Don Bradman Cricket so successful.
Don’t rely on your teammates to score, especially in T20
I was instated as captain of the Strikers after two games and a high score of 41, so I’m a greater chance of electing to bat first. But when chasing, don’t rely too much on your feeble AI teammates. They bat fairly slowly in all formats and don’t bother trying to meet the required run rate. Many a T20 game needing 150 to win will result in a 2/120 loss if you’re out cheaply and have chewed up some overs.
This also applies to First-Class games. Teammates won’t realize they need 140 runs in the last session and often result in a draw. Playing for Victoria, with 190 to get at 2:30pm on the final day, I smashed 75 off 29 balls and then got out – but it was enough. From there, even old Blocky McGee, Cameron White, could hit five dots then a 6, as he does, for the remaining overs to get us there. When time is running out, you need to be aggressive batter.
Only elect to be an all-rounder if you have the patience to bowl
I was a number four 16-year-old all-rounder during my first career on PC. I was no chance of being picked for the national team, and as I had a résumé of scores in single digits I was eager to improve my batting – but a lot of time was wasted with my leg-spin overs. I was actually a pretty good bowler, and initially found it much easier, but I just couldn’t be bothered doing both as I was learning. I wanted to get to the next game and improve my batting. So I restarted as an opening batsman.
In my career, I became a middle-order batsman, and bowl myself occasionally now I’m the captain. I intend to start another – skipping ahead to 31-year-olds – for another national team as a number 6 all-rounder. But it’s only worthwhile now that I can contribute with the bat.
Spin bowlers have all the fun
Despite my preference for batting, I was first a star as a leggie – and still, find it much easier than bowling fast. My newest career player is a part-time fast bowler – and can outrageously get it up to 158 km/h – but has very limited control. With low skills, the timing meters are tiny and it’s easy to bowl a front-foot no-ball. Spin bowlers not only seem to start with a little more control, but they’re also more successful with lesser skills. The spinners can be the hardest to hit as a batsman, especially for new players, but they also seem to take the most wickets against the AI. I'm forever cursing Xavier Doherty when he gets me out yet again, but those same LBW-centric tactics work in my favor as a bowler.
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