The physical condition of cricketers needs to be at the top level. The reason is that they are almost year-round cricket players.
Thus, it is no choice but to keep being physically and mentally fit at a very high level. And the players’ performance in different physical tests has almost become a common sight these days.
You must have heard the term Yo-Yo Test often by now. However, there is yet another test that has recently come to cricket – the Bronco test.
Though it is not a brand new test, it has been used by many rugby teams for determining their athletes’ fitness levels.
Now, What actually is the Bronco Test?
Actually, it does not involve anything that requires great skills. Just think of it as yet another test of fitness though it is more tailored for rugby players. But cricket is what we will see next, in terms of its usage.
The Bronco test is an intensive running drill. It may sound simple, doesn’t it? However, it is not!
This rugby-style fitness test is very rigorous indeed. It assesses players in a variety of ways including aerobic fitness, speed, and stamina.
So, What is the process of the Bronco test?
The arrangement of the Bronco test is quite uncomplicated. Four cones are placed in such a way that they are 20 metres apart from one another.
The initial cone will denote the starting point (zero metres), the next ones will be located 20, 40, and 60 metres away, respective to the starting point. Now that the setup is done, it is time for the actual test.
A participant starts off at the zero-metre mark, sprints to the cone at the twenty-metre mark and comes back to the starting point. After that, the test taker proceeds to the forty-metre cone and back to the original point. Finally, they have to run to the sixty-metre cone and back.
This makes one complete cycle. Players have to repeat five times of such cycles without any breaks between them. Yes, not a single break!
So, a runner covers a distance of 240 metres in one cycle. And if we count five cycles that means a person runs a total of 1200 metres without any breaks. The time taken by a player to do five cycles is noted down. The lesser the time, the better the performance.
What is the benefit of the Bronco test?
Understand that cricket is a high-intensity sport. A lot of running is involved. Moreover, the runners have to constantly change their direction and speed.
The batsmen will try to make it very difficult for the bowlers to get them out by always being on the move between wickets. The fielder will have to keep running and throwing the ball back. And the bowler will have to keep running fast to deliver balls at a consistent pace.
All these activities require a lot of endurance and stamina. And this has to be maintained for a long time with minimal recovery in between the periods.
So, the Bronco test helps in evaluating a player’s physical and mental strength to practice such high-intensity sports.
