Effects Of Massed And Distributed Practice On Cricket Bowling Accuracy

Abstract

Objectives: This study compared changes in cricket bowling accuracy following massed and distributed practice among university cricket club members.

Materials and Methods: A two-group pretest–posttest experiment involved 24 of 32 active members. Participants were assigned on the basis of baseline scores to massed-practice (n = 12) and distributed-practice (n = 12) groups. Both groups completed 14 sessions. Accuracy was assessed from six deliveries directed toward a target area and the stumps. Paired- and independent-samples t tests were conducted at the 5% level.

Results: The massed-practice group improved from 2.33 ± 1.30 to 4.33 ± 1.56; t(11) = 4.690, p = .001, dᶻ = 1.35. The distributed-practice group changed from 2.17 ± 1.34 to 2.83 ± 1.59; t(11) = 0.938, p = .368, dᶻ = 0.27. Posttest scores differed between groups, t(22) = 2.338, p = .029, whereas the between-group difference in change scores was not significant, t(22) = 1.609, p = .122.

Conclusions: Massed practice produced a large within-group improvement, whereas distributed practice did not produce a significant change. However, the nonsignificant between-group difference in change scores prevents a definitive causal claim of superiority. Larger randomized studies with retention tests are needed.