Does this game get harder over time?

[MattAnstey7 👊🐓]

I have found that at the start of a game, it's good fun and feels well balanced. But fast forward 6/7 in game years, and it just becomes ridiculously hard.

I'm just doing tests with England, and now struggle to beat every opponent. Doesn't matter if it's Australia or Zimbabwe, I find every test so difficult. I like to think my squad selection is still good, even with regens as it doesn't matter who I play. I either have a batting collapse or cannot take wickets.

Last game I had Vs Sri Lanka I got them out for 110, then scored 300+ myself, had 2 1/2 days left and couldn't get them out... Makes no sense. Weather was the same throughout and still a good pitch.
This same result continued all series.

Any hints/tips would be great.

[wtriplet]

I don't really have any tips, but I definitely find it gets harder and harder.

The game has the same issues every year and nothing seems to really improve. I have no idea what is the best way to develop younger players. I have tried just giving them game after game. I have tried using the coaching technique option, but still have no real idea if that actually improves players. Some kind of editor or some way to see what a players actual attributes were would make the game a lot more fun.

In this year's edition, I have just been doing tests as Australia. I had one save where I included one day games, but that became tedious like it always does. Constantly fiddling with fields when the truth is I have absolutely no idea if altering the field makes any real difference. I play with my own modified fields, only because some of the default fields are so bad. But again, I have no idea if it actually makes any difference to the outcome.

That said, I do feel like this year's game (I feel like I have been buying these games for 20 years+) is the best edition in the while. This year at least, is the first time I kind of have a feeling that taking time to set the field might make a difference ... might.

The only tip I could give, if you are playing as a country, is always monitor the the performances in the second team/non first class games.

I am up to year 2030, and have found a couple of young players that weren't playing first class cricket, but did have good (60+) averages playing for the second team. One is only 17 years old. Both are now averaging in the 40s in the Test Cricket. Which is a big improvement over the usual garbage. But I am assuming that despite the promising start, they will regress soon to averaging in the low 30s.

[MattAnstey7 👊🐓]

Originally posted by wtriplet:

I don't really have any tips, but I definitely find it gets harder and harder.

The game has the same issues every year and nothing seems to really improve. I have no idea what is the best way to develop younger players. I have tried just giving them game after game. I have tried using the coaching technique option, but still have no real idea if that actually improves players. Some kind of editor or some way to see what a players actual attributes were would make the game a lot more fun.

In this year's edition, I have just been doing tests as Australia. I had one save where I included one day games, but that became tedious like it always does. Constantly fiddling with fields when the truth is I have absolutely no idea if altering the field makes any real difference. I play with my own modified fields, only because some of the default fields are so bad. But again, I have no idea if it actually makes any difference to the outcome.

That said, I do feel like this year's game (I feel like I have been buying these games for 20 years+) is the best edition in the while. This year at least, is the first time I kind of have a feeling that taking time to set the field might make a difference ... might.

The only tip I could give, if you are playing as a country, is always monitor the the performances in the second team/non first class games.

I am up to year 2030, and have found a couple of young players that weren't playing first class cricket, but did have good (60+) averages playing for the second team. One is only 17 years old. Both are now averaging in the 40s in the Test Cricket. Which is a big improvement over the usual garbage. But I am assuming that despite the promising start, they will regress soon to averaging in the low 30s.

Thank you for the reply - I will have more of a look in the 2nd team, see if that can get some good players coming through :) I also find that young players do come in, then flop quite quickly. However some do turn it around again to be fair. Its just a game of persistence, trial and error I suppose.

Actually had a bit of upturn in form now, I have decided to just stick with an 11 and keep at it for a few series. Scrapping through a lot of the matches, but actually finished second in the test table and somehow won against a dominant Pakistan by them having a collapse in the 2nd innings.

[wtriplet]

One thing I am picking up over time is to not persist with inconsistent older players.