We know the importance of targets in winning games of cricket these days. Breaking things down to make them feel easier is a proven step to success. So, what are some good targets to set for teams?

I'd like to get your feedback on what you feel has worked for you in the past, so please leave a comment below. Here are some of may favourite targets and some of the pitfalls of relying too much on them.

Let's start with route one. Everyone walks to the middle before the game, examines the track and decides a good total. That's the most basic of team targets, but you can be suprised how effective it can be when you know your team well.

Get granular with the basics

The trick is making it something that is usable in the middle.

This means breaking it down further. A total of 200 in 50 overs is good at my level but no one goes along at exactly four an over from the first to the last. We look to score 100 in the first 30 overs and 100 in the last 20 to make it more realistic that rates accelerate through the innings.

This works equally for when you are in the field. Clearly the target is 10 wickets, but we tend to find that taking six in the first 30 overs will be dead on for victory. Five and it's going to be a close shave. You'll need to do the maths for your format, and adjust for opposition strength and conditions, but you get my point.

However, total targets can go horribly wrong. The sages call it "scoreboard pressure" and the sages are right. If you feel you are behind the rate and don't know how to catch up you can start going crazy. Not everyone is born to finish an innings, but a lot of people are born to panic. It's important you get good at setting a target for your level and your team. A 50 over match can easily see a variation of 200 runs depending on the quality of players, the pitch and the conditions.

Geek out on the numbers

So, it's helpful to go over some old scores and see how your team does. You can look at batting averages and likeliness of scoring a 50 or taking 5 wickets of individual players to build a picture of what might happen with any given team. If you want to get super granular, you can break it down to game phases even more. How does the reliable slow-scoring opening pair getting 20 in the first 12 overs influence the overall total compared to going out with pinch hitters who leave you on 60-3 in the same time frame?

Analysis like this also helps you to further breakdown big targets to very granular elements.

• How many singles do you score in an innings? How many do you concede?
• What is your scoring ball percentage?
• How many times does the bowler go past the bat?

Most importantly, how do these elements influence the results of your games. If you see a trend, target that area in as small and reachable steps as you can manage, and let the result look after itself.

Geek out over the number as much as you like, it will all help add to that estimate and give you a better feel for what you need to do to win. However, please don't forget the idea here is to produce something simple that players don't have to worry about in the middle. Keep your elaborate spreadsheet at home and go to the game with some easy targets like "100 in the first 30". Leave scope for variations like the opposition bringing in a star bowler, an bad pitch or your best batsman getting injured in the warm up. Reset where needed and get on with it.

What are your simple team targets? Do you stick to overall totals or do you get granular? Leave a comment below and let me know.