Eyes Closed Playing Lofted :s

[maverick]

Hi all,

Thank you very much for helping me out before. This week I noticed a problem with my batting after a weekend game. I am not a big hitter but singles and doubles are more my game. I was in a situation lately where we needed more than 9 an over, and had to bat with bottom two tailenders. So I had to go all or nothing.

Now the problem: When the bowler is approaching, I tell myself, "watch the ball", everytime. I noticed that I do watch the ball, early and while playing my natural game. But I am darn sure that I have my eyes closed while going over the top. I seem to be mishitting the ball, and I am quite sure it is because I am not watching the ball while playing those shots. How do I improve that? Is it more time on the bowling machine? or drills? or just more mental toughness?

Thanks in advance

 

[shrek]

Hi all,

Thank you very much for helping me out before. This week I noticed a problem with my batting after a weekend game. I am not a big hitter but singles and doubles are more my game. I was in a situation lately where we needed more than 9 an over, and had to bat with bottom two tailenders. So I had to go all or nothing.

Now the problem: When the bowler is approaching, I tell myself, "watch the ball", everytime. I noticed that I do watch the ball, early and while playing my natural game. But I am darn sure that I have my eyes closed while going over the top. I seem to be mishitting the ball, and I am quite sure it is because I am not watching the ball while playing those shots. How do I improve that? Is it more time on the bowling machine? or drills? or just more mental toughness?

Thanks in advance

I have been (and believe still am) in a similar situation, so bear with me for a bit.

I believe this "mishit" happens because you are basically trying to hit the cover off the ball. Ofcourse, you have Symonds, Watson, Dhoni, pietersen who whack it a bit, but there are also touch players like Ganguly, Martyn, Mark Waugh etc who hit sixes without having to whack the cover off the ball. When you look at how badly even a brilliant player like Laxman fared in an IPL(when he was trying to whack the ball), we no longer have to feel too bad about our batting.

Now that the diagnosis is done, here is my solution to it. I recognized that even my punch/ check drives when timed properly went for one-bounce 4s (in a 80 yard ground). This happened towards the end of last season, and since then, I have been trying to translate my timing when I play ground strokes, into lofted drives.

First step in this process (which I have completed) is to stop trying to hit sixes. If we need 10 an over, I look for 1 chipped boundary and 3 twos (chipped into gaps if needed).

Second step, is to learn to chip the ball over infield properly. In college, we had a "coach" (basically an older club player) who used to say - learn to hit 30-yard sixers. From your description, you seem to be a touch player, so you should be good at manipulating the ball into the gaps. Now you just need to take it one step further - be able to get a 2 off every single (length) ball even if you have to hit it in the air.

Step three- is to be able to convert those chips into boundaries
and finally,

Step four- is to add power (bit by bit) to the chips without losing any of the timing to be able to score sixers.

I am stuck somewhere between steps 2 and 3. I am able to chip the ball fairly well, but the risk that it poses sometimes holds me back. But in a situation where I have nothing to lose, I can manipulate the chips fairly well. And as I mentioned, I can score boundaries, but it hasn't become second nature to me yet. I hit one sixer the other day (in practice yes) to a medium pacer and the best part about that shot was, I wasn't trying to hit a six, I was simply trying to loft it straight over his head and timing did the rest.

So, that is my plan, perhaps you can find something of use in there.

 

[SLA]

9 an over is 2 boundaries, 3 dots and a single to keep the strike - why the need to slog? Just play good aggressive cricket shots.

A sixer is the cub scout immediately senior to the seconder by the way. When you hit the ball over the boundary without bouncing, that's just called a six.

 

[Andrew Bourne]

it doesn't matter what shot you are trying to play at any stage, whether you are taking the pace off he ball for a quick single, blasting the ball through the covers or chipping the ball, it's all about balance. If you lose your balance... you lose your power. By the sound of what you are saying, you are lifting your head, trying to hit the ball too hard. make sure you stay through the shot and stay balanced, the power will come.