Back foot problems

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Little Big Kahuna

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Back foot problems

Hi all

My first thread, so hope you can give me some advice.

I'm just returning to cricket having not played for, hmm circa 30yrs and am finding it difficult to shift my weight back off my front foot to play anything other than a defensive stroke. I used to be the opposite and the cut shot was my favourite but now I find I'm on my front foot, even driving a bowl coming in wode of the off stumps!

I'm also not getting much travel on my front foot shots, they stay along the ground (which is good in one respect) but of late none of my shots travel more than a foot above the ground. Is this just timing? Is this my backlift?

Any help would be great, really appreciate any tips you can give me?

Thanks
 
Re: Back foot problems

There really isn't any secret key that will give you more power in your shots. I guess the first question is what type of bat are you using? If your bat hasn't been oiled for years then that may explain why your bat is lacking a bit of 'ping'.

Might be wise to invest in a new bat if your keen on playing cricket for a number of years? May I ask what type of shape and fitness your in. If your a bit overweight then transferring your weight onto your back foot might be a bit challenging, especially if your stuffed from running up and down the wicket and sucking em in as the bowler is running into bowler.

Your best bet at this time is probably doing a bit of general fitness. Im serious, if your facing up and as the bowler is running in your sucking in the air then your probably going to struggle a bit getting into your innings.
 
Re: Back foot problems

To be honest the years haven't been good to the body, so am quite short and to be fair 'slightly overweight'. However I play badminton in addition and am able to move quite well around the court and transfer weight when smashing.

I use a Grays NIcholls Xyphos short handle.

Do you think I am tensing on facing a delivery or moving in to a position too quickly, I have become obsessed with front foot batting since I was told I was backing away on a few deliveries? (Being short I was trying to get on top of the bounce).

Really appeciate your input, thanks.
 
Re: Back foot problems

Hi LBK... difficult to say without seeing you in action but it sounds as if you have lost a little confidence along with the 30 [or so] years.

More practise will bring more confidence and better timing. I suspect your stance and backswing probably need bringing up to the 21st Century too but a good coach should be able to sort this out for you fairly quickly.

It would be great if you could keep us informed, especially after a session with a coach.
 
Re: Back foot problems

What movement do you have right before the bowler releases the ball. Most batsmen have a small back and across movement just before the ball is released. The idea behind this is that it brings your eyeline and body in line with the stumps and allows you to better judge where the off peg is while also allowing you to get behind the ball.

IF your short and your getting onto the front foot before judging the length of the ball then your going to struggle generally with batting. You want to pick up the length and then either go forward or back.

If your taking a big step forward every ball then your not going to be able to go back because your balance will be all out.

Try taking a small back and across movement with your back foot just before the bowler runs in. If the ball is short then you'll have to counter your initial back and across movement by pushing your weight onto your front foot and then going back again to cut. Especially if your not really well balanced at the crease.

If the ball is full then after your back and across movement before the ball is released you are in a position to take a step forward.

Try it at home now, get up, take your stance, take a small back and across movement and then see how easy it is to push forward. Compare that to taking a back and across movment and then going back again.

It emphasises the point that you need to be balanced and on the balls of your feet to allow these quick foot movments.
 
Re: Back foot problems

Also, just to clear it up, make that back and across movement just before the ball is RELEASED, not just as the bowler starts his run up.

Michael Slater used to have a massive back and across movment, grab some highlights on youtube to see it. It was probably a bit to big however - but if your having trouble understanding what I mean it will show you clearly what I mean by back and across.

Bradman used to do it, in reality, you only need to move back and across a couple of cm's and it will stop you from backing away as you said earlier.
 
Re: Back foot problems

Thanks Liz and LtD, really appreciated.

I usually lift my bat to right angles just before the bowler releases the ball and I thought slightly transferred my weight to my back foot though I think LtD may be right in that I plant my left book too early and then can't adjust.

Liz I think you're right also, I need to find my confidence again although I was thinking I was being more confident going forward.....maybe I took the comment that I was backing away too seriously?

Sounds like a great tip ref the small step back and across, will try that this pm.

Thanks again and Liz, will come back and let you know what the coach says.

Have been invited to join club for next season, so I really need to get myself sorted quickly.

Cheers
 
Re: Back foot problems

Little Big Kahuna;374747 said:
...I need to find my confidence again although I was thinking I was being more confident going forward.....maybe I took the comment that I was backing away too seriously?
Click to expand...

Confidence is a strange thing; continually going forward is actually a sign of compensation for lack of confidence rather than a display of confidence ;)

As I mentioned earlier, it would be impossible for me to help you without seeing your action. As a biomechanist, I am aware of many reasons/causes for your difficulty but I can say that footwork is your key. Get it right and you will be in a great position to assess, time and place the ball. Get it wrong and your balance and posture will be wrong.

However, I am not one for trigger movements or commiting to any movement prior to release of the ball. If you find yourself before a fast bowler you will not have time to adjust.

It sounds as though you should have good footwork and good timing, which leads me to believe you will get there.

The Close Season is the right time to get yourself sorted and the earlier the better. Good luck :)
 
Re: Back foot problems

Thanks Liz, I can totally understand what you mean and agree it could be over compensation for a drop in confidence, although I do think I started having this problem after I was told I was backing away? (Come to think of it, that was only after facing two balls - the following ball I hit a nice cover drive and the next one was off my pads (outside the line) and then the next two he dropped his pace and I missed both - one of which I moved down the pitch to).

I need to get in the nets and then some coaching asap, try the tip from LtD (must admit I've been trying that tonight and it does feel good).

Thanks again.
 
Re: Back foot problems

Also, make sure your backlift is coming down as straight as possible. You don't want your backlift going out to 3rd slip or gully and then coming down to play the ball.

You want it to straight back to the keeper and then down straight.
 
Re: Back foot problems

Hi again

Checking in the mirror it appears if anything that my initial backward lift is towards off stump if standing centre with back coming down slightly closed.(would that explain my shots generally travelling lower?) Of course this is only looking in the mirror (is that sad?). Have booked a coaching session today so will feedback what i'm told.

Cheers
 
Re: Back foot problems

Mate,

Confidence will come with practice and time in the middle. I had the same problem after returning to cricket 3 years ago after a ten year break. I'm short and round too, and had very similar issues. after a mediocre 1st year in D Grade I am now opening the batting in our 2nds on turf, and am hoping for a spot in the 1st X1. Heres what I did:

No Power: I changed bats. As a teenager i'd always used light, whippy bats, and played a lot of wristy shots. When I came back i felt as if I was playing through the shots too early, and with no power. I'm now playing with a 3 pound Gray Nicholls, and it has lifted my average heaps. A block can penetrate the infield, and if you middle it the ball flies to the boundry. A Tip: I do some weights now to strengthen my arms, shoulders, and back, as it is a fair chunk of wood. Three pounds might be a bit extreme for your purposes, but look for something thick and with a nice weight behind it.

Back Foot shots: Playing on turf we don't get as much bounce as the hard wickets, but I find my technique can still handle the short stuff. I stand with feet shoulder width apart, and as the bowler comes in I lean slightly on my front foot. You have two choices when the ball comes out of the bowlers hand, spring off the front foot onto the back, or lift and move the front foot for the drive or block. This works well for me with my heavy frame.

The key is to watch the ball out of the bowlers hand intently.

Cheers
 
Re: Back foot problems

Little Big Kahuna;374914 said:
Hi again

Checking in the mirror it appears if anything that my initial backward lift is towards off stump if standing centre with back coming down slightly closed.(would that explain my shots generally travelling lower?) Of course this is only looking in the mirror (is that sad?). Have booked a coaching session today so will feedback what i'm told.

Cheers
Click to expand...

I wouldn't worry about how far your shots travel off the ground, are you specifically trying to loft the ball over the infield?

Heaps of people practise in front of a mirror, but just be wary of the fact that sometimes once you get into a game that your backlift might start subconciously going out to gully.

An alternative is to raise your bat before the bowler bowls, a bit like Trescothik used to. Lots of players in all grades of cricket inhibit themselves by their backlife, you'd be surprised how many players raise their bat as the ball is coming down the pitch - then they have to bring it down to play the ball very quickly, one mistake in judgement and your out.

Gun players do that sometimes, but they have very quick wrists, like Adam Gilchrist. If you want get into the nets and experiment with different stances and the idea of having your bat raised before the ball is bowler, i think AB de Villers does this from memory, so with the Eng SA series coming up try and catch a few shots of AB.

I really like that method in a batsmen, it makes things really simple. Simple is normally the best way of operating as a batsmen.

If you are looking to loft the ball more, and in some instances this may be warranted. For example, if the field is up and your struggling to get off strike.

What I used to do is wait for a ball that was outside off, instead of putting my front foot as far to the pitch of the ball as possible id just get down on one knee and play the lofted cover drive, because I wouldn't try and get close to the ball it often ment I was hitting the ball on the up and way over the infiield.

Getting to the pitch sometimes ment that the ball was travelling at head height after i hit it and sometimes i was caught hence why i revereted to a technique that worked for me involving dropping onto the back knee and swinging through the line.
 
Re: Back foot problems

Hi LtD, yes I tend to lift my bat on the bowlers run up and have my wrists cocked with the bat parallel with the ground.

Will try dropping to one knee and seeing the effect, I really get the feeling its all about timing but can't work out whether I'm hitting the ball too late (which in my mind would make sense, meaning it will be hit with a slightly with the bat coming down?), or too early (which in my mind would mean hitting off the toe and likely to go up with no power?)

Possibly a question for a biomechanist? Liz over to you...

OldandSlow, thanks also. Inspiring hearing your progression, a good incentive for me to keep at it. Interesting about the bat weight, I always thought that the lighter the bat, the easier it is for timing and technique?

Cheers
 
Re: Back foot problems

Little Big Kahuna;375394 said:
Possibly a question for a biomechanist? Liz over to you...
Click to expand...

I really do hate being vague and I promise, I don't mean to be.

I mentioned before that there are many causes for your difficulties but I really could not pin point it without seeing your action. It may be something really minute [it often is]. Everything LtD has written is valid but the problem is, if you keep changing little things, without really knowing, at best, the change may be unnecessary, at worse, it could really screw up your action.

A good coach should be able to see what your problem is and change it with little difficulty and [at least] give you something to work to.

I would be interested to hear what the coach finds so please let us know.
 
Re: Back foot problems

Hi Liz

Yes that is my worry, so my intention is just to try the back and sideways movement without changing anything else, just as an attempt to solve my back foot problems.

I have a coaching session next Wednesday, so will feed back.

Thanks everyone for your input, appreciated.

Cheers
 
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