Leg-side problems

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ketz

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Leg-side problems

When I was batting in a game last weekend the opposition wicket-keeper took me aside after the game and told me my bat wasnt coming down straight when I tried playing a ball on middle and leg and leg stump. Therefore I missed the ball and this happened on numerous occasions. I have always been weak on my legs but brilliant rhough covers and the off-side. But how can I improve my leg-side game? Anyone got any technique tips?
 
Re: Leg-side problems

Without seeing you bat then it's hard to say but you should be looking to have the backlift over the off stump, and a slightly open body position. This should help to bring the bat down straight(er).
 
Re: Leg-side problems

I had a similar problem which my coach pointed out. He suggested that I should change the resting point to my back foot, and keep my back elbow close to my body. This way playing a flick off the pads sees your bat coming down straight rather than diagonally.

So try:

Resting the bat on your back foot when you get into your stance. Then during the backlift, keep your back elbow close to your body and make sure you are coming through straight. Hope that helps!
 
Re: Leg-side problems

i have that problem and i suffer greatly.

instead i have taken to playing cover drives from off stump... im quite good too.

not helping though...
 
Re: Leg-side problems

its all about the wrist and also balance. the ON drive and the drive through midwicket are really tough shots. u need balance. make sure u dont fall over when u play the shorts. the on drive is not so much wrist as to balance but the flick through midwicket and square leg needs both. make sure your foo is to the pitch of the ball and u have good balance when u play these shots otherwise u will either miss it or scoop it in the air.
 
Re: Leg-side problems

I suppose the initial stance helps but using the back leg as a rudder and pivoting on your front leg helps me hit the ball on the legs.
 
Re: Leg-side problems

I had something like this, I tried the bat with your bat on your leg sorta thing didnt really work. So I batted on leg so I couldnt get LBW then got bowled driving I will just try and work on it in the nets
 
Re: Leg-side problems

mate,i used to have the same problem but i dont try to play anything full off my pads through backward of square anymore, try to play as straight as possible. i only start to pick off the bad balls once i am settled
 
Re: Leg-side problems

I see a lot of people who rest their bat behind their back foot. A lot of people are taught that way and there is nothing wrong with it. But I found that once I changed my resting place to between my front and back foot my balance was helped a lot. I found I was always falling into the ball and therefore when the ball was going towards my legs I was falling across to the offside and couldn't play them. I have since corrected this and although I still have difficulty playing down leg side I can at least block them out or get an edge to it to stop LBWs, haven't had one for ages whereas it used to be one of the most common ways for me to get out.

Also a kind of self appointed thing I have done is open my stance up. I find my backlift goes over leg stump more and therefore I am good on the off side and great with the pull and hook, but any other leg side shots and also sometimes playing straight I have trouble with, just like you I am thinking. A way I found to rectify it, but not a cure and not really recommended, but it helped me, is to open my stance up. the bowler can now see my back foot in the clear and me standing more front on. Not too much, just enough so my backlift was over middle and off. This meant the my cover drives went straighter and my late cuts went squarer, also my pulls went finer. It opened things up for me so I could watch the ball onto the bat because I have trouble watching anything on the legside. Don't know if that should be recommended though.
 
Re: Leg-side problems

Boris;373331 said:
I see a lot of people who rest their bat behind their back foot. A lot of people are taught that way and there is nothing wrong with it. But I found that once I changed my resting place to between my front and back foot my balance was helped a lot. I found I was always falling into the ball and therefore when the ball was going towards my legs I was falling across to the offside and couldn't play them. I have since corrected this and although I still have difficulty playing down leg side I can at least block them out or get an edge to it to stop LBWs, haven't had one for ages whereas it used to be one of the most common ways for me to get out.

Also a kind of self appointed thing I have done is open my stance up. I find my backlift goes over leg stump more and therefore I am good on the off side and great with the pull and hook, but any other leg side shots and also sometimes playing straight I have trouble with, just like you I am thinking. A way I found to rectify it, but not a cure and not really recommended, but it helped me, is to open my stance up. the bowler can now see my back foot in the clear and me standing more front on. Not too much, just enough so my backlift was over middle and off. This meant the my cover drives went straighter and my late cuts went squarer, also my pulls went finer. It opened things up for me so I could watch the ball onto the bat because I have trouble watching anything on the legside. Don't know if that should be recommended though.
Click to expand...

Or you could just fix up your backlift.
 
Re: Leg-side problems

breeno;373343 said:
Or you could just fix up your backlift.
Click to expand...

Easier said then done.

I have a back lift that has become habitual. Once you become autonomous at an aspect of a motor skill it is extremely hard to change it. This would take many months and my performance levels would drop considerably. As I am having this season off I am looking to do it now if my injury permits, but if I did it while playing I would drop in skill by a huge amount and all aspects of my game would be affected.

This back lift has seen me average 25 then 32 as a number 8 for the past two seasons. For a non batsman I am not about to change it.
 
Re: Leg-side problems

Boris;373350 said:
Easier said then done.

I have a back lift that has become habitual. Once you become autonomous at an aspect of a motor skill it is extremely hard to change it. This would take many months and my performance levels would drop considerably. As I am having this season off I am looking to do it now if my injury permits, but if I did it while playing I would drop in skill by a huge amount and all aspects of my game would be affected.

This back lift has seen me average 25 then 32 as a number 8 for the past two seasons. For a non batsman I am not about to change it.
Click to expand...

Not my area of expertise, but one would say that fixing your backlift wouldn't cause you any problems, in fact it could only help. I know of many people with habitual backlifts who have fixed it mid season and had it work.
 
Re: Leg-side problems

breeno;373591 said:
Not my area of expertise, but one would say that fixing your backlift wouldn't cause you any problems, in fact it could only help. I know of many people with habitual backlifts who have fixed it mid season and had it work.
Click to expand...

Just believe me ;), I don't play in a very orthodox manner. I'm the sort of player you will see that hacks for a few deliveries, few swing and misses, so the bowler grins and pitches up a yorker which I perfectly straight drive for four. My style is that I don't have a style really and many years of trying to fix that has only brought my average down. I'm only there for quick runs at the end, or a brick wall in the case of a collapse, and have no aspiration of going higher.

Anyway I have a habit of stealing other people's threads...
 
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