some advice on various batting issues i have...
ive only batted for one innings, and have never practised properly prior to that. i used to play at school about 8 years ago, but in recent times havent batted at all except messing around in the garden with tennis balls. im primarily a bowler, but think that i could be a handy all rounder with some practice and improvements in technique.
anyway, i batted at the weekend for the first time in forever in a match against a far superior team, and we got got destroyed. but i was actually one of the stand out batsmen with a massive score of 18 lol. the highest scorer in our team hit 24, i was 2nd highest scorer in our team and 7th overall (out of all 22 players) on what was effectively my batting debut. then i got out to a stupid waltz down the wicket trying to smash a leggie for 6 and got stumped lol.
anyway, i have identified a few strengths and weaknesses already, and given that i have no real idea of what constitutes good technique (aside from what ive watched on tv) i was hoping i could maybe get some pointers...
firstly, anything fairly wide of off stump i felt quite comfortable with. ive never played a cut shot before in my life, but i just instinctively played one in my first few balls and hit an easy 4 to a short and wide delivery. even when its pitched fuller, i feel quite comfortable outside off stump. i think for now i can leave that part of my technique alone.
outside of leg stump (in this case a leg spinner) i also wasnt too worried about. i seem to have quite a good sweep shot (but i also tried to over use it), again a shot ive never played before and my first ball i isntinctively hit a single and got off strike, and then hit 2 boundaries with this shot later.
the issues i currently have are that i can play straight all day long when im "air batting", and i think my technique is probably quite sound (head inline with and over a straight bat, exaggerated follow through with a high front elbow, etc). but i cant do it in real life when a ball is flying at me! i just revert to stupid shots and poor technique. i hear cricket commentators talking all day long about getting your head in line with the ball, head level, and playing the shot beneath your eyes. how does one go about doing this? use my front foot to get my head into position and then play the shot so that my bat comes through the ball as it passes my front pad?
i dont know what to do when the ball is coming at the stumps!!! i cant judge when to leave and when not to, so i feel i must play every ball. i dont see this as an issue at present as il gradually learn where my off stump is at. but i can never judge what shot to play. as a generalisation, just to give me something to work on, based on a ball aiming for off/middle stump, what shots should i look to play at different lengths? (e.g. short, good, full). obviously the drive works on good length deliveries, but what about the other lengths?
i watch great players of spin using their feet to get to the pitch of the ball, players like Michael Clarke, Kevin Pietersen, etc and they completely negate the turn off the wicket either with a defensive block, or a drive down the ground. i tried this and found that it only really works for me when the ball is pitched on a length slightly short of good. if the ball is well pitched up then you have to hit it full toss which isnt too bad (its easier to play from the crease though), but if it drops well short then youre stuck in no mans land and the ball can go anywhere. how do good players know when they should move forwards and when to stay back? i found that its almost impossible to make the call as the ball is airborne, i had to pre-meditate my shot and hope that the bowler did the same as the ball before. the one time he didnt i got stumped.
finally, where do people take their guard? and how do they position their stance? i feel most comfortable with my back foot just inside the batting crease, and my feet about 18-24" apart. both feet with toes inline with middle stump, both square to the wicket. i take a late stance, preferring to stay upright until just before the bowler delivers the ball, then i squat into my stance with a level head, look up, and primarily look to either place my front foot forward with my toes pointing at about 45 degrees, or look to transfer my weight onto my back foot and move my front foot back slightly but still square. any comments on this, as to whether im doing anything inherently wrong? i got rapped on the pads a couple of times, but didnt find myself getting into trouble for possible LBW calls. my biggest issue was swiping at shots with poor technique and almost getting caught by close fielders as i scooped the ball up. and on straight deliveries at the stumps or close to off stump i just had no idea what to do or where the ball was going or ending up! i inside edged, outside edged, scooped upwards, completely missed. lots of awful looking shots lol
any advice is greatly appreciated. i obviously need to get a LOT more practice in, but some tips on what im doing wrong to begin with will surely help me get my technique sound before i start practicing with poor technique and retaining bad habits.
ive only batted for one innings, and have never practised properly prior to that. i used to play at school about 8 years ago, but in recent times havent batted at all except messing around in the garden with tennis balls. im primarily a bowler, but think that i could be a handy all rounder with some practice and improvements in technique.
anyway, i batted at the weekend for the first time in forever in a match against a far superior team, and we got got destroyed. but i was actually one of the stand out batsmen with a massive score of 18 lol. the highest scorer in our team hit 24, i was 2nd highest scorer in our team and 7th overall (out of all 22 players) on what was effectively my batting debut. then i got out to a stupid waltz down the wicket trying to smash a leggie for 6 and got stumped lol.
anyway, i have identified a few strengths and weaknesses already, and given that i have no real idea of what constitutes good technique (aside from what ive watched on tv) i was hoping i could maybe get some pointers...
firstly, anything fairly wide of off stump i felt quite comfortable with. ive never played a cut shot before in my life, but i just instinctively played one in my first few balls and hit an easy 4 to a short and wide delivery. even when its pitched fuller, i feel quite comfortable outside off stump. i think for now i can leave that part of my technique alone.
outside of leg stump (in this case a leg spinner) i also wasnt too worried about. i seem to have quite a good sweep shot (but i also tried to over use it), again a shot ive never played before and my first ball i isntinctively hit a single and got off strike, and then hit 2 boundaries with this shot later.
the issues i currently have are that i can play straight all day long when im "air batting", and i think my technique is probably quite sound (head inline with and over a straight bat, exaggerated follow through with a high front elbow, etc). but i cant do it in real life when a ball is flying at me! i just revert to stupid shots and poor technique. i hear cricket commentators talking all day long about getting your head in line with the ball, head level, and playing the shot beneath your eyes. how does one go about doing this? use my front foot to get my head into position and then play the shot so that my bat comes through the ball as it passes my front pad?
i dont know what to do when the ball is coming at the stumps!!! i cant judge when to leave and when not to, so i feel i must play every ball. i dont see this as an issue at present as il gradually learn where my off stump is at. but i can never judge what shot to play. as a generalisation, just to give me something to work on, based on a ball aiming for off/middle stump, what shots should i look to play at different lengths? (e.g. short, good, full). obviously the drive works on good length deliveries, but what about the other lengths?
i watch great players of spin using their feet to get to the pitch of the ball, players like Michael Clarke, Kevin Pietersen, etc and they completely negate the turn off the wicket either with a defensive block, or a drive down the ground. i tried this and found that it only really works for me when the ball is pitched on a length slightly short of good. if the ball is well pitched up then you have to hit it full toss which isnt too bad (its easier to play from the crease though), but if it drops well short then youre stuck in no mans land and the ball can go anywhere. how do good players know when they should move forwards and when to stay back? i found that its almost impossible to make the call as the ball is airborne, i had to pre-meditate my shot and hope that the bowler did the same as the ball before. the one time he didnt i got stumped.
finally, where do people take their guard? and how do they position their stance? i feel most comfortable with my back foot just inside the batting crease, and my feet about 18-24" apart. both feet with toes inline with middle stump, both square to the wicket. i take a late stance, preferring to stay upright until just before the bowler delivers the ball, then i squat into my stance with a level head, look up, and primarily look to either place my front foot forward with my toes pointing at about 45 degrees, or look to transfer my weight onto my back foot and move my front foot back slightly but still square. any comments on this, as to whether im doing anything inherently wrong? i got rapped on the pads a couple of times, but didnt find myself getting into trouble for possible LBW calls. my biggest issue was swiping at shots with poor technique and almost getting caught by close fielders as i scooped the ball up. and on straight deliveries at the stumps or close to off stump i just had no idea what to do or where the ball was going or ending up! i inside edged, outside edged, scooped upwards, completely missed. lots of awful looking shots lol
any advice is greatly appreciated. i obviously need to get a LOT more practice in, but some tips on what im doing wrong to begin with will surely help me get my technique sound before i start practicing with poor technique and retaining bad habits.
