I remember when I was around ten years old. I was very small for my age, skinny and not strong by any standards.
I had not learnt anything about how to bat but I had the only bat in the neighborhood so I got to play with the big boys.
I had no clue as to how to bat. So finally after struggling for a long time, I developed a technique of my own. I stood awkwardly and, I am sure uglier than hell, at the crease, watched the ball from the bowlers hand like a hawk, I watched it off the wicket and then as it came close to me I put my bat in its way and turned it a bit (often it turned on its own) one way or the other, edging (smartly) on either side of the wicket.
The big bad fast bowlers got very agitated and came in bowling faster and that just helped my edges to go for boundaries instead of singles or scampered twos.
Of course, I joined a proper club at 14,
got god coaching and started playing in front of the wicket.
Chanderpaul, with all his impressive Test records, has always reminded me of myself as a ten year old