Fron foot block

[Postmanpat]

Hi everyone, I've been having a rather embarrassing problem with blocking of late

I'm 17 and usually bat 6 for my team, since the last quarter of the season and since then I've developed a habit of falling over straight delivery's around waist height.

I can't for the life of me block straight waist high balls, I've no problem with fuller balls or shorter lengths. It's more or less started with my latest growth spurt. I used to be very short and hence on the back foot most of the time. So maybe I've never been able to block properly?

I don't think I've done a very good job of explaining this problem, bear with me please

I take about a metre stride out to meet the ball, but then seem to fall over my front leg and my bat moves in front of my front pad and then I get bowled off-stump

I would appreciate any help whatsoever, as constantly being bowled by older brother and subsequently being laughed at isn't very fun. :P

Do any of you have any advice to help me stop this?

 

[Jakester1288]

If it's on your waist you should be playing off the back foot unless you are advancing down the wicket.

 

[vic_orthdox]

Chances are that your overbalancing. Try and keep your chin tucked into your shoulder, and keep your hands in tight when playing your stroke. You should have your hands touching your pelvis in your stance, and keep them in close playing your shot.

Tends to be a chicken-egg argument. Are your hands causing your head to fall, or is your head falling over and bringing your hands with it.

 

[Postmanpat]

Chances are that your overbalancing. Try and keep your chin tucked into your shoulder, and keep your hands in tight when playing your stroke. You should have your hands touching your pelvis in your stance, and keep them in close playing your shot.

Tends to be a chicken-egg argument. Are your hands causing your head to fall, or is your head falling over and bringing your hands with it.

Do you mean close to the pelvis, or close together?

Thanks Vic, I've been walking around the house practicing the shot (getting some strange looks) and keeping my chin tucked in. It's helped a lot, the shot feels much sturdier and my bat doesn't wobble about anymore.

I also have a problem when playing straight, I get my front pad directly in front of the ball a lot. So it stops my bat playing straight. I can usually get around this when it happens by glancing it off my pads to the on-side. Sometimes it gets out of hand and I end up stepping inside the line of a length ball. Anyway I can stop this? Or should I just get throw downs or something and practice keeping my pad out of the way?

Thanks a lot for the help.