batting drills to do alone

[deeps]

When the bat goes back in the backlift action(in normal batting) try and hold the bat only with the index finger and the thumb of the right hand with the other fingers resting close to the index finger but not WRAPPED round the bat handle. This will ensure a loose right hand grip.

yup, that's what i'm doing, startin to feel a little better.... playin the pull and cut shots will be a bit tougher i think, but something i'll work on.

 

[SJS]

yup, that's what i'm doing, startin to feel a little better.... playin the pull and cut shots will be a bit tougher i think, but something i'll work on.

Best of luck. Join my cricket academy when i start it in a couple of years

 

[deeps]

Are you having trouble with your footwork, trigger movements? I've had a lot of issues, but now I have been videoed I can at least remedy the situation (Now I know exactly whats up).. If you know someone with a camcorder, get them to come to your next net session and film you.. Works with bowling as well.. I've been totally surprised by my action and jump towards the stumps (Anyone remember Paul Strang?)

nah footwork and trigger movements are all fine. As i said, i'm totally comfortable at the crease, never look like i'm in trouble etc. I'm struggling to score runs, play the big drives etc. but thanks to SJS that should hopefully all be in the past...alot of work for me to do though, but should be fun... gives me something to work on.

I've stopped bowling, from chronice shoulder problems... Was considering recreating myself as an off spinner, but that's not a big prioroty atm.

 

[SJS]

yup, that's what i'm doing, startin to feel a little better.... playin the pull and cut shots will be a bit tougher i think, but something i'll work on.

And remember, if you are standing square chested, you will keep reverting to the right hand dominating grip. Have your left shoulder pointing down the line or at best towards midon. so that the left arm can swing through straight. If driving to the off side, turn your left shoulder in the direction you wish to drive. The bat must swing through the line of the shot in a straight plane and if it is going to swing from the shoulder, the shoulder needs to be in the same plane. If it isnt, your right hand will drag the bat across the line towards the on side.

I hope I am making sense.

 

[deeps]

And remember, if you are standing square chested, you will keep reverting to the right hand dominating grip. Have your left shoulder pointing down the line or at best towards midon. so that the left arm can swing through straight. If driving to the off side, turn your left shoulder in the direction you wish to drive. The bat must swing through the line of the shot in a straight plane and if it is going to swing from the shoulder, the shoulder needs to be in the same plane. If it isnt, your right hand will drag the bat across the line towards the on side.

I hope I am making sense.

wow you really know your stuff... haha, i stand more square chested than most, but i've worked on that alot in the past season and now am facing more towards mid on. Yup makes total sense, i will read these again tomorrow before my net session.. Just a couple of mates that don't really play much cricket so should be good...

my coach suggested using a tennis ball to practice driving, as the bounce tends to be less than a cricket ball and hence you can get on to the front foot and drive at it more effectively. But my tennis ball drives are booming :P

 

[SJS]

yup it is, and my wrists hurt from playing shots infront of the mirror.... i have some work to do over the off season.. will get some throwdowns and some gentle bowling tomorrow with my new grip

When I say lift with the left hand(during backlift) and hold with the thumb and index finger of the right hand, remember that as you lift the bat backwards, the right hand (finger and thumb) move down the handle. This ensure a straighter backlift and also a loose right hand. Then as you move forward in the downward swing of the bat, the right hand slides up the handle again and gets close to the left hand again.

 

[deeps]

well it feels comfortable enough now with air shots........ but it'll be totally different with a ball coming at me :S

pull shot feels good too now, but cut shot hurts wrist alot... guess it just needs to be strengthened..

i think my backlift is ok

 

[SJS]

well it feels comfortable enough now with air shots........ but it'll be totally different with a ball coming at me :S

pull shot feels good too now, but cut shot hurts wrist alot... guess it just needs to be strengthened..

i think my backlift is ok

Good.

For the ball coming into you, remember dont try to play it back in the direction from which it is coming. That is to say, dont play a sharp off break back to covers or even extra cover. Initially play them straight if you are not sure. Later with more confidence you will be able to drive against the movement but it requires skill even after you have played for twenty years. But this is not the time to go into that.

Dont worry about cuts and pulls. we will tackle that later. The most difficult is the driving bit. Bad habits creep in fastest into driving.

I promise you, your cutting will be fine

Good night.

 

[deeps]

I promise you, your cutting will be fine

Good night.

lol it better be nah i'm sure it will be.. glad i'm trying this over the off season though!

thanx for the help! gnite!

 

[deeps]

had my net session today and it was good. struggled to middle the ball at first, but getting better at it... ended up with very sore wrists by the end of my session :P but that's ok

in terms of driving itself, when i actually middled the ball, i got alot more power than usual which is very good. Now i just have to middle them more often.

The drives are a little uppish atm, but i'll work on that once i get used to middling it with my new grip... it's alot harder middling it coz i have alot less control with my left arm. that should come with practice though

 

[SJS]

had my net session today and it was good. struggled to middle the ball at first, but getting better at it... ended up with very sore wrists by the end of my session :P but that's ok

in terms of driving itself, when i actually middled the ball, i got alot more power than usual which is very good. Now i just have to middle them more often.

The drives are a little uppish atm, but i'll work on that once i get used to middling it with my new grip... it's alot harder middling it coz i have alot less control with my left arm. that should come with practice though

Very good.

For the drives being uppish there could be various reasons.
1) you are not reaching upto the ball.

2) You are not leaning into the stroke and are much more erect than you should be. This is the most probable reason. Remember, you must get your centre of gravity closer to the ground, so lean into your strokes. Transfer the weight fully on to the front foot and bring the upper torso closer to the point of contact. Your head should, Ideally be over the ball or, conversely, the ball should be under your eyes.(almost).

Of course, if driving to the onside, you are bound to be more upright. In this case, you may drag your back foot out of the crease and get over the ball.

3) Its also possible that the right hand is still trying to do some work in which case the ball will go uppish.

Initially practice for one side of the wicket. Preferably, driving to extra cover and long off only. Dont start with driving on both sides until you start feeling your left hand getting stronger and in good control.

By the way, I suspect your square cuts may not be so much cuts as flat batted (horizontal bat) hits to the point, cover point area.

Lots of players who have a dominant right hand, play the short pitched deliveries to the offf side with a powerfull "slap" from the horizontal bat. For a spinner it goes to covers or so and for a faster bowler, the pace on the ball takes it squarer. If this is so, you will have to start playing proper square cuts which are different but will be possible with your new grip. In addition, because of your new grip, you wil be able to play the backfoot drive , with a straight bat, (in case you were watching today Yuvraj played one to covers and another to the long off boundary) which are neautiful cricketing shots and will replace your existing flat batted kind-of-drives-*** cuts.

Just let me know if I am correct in my surmise.

 

[deeps]

Very good.

For the drives being uppish there could be various reasons.
1) you are not reaching upto the ball.

2) You are not leaning into the stroke and are much more erect than you should be. This is the most probable reason. Remember, you must get your centre of gravity closer to the ground, so lean into your strokes. Transfer the weight fully on to the front foot and bring the upper torso closer to the point of contact. Your head should, Ideally be over the ball or, conversely, the ball should be under your eyes.(almost).

Of course, if driving to the onside, you are bound to be more upright. In this case, you may drag your back foot out of the crease and get over the ball.

3) Its also possible that the right hand is still trying to do some work in which case the ball will go uppish.

Initially practice for one side of the wicket. Preferably, driving to extra cover and long off only. Dont start with driving on both sides until you start feeling your left hand getting stronger and in good control.

By the way, I suspect your square cuts may not be so much cuts as flat batted (horizontal bat) hits to the point, cover point area.

Lots of players who have a dominant right hand, play the short pitched deliveries to the offf side with a powerfull "slap" from the horizontal bat. For a spinner it goes to covers or so and for a faster bowler, the pace on the ball takes it squarer. If this is so, you will have to start playing proper square cuts which are different but will be possible with your new grip. In addition, because of your new grip, you wil be able to play the backfoot drive , with a straight bat, (in case you were watching today Yuvraj played one to covers and another to the long off boundary) which are neautiful cricketing shots and will replace your existing flat batted kind-of-drives-*** cuts.

Just let me know if I am correct in my surmise.

Yeah i've only been practicing off side drives, didnt try anything on the on side as yet. as for the 3 choices, i'm pretty sure it's the 3rd one (right hand still trying to do something) but that's mainly i think because i'm still coming to grips with the new grip :P......... when i practice the shot, in the air i dnt use much bottom hand... i guess once i get enough strength in my left hand that will be fixed.

in regards to the cut shot, i'm not entirely sure what you mean by flat batted hits to point cover etc. The cut shots with the new grip were coming off fine, but it did hurt my wrists again... my cut shot normally had alot of bottom hand and wrists mainly...

lol i'll work on backfoot drives after i get my front foot one sorted :P I did see the yuvraj one to long on i believe, and it was good, though i think that's along way aaway

 

[SJS]

Yeah i've only been practicing off side drives, didnt try anything on the on side as yet. as for the 3 choices, i'm pretty sure it's the 3rd one (right hand still trying to do something) but that's mainly i think because i'm still coming to grips with the new grip :P......... when i practice the shot, in the air i dnt use much bottom hand... i guess once i get enough strength in my left hand that will be fixed.

in regards to the cut shot, i'm not entirely sure what you mean by flat batted hits to point cover etc. The cut shots with the new grip were coming off fine, but it did hurt my wrists again... my cut shot normally had alot of bottom hand and wrists mainly...

lol i'll work on backfoot drives after i get my front foot one sorted :P I did see the yuvraj one to long on i believe, and it was good, though i think that's along way aaway

Oh the square of the wicket horizontal bat shots ARE played with a lot of role for the bottom hand so dont worry about that. Dont try to cut and pull with only the top hand as you do for driving. Of course it will hurt !!

Use your right hand for cutting and pulling and hooking. Thats okay.

Just make sure you bring the bat from above and hit the ball down for all these strokes, that is the key.

Of course there are other things but leave them for the present. Just remember that the top hand dominance is basically for the driving.

 

[deeps]

Oh the square of the wicket horizontal bat shots ARE played with a lot of role for the bottom hand so dont worry about that. Dont try to cut and pull with only the top hand as you do for driving. Of course it will hurt !!

lol noo, wat i meant was, i was cutting the same way..with my right hand dominant, but my left wrist was hurting a little (probably from the driving from earlieR).. It's nothing big, it's just that it's probably too weak. It wll go away

Yup, i cut from high to low, or i'd end up gettin caught at gully all the time