Batting Problem

[DCC_legend]

Have been batting well in the nets and have come along in the last few sessions, however, I've been told that I have a problem with the way I hold the bat. Simply, when I play a shot, particularly a drive or defensive, my bat wants to come closer to my legs (i.e. the bat ends up at a slight / angle when the shot is been executed).This often leaves me edging or mi****ting shots which, if the problem was corrected, would be good shots. I have tried to adjust my grip but still find I have the problem. Any tips?

 

[Anna]

Have been batting well in the nets and have come along in the last few sessions, however, I've been told that I have a problem with the way I hold the bat. Simply, when I play a shot, particularly a drive or defensive, my bat wants to come closer to my legs (i.e. the bat ends up at a slight / angle when the shot is been executed).This often leaves me edging or mi****ting shots which, if the problem was corrected, would be good shots. I have tried to adjust my grip but still find I have the problem. Any tips?

It sounds like you might not be gripping the bat firmly enough with your leading hand. Also, when was the last time you changed your bat's grip?

 

[DCC_legend]

I got a new bat 2 months ago and put another new grip on it to try and compensate for said problem.

 

[Anna]

It might be because your bottom hand pushes through too much, although that's just a thought because I am definitely not an expert!

 

[DCC_legend]

If it is the bottom hand problem you have suggested would another grip work or even the Squash Ball technique?

 

[bond21]

open your stance a bit, i find its easier to hit shots on the pads.

duno if that helps, but just hit through the line.

 

[willb88]

I used to do this aswell, my bottom hand would force through while driving and close the bat face. I use 2 grips on my bat, but the first grip is only on the bottom half of the handle. technically leaving one grip at the top for the top/leading hand to grip. This means you have to tighten your grip with the top hand automatically. This should bring the bat through straight and be harder for your bottom hand to turn the bat.

 

[vic_orthdox]

It might be because your bottom hand pushes through too much, although that's just a thought because I am definitely not an expert!

Anna is pretty much right, I reckon. Your bottom hand is overpowering; it should be your top hand doing all the controlling of where your blade goes, bottom hand should just guide through.

A good way to help with this is having someone underarm half volleys to you (need be no more than 7m away), and with you holding the bat only with your top hand, play straight bat shots off the front foot. As you get better at this, you can practice this with back foot defence, front foot defence, with balls being thrown a bit quicker overarm.

But that part isn't really necessary. I reckon if you do the drill as first described a couple of times a week, for a month, then you'll notice a difference.

 

[vic_orthdox]

Anna is pretty much right, I reckon. Your bottom hand is overpowering; it should be your top hand doing all the controlling of where your blade goes, bottom hand should just guide through.

A good way to help with this is having someone underarm half volleys to you (need be no more than 7m away), and with you holding the bat only with your top hand, play straight bat shots off the front foot. As you get better at this, you can practice this with back foot defence, front foot defence, with balls being thrown a bit quicker overarm.

But that part isn't really necessary. I reckon if you do the drill as first described a couple of times a week, for a month, then you'll notice a difference.

The other thing is that you should make sure that your hands are in tight; they're not away from your body when you commence playing the shot. If they're not in close near your hips, then your natural bat stroke will be across your body slightly.

 

[Anna]

To add to what Jack said: another useful tip my coach gave me once is to grip with just your index and middle fingers on your bottom hand, pretty much just resting it, to get your top hand used to being the dominant one when playing straight.
Hope that makes sense!

 

[Burgey]

To add to what Jack said: another useful tip my coach gave me once is to grip with just your index and middle fingers on your bottom hand, pretty much just resting it, to get your top hand used to being the dominant one when playing straight.
Hope that makes sense!

Good tip - might give that a go. I sometimes find my bottom hand dominates too much.

Cheers!!

 

[vic_orthdox]

Yeah, a number of people have told me that one, because I'm much the same. However, whatever I'm doing as the bowler runs in, it seems to go out the window as soon as he lets go of it!

 

[DCC_legend]

Cheers for the tips! Will try the drills and let you know how i'm getting on.

 

[spunbowler]

contray to what most people think, cricket is a bottom hand game, its getting the right balance, how much does your bat weigh? That could be the problem, also where is your head when all this is happening, sounds to me you might be leading with your feet not your head. getting in line and having good balance is priority, practice in front of a long mirror playing front foot straight drives, watching your blade thru, and also look at how you break your top wrist to compensate for your bottom hand coming thru, also your hips, how much are they moving at point of contact and then with blade thru

 

[Neil Pickup]

I had a net last night, trying to work on my grip being ridiculously bottom handed. Could not hit a ball. Got bored, angry and fed up and reverted to just holding the bat how I felt like it and trying to **** it. Success.

Moral? Sometimes I think too much.

 

[Ozzie Osborne]

New to the site and first post so be gentle

It sounds to me, (picturing it mentally) that it could be a backlift problem. Obviously i've not watched you net so can only speculate, but make sure that your backlift is straight back towards your off stump and not towards gully/slips. The reason i feel it might be backlift related is you say its mainly your drives and forward defenses where your backlift is key.

If it is off towards slips then it will naturally angle in towards your pads, nothing beats standing infront of a mirror and practicing this.

 

[DCC_legend]

My Backlift is naturally pretty straight. Got out yesterday doing the bottom hand thing, though, it was exaggerated and allowed my bat to come fully across my pads when i should have been playing beside my pad. Have done it before. Really need to get it sorted as my batting has been improving in almost every other area.