A Good Technique For Batting!

                         Many of you would have heard many people saying some have good technique while some not. You must have also wondered what can a technique do when you have to just hit your bat at the ball coming towards you no matter where you are standing and how you are standing. Well, If you think so then you are probably wrong. Saying all this stuff is simple but a good technique does matter. A good technique means the ability to play the right shots to the right balls. You cannot play a hook shot to a yorker , obviously! If you shot selection is good then one can say your technique is good.

                         Well, I will not show you all the basics here but some tips about your technique. No matter how much you practice before a match, it is always safer to play a few dot balls or singles at the start of your innings rather than playing all your shots in the beginning. But you must also have the right technique to stay in the crease as you might be shaky at the start of your innings. Your eyes must be always on the ball till it hits your bat and deflects. You may be said wise if you leave the balls outside the off-stump at the beginning but keep an eye on the seam position of the ball so that you might not become a victim of an in-swinger! Playing a fast bowler if he bowls a short ball some of the option that will come to your mind will be playing a pull shot, a hook shot or if its outside the off-stump you might play an upper cut. But playing these shots at the start of your innings might be risky so it will be wise to leave some balls. If he bowls a fuller length delivery you might be tempted to play a drive AND THAT IS THE BIGGEST MISTAKE YOU WILL DO! I'm not saying you must not drive a ball at the beginning, but always try to play safe. If the bowler is a swing bowler then he might bowl an out swinger just at or outside your off-stump to tempt you to drive and make a mistake. If you have a good technique you can survive this. He can even bowl an in-swinger or a straighter ball at the same time to surprise you. You must be ready for all the surprises he may offer. In this case fitness matters a lot! Fitness enhances your reflexes. A smaller backlift may help you stay there at the beginning.

                         And if a spinner comes at the start of your innings you might have to change your technique a bit. The most important thing when you play a spinner is having a close look at his hand and his fingers. Watching that you might come to know which ball may spin in, which may go out and which one will be straight. But you must always be ready for surprises because the world does not run as you want it to or as you see it! A spinner may keep bowling consistently in a good line to test your patience. Sometimes you might be tempted to go over the top but that me also be a trick to get you out. When a spinner bowls a short ball you might be right to hit him over the midwicket or if its outside off you might cut it square of the wicket. That might fetch you runs but if you avoid it you might get a life!

                          Once you are set after playing 20-25 balls you can start playing your shots. But remember start with the ground shots.

Outside Off-stump:

1) Fuller length ball: If a bowler bowls a fuller length ball outside the off-stump, adjust your position behind the ball and play a front foot square drive or a cover drive. You must lean forward for better results. Play a little to reduce the possibility of the ball going in the air.

2) Good length ball: If a bowler bowls a good length ball outside the off-stump, Adjust your position behind the ball and play a back foot cover or square drive keeping your body straight and not leaning forward.

3) Short Pitched Ball: If a bowler bowls a short pitched ball outside the off-stump, be ready to play a square cut. All the weight of your body must be on your back foot. If the ball is too high you can play the upper cut if the third man is in or is placed squarer.

On Stump Line:

1) Fuller length ball: Play a straight drive while getting right behind the ball, leaning forward and keeping your balance intact and eyes on the ball. If its on you legs you can play an on-drive or to the fine leg region. You can also play a sweep shot if its a spinner.

2) Good length ball: If a good length ball is targeted on your body try playing a leg glance or play it square of the wicket.

3) Short pitched ball: Play a pull shot by getting on the back foot behind the line of the ball and playing to the square leg region. Play a hook shot if there's no fielder in the deep or you have faith in yourself that you can clear the rope!

                                Well, and after all this if you are still not out, Go and slog all over the place. And here most of the batsmen throw it away! Getting the freedom to hit in the power play overs or at the end of the innings does not mean that you have to hit the ball anywhere. Try hitting the ball in the gaps. You might have seen that in the power play overs when there are just 2-3 fielders placed outside the 30 yard circle, batsmen get out holing a shot straight to them after having such a good start and playing so well. While this might be a bowler's trick but a batsmen must also have an alternative if he thinks that he might be a victim to the bowler's trick. He must try hitting in gaps and is open spaces as far as possible. If looking for a six, look for areas where there's no one in the deep. At this time you have freedom to play all the shots available in cricket. Once again fitness is very important as you can convert ones' to two's in crucial time.

                                So there I am. Will tell more about bowling in my next post, Thank you!