Custom Bats Cricket Forum
General Cricket => Cricket Training, Fitness and Injuries => Topic started by: tim2000s on February 21, 2014, 09:13:17 AM
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Went to my third net in seven days yesterday evening, having dented the toe of my bat on Thursday last week, and decided to take a bat that I bought for the purpose of nets and wet weather (a £20 Powerbow Special, original shape that I got off ebay. I'm not even sure if it's English willow... :o ).
What I found interesting (as a bowler at least) is that regular netting over a short period of time really does make a huge difference to the ability to bat. I was seeing (and therefore hitting) the ball much more cleanly than when I have the one net a week, and I can see why multiple practices a week would make us all much better batsmen. As a corollary of that, other people notice that you are batting much better too. I'm guessing this is what other people have experienced...?
This wouldn't be a custom bats topic without reference to the bat, and I was mighty impressed with my cheapie powerbow. That shape is an absolute belter and I think that a smaller batmaker would do very well if they were to offer it as a standard shape. It doesn't have huge edges or massive concaving, but it does work very, very well. Even better than the old Purist! For those with any interest, it has a PI of 5.8.
All in all a very enjoyable net. I think if Fattus had been there I would have been whacking his medium pace inswingers all over the place....
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I think if Fattus had been there I would have been whacking his medium pace inswingers all over the place....
Dream on Tim! Netting three times in one week and then thinks he can deal with the Fattus fatal inswinger! Jeez!
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I had a hospital appointment which required sedative on Tuesday morning.
Tuesday evening, against my doctors recommendation, went for a net session. Felt so calm at the crease and like I had so much time. Was middling shots I don't have in my locker and seeing the ball like a beach ball!
Need more of that sedative come April/May!
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i remember seeing an interview with glenn mcgrath were he was talking about netting. the only time he spent lots of time in the nets he went on to hit his highest test score of 68 i think. he didnt bother again even though he said it made a big difference
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i remember seeing an interview with glenn mcgrath were he was talking about netting. the only time he spent lots of time in the nets he went on to hit his highest test score of 68 i think. he didnt bother again even though he said it made a big difference
He said the same thing on TMS, said when he was injured and couldnt bowl he was doing alot in the nets. Then straight after had his best success batting.
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I think it does make a difference. Do 2 nets a week at the moment and use to do 2 when I played with the Headingley lads. We use to do a normal net and a bowling machine net, on different days. The bowling machine net was a bit more expensive but 4 of us shared an hour, 15 minutes each, working on weak areas in our techniques. Found it really helped to do something a bit more specialised and then go back to a normal net.
I'm sure that's one of the main differences with the Pro's. I would love to take a group of non-batsman and see how far they could come with 2-3 hours a day of netting, several days a week.
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I have seen that the more you net, faster you get into the so-called rhythm.. I have had this experience.
Contrary to this, when you are not in form, every damn ball you seem to either hit with the toe or way up on the bat :(
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I was a bowler with little care for batting.
Hirt my shoulder at work, was generally fine, just couldn't bowl. And couldn't bare to be dropped to 2nds.
So netted 3 times a week over winter. 2 bowling machines one normal net.
Before my most runs in a year was around 170ish. That year I made over 700 runs, and went from batting at 10 in first game, to opening from the 7th game on.
So yeah I say lots of nets help immensely.
Generally now my winter is one indoor game and one net a week before Xmas.
2 nets and 1 indoor game a week after Xmas.
And then 1 net and 2 to3 games a week during the season.
Being I'll since December means 14tn of December was the last time I wielded a cricket bat, and I'm 3/4weeks off fitness.
I don't think this year will be a great year for me because.
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All in all a very enjoyable net. I think if Fattus had been there I would have been whacking his medium pace inswingers all over the place....
You poor deluded fool!
I think we have already proved Tim, that you cannot correctly handle my swingers!
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its all about the confidence imo...rarely will you learn any new shots in the nets unless you are batting under supervision..rather than nets, all you need is one good innings...thats what turns things around..the mind is a a lot calmer when you are at the crease, u believe in yourself, go for your shots...
If anything, I feel that nets instill a false sense of confidence...often the good looking drives in the nets end up as catches in the hands of covers and reality hits you..
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One thing I have noticed with nets is that it helps me strengthen my back. Especially after coming back from off-season, you get a lot more tired batting in the nets than doing anything else.
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Nets grease the grove, they set your movement patterns. It's how your body learns to recognise and play different deliveries. The more you net the better you get, don't do it only using a bowling machine though .
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You only get allotted a certain amount of runs per year by the cricketing gods, best not to waste them in nets.
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Absolutely, I used to net just once a week. This season I have been in touch with different clubs [at a higher standard and with better bowlers] and have joined them for nets totalling 3 net sessions a week [Sat Sun Mon].
Batting has definetely improved and others have noticed this too. Not just that, I am a lot less scared of fast bouncers and bowlers from higher league. I now have a lot more confidence and I back myself up to at least be able to defend and not get hit when facing scary bowling.
The only downside is back pain. And my bowling has suffered but then again it has never been great anyway.
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Shock horror! Practice makes you better? Who would have thought it?!
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Shock horror! Practice makes you better? Who would have thought it?!
Stop being ridiculous!
We all know the only way to get better at batting is to buy more bats!
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And talking about bats and taking pictures of them and sleeping with them.....or is that only me?
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Stop being ridiculous!
We all know the only way to get better at batting is to buy more bats!
I think the dictionary needs changing.
Batting: the process of admiring and/or purchasing cricket bats.
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I'm a firm believer in training. Otherwise, why would all professional sports do it!
I know myself, as a self taught player that in three seasons I have gone from having never really picked a bat up 9or played cricket!) to where I am today. Purely by training and netting so much. I've not had coaching (a few pointers from people (one from nickauger) along the way), but generally just watching pro's, watching the masterclasses on tv and picking things up from watching other players.
I've gone from that to playing div 1 in northants and now playing what is basically div 4 in wepl. Now, I know I'm better than div 4 but it just happens to be the club I'm at. Is it talent? yes and no. I think it's more to do with confidence and training. I'm netting 3 times a week now and during the season I net about 4 times (not including games on wed, thur, sat and sun). This year I am aiming to hit 500 balls EVERYDAY. My stats are shooting up year on year and I expect another rise this year as I learn, improve and more importantly.. learn how to open!
on the subject of others.. last winter I helped a guy who was ok but that's it go from avg'ing 16 and not really regarded in his club as anything but a lower order slogger into someone who is arguably the clubs best batsmen.. all in one winter. Now, he had the talent and the eye but had never trained, had never had someone really help him.. a winter netting twice a week on the machine took him to over 1000 runs for the season and avg'ing 41... Now if that's not an advert for training then I dont' know what is.
People say 'you can't do everything on the machine'.. I disagree. Yes you should aim to do 'live' nets as well as it helps but if you spend your life on the machine you can become a decent player. It's much harder if someone is randomising the ball at 65/70 on teh machine than it is facing a live bowler at 75.. you have far less reaction time for a start.. plus, it's a darn site more accurate so the feeder can set you up.. spot a flaw.. etc etc IT helps me pick up line and length so quickly that a county 2nds bowler just last night said 'my god you are hard to get out, unless I bowl where you want me too I'm wasting my time'.. that's purely machine training.. he's at 80 ish mph too which while not express is plenty fast enough for me thank you very much.
sum up... if you want to improve ... net If you want to become consistent.... net
If you just want to turn up and see hwo it goes then stick as you are. Maybe you are just a superstar.. or maybe you are playing below your level so are getting away with it!
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I've only faced a machine once but could really see the benefit of doing so. I think it was set to be fairly consistent, but even so, it was relentless, so although you knew pretty much what you would be getting it made you concentrate a lot more.
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Netting should be enjoyable the vertues of netting have been talked and talked
Technical nets
Match situation nets
Fun nets
Equipment trying nets
Talking about what can be achived is all great but enjoyment is key.
I net as much as I can but the quality of nets always is better than quantity.
Adi you sure it not division 5-7 wepl mate great league are the top rungs of That league
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Netting should be enjoyable the vertues of netting have been talked and talked
Technical nets
Match situation nets
Fun nets
Equipment trying nets
Talking about what can be achived is all great but enjoyment is key.
I net as much as I can but the quality of nets always is better than quantity.
Adi you sure it not division 5-7 wepl mate great league are the top rungs of That league
Prem 1
prem 2
glos/wilts
me
so effectively.. div 4. Am I missing some? (could well be tbh, I gave up trying to work out how they structure things tbh)
You are right on enjoyment and quality though. Both things are a must and you can have enjoyment, quality and quantity too. Hell, I'd go as far as to say that I enjoy my decent net sessions to a lot of the games tbh. Mainly cause I don't have some random idiot rabbiting on abusing me, I don't have inept wepl umpires firing people left right and centre and am obviously never out :) oh and you don't have to field.. win win
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I'm a firm believer in training. Otherwise, why would all professional sports do it!
I know myself, as a self taught player that in three seasons I have gone from having never really picked a bat up 9or played cricket!) to where I am today. Purely by training and netting so much. I've not had coaching (a few pointers from people (one from nickauger) along the way), but generally just watching pro's, watching the masterclasses on tv and picking things up from watching other players.
I've gone from that to playing div 1 in northants and now playing what is basically div 4 in wepl. Now, I know I'm better than div 4 but it just happens to be the club I'm at. Is it talent? yes and no. I think it's more to do with confidence and training. I'm netting 3 times a week now and during the season I net about 4 times (not including games on wed, thur, sat and sun). This year I am aiming to hit 500 balls EVERYDAY. My stats are shooting up year on year and I expect another rise this year as I learn, improve and more importantly.. learn how to open!
on the subject of others.. last winter I helped a guy who was ok but that's it go from avg'ing 16 and not really regarded in his club as anything but a lower order slogger into someone who is arguably the clubs best batsmen.. all in one winter. Now, he had the talent and the eye but had never trained, had never had someone really help him.. a winter netting twice a week on the machine took him to over 1000 runs for the season and avg'ing 41... Now if that's not an advert for training then I dont' know what is.
People say 'you can't do everything on the machine'.. I disagree. Yes you should aim to do 'live' nets as well as it helps but if you spend your life on the machine you can become a decent player. It's much harder if someone is randomising the ball at 65/70 on teh machine than it is facing a live bowler at 75.. you have far less reaction time for a start.. plus, it's a darn site more accurate so the feeder can set you up.. spot a flaw.. etc etc IT helps me pick up line and length so quickly that a county 2nds bowler just last night said 'my god you are hard to get out, unless I bowl where you want me too I'm wasting my time'.. that's purely machine training.. he's at 80 ish mph too which while not express is plenty fast enough for me thank you very much.
sum up... if you want to improve ... net If you want to become consistent.... net
If you just want to turn up and see hwo it goes then stick as you are. Maybe you are just a superstar.. or maybe you are playing below your level so are getting away with it!
How are you going to find the time/money to hit 500 balls a day?! Do you own your own Bola and indoor net?
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How are you going to find the time/money to hit 500 balls a day?! Do you own your own Bola and indoor net?
Bola yes
I am currently constructing a indoor facility to save me the cash :). It'll be built by the season so I can hit balls easily and at any time if day. It doesn't really cost that much, 2.5k for bola, balls and feeder and then just net costs. The main pain in the backside is the setting up etc
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Whoever said 'the more I practice, the luckier I get' has a very good point.
At my peak I trained daily, and practiced as much as I could. I got the nickname 'fasteddie' for being so quick out the door when the word cricket was mentioned.
I'd love to net as much as some here. Even more now I've got some spare time!
Problem is that nets where I live are £40 per hour with another £30 for a machine.
That's a lot of money.
I don't envy, that's a negative emotion, but I tip my hat to anyone who get's their head down and practices lots. You deserve the stats and enjoyment.
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Whoever said 'the more I practice, the luckier I get' has a very good point.
At my peak I trained daily, and practiced as much as I could. I got the nickname 'fasteddie' for being so quick out the door when the word cricket was mentioned.
I'd love to net as much as some here. Even more now I've got some spare time!
Problem is that nets where I live are £40 per hour with another £30 for a machine.
That's a lot of money.
I don't envy, that's a negative emotion, but I tip my hat to anyone who get's their head down and practices lots. You deserve the stats and enjoyment.
70 quid for an hours lane and machine?? Jesus that's expensive!
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70 quid for an hours lane and machine?? Jesus that's expensive!
I thought I was being ripped off at £30! :o
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I thought I was being ripped off at £30! :o
30 for both? For 60 mins ?
Or 30 for just the lane?
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I thought I was being ripped off at £30! :o
There is nothing local or within 45 mins drive cheaper.
Welcome to West Hampstead!
Looking forward to moving out of town in a few years.
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30 for both? For 60 mins ?
Or 30 for just the lane?
£30 for 60 minutes in the Lane and anyone can grab a bowling machine, so could be for just the net or for the net & machine depending on who else is there on the day.
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£30 for 60 minutes in the Lane and anyone can grab a bowling machine, so could be for just the net or for the net & machine depending on who else is there on the day.
30 is reasonable for lane and machine. 40 isn't too bad if there are no alternatives around.
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Bola yes
I am currently constructing a indoor facility to save me the cash :). It'll be built by the season so I can hit balls easily and at any time if day. It doesn't really cost that much, 2.5k for bola, balls and feeder and then just net costs. The main pain in the backside is the setting up etc
I've just stuck £20 on you for an England call up :)
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I've just stuck £20 on you for an England call up :)
Least I'd show I cared.. Would last as long as the oppo bowler wanted to hurt me :(
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Last season I regularly (10-15 sessions) used a Bola bowling machine on a Friday evening and found it really helped my batting on the Saturday. Fortunately I paid a quite a reasonable rate of £22.00 per hour.
I should also add that I set-up a digital camera (which has a HD video functionality) on at least a couple of occasions then watched myself at home. It was quite an eye opener to see how I stood in different places almost every delivery and when I stood well outside legstump, this was causing me lean to too far across in front of the stumps and becoming a prime LBW candidate.
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I think what works by batting in the nets is that muscle memory increases considerably.