Custom Bats Cricket Forum
General Cricket => Cricket Training, Fitness and Injuries => Topic started by: RoyalParkReds on May 28, 2015, 07:18:52 AM
-
I basically don't play the short ball at all unless it is on the off side.
In theory, I have researched and asked many people/coaches about it and have a fairly good grasp of the required techniques. Unfortunately in a game this never happens. My natural reaction to short is always to duck underneath it. I know the short ball is very much mental and not wanting a hard rock object to hit you at speed, but there seems to be something else I am missing. I just don't pick up the pitch/length at all compares to full deliveries.
Any suggestions are welcomed. Cheers.
-
Playing the short ball comes natural to me... The pull being my favourite shot.. It just seems to be instinct to me now so it might be a little hard for me to explain.. Watching the ball from the bowlers hand and picking up the length early is the key I think. It never crosses my mind about getting hit as I am very comfortable with this shot but my small piece of advice is watch the ball straight from the hand,get in position and play confidently... Dominate the bowling attack...
-
I used to be the same, always ducking first. Now I seem to play at it all the time with varying results. Haven't got out to it yet, but had a couple of top edges. Scored a few runs off it too. I have no idea what changed, just confidence I guess. I go back and across now as a trigger which might help?
-
often you find that shorter batsmen play the short ball better as they're more used to it.
being tall, this is definitely true for me. it's rare that anyone can get a ball up around my head! however when i played in south africa the opposite was true - some opposition bowlers worked out that the "pom" couldn't play the short ball and i got properly peppered!
the outcome was that i can now play short pitched bowling much better than i ever could before. so my advice is to practice, a lot. get someone to underarm tennis balls at your head and practice pulling or ducking. then move on to the bowling machine.
-
being tall, this is definitely true for me. it's rare that anyone can get a ball up around my head! however when i played in south africa the opposite was true - some opposition bowlers worked out that the "pom" couldn't play the short ball and i got properly peppered!
Tee downside of playing on English pitches!!! They're not hard enough to get decent bounce!
-
When it comes to plyaing the short ball, I used to struggle. Much like Rich said, being tall (I'm about 6'2"), not many people can get it high enough to trouble, and the level I play (3rd/4th XI) not many people have the pace.
I spent a bit of time working on it in the nets, and now I tend not to have too much trouble.
I always find though, it's easier to play it off of taller bowlers. I find it difficult to play short stuff well off shorter bowlers, as I'm not expecting anything to be short.
-
I was lucky in my youth. I played on an excellent deck with good bounce. If somebody bounced you then you simply ducked or pulled it. However, the issue came later for me. Started playing on decks with little bounce and you become a bit fearful of playing the shot due to getting bowled. This led to me only playing the shot when I was really "in" and had assessed the bowling. It got to the extent a few seasons ago where I wasn't playing it very well at all. I could start legside and happily cut anything short but occasionally bowlers would follow me. I did a bit of bowling machine work with Ryan over one of the winters, basically replicating the particular short ball I was having trouble with around 50-60mph. Wore a few bruises but after a while I started working out my "areas" and what to do when a ball was on a certain line. Over off stick or just outside off I would fetch pull it, legside I would try to get inside it and deflect/hook it. Worked for me as the shot become instinctive again and I remember hooking one guy through mid wicket the following season and thinking "christ I nailed that"!.
It's as much about make yourself a difficult target and finding scoring opportunities, as surviving. Bowlers tend to put the short ball away once you have smacked them through point or pulled them down to fine leg for 4 a couple of times. You don't have to play it well or be a great hooker, just enough to be able to score runs if it comes to it. They are like all bowlers, worry about their figures and if they don't the captain will.
-
I always find though, it's easier to play it off of taller bowlers. I find it difficult to play short stuff well off shorter bowlers, as I'm not expecting anything to be short.
Agree, the margin for error seems to be smaller. The difference between a short and a back of a length ball with a quick short bowler is much smaller. When it bounces though it's the difference between hitting you in the chest and bowling you!
-
Cheers for the feedback.
I think starting with the tennis balls and just learning to pick up the length early and also having the intent to move across early and go for it is the key, for me at least.
There is another thing I remember reading, possibly on this forum, where the top players can read the body of the bowling action and anticipate if if it is going to be a shortish ball and start to move across for it. Anyone know if this has any truth ?
-
Cheers for the feedback.
I think starting with the tennis balls and just learning to pick up the length early and also having the intent to move across early and go for it is the key, for me at least.
There is another thing I remember reading, possibly on this forum, where the top players can read the body of the bowling action and anticipate if if it is going to be a shortish ball and start to move across for it. Anyone know if this has any truth ?
Yes heard similar. At club level I think the best you can do is to look just before delivery and see if the guy appears to be putting in more effort into a specific delivery.I think the clever ones will hide the bouncer as much as possible.
-
I have two quicks that play for me in the 4s. Both of them should be in higher teams and both bowl at more than fast enough for the standard. One is short and skiddy, the other is tall and muscular. Of the 2, the taller guy is faster, however I'd rather play his bouncer all day as I always know when it's coming. The little guy has a really fast arm and almost no body in his action, so you never can tell when he's bowling i until it pitches. By then you'll do well to just drop your hands and sway out the way, let alone play it!
-
There is another thing I remember reading, possibly on this forum, where the top players can read the body of the bowling action and anticipate if if it is going to be a shortish ball and start to move across for it. Anyone know if this has any truth ?
Absolutely the case. There is no way you can move into position to play genuinely fast bowling if you don't have inbuilt muscle memory to "read" the bowling rom the bowlers action.
There are no short cuts to this, however, you just have to face loads of bowling and get used to it.
In the mean time you need to work on your technique a little.
I would ask you, however, why do you need to change your approach? if you don't attack the short ball, you take no risk and if you take no risk to it, the bowlers will stop bowling it.
-
if you don't attack the short ball, you take no risk and if you take no risk to it, the bowlers will stop bowling it.
Couldn't agree more. In my gap year I spent a season in Brisbane. I ducked under all short balls. Funnily enough I faced a maximum of 3/4 per innings as they realised it wasn't worth the effort.
-
I'm only 5 foot 6 so I get a lot of balls coming down that are short to me but would be on a good length to anyone else. For me its all about letting the bowler know that i'm not going to be intimidated just because he can get the ball to bounce high. I tend to take the Brian Close approach, anything that I can't hit that isn't going at my head gets worn, anything head/shoulder height gets ducked/moved out of the way of. I've been working on my short ball shots in the last few weeks though so I can pick up my scoring pace a bit whilst waiting for the short bowling to be abandoned (I can be annoyingly Boycottesque at times during games) and to make the Brian Close impression more of a plan B. They soon pack it in and start pitching the ball up once they realise that they can't scare me and their figures are going downhill.
-
Ducking is usually fine for me but I am trying to be a more aggressive batsman.
My problem with batting in general has been I can get bogged down and the run rate slows down.
Couple of reasons I want to learn it are
1. Sends a message to the batsman. Can help put to him off his game and over pitch etc.
2. There are not too many good top order batsman that don't play the short ball at all.
3. If it is a good short ball obviously it is fine to leave and and is just a waste of energy of the bowler. But bad ones that don't get hit are just runs going down the drain.
-
I used to play the short ball well (my opinion at least) but over time I played the pull shot less and less. I found that as I got older my pick up got lower and lower and I was still using the same weight of bat I did 20 years ago. Therefore, I bought a 2.6lb bat and consciously had a higher pickup. It worked for me and now I pull like I was in my 20's (not the ladies unfortunately).
-
A few things that helped me:
1. Practicing the shot using underarm lobs (have someone crouch about half way down the pitch and lob up the ball at you - play around with exact position of thrower and speed of throws). Make sure that even when you're pulling, your head is in front of your backfoot (i.e. don't lean, or fall, back) - this will give you power, and minimize lobbing ball up in air.
2. Make sure you watch the ball all the way - even during practice
3. In the nets (and obviously in matches), WATCH THE BALL OUT OF THE BOWLER'S HAND, and keep your head still as long as possible. You will be amazed how this makes a huge difference. You will be able to pounce on balls because you'll pick up the length SOOO much earlier. This helped me the most. Even now, when I find myself defending a ball that should be pulled, it is because I get lazy watching the ball out of the bowler's hand.
4. Maybe a lighter bat...but try the first three first.
-
Cheers for the feedback.
I think starting with the tennis balls and just learning to pick up the length early and also having the intent to move across early and go for it is the key, for me at least.
There is another thing I remember reading, possibly on this forum, where the top players can read the body of the bowling action and anticipate if if it is going to be a shortish ball and start to move across for it. Anyone know if this has any truth ?
Yes it is true
What i always find is that people relax when at the none strikers end ........... i do most of my investigative work there.
I look at the way they grip the ball on approach and see if i can predict slower balls, ones moving the other way and if they change their run up to bowl slower or faster.
when facing the bowler a short ball can sort of be predicted based on the leading arm and mainly the point of release. A short ball is released a lot later in the action than a normal ball. Also someone coming wide of the crease may be trying to fire one into your ribs etc. Often it requires a little more effort and you can just see that extra effort in the action
also a lot of pros go back and across so are effectively waiting for the shorter ball and then merely leaning/transferring weight on the pitched up balls
these subtleties of batting once mastered make you have almost predictable powers that seem magical but are just knowing where and what to look for
-
to practice
tennis ball
tennis racket
club nutter
tell him to kill you
soon get used to short bowling then
-
At 5ft 5 and opening the batting i know I am going to get the short stuff so I anticipate it every ball by watching the bowler and if he is bending is back I know what to expect and are ready first pick the line of the ball and get into position inside the line of the ball and then always roll wrists downwards on contact with the ball sometimes tend to get hit when the ball follows me but just forget it before the next ball also found that using a light bat helps with the shot.
-
The problem with light bats is that they shots don't go very far. I tried a 2-7/2-8 bat and it was the worst batting experience of my life. The pulls and drives that go the rope were falling short between 30 yards and the boundary rope. Painful. Never used a light bat in a match since that horrible experience. I open. I am short and use a heavy bat (2-12/2-13) and am fine with my pull shot (my most productive shot).
The key to pull and hook is to get in position early and watch the ball. Your mindset should be: "I will kick his ass should he bowl a short ball". :D Never back down. I have opened against a lot of very aggressive bowlers who use short ball as an intimidation tactic. Always take it on. Even if you edge to the third-man, the bowler will think twice as he'd be leaking runs making his unhappy in the process.
In terms of gauging length, I am experimenting with an approach and I am interested in hearing the opinions of the forumites:
- Leg stump guard
- Trigger back-and-across
- This is where I am experimenting with a slightly different approach. I prepare for a full/yorker length delivery (instead of a short delivery) while standing on the balls of the feet with weight evenly distributed
- If ball is full/yorker/good length get on front foot - slight adjustment not a giant leap forward
- If ball is short, transfer weight to back foot and pull/hook.
-
The problem with light bats is that they shots don't go very far. I tried a 2-7/2-8 bat and it was the worst batting experience of my life. The pulls and drives that go the rope were falling short between 30 yards and the boundary rope. Painful. Never used a light bat in a match since that horrible experience. I open. I am short and use a heavy bat (2-12/2-13) and am fine with my pull shot (my most productive shot).
You do not need a heavy bat, particularly pulling, most of the pace comes from the ball and you just help it on. also, a well timed and placed drive will easily find the boundary with a light bat due to the bat speed you can achieve. a heavy bat may be needed if you either have a slow bat speed, an unresponsive bat or poor timing. at the end of the day everyone's different and we all like different things.
-
^ This "bat speed" of a light bat is a myth when it comes to slow out fields. No matter how much bat speed you generate, high grass and damn ground just kills the ball's speed on the ground. On slow outfields, you want to cover a good amount by cover by having the ball travel in the air and when it lands, it should have enough force/momentum behind it to carry it to the boundary. Heavy bats are perfect for the job. Guys who get away with light bats on slow outfields are built like Chris Gayle.
Also, pros can get away with light weight bats because they play on fast outfields that are built like billiards table.
I can time a ball fine, unfortunately, that timed ball off a light ball won't go very far on a slow outfield.
-
The problem with light bats is that they shots don't go very far. I tried a 2-7/2-8 bat and it was the worst batting experience of my life. The pulls and drives that go the rope were falling short between 30 yards and the boundary rope. Painful. Never used a light bat in a match since that horrible experience. I open. I am short and use a heavy bat (2-12/2-13) and am fine with my pull shot (my most productive shot).
The key to pull and hook is to get in position early and watch the ball. Your mindset should be: "I will kick his ass should he bowl a short ball". :D Never back down. I have opened against a lot of very aggressive bowlers who use short ball as an intimidation tactic. Always take it on. Even if you edge to the third-man, the bowler will think twice as he'd be leaking runs making his unhappy in the process.
In terms of gauging length, I am experimenting with an approach and I am interested in hearing the opinions of the forumites:
- Leg stump guard
- Trigger back-and-across
- This is where I am experimenting with a slightly different approach. I prepare for a full/yorker length delivery (instead of a short delivery) while standing on the balls of the feet with weight evenly distributed
- If ball is full/yorker/good length get on front foot - slight adjustment not a giant leap forward
- If ball is short, transfer weight to back foot and pull/hook.
. Interesting what I find is that using a light bat with increased bat speed and improved timing more than makes up for lack of wood in the bat Also ive seen many batsman get out mistiming the hook shot due to there bat being to heavy.
-
going to ignor the first bit about the bat speed/light bat stuff - you either have quick hands and are strong enough to use a bat or it is too heavy for you.
As for this...
In terms of gauging length, I am experimenting with an approach and I am interested in hearing the opinions of the forumites:
- Leg stump guard
- Trigger back-and-across
- This is where I am experimenting with a slightly different approach. I prepare for a full/yorker length delivery (instead of a short delivery) while standing on the balls of the feet with weight evenly distributed
- If ball is full/yorker/good length get on front foot - slight adjustment not a giant leap forward
- If ball is short, transfer weight to back foot and pull/hook.
Guard - you want your outside eye to be above the off stump so you know where it is.
Trigger - standing still (in my view is better for amateurs). Personally I think if you must trigger, a forward press would work better as it will allow you to move back more easily.
having said that it is your head that guides where your feet goes, get your head in line and moving forward for a fuller ball and back for a short ball.
it is a hugely common misconception that you move your feet first. This is not the case, you move your head first and that shapes how you play the shot.
If you are playing the hook, your head moves back and outside the line, your feet then move to keep you in balance and you play the shot.
well that method was good enough for Douglas Jardine, Marcus Trescothic and Kevin Pietersen to name by three.
-
going to ignor the first bit about the bat speed/light bat stuff - you either have quick hands and are strong enough to use a bat or it is too heavy for you.
As for this...
Guard - you want your outside eye to be above the off stump so you know where it is.
Trigger - standing still (in my view is better for amateurs). Personally I think if you must trigger, a forward press would work better as it will allow you to move back more easily.
having said that it is your head that guides where your feet goes, get your head in line and moving forward for a fuller ball and back for a short ball.
it is a hugely common misconception that you move your feet first. This is not the case, you move your head first and that shapes how you play the shot.
If you are playing the hook, your head moves back and outside the line, your feet then move to keep you in balance and you play the shot.
well that method was good enough for Douglas Jardine, Marcus Trescothic and Kevin Pietersen to name by three.
Always remember listening to Brian Lara after he broke world records stating that dropping 4 ounces off his bat weight enabled him to transform his game.
-
Always remember listening to Brian Lara after he broke world records stating that dropping 4 ounces off his bat weight enabled him to transform his game.
Sense it's time for another topic :D
I think what Buzz was trying to say was if a bats too heavy for you then it effects all your game not one specific area. If you have the right weight bat in the first place then it shouldn't matter.
-
I think what Buzz was trying to say was if a bats too heavy for you then it effects all your game not one specific area. If you have the right weight bat in the first place then it shouldn't matter.
that one.
-
Always remember listening to Brian Lara after he broke world records stating that dropping 4 ounces off his bat weight enabled him to transform his game.
Pros bat on faster outfields. Clubbies like myself don't have that luxury. Last away match I played, 1/3 of the ground had 5 inch high grass.