Custom Bats Cricket Forum
General Cricket => Cricket Training, Fitness and Injuries => Topic started by: ppccopener on May 01, 2016, 06:26:01 PM
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Has any other batters experienced a lengthy loss of form and confidence?
If so maybe some could advise their thought process to break to cycle of low scores.
I hope this thread may assist some stick in a rut and perhaps to look at things from a different perspective.
Some of on here may know what a soul destroying game this can be but also others may have experience of some advise they received that helped them or perhaps something they worked out for themselves....
It's early season of course but you never know what others are thinking...so I'm asking :)
Any replies appreciated.
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Form dips, that's life unfortunately otherwise we wouldn't be sat behind a keyboard as much as we do, we'd be playing more cricket and a better level at that.
The longer you bat, the more bad balls you will face. The more bad balls you face, the more likely you are to put some away. Just as low scores can come together, so can runs.
Just be patient and play the game for enjoyment. There is nothing worse than not scoring runs but at the same time, there aren't many feelings in sport better than scoring runs in my opinion.
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Clear ur mind, concentrate 110% on the ball, look to play straight and don't try to hit the ball too hard. Wait for the bad balls, runs will come.
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Clear ur mind, concentrate 110% on the ball, look to play straight and don't try to hit the ball too hard. Wait for the bad balls, runs will come.
Fully agree with this, best thing I watched was Ricky Pontings masterclass where he said every ball he focused and told himself 'watch the ball' 3 times as the bowler runs in, helps me concentrate
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I employ the same technique (or lack of) to both cricket and golf.
If I'm not playing as well as I'd like I tend to think too much about what's going wrong. This means I end up concentrating too hard on technical stuff to do the basics (hit the ball) well.
My advice, forget being technically correct, just have a net where you see ball and hit ball. You'll eventually just click and your confidence will be back.
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I agree that the longer that you bat the more scoring opportunities you'll face, yet I know the negative mindset of being in a rut will mean you could say you're more likely to face more balls that'll get you out!
Watch the ball, watch the ball and watch the ball!! Don't over complicate things and enjoy it.
Easier said than done I should know!
Don't forget that if things don't go your way in can be for a number of reasons out of your hands. I got stuck in a rut where every innings was either coming in for a few overs and get runs or get out or we had lost 4/5 quick wickets and we're on our way to a hiding!
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If you are struggling it is really important to look at your practice.
Are you practicing - if not then a little won't hurt!
What is the quality of your practice like? Are you practicing bad habits?
Are you over practicing?
Go for a run and seek to clear your mind (as others have said).
I also think it is important to feel bad on ball if you are out of form, so have some throw downs where you just try to hit the ball.
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If you are struggling it is really important to look at your practice.
Are you practicing - if not then a little won't hurt!
What is the quality of your practice like? Are you practicing bad habits?
Are you over practicing?
Go for a run and seek to clear your mind (as others have said).
I also think it is important to feel bad on ball if you are out of form, so have some throw downs where you just try to hit the ball.
Over practice??
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Over practice??
I think I meant practice the same things over and over again, rather than having variety to the way you practice.
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A short note of thanks for everyone who has replied to this thread,some good thinking has gone into the replies
Wishing all a good start to the season.
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The best advice i was given waas not to over think it, if you're already letting it pray on your mind and making decisions like grind it out of hit myself out of it then it's having an effect on your game. Just try and clear your mind and bat as you usually do, one ball at a time.
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Relax yourself. Sing yourself a song. I had my best season last year after coming back from an ankle fracture. Didn't play for 2 seasons. I was just grateful being able to participate. This lifted any stress or nerves I had at the crease, which slloed me to play freely
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What actually is form? It's simply a mindset. You think you are in good/not good form on the basis of a few innings. You/people build an assumption based on statistics that doesn't take into account the circumstances of the end result. Your technique hasn't changed, you are still the same player you were 3-4 weeks ago. I had a poor season a couple of years ago, but it was a combination of coming in for the slog, getting good balls and the odd lousy shot. Had nothing to do with being out of form, I just hadn't spent enough time at the crease to build a score. I just spent some time in the middle in a sunday game and got use to doing the basics again. Practise doesn't hurt either.
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Cricket's an unfair game. Once you accept that it becomes easier to get over slumps in form. We've all had innings where we couldn't lay bat on ball for a few overs. The more you relax and stop over-thinking the easier it is to get back in nick. I'd suggest having a few scoops the night before, chatting about anything except cricket in between overs and not getting too hung-up on forum advice!
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Play a Sunday game with a raging hangover, if you're struggling just to concentrate on batting then you won't be wasting energy worrying about how you got out early last week!
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Should add that, like golf, you won't be able to take in more than one thought when batting. I used to just work on trigger timing e.g. loose, relaxed stance and get then pick-up, back and across as bowler's back foot lands. Key thing to finding form was always to try and remove tension. It's the same when bowling. Some coaches swear by rhythm. Others think it's drivel. Either way you need to be as relaxed as possible.
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What actually is form? It's simply a mindset. You think you are in good/not good form on the basis of a few innings. You/people build an assumption based on statistics that doesn't take into account the circumstances of the end result. Your technique hasn't changed, you are still the same player you were 3-4 weeks ago. I had a poor season a couple of years ago, but it was a combination of coming in for the slog, getting good balls and the odd lousy shot. Had nothing to do with being out of form, I just hadn't spent enough time at the crease to build a score. I just spent some time in the middle in a sunday game and got use to doing the basics again. Practise doesn't hurt either.
that's an interesting way of looking at it and a very good way too. Sometimes if we are honest we say 'i'm out of form' or 'he's out of form' as a release(excuse?) to justify why we are not doing well enough...
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that's an interesting way of looking at it and a very good way too. Sometimes if we are honest we say 'i'm out of form' or 'he's out of form' as a release(excuse?) to justify why we are not doing well enough...
A few examples:-
If you bat below 6 then chances are you are going to average 20 or less. Why? Because the top 6 have probably chewed up 60-70% of the balls in an innings. Over 40 overs that leaves you with 10-12 overs to bat, of which you get 50% thanks to your partner the other end. End result 36 balls at most and that assumes you aren't out slogging prior to the end of the innings!.
Now depending on the match situation you could still be batting in the top 6 and regularly get 20-30 balls at the end of the innings. All it takes is the top 4 to be so good or slow and you hardly ever get a chance to get in. The opposite is true if you open, the proportion of good balls that are unplayable increase and you'll nick off more. When I opened in yorkshire I reckon 1 in 3 knocks I would get a decent score, simply because survival wasn't easy on a damp green yorkshire wicket.
Of course you will play poor shots but unless you are doing it every innings, which means you have a technical problem or have never been able to score runs, then it's just compounding the illusion of lack of form.
What I would say, is be honest with yourself and look at the dismissals and decide whether it was just self inflicted or a combination of factors. As I said, if you could score runs before you can score runs again and talking yourself into a negative mindset doesn't help. Batting does.
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Batting is an odd combination of being relaxed in body and focused in mind, the struggle is always how to achieve that as often the focusing of the mind tenses the body. All I can say is what works for me and it is no epiphany, we are all told to do it, watch the ball in the bowlers hand in the run up through the action, out of the hand and onto the bat or leave it. As people have said there is very little technique stuff you can do whilst giving all of your attention to the ball, so leave any technique stuff at the winter nets. The above for me is the only was to pick length earlier as you will be seeing the ball through its release.
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Batting is an odd combination of being relaxed in body and focused in mind, the struggle is always how to achieve that as often the focusing of the mind tenses the body. All I can say is what works for me and it is no epiphany, we are all told to do it, watch the ball in the bowlers hand in the run up through the action, out of the hand and onto the bat or leave it. As people have said there is very little technique stuff you can do whilst giving all of your attention to the ball, so leave any technique stuff at the winter nets. The above for me is the only was to pick length earlier as you will be seeing the ball through its release.
this watching the ball is key you are right. we (im referring to myself) think we are doing it. we tell ourselves to do it but are we really really watching it closely from the bowlers hand? that's the key above all I think, certainly for me. Technical faults? yes ive got them, same as everyone...it doesn't bother me when im actually batting, yes I try to work on things during the winter nets but not in the season.
I did read an article by Ponting when he played one season for Somerset, the Somerset players said the one thing they learnt from him was watching the ball properly. Can you believe that? these are pro cricketers....
that and a relaxed mind(which is not easy to do if you are struggling) are key.
One of the posts earlier said there's nothing worse than not scoring runs, and there's nothing better than scoring runs. I agree with that 100 per cent. If it was that easy the rewards would not be so good-but the downside is when we struggle it's a hard game.
there's been some good advice on this thread, I think we are fortunate there are people on here who really do know the game.We are all in the same boat, if we were that good we would do it for a living(as has been said)
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@ppccopener
i) Buy another bat (preferably from me)
ii) Have a good long net with someone worse than you (preferably me)
iii) Don't overthink it, simplify everything down to 2 or 3 shots and stick with them until the runs come, don't go off at the deep-end (that would be me again).
About 4 years ago i was a half-decent slow left-arm spinner, then all of a sudden I couldn't bowl - total yips - instead of working it out, I let it get to me and pretty much gave the game up. Then I worked out i could just about get arm balls up the other end, and I just concentrated on getting that right. Now I'm back playing league cricket again (with a modicum of success) and I feel i have a few years left in me.
Keep it simple - it will turn around.
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Best advice I was ever given was to set yourself small targets as you go along when you're batting.
Say, last 5 overs at crease or get to double figures. Maybe even smaller than that depending on how bad it is.
Gives you something to think about other than the fact you're in a rut!
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Clear ur mind, concentrate 110% on the ball, look to play straight and don't try to hit the ball too hard. Wait for the bad balls, runs will come.
I've scored 3 runs in my first two innings this season, and had just thought of yet another thing I would focus on whilst at the crease which would surely bring me some runs this Saturday, but it was a solution to one small part of batting, and this is actually what I need to do. Thanks
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Watch the ball and most importantly back yourself. You have to approach your innings with confidence and believe you will score runs. You cannot allow negative thoughts to enter your mind. Remember bowlers are allowed to bowl good balls and sometimes your luck will be out. Confidence is key.
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I've scored a meagre 30 in my first two innings - it'll come. Just take it as it comes - do what you always do - watch the ball, keep the faith in your game. Guessing you know your game well enough. Week 1 I got myself out - you're allowed to kick yourself there. Week 2 I got a jaffa - as annoying as it is, it does happen. As an opener, it's more likely to be feast or famine!
Keep going brother! It'll be 50s all round this weekend
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@ppccopener
i) Buy another bat (preferably from me)
ii) Have a good long net with someone worse than you (preferably me)
iii) Don't overthink it, simplify everything down to 2 or 3 shots and stick with them until the runs come, don't go off at the deep-end (that would be me again).
buy another bat..haha
I totally agree with sticking with 2- 3 shots and it doesn't hurt to be a little selfish when you are in a rut...as in take time and score 10-15 runs for yourself before scoring for the team.
I am in rut myself now...my only aim is to take a single and go to the other end.
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Like you Carlo i am an opener and try to bat undertaking The responsibilities of an opener also tend not to worry about scoreboard pressure last thing i want is our team to be 15 for 3 sucess or failure At the crease don't do anything outside of what I am capable of as I know doing so will get me out.
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55 for me this week in the first league game-having gone thru 2015 season without a 50(in the league). We won chasing 200 and I was asked if I wanted to bat 3(I'm an opener who slipped down the order last season)- I said yes and was back facing the hard ball.
Few things i thought about from the posts by others here before I went out to bat:
Play straight early on in the V -the old fashioned way.
Clear the mind, don't look at the scoreboard to much(I don't know why but usually I do this every over so that habit needed breaking)
Positive approach-I said to my batting partners 'if it's in my half its going' - in reality I don't bat that way but it helped a bit get in a solid block and wait for one I could hit for four with less risk.
Weight forward into the shot-that helped not over hit the ball.
A relaxed grip- I'm a bit leg side happy so the bottom hand grips too tight- I tried to relax both hands and that helped play straighter I think.
Watching the ball- not there yet but a couple of times I saw the ball onto and off the bat face in a defensive shot.
I'm going to be working on sighting it from the bowlers hand in practice.
So what I would say is not just for me but anyone who is struggling with batting there's some good info posted by others on this thread that may help so do have a read- no matter how long you have played for.
:)
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Losing form means you are little low on confidence. My suggestion is to take a break, skip any cricket activities for a week. Relax your mind and do a lot of stretches plus general fitness. After the break, get back to practice and start playing straight bat shots. You will be back in your game within no time ... It always works for me. A good break is perhaps all you need ..
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I didn't fully understand the premise of this question when I read it last week, but I'm going through a slump in form at the moment and coming off the field yesterday this thread popped into my head.
For me, I knew what the problem was, and I knew what the solution was, I just couldn't put it into practice, so the approach definitely had to be: battle it out. My problem was what @bk was saying about trying to take in more than one thought. It's a dilemma that you can't think "play with a straight bat" and "move your foot to the pitch of the ball" and "connect under your eyes" all at the same time, however, you do need to do all those things, one or two is not enough. Easy as it is to tell someone "clear your mind and watch the ball, the rest will fall into place", it's not so simple when you know in fact there are three technical things that, if you do them, would work. It's hard not to have them in your mind.
I do know though, that clearing my mind and watching the ball like a hawk is what's going to get me through it, and it's time at the crease that allows me to remember what that feels like. I haven't scored more than 2 runs till yesterday, and I got 9, but that 9 took me 5/6 overs, I remembered what it felt like to see the ball all the way onto the bat, with a clear mind, I got my front foot across to a full half volley, I rocked onto the back foot to defend a short one, I left well outside my off stump, and I believe again. It wasn't a successful innings but I felt closer to getting in that zone where I trust my ability, and my season can finally actually start.
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Seve Ballesteros used to say that he only ever had one swing thought at a time and it almost always related to the beginning of the swing e.g. club back low and slow, head still with chin up off chest, left shoulder fully rotated under chin etc. He reckoned if he started properly the rest would look after itself. the only change to this (that I can still remember) related to bunker shots and taking the right amount of sand.
Anyway, my point is that if you can get the trigger right the rest should follow. The trigger may be your pick-up; it may be your initial foot movement; it can even be getting your head going towards the ball. i still think the key is not to over analyse. Practise real-match scenarios so that they become second nature and find a ay to kick off that skill/behaviour. Once you've got that you'll have a base to go back to when things aren't going well.
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I didn't fully understand the premise of this question when I read it last week, but I'm going through a slump in form at the moment and coming off the field yesterday this thread popped into my head.
For me, I knew what the problem was, and I knew what the solution was, I just couldn't put it into practice, so the approach definitely had to be: battle it out. My problem was what @bk was saying about trying to take in more than one thought. It's a dilemma that you can't think "play with a straight bat" and "move your foot to the pitch of the ball" and "connect under your eyes" all at the same time, however, you do need to do all those things, one or two is not enough. Easy as it is to tell someone "clear your mind and watch the ball, the rest will fall into place", it's not so simple when you know in fact there are three technical things that, if you do them, would work. It's hard not to have them in your mind.
I do know though, that clearing my mind and watching the ball like a hawk is what's going to get me through it, and it's time at the crease that allows me to remember what that feels like. I haven't scored more than 2 runs till yesterday, and I got 9, but that 9 took me 5/6 overs, I remembered what it felt like to see the ball all the way onto the bat, with a clear mind, I got my front foot across to a full half volley, I rocked onto the back foot to defend a short one, I left well outside my off stump, and I believe again. It wasn't a successful innings but I felt closer to getting in that zone where I trust my ability, and my season can finally actually start.
im glad you have written this post. If batting was easy, everyone would be scoring runs all day long, it just doesn't happen for most of us at club level.
I've scored lots of runs in the past, last season in league cricket I averaged 11 and fell further down the order and eventually out of my team and into the thirds, so all the runs ive scored in the past counted for nothing-and that's EXACTLY as I want it to be....
I netted at Dummer and Eversley with some top blokes from the forum-this helped work on technical parts of batting which creep into our game and everyone has them..Some technical advise can help, some small changes can help but essentially when you are batting in a match it's more in the mind than anything..
If you read thru some of the advice posted i'm really pleased having originally posted the question people on here know about batting, and can offer knowledgeable advice-and have done so.
the 55 I scored on Saturday was my highest score in League cricket for a season, it's not a hundred is it? so plenty of work to do nothing is 'cracked' yet..
Sighting the ball from the bowlers hand, a strong mind and determination will get you thru when you are batting.
weight into the ball, a straight bat, and watching it like a hawk WILL work in the long run-over the season.
You have got to clear the mind...yes it's easier said than done, but it's key.
Good luck and let's keep this thread going, at some point we will struggle-as was pointed out on a previous post-if we were that good we would do it for a living..we don't.
:)
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I experienced towards the end of last season a drop in batting form, I started the season with 51, 39, 39, 40* and then after that I struggled to get runs for some reason. I think it may have been that I moved up teams within the club and not getting as much batting time as I would like as my primary role is bowling but when in the lower teams I batted near the top of the order. On Sundays I played against some good teams but I think due to having a good time on Saturdays I felt more confident. Towards the end of the season I managed to scratch a 30 but it wasn't a convincing knock. It took me 4 games to finally get out in the middle and have a bat. I felt much happier than the end of last season and got 8* from 15 in a supportive role to our number 7 who got 59*, my job was mainly to stay in and get him back on strike which worked as we managed to get 280-8 from our 50 overs. I just tried to be as simple as possible with my technique just trying to get my head over my front pad and keep my head still. My advice would be to just have positive intuitions and try to be solid with your shots as by feeling like your are hitting the ball well then you will feel happier and more confident to play your shots.
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I too came off the field on Sat and thought of this thread. I've had 2 innings this season and scored 10 and 18 respectively. Admittedly i'm not a tip it and run batter, on Sat i hit 4 fours and a 2 but it was against medium pace, the ball was sitting up and i was just able to rock onto my back foot and pull/hook the ball. It felt great to connect.
The downside of course was that when the change of pace came i didn't adjust my game and start again, i chased a wide one and buy the time my mind was saying let it go the bat was already swinging. I was reaching a rediculus amount for it and guess what... i edged it into slip... it was good catch.. but it was the lack of crease time that did me here.... yes it was great to hit the bad ball and just allow myself to do it instinctively but the lack of crease time meant i didn't have the discipline to play the right shot at the right time.
I obviously understand technique and good execution is important but after playing since i was 13 (all be it with long gaps in-between) i know what my strength are and i know what shots i can play and usually play well. On Sat i got out to a shot i should never have played... thats got nothing to do with technique and all about knowing my limits.
So i come back to the fact that form will come if you play your own game and have the mental discipline to be instinctive enough when its there to hit (given your own style) and disciplined enough to leave it alone when your being tempted into playing someone else game.
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I talked to a few pros through the winter about how they approached T20 batting. They all said that they never minded getting out as long as they were playing to their plans. And all their plans involved hitting the ball as hard as they could (unless bunting a "2" or dropping a single). This echoes what KP said in the winter. Just train as hard as you can for the match situation, then go and play with freedom and don't worry about the results. Waht will be, will be.
Easier said than done but it seems relaxation after solid preparation is the key for them.
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Listening to the pros is fine but they are employed to take risks and won't lose betting slots generally if they fail for a couple of games. Amateurs, if go out there and your role is to just smash it and you fail 3 times your lower and lower and out the team.. Aka.. No incentive to play that role, so people start to fear (assuming they are at the right level and oops can actually get a decent team out etc) getting out as they'll be judged and dropped.
From my own PoV, that's exactly what I think. I could attack more when batting but why risk it? A few unlucky shots/ balls and you lose the opening slot.. Sod that when i pay my money and time today play etc
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The point about the pro approach is that they train for match conditions, simulating the toughest bowling, batting, fielding etc. I know they have more time and bigger support groups but this has to be the best approach. It's the old "train hard, play easy" mantra. Now, it does require a leap of faith and a bit of effort to do this but it should deliver the best results. I'm not suggesting that we all go range hitting all the time but we can practise e.g manipulating the ball into gaps for a run a ball, practicing touch shots to create "2"s where there are boundary riders, using your feet to make the ball into one you can score off. All of these are low risk and will allow you to get your form back before you launch the big shots.
Best place to be when you're out of nick is the non-striker's end. Let your mate have a go whilst you regather your thoughts and start again!
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The pro game and amateur game are completely different. They try and recreate pro rules with circles etc but tbh, from what I can tell it makes no real differemce to games.
Meh, don't disagree about train hard as that's what I do but given that 99% of saturday warriors do one club net s week (which realistically is a social slap and biff session) it's more about just playing however is natural to yourself. Rarely see any amateurs using their feet, 1's into 2's amd all the Jazz you're taking about, simply put, the majority aren't capable hence biffers just hitting
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Hi all
wondering now we near the end of season if any of the advice posted by forum members helped anyone with their batting?
couple of things I took from the excellent advice on here and a couple of things I worked out myself are:
got back to really watching the ball every innings, as in don't take it for granted you are think you are watching it.
play as straight as possible early on
middle stump guard(instead of leg)-this helped know a bit more where my off stump was, so the ball can be let go outside off at the start.
more aggressive hard hit shots, so defence or attack not caught 'in between' - half half.
change of attitude to batting, this year when I walked out to the wicket it was ''what can I do to help the team do well' that varied from a bit of rebuilding if we were in trouble or scoring quickly if we needed it.
so I put(of tried to) out of my mind my own personal score.
seemed to work most of the time as it was a successful season
but did anyone else read the posts here and take something from it to improve?
:)
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I'm the sort of batter that likes to dominate but when going through a lean patch ax we all do, i just concentrate on watching every ball, keeping out the good balls and turning over the strike. Keep it simple: if its short, look to score. If its full, keep it out...
When you get your confidence back, the quicker runs come...
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I train hard - very hard. But not going lets bang it on 90mph on the machine and hop about. There's little point.
Me and a mate go down and just do drills, simple throws and just getting that muscle memory in there. He's finally convinced me to hit the gym, hence my post on training and fitness recently - and I feel this will allow my game to keep on growing. Having muscle memory will give you that extra tenth or two that you need to look comfortable against some classy bowling, as opposed to being a bit hit and miss.
As regards to match play - now I try to pepper mid-on and mid-off early on. That way I know my bat is coming through true, and I'm playing the ball. Obviously, only if the ball is there to do so. I'll avoid the cut and pull early on - for me cross-bat shots have a habit of getting me caught early on. Even the league's worst bowler is capable of bowling a jaffa, so watch that ball!
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muscle memory will give you that extra tenth or two
Maybe it would, if it was a thing that existed! Pet hate of mine sorry, but your muscles do not have 'memory', they are controlled by your brain - which is what you're trying to condition by doing technical drills, not your muscles.
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Maybe it would, if it was a thing that existed! Pet hate of mine sorry, but your muscles do not have 'memory', they are controlled by your brain - which is what you're trying to condition by doing technical drills, not your muscles.
Valid point. But "Memory memory" doesn't sound quite the same.
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Maybe it would, if it was a thing that existed! Pet hate of mine sorry, but your muscles do not have 'memory', they are controlled by your brain - which is what you're trying to condition by doing technical drills, not your muscles.
But if you train the brain enough you can create reflex arcs so you just do the act without even thinking about it as you bypass the thought process
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Is there a Doctor in the house?
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hate to think how it works if you have more muscles than brains, safe behind the keyboard i'm not naming any names!
:) :o
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I have an interesting prospect on Saturday.
Having not played in 8 weeks, or picked up a bat or a ball, I have a game of oldies vs youngsters at the club.
I'm hoping that the complete break has re-set my brain, and I bowl normally, without the yips. Batting might be interesting though!!
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sometimes a complete break does help and you come back better than before
good luck Cattus, show the kids how it's done.
my mate who had the yips, also a left arm spinner, now cured and landing it in the right place most of the time.
It was bad thou, very bad...
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hate to think how it works if you have more muscles than brains, safe behind the keyboard i'm not naming any names!
:) :o
What about those severely lacking in both... :D