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General Cricket => Cricket Training, Fitness and Injuries => Topic started by: brokenbat on December 27, 2016, 07:30:59 PM

Title: straight drive
Post by: brokenbat on December 27, 2016, 07:30:59 PM
Perhaps the resident coaches here like @Buzz can confirm...but some of Azhar Ali's straight driving was the best I have ever seen on TV. In particular the first and third shots of the video below...he gets a little off balance, but it seems that its because his weight is really going into the ball - not easy to do vs that pace (though Bird is not that quick).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Su-eREDhFpQ&t=51s (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Su-eREDhFpQ&t=51s)
Title: Re: straight drive
Post by: ScottParko on December 27, 2016, 07:57:09 PM
One of my favourite moments of last season was breaking middle stump at the bowlers end in two from a straight drive. When successful it is the best looking/feeling shot in the game.
Title: Re: straight drive
Post by: WalkingWicket37 on December 27, 2016, 08:06:23 PM
Oh my word! That first shot is perfection!
And the third should be in the textbook as "the off drive"
Title: Re: straight drive
Post by: brokenbat on December 27, 2016, 08:59:42 PM
Oh my word! That first shot is perfection!
And the third should be in the textbook as "the off drive"

Also, the ones at the 4:40 , 5:00 and 6:18 marks in the video... hitting those vs stark cannot be easy. Gotta try this vs the machine in the next nets.
Title: Re: straight drive
Post by: Calzehbhoy on December 27, 2016, 09:03:40 PM
Question for the coaches, how do you bend your knee into a shot? Whenever I attempt to I seem to loose balance and I've always played with a fairly straight front leg
Title: Re: straight drive
Post by: ppccopener on December 27, 2016, 09:10:15 PM
One of the tips I took from a coach was to practice the on drive as much as possible. So I do. Generally it means balance is right and the bat is coming thru straight

Once I've perfected it I might try to play another shot  :)
Great when it comes off thou. I've watch a lot of you tube clips on SRT. He nailed this shot for me.it is easier to play on wickets that don't seam or swing, but he played it a lot in England as well as at home.
Title: Re: straight drive
Post by: brokenbat on December 27, 2016, 09:10:21 PM
Question for the coaches, how do you bend your knee into a shot? Whenever I attempt to I seem to loose balance and I've always played with a fairly straight front leg

Looking at him here, the main thing is not his knee, it's his head...going down and forward towards the ball and staying there through the shot. The feet / knee just follow the head.
Title: Re: straight drive
Post by: Buzz on December 27, 2016, 10:39:17 PM
Looking at him here, the main thing is not his knee, it's his head...going down and forward towards the ball and staying there through the shot. The feet / knee just follow the head.

Bingo

Decent shots.