Custom Bats Cricket Forum
General Cricket => Cricket Training, Fitness and Injuries => Topic started by: aman on February 02, 2017, 10:59:08 AM
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What are the best drills for picking length?
I have access to a bowling machine which is a great tool for practicing individual shots and found that it has improved my batting a heep but as always you can do it better.
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I was told to put different coloured socks (or similar ball like objects) on different lengths and either get someone to say each colour then play a pretend shot to that particular ball or say it to yourself. Not sure if it actually helps pick up the length but maybe helps not assuming you can just plant your foot forward.
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Length is usually picked up on from the arm/ball release point. Using a bowling machine is hard for that.
I will think up some drills for you, but it is hard to do on your own.
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I'm looking forward to this next instalment of Buzz's kitchen coaching clinic sessions on YouTube!
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@aman,
Bowling machine will develop your ability to track balls with your eyes and it is a very useful skill against quick bowlers. But, I don't think you will get much help in terms of picking up length at the "point of release". In regards to human bowlers and length determination, I have not had any luck with watching the release of the ball and determining length instantaneously. Maybe, likes of Virat Kohli can do it. The best advice I heard about length is actually anticipating a full (or fuller) ball on release and then tracking a ball with your eyes for actual length. What it means is that you expect a full delivery but go to back foot if the ball pitches (that is where eye tracking bit comes into play) short i.e. by closely watching the ball and the area where it hits the pitch (you should have a mental map of the area of the pitch where if pitched, the ball will be short).
For any delivery kicking up off the good length, you should be on the front foot; the above mentioned technique will ensure of that.
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I used to be terrible at this, but a few things helped.
1. watching the ball right out of the hand (easier said than done)
2. staying relaxed (clear mind)
3. Head still, eyes level
all basic stuff, but thats about it!
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Thanks guys much appreciated and BUzz looking forward to those drills. It's not an alarming problem it's Just when facing decent pace i splice the odd pull shot.
Here's a couple of adjustments that i've made to my current practice when facing the machine is focusing on my trigger and watching the ball hard rather than focusing on what shot i'm working on.
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I used to be terrible at this, but a few things helped.
1. watching the ball right out of the hand (easier said than done)
2. staying relaxed (clear mind)
3. Head still, eyes level
all basic stuff, but thats about it!
I don't know any amateurs who can pick up length at the point of release.
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Here's a couple of adjustments that i've made to my current practice when facing the machine is focusing on my trigger and watching the ball hard rather than focusing on what shot i'm working on.
Yup, just watch the ball, and your instincts/muscle memory will take over.
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Yeah I certainly can't, but then again I'm dreadful
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What helped me was at sussex they have 3 boxes on off stump, 1 back of a length, 1 good length, 1 full. Fairly long rectangular shaped but looking for the pitch of the ball in the boxes. Then analyze yourself what the bowler looks like at release for each length. With the instant response i found i can pick up our quick off a short length with in 4/5 balls.
Hope this actually makes sense...
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I don't know any amateurs who can pick up length at the point of release.
Maybe not exact length, but you do figure out that a shorter ball will leave the bowler's hand later. I always try to get a rough idea of his point of release for a standard length ball and have a rough idea of that release point.
Im not suggesting by any stretch that amateurs, of which i definitely am one, can accurately pick length at point of release, but you can get an idea of a shorter ball. Im not suggesting i can react to it though...!
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I've heard a few theories that top batsmen pick up short balls from the bowler's body language and delivery before the ball is released.
Also that you can't actually follow the ball all the way from the bowler's hand. You just see it for a few yards (probably the most important if you want to get the length) then again around where it pitches. I think that is proper pace bowling not a medium pacer most of us face.
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I actually found out that i wasnt watching the ball hard enough and thats helped a little bit. Watching the ball out of the hand is exactly what i want to work on but I don't have access to someone that could bowl or give throw downs unless i get to a personal coach but i can't pay $60 an hour!
Where i'm seeing it is probably a 2 yards out of the bowlers hands
ps. anyone on the forums in the Perth regoin in the northern suburbs keen for a hit 2+ times a week? haha
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I used to be terrible at this, but a few things helped.
1. watching the ball right out of the hand (easier said than done)
2. staying relaxed (clear mind)
3. Head still, eyes level
all basic stuff, but thats about it!
Spot on keep it simple watch the ball
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I actually found out that i wasnt watching the ball hard enough and thats helped a little bit. Watching the ball out of the hand is exactly what i want to work on but I don't have access to someone that could bowl or give throw downs unless i get to a personal coach but i can't pay $60 an hour!
Where i'm seeing it is probably a 2 yards out of the bowlers hands
ps. anyone on the forums in the Perth regoin in the northern suburbs keen for a hit 2+ times a week? haha
Very interesting! I think you know what you have to do. Sooner you can caliberate yourself to a ball's projected path, better position you'll be to play the right shot. From point of release to a few feet away from the hand is the region/space that helps determine the length quickly, atleast for myself. :)
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A little Ricky Ponting tip helped me.....picking an area on the pitch where you have to play a defensive shot , fuller than that you can drive and shorter than that spot you can play back. I look at that area before every delivery, seems to help.
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A little Ricky Ponting tip helped me.....picking an area on the pitch where you have to play a defensive shot , fuller than that you can drive and shorter than that spot you can play back. I look at that area before every delivery, seems to help.
Question is how to you know the fuller deliveries wont stick in the pitch and cause you to drive in the air? Obviously after a few deliveries if it was doing that you bring that spot closer to you
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Literally picking length at the time of release is impossible, cannot be done. But you can though pay attention to certain things like wrist positions, amount of bending of back, crease position (wider or closer to stumps) etc. These give vital clues about the line and length of the ball and help prepare the shot in your mind. But you have to wait little bit (half way maybe) to gauge the exact length and execute the shot.
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Watch the ball nothing will help you.
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Question is how to you know the fuller deliveries wont stick in the pitch and cause you to drive in the air? Obviously after a few deliveries if it was doing that you bring that spot closer to you
Well yes, you need to read the pitch to. How it works I dont know, but for me it helped.
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I don't know any amateurs who can pick up length at the point of release.
you'd be surprised. you CAN. its because you get used to point of release. here's how I found out I was doing it right: guy was throwing at me and I was playing normal. then one ball he went through his action but DID NOT release the ball....I found myself on the backfoot, ready to pull.
so after focusing on watching the ball, and keeping a clear head, my body had learnt to develop an instinct that tells you to expect a short length if the release is later than normal.
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Yes you've explained it nicely @brokenbat bat. That's exactly what I've felt in the last month or so when ive been trying to watch the ball harder in phases as i get better and better at it. But i don't have a regular bowler so that's why i was looking for a drill to keep my in touch at least or even improve on it!
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A little Ricky Ponting tip helped me.....picking an area on the pitch where you have to play a defensive shot , fuller than that you can drive and shorter than that spot you can play back. I look at that area before every delivery, seems to help.
I think im going to start doing this, it sounds like a warm up routine to get your eyes rehearsed for the actual delivery.
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I think im going to start doing this, it sounds like a warm up routine to get your eyes rehearsed for the actual delivery.
watch many players looking down the pitch at crease they play off the bounce/where it pitches like mentioned in this topic here.
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you'd be surprised. you CAN. its because you get used to point of release. here's how I found out I was doing it right: guy was throwing at me and I was playing normal. then one ball he went through his action but DID NOT release the ball....I found myself on the backfoot, ready to pull.
so after focusing on watching the ball, and keeping a clear head, my body had learnt to develop an instinct that tells you to expect a short length if the release is later than normal.
How did you pick the length when the ball was never released?
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watch many players looking down the pitch at crease they play off the bounce/where it pitches like mentioned in this topic here.
And just thinking about it this does 2 things
1. Rehearses yours eyes
2. Also keeps your mind clear as your looking at that spot as the bowler is running in
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you'd be surprised. you CAN. its because you get used to point of release. here's how I found out I was doing it right: guy was throwing at me and I was playing normal. then one ball he went through his action but DID NOT release the ball....I found myself on the backfoot, ready to pull.
so after focusing on watching the ball, and keeping a clear head, my body had learnt to develop an instinct that tells you to expect a short length if the release is later than normal.
Are you a natural pull-er of the ball?
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Are you a natural pull-er of the ball?
I knew you would ask that ;) no, I am not. I generally am looking for the drive
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I think im going to start doing this, it sounds like a warm up routine to get your eyes rehearsed for the actual delivery.
Remember to look back up the bowler as he runs in ;) Picking a point in the pitch seems to subconsciously register it in the back of your mind...I think.
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In some ways it is easier to face a better bowler as it is impossible to read someone who doesn't know what they are trying to do, let alone how they will do it!
As you said in some ways yes, faced a very experienced ex Semi Pro recently, if he hadnt kept drift on my pads he would have had with his bouncer! Couldnt see that coming even if he told me he was about to bowl it! I was also very lucky not to nick a few to the slips as he swung the ball like a boomarang!
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Seeing the ball out of the hand works for me to pick up length, but most of the times, unless the bowler is very pacy, I dont need to pick up from hand lol..
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How did you pick the length when the ball was never released?
the bowler never released the ball but went through the action. the instincts kicked in, expecting a very short ball (expecting a very delayed release of ball)
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... In some ways it is easier to face a better bowler as it is impossible to read someone who doesn't know what they are trying to do, let alone how they will do it!
Pretty much sums up my bowling, i myself never sure where my ball will land or which way it ll turn, what to think of the batsman :)
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One thing the pros do is they expect one kind of delivery, and let their reactions take over if it’s a different length. Ponting for instance, would be looking to get on the front foot (he said when in form, his front leg would be hovering just above the ground right at release!)..if short, he would then be able to jump off his front foot, and hit those devastating pull shots.
Steve Smith on the other hand, goes back, and stays back if short (no further back movement).
I think for us, this is too much. Simple stuff like staying in a balanced position, clear mind, and eye on the ball ALL THE WAY OUT OF THE BOWLER’S HAND will solve a lot of problems.
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I'm a bit like Steve smith, I have a back foot trigger. I find that is i get the trigger out of the way early then I have what feels like a lot more time.
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You typically get an idea of the length that bowlers will like bowling and your reactions adjust accordingly. Taller bowlers tend to pitch a bit shorter. If the bloke is firey, they'll pitch it short too. Younger blokes, I find anyway, tend to pitch up a lot more.
I never really watch the hand when the bowler is running up, I just pick it up as they are getting in their delivery stride and then I also react from the pitch.
I personally find that the more I think about it, whether it be saying 'watch the ball, watch the ball' or worrying about my shape all the time, the worse I go. Once out there in the middle, you just enter auto-pilot and go with your instincts. When I do that, then I typically score runs.
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I think for us, this is too much. Simple stuff like staying in a balanced position, clear mind, and eye on the ball ALL THE WAY OUT OF THE BOWLER’S HAND will solve a lot of problems.
I agree, I recall Rob Key writing about trying a new trigger movement. He practised over the whole winter facing thousands of balls, but still couldn't nail it, so at the the start of the new season he reverted back to standing still.
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What helped me was when in use to have a net I would place a lengths of tape and place on a good length anything pitched before the tape I knew would be short enough to play off the back foot and anything pitching in front of the tape was full of length and then after a while you get use to judging length and no longer require the tape
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This is a great thread!
The follow up to this question would then be if you can indeed pick the length or at least get close to picking it how do you translate that to the pull shot? For medium pacers as mentioned you probably have enough time to play the pull even if you don't pick the length. However for quicker bowlers once you have perceived a shorter ball at the time of release do you try to go back and across to play the ball under your eyes? I mean it's so much easier said than done!
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This is a great thread!
The follow up to this question would then be if you can indeed pick the length or at least get close to picking it how do you translate that to the pull shot? For medium pacers as mentioned you probably have enough time to play the pull even if you don't pick the length. However for quicker bowlers once you have perceived a shorter ball at the time of release do you try to go back and across to play the ball under your eyes? I mean it's so much easier said than done!
If you're playing the pull under your eyes you've probably been beaten for pace
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Agree. Pull shot needs to be played with full extension of the arms for maximum impact. So not under the eyes as in the straight bat shots.
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What helped me was when in use to have a net I would place a lengths of tape and place on a good length anything pitched before the tape I knew would be short enough to play off the back foot and anything pitching in front of the tape was full of length and then after a while you get use to judging length and no longer require the tape
Wouldnt good length depend on pace of the bowler? For a slower bowler, I can pull even if much "fuller" while for really quick one, unless it is very short, I wont be able to pull..
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This is a great thread!
The follow up to this question would then be if you can indeed pick the length or at least get close to picking it how do you translate that to the pull shot? For medium pacers as mentioned you probably have enough time to play the pull even if you don't pick the length. However for quicker bowlers once you have perceived a shorter ball at the time of release do you try to go back and across to play the ball under your eyes? I mean it's so much easier said than done!
What I do and seen many I Indian cricketers do for facing quick bowlers, is to have trigger movement to go on the backfoot towards off or middle stump assuming we are in leg stump stance. This makes me ready to handle pace, give me ample time too as well get behind ball for bounce. If ball is pitched up we will be ready to go on front foot. Quite opposite of Ricky Ponting
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What I do and seen many I Indian cricketers do for facing quick bowlers, is to have trigger movement to go on the backfoot towards off or middle stump assuming we are in leg stump stance. This makes me ready to handle pace, give me ample time too as well get behind ball for bounce. If ball is pitched up we will be ready to go on front foot. Quite opposite of Ricky Ponting
Yep fully agreed, I noticed Kohli and Steve Smith Do this in their trigger. There basically already on their back foot so it gives so much more time on the back foot. My theory as to why this works is it's a lot easier to move forward than it is backwards even if you think about it as just walking from human body perspective but if you already moved back then you've covered the slower movement.
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@adb club cricketer how do you expect to pull a Yorker length delivery whether that be from a quick, medium or spin bowler ? If the ball is full of a good length no matter what type of bowler your more than likely going to be on the front foot and anything back of a good length your more than likely going to be on the back foot!
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@adb club cricketer how do you expect to pull a Yorker length delivery whether that be from a quick, medium or spin bowler ? If the ball is full of a good length no matter what type of bowler your more than likely going to be on the front foot and anything back of a good length your more than likely going to be on the back foot!
Well, I was saying one can pull even if "fuller" off a slower bowler, - wasnt meaning a yorker or even a half volley. Just meant little fuller than a good length... just trying to say, (at least to me), good length area varies quite a bit depending on pace of a bowler.
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Well, I was saying one can pull even if "fuller" off a slower bowler, - wasnt meaning a yorker or even a half volley. Just meant little fuller than a good length... just trying to say, (at least to me), good length area varies quite a bit depending on pace of a bowler.
Yes, if it's a spinner or low plodder you can easily pull full of a length if you wish, short arm jab works almost as well.
In fact, vs spin.. the majority of players are so poor against it they usually come in one of the following categories
1) stand and slog
2) charge down the track regardless
3) go back to everything
4) sweep everything regardless
so few are actually competent.. lucky for them the wickets are so flat now, win lose cricket rules and we don't produce any decent spinners.
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Just an update - Tried the things suggested here, most particularity the Ponting A4 paper one on the machine and chucked in 2 diffrent types of balls in the machine to help mix up the length a bit.
Had on 65 and on on a sort of an in between lenght and on the second day was able able to pick the shorter ones better and rock onto the back foot for defence, not quiet quick enough to pull comfortably but it is the machine and know it'll be easier out of the hand so heading the the right direction!
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At the level I play at the standard and pace of the bowling is good but not amazing and to bowl a short ball, the bowlers will lean back to generate more power before they release the ball. That's how I can pick up on when a short ball is coming. Might be relatively obvious this but it has helped me a great deal.
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Just an update - Tried the things suggested here, most particularity the Ponting A4 paper one on the machine and chucked in 2 diffrent types of balls in the machine to help mix up the length a bit.
Had on 65 and on on a sort of an in between lenght and on the second day was able able to pick the shorter ones better and rock onto the back foot for defence, not quiet quick enough to pull comfortably but it is the machine and know it'll be easier out of the hand so heading the the right direction!
You should find it easier from the hand. I'm not sure why it works, but I find it does. Maybe the brain is able to use the reference point on the pitch to then gauge the length of the delivery from the hand. Hopefully someone more intelligent than me can explain.
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I think is has to do with the hand being a lot more obvious and earlier of a release point compared to the machine, meaning there's a bigger change in length the point at which the ball is released when coming from the hand
As compared to the machine which is a lot more subtle with changing the length from a) either the machine head shaking b) through the air - which also happens a lot later than it does from the hand