Print

[Milky Bar Kid]

Apologies if this has been already covered, just wanted an update on how people select their line up. My opinion is go with two attacking batsman up front or one aggressor with another who will look to bat the innings. The reason being we don't play at a particularly high standard and I feel you can easily take the game away from an opposition early on. I would then have my best bat at 3 and then a mix between quick scorers and nurdlers depending in the wicket /stage of the game. Our current captain insists on the same order each week with a bowler opening up with the best batsman as he can hit a few (very rarely does). The captain himself always goes in the top 4 although he rarely hits boundaries and gets bogged down every game (no exaggeration). I would drop the skipper down and let other people move up who can more than do the job. After all he opens the bowling so its not like he's lost his only role in the team. What are your views?

[sgcricket]

definitely have specialists for the opening role. have had the captain open (he was a bowler) and we were invariably 1 down inside 2 overs (he would go down slogging and his strike rate would always be > 100). the best batsmen at 3 and 4. depends on the no. of overs you play as well. but someone in the top 4 has to bat through the innings. rest depending on the situation. by the way we would play 40 overs a side

[jimster]

We open with a player who will usualy bat for at least 30 overs and then have big hitters around him but also have other batsmen who can bat for long periods of time which shift around the order depending on the situation

[stevat]

I've played in a couple of games against strong attacks where the Captain has opened with a genuine tailender against their quicks.  The logic being that if he can swing at a few and frustrate them, he's taking overs away from their best bowlers that they could have ordinarily used to bowl at our best bats.  I suppose it makes sense but not very sporting.  Also, as a batsman, I want to be challenged by good bowling.

Personally I would prefer an anchor at three, best bat at four and hopefully a left-right combo opening looking to score relatively quickly unless the pitch or circumstances dictate otherwise.

[joeylough]

The idea works until the tailender is out first ball.

But then that could happen to a genuine opener, but you would expect the opener to last a few over with a good bowler anyway.

[ajmw89]

I'm horrendously out of form at the minute, so my tactic is to drop down to 4/5 and face the crap bowlers. (Cue being in in the 2nd over/ getting a first baller...)

[LMQ21]

Obviously you are referring to league standard.

Therefore, I would suggest you want your most consistent batsman opening, usually players who are in form and hitting the ball well, then support the inform players with players who can give them the strike and support them in the innings. I think what is hard in a batting line up is when you have a lot of out of form players or a weak batting line up. I think training session are useful to decide your batting line up, to see who is batting well. But I think a good captain can alter their batting line up depend on the game situation. 

In opposition to this, our Sunday batting line up allows everyone to get a fair and to play a part in the game, for example, if players want to bat they can open the batting and try and get a knock, the bowlers and the wicket keeper goes in at 8, 9, 10 and 11. Obviously if any batsman have a poor game they can have a bowl as well.

Absolutely love @stevat 's method of opening with a tail ender to throw off the opening bowling attack.

[nudgemaster]

We play at a poor standard. I usually open and look for a SR Between 40% - 60%. I have a left hander at the other end who scores slowly usuall SR Between 20% - 35%.

We have a left hander at 3 who is stuggling this year and his knock needs to come soon. Stroke player at 4 who comes in and pushes us along usually SR over 90%.

Father and son at 5 and 6 who are hit and miss. The rest is much of a muchness! I do feel we lack a all or nothing man at 7 or 8, someone to have a swing and if they connect with 5 you have 20 runs.

The lower the standard gets the more you find players both batting a bowling. When I play first team you see more players having roles etc.