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[Manormanic]

There is a lot of gumpf written about opening and batting three being the same job in effect.  As a more or less lifelong three dog, I can't see the similarity at all; yes, you might find yourself in for the second ball, but even in so doing you're adapting to the match unfolding rather than going out with the ease of a blank canvas - and you need the skill not only to face the new ball against fast bowlers with their tails up, but also the ability to come in and deal with change seamers trying to reduce the run rate.

That isn't to decry the job our openers do - they in turn set the tone and take the risk of a perfect conker first up ending their day - but to stress that there is a major difference.  Looked at another way, when Australia needed a replacement for Justin Langer, they didn;t promote Ricky Ponting nor did India replace Sehwag by asking Dravid to step up (except in a one off occasion)...

[ppccopener]

I've only just this season switched to opening as our previous openers are now hardly ever available, and I found it bliss to know when you'd be needed to bat, rather than sat at the sideline waiting. I still try to avoid facing the first nut if I can though.

I think there is some comfort knowing your mentally switched on from ball one, even thou you don't know what's coming at you when others waiting can have a look at the bowling.

As a minor point don't you think it's great you are the first to mark your guard on a fresh pitch? or is that a bit weird.....

[praguetaz]

same thing here, opened the batting since I was 14, now moved to number 3 in my late(!) forties

spent the first part of the game(as we started batting) pacing up and down !!!!

It may be only a number but without wishing to go all psycho babble a couple of hours before the game I have always been prepared to bat, during tea I've always gone off 10 mins early to sit in the changing rooms on my own-preparing to bat.

Am I going nuts at number 3 or do I need to 'buy a new bat' having categorically sais on this forum I am using the same bat all year.....

I'm not sure I understand how a new bat would help going in at 3 or whether opening.

For me I need to have confidence in my bat and more importantly technique. Yes.. mentally it's different coming in at 3 and depending on the opening pair it can be a long time before going in, so I would suggest going through your normal warm-up for timing, getting feet moving etc as if opening and then relaxing to avoid pacing/over-thinking. Watching the game can be frustrating (as an opener) at first especially as it's not always to see what the ball is doing out in the middle but the main thing is to remain calm and go through in my head what my personal objectives are e.g. score 50 etc. If I go in quite early then my first objective is to 'steady the ship', see myself in and if the other opener is scoring freely then just rotating, unless there's a bad ball to punish.

As an opener in a 40 over game I have time to defend good balls and look to score off any opportunities or bad balls I get in the first few overs. Generally, I go in with a batsman who can hit 4s/6s from the off so I see myself as the rotator.

I've been in this situation lots of times and even batted further down in T20 games, as I'm not a 'slogger'. This sometimes takes a different mentality again as I may only be facing for a few overs so my objective is a 'run a ball' depending on the quality of the bowling. It's more risky but that's the nature of the game.

Mental preparation is key as is having a plan and keeping all other distractions out...

[ppccopener]

I'm not sure I understand how a new bat would help going in at 3 or whether opening.

For me I need to have confidence in my bat and more importantly technique. Yes.. mentally it's different coming in at 3 and depending on the opening pair it can be a long time before going in, so I would suggest going through your normal warm-up for timing, getting feet moving etc as if opening and then relaxing to avoid pacing/over-thinking. Watching the game can be frustrating (as an opener) at first especially as it's not always to see what the ball is doing out in the middle but the main thing is to remain calm and go through in my head what my personal objectives are e.g. score 50 etc. If I go in quite early then my first objective is to 'steady the ship', see myself in and if the other opener is scoring freely then just rotating, unless there's a bad ball to punish.

As an opener in a 40 over game I have time to defend good balls and look to score off any opportunities or bad balls I get in the first few overs. Generally, I go in with a batsman who can hit 4s/6s from the off so I see myself as the rotator.

I've been in this situation lots of times and even batted further down in T20 games, as I'm not a 'slogger'. This sometimes takes a different mentality again as I may only be facing for a few overs so my objective is a 'run a ball' depending on the quality of the bowling. It's more risky but that's the nature of the game.

Mental preparation is key as is having a plan and keeping all other distractions out...

that's good advice, I was only kidding about a new bat for new no 3 position......forum default setting kicked in

[jamielsn15]

Really good points raised by everyone.  Even though I was in by the 7th over, I found waiting I was sat, legs fidgeting, then up and walking about, pacing then sitting down again.  I think I realised that, whilst I didn't think I had a pre-batting routine while opening, I clearly did; switching on from the moment the skipper said we're batting after the toss, or leaving tea 10 minutes early to get padded up.

I must admit, I like the idea of batting at 3, but the reality is very different for me.

[Seniorplayer]

I think there is some comfort knowing your mentally switched on from ball one, even thou you don't know what's coming at you when others waiting can have a look at the bowling.

As a minor point don't you think it's great you are the first to mark your guard on a fresh pitch? or is that a bit weird.....

No it's a good point it gives you confidence when batting 1st innings looking down and seeing that the line there is yours on a fresh pitch unlike for for me  on Saturday opening 2nd inning and having to take guard in a muddy trench.

[brokenbat]

So after ending last season on a high, and looking really good all winter in the nets - I have had a sudden onset of atrocious form. Today, I tamely patted back a half volley on middle (my bread and butter), and then missed a slow yorker to get bowled for a duck.

Pretty sure its mental - just need to get my head in order before the next game...but obviously easier said than done.

I think the challenge is that I have moved down the order from my usual opening position (different team/league), and so its been tricky preparing for my innings. As an opener, I knew when I'd be going, and I'd be at maximum mental intensity at just the right time. NOW, I either burn myself out mentally before I even get to bat, OR I am TOO relaxed (like today).

Any suggestions (other than buying a new bat obviously)?

I tried being in a "low intensity state of alertness" while waiting to bat on Sunday. Basically, just kept saying "watch the ball" to myself, while I was waiting, and visualized seeing the bowler run in, with me focusing on the ball. Then, when I went in to bat, I ramped up the intensity to high, and really forced myself to focus hard on the ball without thinking about anything else. Sure enough, within a few minutes I was in, and then it got easier.

One thought on "watching the ball"...I find I can be a bit careless about it in the beginning. So yesterday, as the bowler began to run in I told myself: "where is ball...LOCATE the ball in the bowler's hand....now WATCH it..watch THAT ball..watch that ball". Made a huge difference in the first few balls that I faced - helped me get over the initial settling in phase.