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[CasualSpinner]

Following from another terrible batting display at the weekend, I identified the need to work out how to actually bat so I put some string through a tennis ball and spend a good hour or so batting it back and forth in the back garden yesterday.

Anybody have any tips on other batting drills I could do (other than shadow batting)?

I found the tennis ball on string useful to watch the ball onto the bat, moving my feet and with my hand speed, but because i've used an old tennis ball i've already split it. Any tips on how to make a more durable version of this?

[Biggie Smalls]

Cricket ball in a stocking ( you can cut seperate the two legs to double up the stocking for longevity). Pantyhose style is what im referring to.
If you dont have a female spouse to knick some stockings from then i guess how you aquire them is up to your imagination).

[CasualSpinner]

Great shout! Although the neighbours might start to think we're into some weird stuff if I do that lol.

[SLA]

How does that work then? Do you just whack the tennis ball and then pull the string to get it back? Where is the ball when you whack it? Sitting on the ground or do you toss it up in the air?

[Buzz]

Practice under arming a golf ball against a wall and trying to hit the rebound with a stump. No pads allowed!
Good enough for the Don...

[CasualSpinner]

How does that work then? Do you just whack the tennis ball and then pull the string to get it back? Where is the ball when you whack it? Sitting on the ground or do you toss it up in the air?

I have it dangling from a string so with the length about a foot off the ground then aim to hit it away from me everytime it comes back.

The little variations in its line I found helped me move my feet better and it makes you move your hands through shots faster, was also useful for watching it onto the bat.

Every now and then you have to stop and start again, especially if you edge one which sends it spiralling around like a swing ball.

I'd change the height too to make it lower and higher and I practiced getting forward and back. Was a great tip I saw on here I think but it's a really nifty drill.

[SLA]

Have you tried throwing a golf ball against a brick wall? I did that a lot when I was a kid. Ideally you should have a concrete or tarmac surface underfoot and nothing particularly breakable nearby.

[stevat]

Have you tried throwing a golf ball against a brick wall? I did that a lot when I was a kid. Ideally you should have a concrete or tarmac surface underfoot and nothing particularly breakable nearby.

I used to do that with a stump. Comes at you quick. You miss more than you hit for a while but definitely sharpens your hand eye coordination.

[SLA]

I used to do that with a stump. Comes at you quick. You miss more than you hit for a while but definitely sharpens your hand eye coordination.

Yes, its kind of extreme situation training. If you stand reasonably close and throw reasonable firmly, the reaction time is lower than in a cricket match, and depending on roughness of the surface underfoot, you can get really rapid and variable bounce and sideways movement. I used to use a size 6 bat and pretend I was trying to survive against Ambrose and Walsh at Sabina Park.

Once you've done that a few times, nothing you face on the cricket pitch seems anywhere near as fast and hostile in comparison.

[CasualSpinner]

Have you tried throwing a golf ball against a brick wall? I did that a lot when I was a kid. Ideally you should have a concrete or tarmac surface underfoot and nothing particularly breakable nearby.

Yeah I've tried that too. Quite effective but I spent more time collecting the ball than I did batting!