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[edge]

Ok, so I've had a think and started to experiment with a trigger rather than my usual standing dead still. I'm definitely a legside player which mostly works well for me, but I can get myself into trouble reaching out for the ball when trying to play through off or getting through my shots too early and hitting it in the air. SO, thought I'd try a trigger of moving my back foot to the off side, theory was that it would get me into a better position for the offside shots and also open up more balls to play to my strength through leg without reaching out for them. In combination with a little change in grip/backlift to get it coming down a little straighter as my backlift had wandered off towards gully.

The rest is a little more Steve Smith than I'd like, but in one net and one indoor game I think it's probably worth persevering with. In the video I'm coming across with my front foot a little early but I think that's down to planting more than I realised against the bowling machine, didn't have a problem with it in a game situation. So CBF, thoughts? I think I'll stick with it into nets and see how it goes, any useful feedback from the batting hive mind on here would be appreciated.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnZ0BKMh63g&feature=youtu.be

[Buzz]

Have had a little look at the video - a few thoughts from me
1 - given the amount you move and the guard you take I am not sure the trigger is going to make that much of a difference to you - I really don't see it benefiting you in the video.
2 - you trigger movement if you do have one needs to be earlier so you are still at the the point of delivery.

That aside if I was coaching you I would work on two things -
trying to get you much stiller at the crease before the ball is bowled and try to keep your eyes level and secondly you walk through your shots/play shots with your back foot in the air almost every time.

your timing will improve and you will hit the ball harder if you stay in position through and after the shot more and stop your hips coming through and you going for a walk after the shot.

with those two small changes I think you would start looking like a really compact batsman

for an example of what I mean - for stiller at the crease - watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-VEb8_kEYI
and for better hips see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EZ5Kej9uJs (although the stig looks a little short of form in both videos!)

[uknsaunders]

Tricky to see as the camera isn't inline with the stumps. My advice would be similar to Buzz, stay still and concentrate on getting forward. You seem like a tall chap so use you height to get forward and hit the ball straight. Going across your stumps seems like it has lbw candidate written all over it. Get outdoors and it only takes one well placed inswinger/off-cutter and it's goodnight. Not sure if it's me but when you play outside off you seem to be slicing across the ball every now and again, some are lovely and straight through the line and other balls looks like a slice. I think I would work on your off-side/straight driving instead of trying most things to hit to leg. It's probably encouraging you to bring the bat down across the line.

All in all you look a very decent batsman and if it works for you great.

[Seniorplayer]

Trigger movements  do they work ive no idea personally  would leave well alone  keep head still  eyes level watch the ball lead into the shot with your head simple.

[edge]

Thanks Buzz/Nick - very helpful advice. My normal technique is to stay very still as you suggest, works well in terms of hitting the ball hard straight/legside, but I rarely score off anything other than rank half volleys and longhops on the offside. This is just an alternative attempt to get into better positions for the offside shots in order to round out my play better (although watching it back I don't hit many through off!)

The walking through shots isn't something that I usually do as much as that so I think the trigger has brought that on to some extent, but comparing to old videos where I'm staying still my best timed shots are clearly the ones where I'm solid all the way though the shot, so that's something to work on. I've always sliced across a lot of offside shots which had partly led to me trying to avoid playing them. Sorting the hips a la the Stig example would help with that I think - not sure quite how to work on it though so any tips @Buzz?

[Buzz]

Very simple exercises really, bat in your top hand, then drop a tennis ball and hit it on a drive with one hand, but keep your back foot still.
In the past coaches have taped the players back foot to the floor!

[smilley792]

In the past coaches have taped the players back foot to the floor!

At my old work we had room to net at dinner(fired tennis balls out of a home made cannon)

We superglued a work boot to a girder to stop you moving your back leg.

[InternalTraining]

@Buzz ,

I think there are two aspects to the trigger movement when facing a quick bowler in a match sitution: 1.) Initial back and across foot movement; 2.) pointing the toes down, in the right line of the ball. Root, Amla, and ABD do this extremely well. Maybe Virat Kohli as well although his back and across foot movement is not as pronounced. The question that I have been mulling over is when do you line up those toes to point down the wicket? Also, what is the method to determine that direction and line. Again, Amla, Root, ABD get in position so quickly for anyone ball. Once of the commentators showed a side-by-side comparison between Lyth and Root and how Root was fractionally quicker to get in position before ball hit the ground than Lyth.

What do you think?

[mad_abt_cricket]

Not sure about the trigger movement but as you play the shot you are falling over on your front foot as after every shot you are walking over one or two steps, which means at the time of the contact you are not balanced enough. Try to hold your position and count till three after the contact with the ball.

[Buzz]

A few things
Firstly the trigger doesn't have to be back and across. Of all the movements that is the one that is most talked about.
The pointing toe is just a comfort thing, although it can also help leg side play.

As for moving in line and speed into position, I think that maybe talent and confidence has a huge part to play, but I am sure it can be worked on.

[Cin88]

Everyone always goes on at me about going back and across (including my captain as of this morning) but it doesn't feel right to me, I prefer a slight shuffle forward as my movement, if I do move at all. If I go back and across then I have issues getting myself in line properly, which is already a major problem for me at the moment anyway.

[Buzz]

Ignore them.

[Seniorplayer]

Everyone always goes on at me about going back and across (including my captain as of this morning) but it doesn't feel right to me, I prefer a slight shuffle forward as my movement, if I do move at all. If I go back and across then I have issues getting myself in line properly, which is already a major problem for me at the moment anyway.

Back and across is  in the  coaching  manual of correctness  i agee with buzz ignore them  and do what works for you.