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[Johnny]

Back foot goes back and across

[Number4]

Back foot goes back and across

Worked great for Steve Waugh so is good enough for me too

[97notout]

I'd read a lot on the forum about 'trigger movement' and understood what it was but never thought much of it and may have or may not have had one, until yesterday................................

Got to the club early for a net and the groundsman who is a qualified coach just happened to be watching me straight on and he noticed that I was always planting my front foot, virtually to every delivery, which he said was fine if it was an over pitched delivery. Any other time I would over reach or wasn't in a position to move about the crease.

So I tried on his instruction, right foot back and across, getting my head into line and then dealing with the delivery and then checking the position of my back foot. I think a lot of batsmen use this, it might be basics and I've been crap for years but it was the first time someone had took the time to try and improve my position at the crease.

It seemed to work when I opened the batting and made me concentrate more (until I got one that kept low) so I think I'll stick with it.

[GarrettJ]

I'll go against coach buzz and say any serious batsman must have a trigger, 95% of international batsmen do it. If done incorrectly it's a minefield though!!

You must complete the trigger before the ball has been released so you are perfectly still at poInt of release. Timing is everything with the trigger. Get it wrong and you are in big big trouble with your weight moving in a certain direction causing you to restrict the shots you can play.

Here is the trigger I was coached by gus logie and Desmond Haynes:

Move your back foot back and across
Further for pace bowling just a little for slow bowling
Start the trigger just before the bowler jumps
Keep head still and forward of the body
Unweight your front foot .... Weight on ball of back foot front foot barely touching the ground.

You are now in a coiled position ready to go forward and back with power stored in your hips which you can drive through the ball for extra power.

Someone is going to say now I'm stuck as my weight is on my backfoot .... Well

My head is forward and this is key all with basic biomechanics.

To go forward you have to use your right foot .... Try it. Stand in your stance and go forward you will feel that it is your right foot that takes the weight to move you forward and vice versa.

So now I'm stuck you are now rightly saying, I can't go back!

Now try this ..... Stand in your stance head forward and drop your front shoulder to the ground ...... Your backfoot just lifted as it forced the weight onto your front foot.

So now alll you need to do to go back is stay still dip your front shoulder, which helps keep your head forwArd when playing back, and your backfoot is easy to move.

This is a great way to trigger but you must time it right and be still at the point of release.

If you can't get it right then it's best to not bother as it will cause serious balance and alignment problems

[rbanners]

This is a fascinating discussion, thanks for starting it and thanks for all the contributions so far.

I intermittently use a trigger (back and across), but have had 2 LBWs from what the umpires have described as "shuffling in front of the stumps". Reading GarrettJs post, this either means I am triggering late or just too slow on my feet/lacking in skill against the quicker bowlers.

Against average bowling, I dont need to use a trigger, but I force myself to use one in order to get forward on the predominantly low wickets we play on, since I am more naturally a back foot driver and cutter (to the point where I late cut anything vaguely short of a length).

I was just thinking about what to do next with my footwork, and reading these responses makes me want to ditch the trigger and concentrate more on watching the ball out of the hand and getting my head into position ie thinking less about my footwork and trusting my body to find the right balance with my head leading the way.

Will be great to hear what others with more experience have to say about trigger vs no trigger.
Thanks
Banners

[shazz]

agaisn't spinners a forward press is uselful, place 85% of weight on front foot, and take a half step frowards, as he is in his bound/ whenever comfortable.

[GarrettJ]

the trigger should be as natural as lifting your bat, if you are thinking about the trigger then how can you focus on the ball?? Its need more practice if you are at this stage. Maybe go to winter nets in Janauary with the aim of having it nailed by March.

again, if the trigger isnt perfect it does more harm than good.

[GarrettJ]

agaisn't spinners a forward press is uselful, place 85% of weight on front foot, and take a half step frowards, as he is in his bound/ whenever comfortable.

press which way, straight down, towards leg or towards off? I see a lot of internationals using this forward press to spinners but im not convinced indian batsmen do it and they are masters of playing spin ....... they prefer back foot and then front foot as the last resort??

[PedalsMcgrew]

I'll go with Buzz's view. He is a proper coach after all.........

[Nickauger]

All the literature and coaching expertise that I have come across has said that a trigger movement is no good. However, I'm just as proper a coach as Buzz, and I'm looking to develop a trigger myself that might help! Clutching at straws perhaps, and if people didn't have differing views of things like this Pedals, no-one would ever improve as a coach!

[GarrettJ]

i just dont see how you can dismiss the trigger movement when all the internationals do it

having played agaisnt very fast bowlers myself, i can tell you that without the back and across trigger i would have had no chance against those quick bowlers.

Buzz is right in that most batsmen should ditch it ........ but only becasue they dont do it right and it causes some pretty serious balance issues.

[GarrettJ]

All the literature and coaching expertise that I have come across has said that a trigger movement is no good. However, I'm just as proper a coach as Buzz, and I'm looking to develop a trigger myself that might help! Clutching at straws perhaps, and if people didn't have differing views of things like this Pedals, no-one would ever improve as a coach!

coaching literature .... how old is it. does it say you should have your baclift over middle, off or pointing to cover??? Don Bradman had a strange backlift, Chanderpaul has a shocking stance and exaggerated trigger, Brian Lara had a stupidly high backlift, the feet in the stance past shoulder width apart of Chris Gayle and Kevin Pietersen, the trigger across the stumps of Amla .... all of that went against all coaching manuals i have read.

There is no one way to bat in my opinion and that is why cricket is such a fantastic game.

There are batting fundamentals which you must obey ....

keep your head still
eyes level 
weight into the shot
keep balanced

 .... how you do that is upto you but there is no one correct way to do it but without it you will fail to reach the top.

[GarrettJ]

I'll go with Buzz's view. He is a proper coach after all.........

where is he getting his literature/learning materials from?

one coaching manual, personal experience or examining the traits of the successful players .... i dont know but you cant use one source to tell someone how to bat

[Nickauger]

Errrr I was completely agreeing with you mate!

[GarrettJ]

Errrr I was completely agreeing with you mate!

i know you were Nick, was throwing out a few questions to get this discussion going ......