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[gdb19]

For many years when I was younger and since I've started playing again I have one particular problem with my batting. Lots wrong with my technique overall I think but the main issue I have is that I consistently get bowled by full pitched balls on leg stump. I particularly struggle against left armers pitching around leg even when opening up my stance to face the bowler more.

I suspect that I'm simply not coming down straight and I'm playing around the ball rather than straight. Anything drifting further down leg I'm ok with and tend to play ok to midwicket.

In the past I've tried the old goochie style pick up with the bat face pointing to point but now simply have the bat waist high facing the deck. I've also listened to buzz's advice about freeing up my hands by moving away from my waist in my backlift.

I appreciate that a certain amount of this will be due to me not picking the right shot and trying to hit balls that simply aren't there but any other thoughts would be helpful. It does seem that even when I try to play straight back I do tend to get bowled.

[tbarnfield99]

What sort of a shot are you playing to the full pitched delivery? Also do you feel as though you are falling over when this happens?

[gdb19]

In my head I'm mainly trying to drive straight back past the bowler, I suspect that it actually turns out as some sort of cross line shot more towards wide mid on. I don't over balance when trying to play the shot.

I reckon I'm just not coming down straight from my backlift as I do often end up dragging straighter balls to leg too.

[The_Bird]

My advice would be to Video yourself if possible. This way the Coaches on here can give you their feedback a bit easier and it could help you understand any tiny/big flaws in your technique and ways to eradicate them as well. Pictures speak a thousand words

[Manormanic]

Agree RE the video things.  But - a good thing to look at to start with is whether your eyes are level in your stance - its possible (not a given, but possible) that you're not quite picking the ball up cleanly because of this - it usually manifests itself in the bat coming down toward mid-on's right shoulder and problems playing balls up around your feet...

[gdb19]

Thanks, I'll try to get some videos taken and will also check my head positioning.

May well be the head position as I'm 6'3 and perhaps hunch over in my stance so my eyes might not be level. I'll probably end up correcting this, hitting the stuff on leg stick but not being able to hit over long on/cow.

[kieranl73]

I have my bat at 45 degrees towards the off side and the 'V' in my hands running down the side of the spine (towards outside edge).

That sorted the same problem out for me but some people may not agree with this but is something to think about...

[A-Swing-And-A-Miss]

So your problem is that you are getting bowler around your legs? I would say you are leaning/striding too much over to the offside, and you say you are trying to drive the ball back past the bowler, think these two combined are causing such a problem. You are leaning too far across so it is very difficult to drive the ball, have you attempted to flick the ball of your pads rather than driving it?

Driving behind your legs sounds a very awkward shot so you might find flicking it using your wrists is the best option. You could alternatively try to adjust where your legs are so as to be covering your leg stump more, although I wouldn't recommend that without seeing you bat.

As others have said, it will be easier to give you correct advice if we can watch some videos to understand your problem better.

[gdb19]

I'm not being bowled around my legs, it's more that any thing on leg stick I try to drive and really just miss it. Anything on off/middle and outside leg I'm ok. I'm not striding too much too off, if anything I reckon I don't move my feet enough as at the very least if I miss the straight/on drive on leg and have my front foot straight down the track I'd probably expect to get hit on the pads more.

The leg stick issue is why I'm particularly bad against left armers if they hit that line.

Kiernal73 - just picked up a bat to work out what you mean and holding it like that does seem to rotate my left elbow a bit. Like you say some might not agree but I'll give it a go when I net again on thursday.

[kieranl73]

I'm not being bowled around my legs, it's more that any thing on leg stick I try to drive and really just miss it. Anything on off/middle and outside leg I'm ok. I'm not striding too much too off, if anything I reckon I don't move my feet enough as at the very least if I miss the straight/on drive on leg and have my front foot straight down the track I'd probably expect to get hit on the pads more.

The leg stick issue is why I'm particularly bad against left armers if they hit that line.

Kiernal73 - just picked up a bat to work out what you mean and holding it like that does seem to rotate my left elbow a bit. Like you say some might not agree but I'll give it a go when I net again on thursday.

Oh i havent had that problem, if you move your wrists rather than your whole arm that could be why...

[wilkie113]

I could never play off my legs, then a coach told me to do the step back and across as a little trigger movement and it fixed it for me and I haven't a clue why! I try more to flick it through square rather than hit it as such, then if I don't quite time it it goes behind square.

[tim2000s]

It might simply be that that is the spot where your hands and eyes don't coordinate and you are therefore physically unable to do it...

[gdb19]

It might simply be that that is the spot where your hands and eyes don't coordinate and you are therefore physically unable to do it...

That sounds like a cracking excuse to me, surely that should count as some sort of disability and bowlers should be banned from bowling that line to me.

[tushar sehgal]

Ok here is my 2 cents.

If a bowler left arm bowler is bowling from over the stumps (around the stumps for a right hand) then the angle the ball comes in is obviously very different, now if you are standing with a closed stance i.e your front foot is further out than your back foot (towards off stump) you are creating a blind spot for yourself as well as your legs would be in the way of your bat swing, assuming your back lift is fairly straight...

Try opening the stance a little bit, i.e assume the stumps are to the left of where are they on the bowling end when you are facing a left hand over the wicket or right hand around, see if that works...hope i explained it ok..

[Buzz]

I think you are driving at balls you should be blocking.