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[mattw]

practice.

put a blind fold on when in the nets and feel for the ball.

works a treat

[Cumbrian Pete]

As nightmare uncovered pitches are all too common in Cumbria, I would agree that playing straight, looking to get forward and soft hands is the best approach.  By all means play off the back foot if very short but in my experience playing in the 'v' off the back foot with a straight bat is much less risky on horrible tracks than a cross batted shot as it allows for more margin for deviation of the ball.  Oh, but if you get a full toss...cash in!

[mad_abt_cricket]

We have the similar experience in Romania.  For fast bowlers, my strategy is to stand quite ahead of my crease  with the exception of one or two bowlers who are quite fast and try to reach to the ball where it is pitched with the straight bat. If it is in the zone or I am able to reach it, I am generally hitting it straight along the ground or over the bowlers head. In case the bowler adjusts the length, I try to defend it with a straight bat with the pad behind the bat.

[97notout]

Batting, you want to try keeping on the pitch from hell...................lol

[stevat]

Batting, you want to try keeping on the pitch from hell...................lol

Last season on our home pitch I bowled a gentle off-break that ripped off of something on the pitch outside off, turned hard and fast about two feet, beat the batsman and hit him on the chin.  Lucky really, cause the keeper said he'd no idea what'd happened.  Happily I returned to dinner lady mode straight after, dishing up puddings to get destroyed.

[uknsaunders]

The danger if you sit on the back foot is that the mind can play tricks on you as you see far more movement from the bals that do something abnormal, and you then start to twitch at the ball, bringing th slips into play far more than is necessary.  On the front foot, movement is minimised and the one that pops has hit you before you can get yourself into much trouble!

As I said, depends on the track. Propping forward on a wet flyer is far more likely to get you out off the shoulder than playing back and straight. With regards to movement it works both ways, playing back gives you a fraction more time to bring the bat out of the line. However you can increase the deviation by playing back. Worth considering in the days of uncovered wickets at first class level, they mainly played back and must of known a thing or two 

[Buzz]

As I said, depends on the track. Propping forward on a wet flyer is far more likely to get you out off the shoulder than playing back and straight. With regards to movement it works both ways, playing back gives you a fraction more time to bring the bat out of the line. However you can increase the deviation by playing back. Worth considering in the days of uncovered wickets at first class level, they mainly played back and must of known a thing or two 

Unless they were called Peter May who used the "if in doubt, push out" method
I think you have to play to your strengths, if you are playing on a damp flyer then it is reasonable to play back a little more, but they don't happen very often... the damp tennis ball bouncing track is more common - in which case there is a fair amount of rock forward then back and smash the ball over midwicket - in theory - wear it in the chest in practice!!

[tim2000s]

practice.

put a blind fold on when in the nets and feel for the ball.

works a treat

Use the force....

[stevat]

I played on one track last year with variable bounce, to say the least, and found myself playing off the back foot to try and give myself more time to play the ball late.  Then got trapped in front, lbw for not many, when one just didn't rise from short of a good length.  Couldn't get down in time, and was plum in front.  Thought at the time that if I'd played forward to it I would've put some element of doubt in the umpire's mind, even if it were straight.  That said, I'd probably have gotten one on a good length that bounced, hit a glove and popped up.  Ultimately, you have to accept there's risks in both strategies, and as the fellas say, pick the one that best suits the pitch.

[shazz]

I'm no Geoffrey Boycott, but you have to be careful not to go and chase the bad delivery, if you go at it too hard then there is huge risk of nicking one off, or dragging one on.

[pacman75cricket]

Get forward watch the ball leave as much as possaible + keep shape + put the ball away when you can selecxt areas where you can score

[Nespresco]

On a nightmare pitch quite often the side that bowls the best will win, for those overs things are in your favor so take advantage and save every run. Batting, get forward and play with a straight bat, don't check your drives, the ball wont be coming on quite often you will play it early and spoon a catch to mid-off, if its more than a push play with a full follow through which will also get a few fielders out for easy singles. We played on a terrible pitch and our openers just defended and little pushes into gaps and milked the singles, 4-5 off the over + a bad ball dispatched for 4 every couple of overs and that's an excellent rate to go at, without really taking an risks.

[kaustav]

Use the force....

What if you are facing Yoda?

[tushar sehgal]

What if you are facing Yoda?

Then repeat... "Something something something Darkside"

[kaustav]

Then repeat... "Something something something Darkside"

Vader!! Stop!! huuushh (Vader breathes...)