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[thedon]

I've had this problem of planting my front foot just before the ball is bowled. Anything full and straight gets me out as I am fining myself playing all around the ball. Tried opening up my stance and standing outside leg stump,but this has compromised my driving, and I still find myself planting.  Any tips on how I can stop this? Cheers

[Number4]

Try doing the old " back foot back and across"

[wilkie113]

That's what I used to do when I was younger, now I do a little back and across and I'm sorted

Still don't move my front foot enough but ah well

[Buzz]

please will someone explain to me how moving back and across will help someone who plants their front foot?

thanks

[Number4]

I believe it helps create a solid platform To move forward, or backward, and transfer weight into the stroke as opposed to planting the front foot and trying to play around it.

It also helps to open the hips and play straighter

[Buzz]

I believe it helps create a solid platform To move forward, or backward, and transfer weight into the stroke as opposed to planting the front foot and trying to play around it.

It also helps to open the hips and play straighter

interesting thoughts.
for me to play straight you need your hips and shoulders parallel and not open to play a side on straight shot.

As a result a back and across movement if done wrong opens the player up and makes most shots much harder to execute.

if you are planting your front foot it typically means you are leading with your foot into your shots not your eyes, shoulders then foot.

more later.

what do others think?

[SaadIjaz]

Interesting little topic... I have the exact same issue, land my front foot in all my shots, it's okay if pitched back because you can spring off your front but anything full and straight can be dangerous.

My coach worked on a drill to get me moving back and accross which still hasn't paid off but might.

Stand about 8 yards away from a partner in a net or hard surface
Stand in your batting stance (side on) without holding a bat
Get your partner to send a throw down at a short length but wide of your off stump (ideally a bowl you would square cut)
You in your stance move back and across and catch the ball with 2 hands.
Repeat for a while

It's a good exercise but hasn't paid off yet, maybe I haven't done it enough only twice.

Buzz: please share your thoughts here mate, as I am another player who plants his front foot too early.... Any advice correcting this is appreciated.

[Village Trundler]

I reckon its just a matter of training yourself.

There is no instant fix cos its not a technical problem, the problem is a cognition you have developed.

I would persist with open stance....... Bring the front foot to a good position as the bowler reaches his stride, use that movement to counter your planting. It'll be some work!

Good luck!

[Number4]

interesting thoughts.
for me to play straight you need your hips and shoulders parallel and not open to play a side on straight shot.

As a result a back and across movement if done wrong opens the player up and makes most shots much harder to execute.

if you are planting your front foot it typically means you are leading with your foot into your shots not your eyes, shoulders then foot.

more later.

what do others think?

Play straighter defensively I should have said.. Which also helps when playing outswing.  Just my opinion of course

[Buzz]

Ok. Here goes, firstly my thoughts typically seem opposite to what others have said. That doesn't make them wrong, you must choose what works for you. If what I say doesn't work, don't do it!

My thoughts are..

Throughout the history of the game most (not all) of the greatest batsman have been side on to face the bowler, especially their hips and shoulders, if not always their feet. As a result, unless there is a very good reason not to be side on, this is what I would encourage.

As is well known I also advocate standing still, rather than a pre-delivery movement, on the basis that with the standard most people play it is unnecessary to over complicate your batting.

If your are having trouble planting your front foot, this is usually something to do with either moving your foot to the line of the ball before your head or the batsman premeditating the shot.

So what to change?
Get three tennis balls and place them in an arch around your off stump, on 12, 1 and 2 o'clock for a right hander. Then with your top hand lean towards the first ball, head first the shoulder then foot then bat. Repeat for the second ball and the third. And go again. After a while progress to throwing the ball up and hitting it on the second bounce, once your have is sorted it is about repetition.

Remember you are using your top hand only as you are not going for power, but position. Make sure your back foot stays still and your hips are pointing to where your are looking to hit the ball.
You can shadow bat to practice this.

I have done this exercise with almost everyone I have coached...
Good luck.

[Cumbrian Pete]

Buzz, I couldn't agree more.  No triggers, just stand still and relaxed and watch the ball.  Once you've processed the line and length, then move head in line lead with shoulder and play...your feet move last and you play the ball under your eyes.   I know that lots of people like triggers and moving back and across but I solved my front foot planting by working on getting my head in line and leading with my shoulder.

Pete

[thedon]

Thank you all for your comments, they are whole heartedly appreciated.

A while back i did try the old back and across movement, but I found I was thinking more about this, rather than watching and concentrating on the ball out of the bowlers hand and keeping a clear mind.

With regards to buzzs' advice, I shall be doing the drills religiously. Just one more thing, does it matter where my head is positioned in my stance? I've read ideally it should be be in line with my front foot. Is that correct?

[Chad]

I think maybe just waiting that little bit longer to judge the line and length will help. I have this problem at times in nets when facing a "quick bowler" 65mph+ with my standards. It is also a reason what short balls seem to come at me quicker, as I'm chasing the ball rather than letting it come to me. Perhaps just go to the nets with the aim of moving your feet that little bit later, trying to get into the line. If you miss the ball, that's fine, as it does take time to 'fix'. I scored 8 runs yesterday, and the moment I got a short and wide one, I slashed at it without my feet in position and got caught. This is most likely because I still have that same flaw ingrained in my batting technique, and also for not heeding Buzz's advice of playing it later on in my innings! Mind you, I came in on like the 38th over and got out on the 41st of a 45 over match (Or something like that), so couldn't have really done much in terms of setting myself up for a 50.

Oh, another thing, when you plant your front foot, make sure you land with your heel first, as this will give you balance. You may actually find that you can get your foot to a different angle much easier doing this as you won't collapse, and also it helps lower the risk of you getting out LBW as you are balanced, so you can see what the ball is doing easier! You may already do this, so ignore it if you do!

[Manormanic]

Buzz is 90 percent right.  The eyes need to be still at the point of release from the bowler, otherwise you do not get the best picture of what is coming down at you, so you need to have a solid base and set up at the point of release - now, that does not preclude a trigger because a good trigger movement should be completed before the ball is released anyway (look at Simon Katich for the best example of this, though Duncan Fletchers forward press is another good way of looking at this).

You don't have to be dead square -in actual fact the majority of great players stand slightly open  so as to allow the head to be parallel at release - but you do need to be still.

So, from there what??

Well, if you play at a moderate standard where there are few quickies, its easy to get into the habit of what I call prop-and-cop, that is to say you lunge at the ball because you can  account for many variables by doing so.  When form slips you have an issue.  Ways around it- well, you need first to make sure that the bat is coming through straight, hitting balls rolled at you along the deck if needs be.  Thereafter, its more a case of working on the timing of any moves you make.

[Buzz]

sorry, I dont agree, interestingly, nor does Gary Palmer, who is a bit more experienced a coach than me...

this video is 6mins long, it is worth watching...

m.youtube.com/watch?v=gVQFT3-YlXM&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DgVQFT3-YlXM&gl=GB