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[imran75]

Hi All,

First post here, after lurking for god knows how long. I just posted this in another forum (non-cricket specific) and thought I'd extend the question here...

Been thinking about this recently and whilst it hasn't occupied my every waking moment, the question is rather intriguing.

I've been playing cricket for some years now, and when I was learning the game, batting right handed meant that your top hand was your left hand. Now, the received wisdom is that you lead into the stroke with your top hand, thus it carries most of the weight of the bat. Surely this should be your stronger / dominant hand.

In the years since my childhood, we're seeing an increasing amount of left-handed batsmen who bowl or throw right-handed. I'm thinking about Stuart Broad, Eoin Morgan, Samit Patel...(just looked at the Eng T20 squad for the NZ tour, so apologies for not being more international.)
Is this just a symptom of letting kids work out their own technique when they're learning? or is it actively coached?
Would be interesting to hear any personal experiences...

Cheers! and it's lovely to finally be posting!
imran

[Kulli]

My club has 6 leftie bowlers all of whom bat right handed.

[golden duck]

I think there are 3 or 4 people who play for my village & work teams who do this.

It always catches me out as they stroll down the net then take the 'wrong' guard.

One I found very odd last season was playing against a guy who batted left handed grip, but right handed stance (does that make sense - so right hand top of grip, left hand crossing over to the bottom of the grip).

Odd!!!

[BigBlueMachine]

My theory is that right handers should bat what we call left handed for the exact reasons you've outlined. You can find many other examples of this outside of cricket, the best one being Tiger Woods. Tiger is left handed yet plays golf right handed.

[imran75]

@ BigBlueMachine - totally agree. I did a bit more research on cricinfo and it does seem like it's the younger players who do the left hand / right hand combo. Thinking about it, some of the colts at my club do it too, so maybe it is a coaching thing.

@goldenduck - wtf??? really? how did he play?

[Buzz]

I agree - I am left handed, but bat "right handed" (also play golf right handed) but play Tennis/squash left handed.
I think the dominant top hand helps - but given the stats it doesn't appear to be as bigger deal as it perhaps could be.

[Tumo]

I agree - I am left handed, but bat "right handed" (also play golf right handed) but play Tennis/squash left handed.
I think the dominant top hand helps - but given the stats it doesn't appear to be as bigger deal as it perhaps could be.

I am the same as you Buzz! I get told that it's weird, and sometimes it does feel pretty weird, to say the least! A lad I play with is right-handed but bats left-handed as well, so it's the same sort of thing, top hand dominant (which really doesn't explain my love for wild hoicks across the line... haha)

[Ayrtek Cricket]

I agree - I am left handed, but bat "right handed" (also play golf right handed) but play Tennis/squash left handed.
I think the dominant top hand helps - but given the stats it doesn't appear to be as bigger deal as it perhaps could be.

Same boat as you Sir Buzz, my dad is a left hander but guess he never really forced me into batting as a LH when younger. I never used to play a backhand in tennis when i was younger and used to swap the racket to the other hand! Thankfully grew out of this and got myself sorted to play a decent standard of tennis before choosing between that or cricket.

My LH is def more dominant when batting as tend to be a power player rather than a nudger

[Jagminder]

Same boat as you folks - a left hander batting righty.
My power hand is left but my delicate (writing, using scissors..........) hand is right.

Jag.

[Milky Bar Kid]

I bat right handed and bowl so left arm. Throw darts right handed though!

[Alvaro]

Left handed, bat left handed, throw underarm left but overarm right and bowl RA.
Fat sam throws right arm but bowls left.
How queer.

[Kez]

bat right
bowl left
tennis etc both! - don't play with a backhand racquet changes hand!
golf right

think its cos my dad bats and plays golf right handed but bowling and throwing i picked up myself

An interesting player is Tymal Mills bowls left arm GAS bats right handed and throws from the outfield with both!

[dmacwana]

bat right
bowl leftthrow underarm left but overarm right

[tommy]

Bat Right
Bowl Left
Racket sports both handed

[uknsaunders]

bowl left
bat right
throw right
catch right
write left
sometimes forget which hand for knife and fork
Can use either hand for badminton, squash etc