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[Mattsky]

It's important not to have too many thoughts going through your head when you're out in the middle. Do all of your thinking and analysis in the nets.
Keep it simple. Overthink things when you're batting, and your mind will be crowded with a shopping list of thoughts when it should be clear and focused on helping you react to the ball.
Have just one or two things to 'hang your hat on.' Whether it's 'Watch the ball' or 'Head still' it should be something that works for you and keeps you focused.

By all means 'switch off' between balls and then 'switch on' again when the bowler is at the top of his run.
You'll have time enough to assess the match situation between overs.

Play a low-risk, straight bat game in the V at first, get a feel for the bowler and see how the ball is reacting off the wicket.
Be alert for quick singles from the off. Rotate the strike and keep the scoreboard ticking over.
Open up your shot selection when you've built up a partnership and a platform for the middle order.
Be positive in both defense and attack. Defend solidly but as has been said, put away the bad balls. Runs will come.

[brokenbat]

all great points. one thing that really irks me is that when i score on Saturday, I tend to fail on Sunday. Got 50+ chasing a big total on saturday, and played a loose shot on Sunday. I think what happened was, I took the momentum from sat (where I was hitting spinners towards the end of my innings), straight into the Sunday game. Should force myself to reset and start all over again.

[Mattsky]

Nothing wrong with taking that momentum into the next game and feeding on the positives from it.
Perhaps you relaxed just a bit too much and literally and metaphorically took your eye off the ball. 

[compstallcc]

Lovely, with a bit of seam, your techniques will have you in all sorts of trouble I imagine?

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i wouldn't say so. You can play positively with the best technique in the world. Like any cricketer i get some scores alot better than others but being positive is what works for me, it may or may not work for brokenbat but he asked for tips so i told him what works for me

[cesare_in]

1. Play close to your body
2. If you think the ball is there to be hit, hit/slash hard (new ball travels faster..)

[Montys Beard]

W.T.B. Watch. The. Ball. I generally say it to myself as the bowlewr is running in, then watch the ball in hand, watch the ball leave the hand and then watch it onto the bat. As I'm quite nervous at the crease and have crisis of confidence on regular occasions I generally don't get off the mark for the first few overs, I leave and block (unlesss there is an absolute gift) to get my eye in and feel confident where my off stump is, after I'm more comfortable I open up a bit.

[Cumbrian Pete]

Monty, do you go to bed late or get up early?  A 5am posting time is hard core!

[brokenbat]

good timing on Crowe ... that trick with the wall seems like worth trying:

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/video_audio/753441.html

[george_parv]

What I do, (I play the more aggressive opening role) :

1.Take an off stump guard to begin with, find the way I get bowled early on is a good length outswinger that just nicks the bail off the top aha.

2. If its a bad ball I really leather it as with the new ball even a relatively thin edge can fly away

[Montys Beard]

Haha, neither Pete, I'm in Sydney!

[richthekeeper]

that's interesting George. this season i've been out cheaply bowled twice; once by left arm over swinging back into me, and once by an off cutter. both just clipping off stump.

i noticed when i was in my coaching session with matt dawson the other week that i start off with a trigger movement across to off stump, but that this disappears as i play myself in.

[farnham_quins_2]

I think opening is more down to mental aspect than anything - providing you have some technique as a basic.

I try and prepare myself beforehand, think positive thoughts, think about a couple of aspects of batting you want to focus on (I generally pick foot movement, and something like play with strong top hand).
Then try and turn on and off between balls. Look at something in the distance, then get in position, remind yourself of foot movement/something specific, then watch the ball out the hand and play naturally.

At start of the innings I tend to focus on staying in, picking up runs off bad balls, and seeing off the opening bowlers. If I see them off, that's a victory (their job is to remove the opening batsmen).
From there, get a look at the new bowlers, start attacking when you feel you're seeing the ball well.

If I feel I'm not playing particularly well, missing some balls etc. I might just focus on only playing balls on the stumps to get a feel for bat on ball without taking a risk. Then go from there!

O, and get any advice from your opening partner - either about the bowlers or your batting if he can see anything you might not be aware of.

Just my 2 cents.

[Cumbrian Pete]

Nice one, Monty, that makes sense now!!

[brokenbat]

is it possible to get TOO obsessed with watching the ball? sometimes i'll feel that i'm so intently focused on the ball, my feet/head movement suffer.

is there a bat i can buy to fix this problem?

[farnham_quins_2]

No and yes. A new bat fixes any problem...