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[400notout]

Guys, as a complete non sweeper I've now decided I need that option in my armoury when playing spin.

I've seen enough cricket to know how best to play it etc, however it's the only shot I don't feel confident at at all, feel like I'm increasing my risk of getting out massively.

Think it's down to being a perfectionist, and subconsciously putting it away since its across the line!

Any guys who picked the sweep up later on to add to their game care to pass on what helped them get it from scratch safely into matches?

I'm currently just hitting underarms and slow spinners as much as possible, trying to get as many balls hit as possible.

[smilley792]

I tried learning the sweep, had an entire net last year against u15 and u17 spin bowlers. I felt uncomfortable, and ungainly doing it.
Although by the end I was middling more than not, and keeping it down.


I tried again on a howling machine, but the bounce is ridicolous in there.

Not yet used it in a match though.....

[Buzz]

I wouldn't bother with it personally in your shoes.

I have only played the sweep about 5 times in 20 years or more of cricket!

[uknsaunders]

Love sweeping. Get a bowling machine set for a sweep and just practise with it on autofeed.

[Neon Cricket]

I love a sweep, probably a bit too much - definitely one way to pi*s off an opening bowler...

The trick I find is when playing the shot is to try and play over the ball with a slightly twisted bat, you certainly won't be hitting any huge sixes but it normally helps the ball around the corner avoiding both square leg and fine leg if you hit it hard enough (and avoids the majority of top edges) - most of the time the ball ends up somewhere between backward square and the 45, well at least that's the idea anyway...

[The Palmist]

For starters only attempt sweep on deliveries outside leg and look to just make a decent connection. Don't try to hit too hard try and watch it in slow motion.

[WalkingWicket37]

The sweep, both slog and orthodox, has been a shot that came naturally to me. As I always hit it well I used it as a go to shot. It almost became my Achilles heel as I'd be trying to sweep balls to full and get myself out.

Moral of the story, if you can play it, great. But play each ball on it's merit, don't pre-meditate these things as you can end up looking stupid.

[Nickauger]

For starters only attempt sweep on deliveries outside leg and look to just make a decent connection. Don't try to hit too hard try and watch it in slow motion.

For me, this is completely the wrong way to sweep. You can't sweep a yorker length outside leg stump. Sweeping is ALL about being able to pick up length. You always, always, always sweep on length. If you work out what your sweepable length is (full stretch in front of you - stick a ball on a cone and move it til you find it), you should then be able to swwp anything from a foot outside off stump, to a foot outside leg. Just a matter of where it gets hit... obviously the further outside off stump. the straighter it will go!

[Stuey]

Use your feet and send it down the ground

[The Palmist]

For me, this is completely the wrong way to sweep. You can't sweep a yorker length outside leg stump. Sweeping is ALL about being able to pick up length. You always, always, always sweep on length. If you work out what your sweepable length is (full stretch in front of you - stick a ball on a cone and move it til you find it), you should then be able to swwp anything from a foot outside off stump, to a foot outside leg. Just a matter of where it gets hit... obviously the further outside off stump. the straighter it will go!

valid point but this plan may be too risky for non sweeper

[GarrettJ]

High to low with your hands

Head over the front foot

Stretch out your arms

This will avoid being blocked by your front pad

[brokenbat]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZqeghVSGfA

enjoy

[Buzz]

I wouldn't bother with it personally in your shoes.

I have only played the sweep about 5 times in 20 years or more of cricket!

just to clarify a little further...

the sweep is an effective shot and will work for many people, however, my view is that it is unlike any other shot and to learn it late in your career may not actually help you.

the way we pick up line and length becomes a subconscious trait (which is why chucking is bad and much harder for batsmen to adjust too) from when we learn the game and to be able to react to play the shot to the right time will take a considerable amount of practice, because it is so different to other shots in terms of the body position you should get in to play the shot

my view is that you could use that time more productively to work on other aspects of your game.

as for playing the shot, what Nick and John said...

[mini998]

I was like you , didn't know how to play it properly , but I badly  wanted to play the sweep shot .

So our coach did tennis ball under arm throw downs for few weeks with me , good thing is you gety tpo hit lot of balls when you do tennis ball throw down so you can practice your shot over and over till you get tired.

For me it's all about muscle memory and being able to judge the length well in advance , now I play sweep(paddle sweep) shot even to medium pacies if the ball is down the legside.

If the ball is down the leg  I play sweep shot regardless of the length , if it is a yorker length then you can get the ball as a full toss when you reach out so it has benefits. depending on the length sometimes I have to settle with a paddle sweep rather than playing with force, it's all about practice.

[max91]

I only started sweeping once wearing a helmet never really fancied it before for obvious reasons it's defiantly a handy shot to have even if I don't use it to much