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[The Palmist]

Very useful  thread.

I play for second xi and the wicket takers  are usually  the dibbly dobbly medium  pacers or spinners. Our first  xi have got some proper pace men and every now then I get to face them in nets. Yorkers don't  bother me as much as the away swingers, I find myself  feather  edging quite often.

Someone  mentioned mind set and I have  to confess, that at times  I am thinking more about not getting hit rather  than scoring.

I like what Soulman says about check shots, I can control them better than when  I am following through. My coach  picked up on this and advised me to follow through  so I get maximum value from shots.

[tushar sehgal]

Here's the thing about mindset and I'll use my own example. I am a lower order batsman, crap basically, so there have been days I have gone in thinking how am I going to survive this guy or that guy and avoid getting hit, well my brain tells me I am scared of getting hit so I need to watch the ball to avoid the pain. So I watch the ball, sometimes I am so focused on watching the ball that I forget to play a shot and like Silverbullet say, by the time I react the ball is already in the keepers hands.

Another thing I have noticed about my own batting is when I am trying to watch the ball, I see it in the bowlers hand, then come out very nicely but somewhere between release and ball pitching I lose it, most time just before the ball pitches. I think thats where Buzz has a good point about players like us looking down or worrying too much about other things like moving in the right direction or out of the way etc....now I tell myself to not just watch the ball but also watch the ball bounce...its the hurried movement to try and get to the ball or try to hit when I am off-balance and where my problems lie....

Anyways these are just my experiences, I am not a coach. Most days, when I go in thinking I can handle all of them but I just of have to watch for this one "guy" that's the "guy" who gets me out and that player sometimes is not even the best or fastest bowler in the other team, they just bowl a certain way that messes with me and I get defensive and then I get out

[SOULMAN1012]

The key benefit to me of the check drive is that it gets you off strike and allows you to get some runs going this will bring added confidence. The key to this is once you have managed a couple of 2's or maybe a boundary is to throw it away with a rash shot caused from over confidence.

You can also go deeper into your crease against serious pace and this will give you that extra bit of reaction time. And finally in addition knowing when to leave is also good. It's hard work for a quick to keeping running in and bowling pace unless they are pretty serious standard so if you can use up the bowlers energy as balls pass you by this will allow you more time to judge and get used to pace as well as the bowler will have to change his line and bowl straighter which should help with getting the middle of the bat in the ball. This will start the process of getting you some runs and building the confidence.

Hope all that makes sense, thinking and typing is hard work after a 12 hour day

[Silver Bullet]

best I could find

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTaVyexUPN0

[rich041187]

I think one of your major issues, and key factors in you edging a lot, is the angle from which your bat is coming down. Your set up is quite open, which isn't too much of an issue, but is combined with your bat coming down from a gully/backward point region. What this means is that in an effort to bring the bat down to play a straight shot the path is an out to in motion. This is very much like a slice in golf. As seen you will also naturally open the face to try and fight this swing path and attempt to straighten the face at impact. All these things mean that there is a high risk of an edge or missing balls outside off as you are not using the full face of the bat and bat momentum is not going fully into the ball (more slightly across it).
My suggestion is to simply try and straighten everything up. Feet, hips and shoulders try and be as square as comfortable (must be all) whilst your pick up should be no wider than 2nd slip. As discussed you can pick the bat up a bit earlier but try and keep a rhythm with your batting, ie use a cue to pick it up at the same time each ball like just as the bowler gathers in his bowling stride.
 

[Buzz]

the key image for you here:


this is your stance as the ball is delivered.

As Rich has said above, you are very open, but for me you need to be on the balls of your feet more this will help your reaction time.
You posture is also a little odd and this isn't helped by your front foot moving to the leg side as the ball is delivered.

take a look at this from Ramps
The Stance
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NurpSavwvsQ&list=UUms-xnI50pEtJC06xdw4J6A

you will be amazed about how your reaction time will improve.

This would be my starting point for you, then I would start working on how your head moves towards the ball. At the moment you are relying on your hands eye co-ordination which is a big ask and why you struggle against pace.

[Seniorplayer]

Having watched your video 3 times and agree with the above you could also try a more open balanced stance with your arms tucked into your body. Also line everything up before the ball is bowled as you  are playing shots to far away from your body risking a top edge or bottom edge onto the stumps you are also  failing to get your foot to the pitch of the ball.                      when playing the cut shot  Practise bringing your bat down onto the ball.  if you still have
 difficulty hitting the ball when it is wide of off stump you could leave the ball rather than risk an edge this should also force the bowler to bowl straight reducing the risk of being caught behind and if everything is in line head bat etc useing an higher back lift from your stance with faster bat speed you will be able to score runs driving straight and through the vee with the full face of the bat with less risk of getting out.

[Northern monkey]

Try and get that front foot to the pitch of the ball
Don't look to hit the ball hard or force it
Your looking to play through the line

Don't worry too much about bowling machine pace,,I struggle much above 60 on a bowling machine
To me, they bear little to facing someone outside who is genuinely quick

[brokenbat]

here's one excellent way to slow down fast bowling.. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkPKpi5ZzOk

[Silver Bullet]

Thank You all for the great advice. I will take all of these tips into my next few sessions and post a follow up.

[brokenbat]

just one other thing - don't worry too much about getting your foot to the pitch of the ball. its all about getting your head/nose/eyes to the ball. you won't be able to hit the ball if your foot is to the pitch, but your head is not in front of your foot. so instead of thinking of front-foot movement, think about getting eyes/nose/head towards the pitch of the ball - the foot will follow automatically.

[rich041187]

just one other thing - don't worry too much about getting your foot to the pitch of the ball. its all about getting your head/nose/eyes to the ball. you won't be able to hit the ball if your foot is to the pitch, but your head is not in front of your foot. so instead of thinking of front-foot movement, think about getting eyes/nose/head towards the pitch of the ball - the foot will follow automatically.

Just think "head, shoulders, knees and toes" - head is first thing that should move and most important thing. Chris Gayle doesn't always get his feet in the right place, but his head is in good/still positions and he has a stable base in terms of his foot placing.   

[Silver Bullet]

Tried all of your tips today. Tried to keep the bat pointing to 2nd slip, weight on balls of my feet, try to get head in line with the ball. Felt slightly better but not quite there.

Would love to hear some more feedback on what I might still be doing wrong...

http://youtu.be/Rg2WgnqdUOE

[rich041187]

Keep working on that front shoulder, making concerted effort to get it leading into your shots and  dipping down into the ball. This will help get your head and shoulders in a good position above the ball on impact. You sometimes aren't positive enough with this movement resulting in your head not quite at the impact zone, so your hands take over in front of you losing control and ultimately power (often see you opening of the face).  Ian Bell probably has the best example of the shoulder and head dipping into the ball when he drives


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[Hoover]

So confusing for you. Everyione is giving you great advice . It also looks like your weight is on your back foot too. Simple exercise is make your head go to the ball, move with your natural stride an bend your knees into the ball. You are then putting your bodyweight thru the ball. more power with less effort and you don't to use your arms so much.
I hope that make sense.