Print

[Cin88]

I'm probably the only number 10 specialist batsman out there at moment and not by choice. As a number 10 I often find myself coming out to bat with spinners and the odd medium/slow pace bowler coming in from the other end, which naturally means that the keeper is stood up. For whatever reason I can't seem to bat to my naturally agressive style when the keeper is up, due to worrying about being stumped, I tend to go completely defensive and score at 1/2 an over which is no good if there's only 1/2 overs/balls left. It sometimes happens if i've been shoved up into the middle order and the openers/1st change quicks are still on with the keeper stood back as well. Has anyone get any advice on how I can get over it?

[radiomark]

Seems a tricky one as you've had no replies.
All I can suggest is that you play with a straight bat,advance down the pitch to drive along the ground or go over the top.
If you come down and the balls not there you can block it.
The sweep is a good run getting shot as well.

[mad_abt_cricket]

Batting against spinners or even slow medium pacers require good use of the feet. All good players against spin use their feet to reach to the pitch of the ball irrespective of the keeper standing up.
The key is timing to come down the track just after the ball is released and not before. Also important is to read the spin and cover it while coming down the track.
Once you master this, it becomes pretty easy to find gaps ( drives to long on, long off etc), normally this forces the spinner to change his length and this gives further opportunity to cut/ pull on the back foot.

[TangoWhiskey]

Advance at the ball. That way if you miss it with the bat it will hit you and not go through for the stumping. Too many people go flying straight down the wicket irregardless of the line of the ball. 

[StonyFielder]

I think it is important that you don't feel that you have to leave your crease to use your feet...

Some people are natural at getting down the wicket, some learn it but for some it is very difficult and I wouldn't recommend trying to learn by doing in a game.
It can be very effective to play all the way forward and all the way back whilst remaining in your crease against slow bowling.

If you do want to leave your crease, I would suggest starting in the nets - pick two or three sessions and set yourself the target of getting to the pitch every time a spinner releases the ball 'upwards' from his hand. It doesn't matter too much about your shot for the first sessions, just whether or not you can make it to the pitch.

[richthekeeper]

a really good point was made on here in another thread - when you use your feet to attack a bowler, don't feel like you have to then smash the ball out of the ground. if the ball isn't there to hit, don't hit it! just the act of coming down the track will upset a bowler's length because he knows you're looking to be positive.

[Boondougal]

a really good point was made on here in another thread - when you use your feet to attack a bowler, don't feel like you have to then smash the ball out of the ground. if the ball isn't there to hit, don't hit it! just the act of coming down the track will upset a bowler's length because he knows you're looking to be positive.

a really good point. I wonder how the normal style of club nets hurts batsmen early in the season when it comes to this type of control.  We've all had a net where we try and smash everything all the time. Not really how it pans out for most of us on the square though.

Having said that, being nice and early in position to pull a short ball only for it to never get above knee height and bash all three stumps over isn't good either. Damn my early season foot movement forgetting about the early season pitch variability!

[richthekeeper]

the pull shot has only come out once this season for me, from a rank long hop 

[Cin88]

I'm fine batting against spin and slower bowlers in the nets, although I will admit that i've had to curtail my charging down because I just wasn't controlling the ball properly. I just get paranoid about the keeper in games and it tends to glue me to my crease, for some reason I always think that i'm going to get stumped if I move to the pitch of the ball. I generally stand on middle and leg (usually more towards middle) with one foot in, one foot out of the crease (normally close to the line), I find myself moving back when the keeper is up  even though i'll still probably end up playing front foot shots.

[addidasf55]

1. It isn't charging down- you are merely trying to get to the pitch of the ball
2. You don't have to go at the ball everytime- go back and let it come to you if it's short enough
If you keep the first two points in mind and make sure you watch the ball you won't run past one. Make sure your eyes are level this will help you pick length; as someone said before anything tossed up above your eyeline means it's in your half and you can go to it.
Too often players try and throw the kitchen sink at spinners, the game and rules are still the same and the same principles apply. Maintain your shape.
If everything else fails you can try dilscooping some shots at the keepers lid to push him back  :p I joke.. 

[Akewstick]

I struggle with this, not so much out of fear of getting stumped but of being easily fooled by changes in length and getting the "play forward or backward" decision wrong.

I suppose from what everyone was saying - everything but an obviously back of a length ball, I should be getting my front foot to the pitch of it? Big strides out to the full ones whilst staying in my crease and actually coming down the wicket to length balls to turn them into half volleys?