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[Simon8ken]

Hello,

I was wondering if someone can offer some advice.

I am a top order batsmen, ranging from opening to around number four most weeks. I have been netting really well, timing the ball and feeling pretty comfortable hitting the ball in the air and along the ground.

The problem I am facing is when I get into the middle, I am able to replicate the shots along the ground nice and straight but I am constantly finding fielders and getting bogged down and feeling the pressure to get the score ticking.

What has happened almost every week is through frustration I have gone for a big heave over the top only to miss and get bowled or lbw, or caught by the fielders in the ring.

I just can't seem to be able to hit the ball cleanly over the top in front of square, I don't know what I'm doing wrong. I have a feeling I might be trying to hit it too hard, I must have tried it fifteen times and not connected properly with one and it's really frustrating me when my team mates seem to able to do it easily.

I do play my best when I just keep things simple and rotate the strike but I'm desperate to add a bit of positivity to my game to help the team and to further my enjoyment playing.

Any advice please from a mindset/ technical point of view that might help.

[TangoWhiskey]

I usually just play it slightly earlier which helps. Key thing is to commit to it though.

[Simon8ken]

I have a feeling its the opposite for me where I feel i'm through the shot too early and catching the ball too close to the toe because I'm trying to give the ball a good smack.

My batting partner told me that it will come with being at the crease, the problem is I don't feel 'in' until I start finding the boundary so it's a vicious cycle.

Playing LMS tomorrow, if I can connect with a few under less pressure I might find out what I have been doing wrong.

[TangoWhiskey]

Play it slightly later then. The other thing I try and focus on is watching the ball and making sure I present the middle of the bat to the ball. No good swinging your nuts off and hitting it with the edge or the toe. Sounds obvious but it's easily done when all you're focusing on is knocking it out of the park.

[HallamKeeper]

I open in T20s pretty much trying to hit everything I can over long on/off. I tend to start my shot a little earlier, anticipating a full ball. The thing I try to do is not hit it particularly hard and keep my shape. I do find it difficult to play along the ground and then go over the top when we play 46 over games as I get stuck in a more conservative mindset.

Is it possible you are taking your eye off the ball?

[Simon8ken]

You could be right about that too, i must get myself into a right mess by trying to smash the ball, the fact that i miss a fair few doing this points to this that I am too early on it and taking my eye off it.

I just always have it in my head that I won;t get enough on it if I don't go hard.

I'm gonna see if I can find a way of practicing this, with my mate in the middle feeding me balls on the artificial wicket so that I get a feel for how far I can hit the ball when I just look to time it and not smash it like I have been.

The only type of ball we have in a great number is the bolas, how much different do you think these will be to proper cricket balls. My guess would be that a proper cricket ball would travel slightly further.

[edge]

Yep no need to try and hit the ball all that hard - remember the ball is losing a lot more speed rolling along the ground than it is travelling through the air, so you don't need to hit it any harder to go over the field than you do to go through a gap for 4.

[golden duck]

One thought - if you are getting bowled/lbw alot then you might be choosing the wrong ball to try and hit out on.  If you area opening normally then I guess you are a reasonable judge of line and length.

I'm a bit like you in that I get frustrated when I seem to be picking out fielders with all my few 'good' shots and it's my heaves or miscues that go for boundarys.  I try to hit out more then get caught (I am a natural lower order biffer though!).

I try to tell myself to not go aggressive at anything on the stumps until I feel in (but I love it when a bowler complains that it would have gone on to hit middle when I get it right and find the boundary!)

[Simmy]

i struggle to hit the ball on the floor lol so over the top is my natural game i just lean back on all my shots and hit them infront of my eyes. i rarely play under my eyes.

its just about playing to your strengths

[wdeans92]

I suffer from something very similar, your cover drive goes to cover your on drive goes to mid on etc etc, The only answer seems to be to make your practise more accurate, where do you want the ball to go not just trying to middle it. same goes for range hitting, placement of the shots not just mindless swipes at the ball

[InternalTraining]

Hello,

I was wondering if someone can offer some advice.

I am a top order batsmen, ranging from opening to around number four most weeks. I have been netting really well, timing the ball and feeling pretty comfortable hitting the ball in the air and along the ground.

The problem I am facing is when I get into the middle, I am able to replicate the shots along the ground nice and straight but I am constantly finding fielders and getting bogged down and feeling the pressure to get the score ticking.

What has happened almost every week is through frustration I have gone for a big heave over the top only to miss and get bowled or lbw, or caught by the fielders in the ring.

I just can't seem to be able to hit the ball cleanly over the top in front of square, I don't know what I'm doing wrong. I have a feeling I might be trying to hit it too hard, I must have tried it fifteen times and not connected properly with one and it's really frustrating me when my team mates seem to able to do it easily.

I do play my best when I just keep things simple and rotate the strike but I'm desperate to add a bit of positivity to my game to help the team and to further my enjoyment playing.

Any advice please from a mindset/ technical point of view that might help.

Lot easier to play over the fielders with a bat with a big bow. Do away with your "straight" bats as they make it very hard to hit over the top. It is MUCH MUCH easier with a bowed bat to hit over the fielder. Get a CA or another bat with a big bow.

[JB]

I usually just play it slightly earlier which helps. Key thing is to commit to it though.

Totally agree with this, the only time I get caught is when I don't commit to shots and spoon them up!

[WalkingWicket37]

Love that from InternalTraining! That is such a forum response though.
"It's not you, it's your kit. Buy another bat and it will help"

[brokenbat]

A few things that have helped me -

1. When you get your head towards the ball (you should be doing this in all cases), make sure the head stays there as you try and hit the ball...there is a tendency to yank back the head going for power, and this takes power away from the shot. Watch how Martin Guptil keeps his head down, well after he hits the ball..just like golf.
You may also want to see if you are getting enough power in your ground drives...hitting in the air is just an extension of that.

2. Have someone underarm balls to you, and try and hit it over the top with only your top hand. This will help you with timing, point of contact etc, while you are forced to maintain your shape.

[sanredrose]

When you hit your aerial shots does the ball scoop up to the fielders or it travels fast but finds their hands? Former would mean you are too early into the shot and latter means your point of contact is a little too late which doesn't give you the desired elevation.

If you are scoring well with ground shots, then i would recommend rotating the strike as much as you can. Sometimes it not about the shot or technique, its more about the confidence and familiarity of the pitch/bowler. I have hit a few sixes and aerial shots by picking the weaker link in the bowling attack. Every bowling attack will have a bowler who primary duty is to fill in the overs - bowl wicket to wicket, if required bowl slower but don't bowl wides or no-balls, don't offer much width on the off-side - these bowlers tends to show minimal variation in line, length or speed. Once you get a hang of these guys you can easily take them on.

* I will attempt to clear the cover fielders for full-length balls pitched outside off-stump.
* I will attempt to clear the bowlers head for full-length balls pitched on off-stump. I take my guard on leg-stump. So balls pitched on my off-stump is my natural free flowing golf like shot.
* Anything pitched on off-stump or middle and comes-in, i won't go aerial but rather stick to ground shot. I am weaker on the leg side and i have been caught many times playing a flick shot (which was caught at square-leg and fine-leg), so i prefer to keep aerial shots to my stronger areas.

This attacking mode is for the last 5 overs in a T20 game or last 10 overs in a 40-over game. If its early in the innings, i would prefer to play them on the ground and score runs. Sometimes its important to stay in and provide a good base for other players to build on it. Since you are in the top-4 of your line up, i think this is applicable to you.