Topic: how to play the swinging ball (Read 4482 times)

thedon · « **on:** August 02, 2015, 07:17:23 AM »

So yesterday opening bowler was swinging it from outside leg to off. It was late swing too. Also had a good inswinger. Any tips on how to play outswing/inswing? Tried looking for videos on youtube but couldnt find any decent ones

Bruce · « **Reply #1 on:** August 02, 2015, 07:21:18 AM »

Where do you set up? I normally face the new rock and where ever possible get out of the crease.
Watching the ball onto the bat as best as you can will help too

ProCricketer1982 · « **Reply #2 on:** August 02, 2015, 07:47:18 AM »

Off stump guard to in swing... Easy to pick off the legs of they stray straight and pushes them wide if they still want to get you through the gate (meaning they are less likely to hit the stumps and bowlers hate not being able to see them).

Outs wing, play late, leave well too!! Make them bowl to you and not where they want. If you can, start out you crease to make it full and less time to move. Also messes their lengths up and you can shift wound he crease to really out them off once they lose their line-lengths

thedon · « **Reply #3 on:** August 02, 2015, 07:48:03 AM »

Middle stump. Quite square on. Bowler wasnt quick...keeper was standing up

tom line · « **Reply #4 on:** August 02, 2015, 07:54:05 AM »

I agree with the above basic set up. I take middle I'm not sure why always done it but it does mean to out swing of I'm having to reach out at all its outside off and I can leave and to I swing if it is down my legs I can flick it without the risk of LBW I try to get out of my crease as much as I can to wherever I feel comfortable against that pace and can get back if I miss one and the keeper tries throwing down the stumps

Play late and under your eyes with soft hands that way your not pushing at anything so if you do edge it it's less likely to carry and your might get a few runs if it goes through the slips.

Seniorplayer · « **Reply #5 on:** August 02, 2015, 12:49:18 PM »

Let the ball come to you.

thedon · « **Reply #6 on:** August 02, 2015, 04:16:57 PM »

Bat in front of pad,side or behind?

Buzz · « **Reply #7 on:** August 02, 2015, 09:25:50 PM »

http://custombats.co.uk/cbforum/index.php?topic=5779.msg85120#msg85120

Quote from: Buzz on May 05, 2010, 10:26:21 AM

Here are my thoughts on this � I would have replied sooner, but I have been out of range of the forum (some people may be grateful of that!)

Firstly � I have seen a load of people in the past say just go a play your shots � if one has you name on so be it. This is nonsense. You just need a plan. From above, I can see that niceonechoppy made a plan and it worked... this makes the point nicely, I also think his is a really good plan for playing away swing bowlers. Playing the ball late is a good move, but what I believe is that is isn�t so much playing it late, as playing the ball under your eyes that matters.

This will help negate the problem many people (myself included) have in planting their front leg and getting pinned.

Remember swing when it happens regardless of what type of swing it is will either be early swing (from the bowlers hand) or the more dangerous late swing. With early swing it is usually easier to play the ball behind square and hit the short or over pitched ball.

Regardless the most important thing is to try and upset the bowlers rhythm � the easiest way of doing this is by running singles and rotating the strike. Bowlers love bowling six balls at the same batsman and trying to set them up � Martin Bicknell was the absolute master at this.

Out swing

Facing good consistent away swing is difficult, when bowled at pace you can find yourself fencing for the ball, which is not a good situation to be in. My view is, early on, to play down the line of the off stump and, especially early on to let the ball go through to the keeper (see comments I have written on this elsewhere on this site http://custombats.co.uk/cbforum/index.php?topic=4576.0) � the idea is to try to force the bowler to bowl straighter at me which will hopefully give me a freebee to hit through the on side � whilst still rotating the strike and following the comments above. If this isn�t working � the next option is the Matty Hayden option of coming down the track at the bowler to intimidate him. I try to do this a lot especially against a medium bowler and look to hit him through the line before it swings. Or looking for the �late cut� to use the pace of the ball.
The key to this is to not over commit and over attack too early. The ball will only swing for a bit and you need to weather the storm in the short term until the bowler tires.

In swing

This is a different challenge � here I try to open my stance slightly and work hard to get outside the line of off stump - either with a strong stride (different from a big stride which can cause you to lose your balance) or a slight trigger across the crease. This will open up the leg side for me to hit with the swing of the ball. The danger of this is that you move to far and lose your leg stump � so work hard on the nets on playing the ball aiming through Mid On and watching the ball fly through mid wicket for runs!

A bit of both
Occasionally, although fortunately not too frequently, you get a bowler who swings it both ways at will (or worse at pace!) if this is the case work out which one is going to be the most dangerous for you. For me it is in swing � so I play the bowling as if every ball is an in swinger and if it moves away from me I either let it go, or drop it a gap to get to the other end. If you are better a playing in swing and struggle against the ball moving away from you, wait for in ducker and knock it in a gap, whilst concentrating on protecting your off stump.

The crucial thing is to have decisive foot work, but not to over commit and to try not to plant your front foot.

Going back to the original question: Find myself committing to the line very early, especially early in the innings when im trying to get my eye in..
I open and most of the time I stand outside by a few inches, wondering if going back on the backfoot would work..

Over committing early on is an easy mistake � i suspect you may be trying to play the ball before it is bowled, rather than waiting and trusting your instincts. In this case following Bulldog�s advice and clearing you mind and just concentrating on watching the ball and doing nothing else will really help.
I think looking to coming forward to be positive to the bowling is important � if you play back, you may be vulnerable to the in swinger. Remember all swing requires the bowler to pitch the ball up to you, so you wont get to play back much and it may not help you. On the plus side, because of this you will get balls to hit and work through for singles.

I hope this helps...

Seniorplayer · « **Reply #8 on:** August 03, 2015, 09:10:50 AM »

Quote from: thedon on August 02, 2015, 04:16:57 PM

Bat in front of pad,side or behind?

Head over bat head still eyes level play late and watch the ball onto the bat.

cesare_in · « **Reply #9 on:** August 03, 2015, 09:28:16 AM »

Quote from: Seniorplayer on August 02, 2015, 12:49:18 PM

Let the ball come to you.

Yea.. that's what I do.. play a little late and let the ball come to you!

uknsaunders · « **Reply #10 on:** August 03, 2015, 03:00:47 PM »

Something that works for me.

Outswinger - An initial step to the line of the ball. Watch it carefully and make a second positive movement as it swings. The aim being to not commit too early and to be in a position to deal with balls you can drive or those that might straighten you up.

Inswinger - I've changed over the years. Use to concentrate on getting outside off stick but I found it difficult to score off as I closed my body up. Now I tend to stay legside of the ball and concentrate on "meeting" the swing with a late forward movement, playing the ball back to where it has come from. ie. if it starts well outside off, I wait for it to shape in and then play it in the direction it came from - normally mid-off/extra cover. If it's straighter than that I try and open myself up as it goes down leg.

There is a massive difference in swing bowling. 90% of bowlers swing it early out of the hand, just watch it go and make your movement when it starts to swing and the line is known. My brother use to swing it late (probably the best outswing bowler I have ever faced, got as far as Bucks U17 before injury did for him) and I lost count of the number of times I would go to flick it off my legs and see my off stick out of the ground. It's so important to not over balance and hold your shape, watch it carefully and play late.

The other thing is practise it. To many people practise looking good on bowling machines instead of practising playing certain types of delivery. Failing that the half taped up tennis/plastic hockey ball was very effective for throw downs.

WalkingWicket37 · « **Reply #11 on:** August 03, 2015, 05:21:03 PM »

Watch how the Aussies play the swinging ball and do the opposite!

thedon · « **Reply #12 on:** August 03, 2015, 06:49:42 PM »

Thanks guys, been very helpful.

Buzz · « **Reply #13 on:** August 19, 2015, 12:41:52 PM »

Extra tips from Kumar Sangakkara...

“In England I had closed up my stance a lot,” he said. “I didn’t tap the bat too much in the crease, because it drives my hands away from my body and you need to be a bit more restricted in England because of the swinging ball. I changed my back- and-across movement to almost nothing. That allowed me to see the line of the ball a lot quicker and a lot better, especially when I was facing a guy like Jimmy Anderson who swung it both ways.

“I needed to stay side-on to allow for him trying to open me up with the one that goes across me. In England you don’t need to play straight like people say. Because of the swing, you’re more likely to be playing between mid-off and cover. A lot squarer of the wicket, going with the swing of the ball.”

Author Topic: how to play the swinging ball (Read 4482 times)

thedon

how to play the swinging ball

Bruce

Re: how to play the swinging ball

ProCricketer1982

Re: how to play the swinging ball

thedon

Re: how to play the swinging ball

tom line

Re: how to play the swinging ball

Seniorplayer

Re: how to play the swinging ball

thedon

Re: how to play the swinging ball

Buzz

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Seniorplayer

Re: how to play the swinging ball

cesare_in

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uknsaunders

Re: how to play the swinging ball

WalkingWicket37

Re: how to play the swinging ball

thedon

Re: how to play the swinging ball

Buzz

Re: how to play the swinging ball