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[Nothing2SeeHere]

Thanks for the feedback. I think there is both a technical problem and a confidence problem.

Tried the bowling machine last night and came away rather dispirited (okay I pretty much rage quit on the final set).

On the plus side I am getting better at getting my foot toward the ball (and thus more consistently defending the stumps) but on the negative side I was getting really hurt. If it wasn't direct hit by the ball onto my foot, I was striking the ball onto my foot and ankle. The poor consistency of the balls from the bowling machine finally got to me after one came through full and I swiped it onto the back of my heel and then the next one came through short and onto my hip.

Trying to look at it positively, I am 'better' at digging out full straight deliveries. I am quick at judging balls in my scoring zone but I can't break the habit of opening my stance/hips to make room for my bat. I think I struggle to judge the flight of a full ball and so I instinctively leave room for any correction to bat position.

I'm going to try and get a lesson (hey golfers get lessons all the time right). Having someone build up my technique and work at the right pace should help both technique and confidence.

[dannyhall04]

I had something similar a few years ago and what we came up with, was just putting a few balls behind my heel on the leg side so if I moved away from the ball, I'd knock the ball away and I'd know. Made me a bit more determined to stay in line for a net or two, I realised that there wasn't really anything to majorly worry about and playing the ball in line was easier. Might not work for you but thought I'd mention

[edge]

I had something similar a few years ago and what we came up with, was just putting a few balls behind my heel on the leg side so if I moved away from the ball, I'd knock the ball away and I'd know. Made me a bit more determined to stay in line for a net or two, I realised that there wasn't really anything to majorly worry about and playing the ball in line was easier. Might not work for you but thought I'd mention

I had a bowling machine session with a teammate where I got him to bring his favourite childhood bat and put it behind his heels last year - he didn't back away once!

I'd maybe suggest if you're getting pinged in the foot all the time, you don't need to be taking a step towards the ball? Often people move their foot towards the ball too much when it's full and leg stump line, meaning your front leg gets in the way of the bat and you can't get to the ball - leading to getting hit in the foot/shin like you describe. AB De Villiers talks through the right technique well here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whrZOG5R1zc

[Nothing2SeeHere]

I had a bowling machine session with a teammate where I got him to bring his favourite childhood bat and put it behind his heels last year - he didn't back away once!

I'd maybe suggest if you're getting pinged in the foot all the time, you don't need to be taking a step towards the ball? Often people move their foot towards the ball too much when it's full and leg stump line, meaning your front leg gets in the way of the bat and you can't get to the ball - leading to getting hit in the foot/shin like you describe. AB De Villiers talks through the right technique well here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whrZOG5R1zc

That certainly sounds familiar. I was taking a large step forwards - to try and counteract my instinct to step away - and I was trying to setup for deliveries on middle and leg which would be just on the pads with my guard. Interesting stuff. Thank you.

[TGB1997]

I've made a slight change to my technique recently, it's mainly my trigger movement that has changed to help me get forward easier and I've had a slight issue with my front foot too. I'm going forward quite well especially against the seamers but my front foot is pushing towards the leg side a bit leaving a gap between bat and pad. Luckily my hands and timing of the ball have allowed me to get away with it a fair bit. I spoke to my first teams captain who is also the opening batsmen and he said don't worry too much about it as I was hitting the ball really well and if I've made change to my technique then my front foot could sit slightly leg side but as I become more comfortable with the change it should start to come back into line.

I think part of the issue is I have a hatred of batting wearing trainers and have always preferred batting in spikes due to preferring the more solid and locked in feeling of the sole of my spikes. The cushioning feeling that trainers gives me is difficult to get used too but they are fine to bowl in. Can't wait to get outside for a proper session.

[Lumsden]

Although you have stated you have had this problem for a few seasons, the timing of this post leads to think (perhaps incorrectly) that you have recently had a pre-season net and felt a bit uncomfortable with the ball pinging past your nose. If I were you, I would take a step back (if you pardon the pun) and maybe analyse the situation for what it is.

If your nets are anything like the ones I practice at then the bounce is far greater then what you get outdoors. Those bouncers which your clubmates so kindly bowl at you would be long hops outdoors that you could comfortably cart around the park. Why do they bowl bouncers? Reason A is because they can pretend to be Mitchell Johnson for 60 minutes, Reason B is that they can see you are uncomfortable with the short ball and Reason C is because anything on a good length indoors will get despatched anyway as it so much easier to play through the line on a quick and even surface.

If I am right about the nets, my response would be next net into bat wearing adequate protection (helmet, arm guard and chest pad) and attack the buggers from ball one. Yes you might wear one or two early doors but the sound of you middling 2-3 pull or hooks is quite disheartening to overweight medium pacers and they'll soon bowl fuller.       

[Calzehbhoy]

One of our mates had a big problem with backing away when the bowler was in his delivery stride, it was like an early trigger to back away.

To combat this we told him that every time he did it and we saw it in our delivery the ball was coming at his head (made harder to play as he'd already triggered backwards and was planted), he had about 20 minutes of more or less solid bouncers trying to force himself out the habit.

Pretty cruel, but it worked really well. He's now one of the top 5 in the 1's and has absolutely no problem with backing away.

[paul090971]

I remember watching on as some chap who always backed away was in the nets & his cricket bag was on the floor behind him, he tripped & fell over it a few times.  Dramatic but it did sort out a new trigger move for him

[sgcricket]

I got hit in the nets last year. The mat is not even and the ball shot up from good length and whacked me straight in the ribs. I was out for a few weeks with severe bruising as they used a cheap hard ball in the nets. I have been moving away a lot after that.

To combat that, this year I started taking middle stump guard. And it definitely helps a bit. But the issue is more mental. Maybe you can look to wear all protective equipment, so that the fear of getting hit is lesser.

[TGB1997]

I got hit in the nets last year. The mat is not even and the ball shot up from good length and whacked me straight in the ribs. I was out for a few weeks with severe bruising as they used a cheap hard ball in the nets. I have been moving away a lot after that.

To combat that, this year I started taking middle stump guard. And it definitely helps a bit. But the issue is more mental. Maybe you can look to wear all protective equipment, so that the fear of getting hit is lesser.

I tried this when I was around 12 or 13 when I was hit in the ribs pretty hard in the nets. I bought a chest guard and an arm guard to help get my confidence against the short ball back. I liked wearing the arm guard and my last year of under 13s consisted of me wearing an arm guard. However the chest guard wasn't as successful as when I had one it was very bulky and got in the way when I was playing with a straight bat so that didn't get much more use. However the new Aero P1 and Stretton Fox ones look much better.

When I first started netting with the adults at my old club we had a very bouncy floor on the sports hall we trained in, being one of the smallest I used to get peppered but all the seamers and was hit several times but after a while I started to get the confidence to take it on (in fact when I was 14 I did a training session where we had pros come in as guests and give us tips and one session Rob Key and Martin van Jaarsveld were watching me bat and all the bowlers were 3 years plus older than me, they both completed me on my bravery taking on the quicks. Unfortunately I don't bat as much anymore as my main role is my bowling these days). In recent years I seem to instinctively go after the short ball know rather than backing away even though they aren't particularly pleasant to play.

[Nothing2SeeHere]

Thanks for the advice. I haven't discovered a severe problem against short deliveries - mainly as the standard I play at people are not capable of bowling bouncers and partly that the indoor nets the team practices at has a fairly dead surface that keeps the bounce low - much like the municipal pitches we play on.

Looking at some of the recommended videos (AB in particular) I can see many things that he does very differently (to me). Chief amongst them is a shorter forwards stride. My stride is often large (I'm more Tayloresque than KP height) which means my weight isn't forwards - and that my front leg will be in the way of the bat - hence I need to step away for the bat to clear my leg and so on and so on - pick out the foundation block and watch the rest wobble.

Understanding is the key to change grasshopper.