Print

[RoyalParkReds]

Hello,

I have had troubles for a number of years now playing balls on the front foot to the offside. I feel comfortable playing the straight drive, but when it comes to the cover or square drive I tend naturally want to hit it back towards to the bowler and not on the offside which results in some pretty ugly looking batting. Someone once told me that I get a too big stride in and that I allow my wrists to 'break' which doesn't allow for good offside play. Any advice would be appreciated.

Unfortunately, ( or fortunately) I don't have any video of myself at the moment, so I realize any help would be limited by this fact. 
Thanks.

[Buzz]

Lots of possible areas to think about here. I have tried to break them down into the below headings, clearly without seeing you play I can't know for sure which one or combo of the below will help you, but this is what I would look at...

Stance.
Are you side on or quite open, frequently it is hard to play through the covers of you are very open.

Grip
Do you have a traditional grip or are you choking the bat with your bottom hand. This is a very likely cause of some of your ugly shots.

Topple/weight transfer
You mention over striding. I don't like the idea of moving your feet first, I work on the principle that you move your head first to the line of the ball and your feet will move into position. This takes some getting used too, but means that you will get better weight transfer through the shot without hitting the ball too hard.

Hand and head position
Key to playing the shot is having your head over the ball and your hands in line slightly ahead of the ball. This helps your timing and consistent of ball striking.

Timing vs hitting
Given the previous point and what you say about ugly swipes, you have to remember you can't power hit a drive, you time it. Even a bludgeoner like gooch timed the ball through the off side.
Think Ian Bell..
I hope that helps.

[KarlPennington]

Problem here being, you going to take this advice, practice in the nets and the next time you come to bat you're going to try and cover drive what should have been a straight drive. Sometimes trying to fix your weaknesses, lessens your strengths.... I've yet to see the perfect technical player in the amateur divisions and all the time you're thinking about what you're doing, you're focusing less of your concentration on the thing that matters most... the ball. Know you're strengths and let you're instinct take over - react to the ball.

Ha listen to me 4 years to get a credible score and I think I'm an expert. Ignore me listen to the experts

[Seniorplayer]

Since this  a many times  and do it myself bottom hand problem

[Seniorplayer]

Karl as a point re focusing less on the ball I tend to ignore it and enjoy giving the ball a an ugly swipe.

[HellomynameisJ]

Unfortunately I don't believe there is a miracle cure out there, technique is such a personal thing, put simply I don't believe there is a right or wrong way.

All the previous suggestions are fantastic and completely valid, however for me, massive technical changes often cause more harm than good I.e. fix one thing, only for another issue to pop up due to over correction or focusing too hard on the issue that you aren't concentrating hard enough of the red thing coming towards you.

What i'd do: ( tips from high level coaching that I've been lucky enough to receive; and this is just what I'd do, it won't be to everyone's liking)

Take a bag of balls into a net, put them outside off, front foot towards the ball and hit it where you want to. The stagnant ball let's you work on placement, and it also let's you find a movement that is the most comfortable for you. Once that is second nature, slow throwdowns or even just someone dropping a ball in the same area until you're comfortable and then practical net application with a machine ideally, I hate the repetitive nature of machines but they are ideal for this type of work.

Like I said, no magic overnight cure. Just boring old repetition and muscle memory will take care of you in a game situation.

Hope this can help!

[Buzz]

I spent years not being able to hit a cover drive, but a few sessions on the bowling machine and I hit them fine now with no detriment to the rest of my game.

To suggest you should try to improve/change is a bit odd in my book.

You do need to practice though!

[RoyalParkReds]

Lots of possible areas to think about here. I have tried to break them down into the below headings, clearly without seeing you play I can't know for sure which one or combo of the below will help you, but this is what I would look at...

Stance.
Are you side on or quite open, frequently it is hard to play through the covers of you are very open.

Grip
Do you have a traditional grip or are you choking the bat with your bottom hand. This is a very likely cause of some of your ugly shots.

Topple/weight transfer
You mention over striding. I don't like the idea of moving your feet first, I work on the principle that you move your head first to the line of the ball and your feet will move into position. This takes some getting used too, but means that you will get better weight transfer through the shot without hitting the ball too hard.

Hand and head position
Key to playing the shot is having your head over the ball and your hands in line slightly ahead of the ball. This helps your timing and consistent of ball striking.

Timing vs hitting
Given the previous point and what you say about ugly swipes, you have to remember you can't power hit a drive, you time it. Even a bludgeoner like gooch timed the ball through the off side.
Think Ian Bell..
I hope that helps.

Cheers for advice.

I can certainly relate to the trying to over hit and not keeping the head still and level. I think frustration of not penetrating the infield builds up and I try to slap the ball.

Grip, I believe is correct, watched many videos on it. V with the bottom hand with the top hand knuckles almost on top and high elbow.

Stance I have fairly closed. I'm right handed and my left foot is very slightly open and towards the square leg umpire but both feet pointing towards point along with chest.

Problem here being, you going to take this advice, practice in the nets and the next time you come to bat you're going to try and cover drive what should have been a straight drive. Sometimes trying to fix your weaknesses, lessens your strengths.... I've yet to see the perfect technical player in the amateur divisions and all the time you're thinking about what you're doing, you're focusing less of your concentration on the thing that matters most... the ball. Know you're strengths and let you're instinct take over - react to the ball.

Ha listen to me 4 years to get a credible score and I think I'm an expert. Ignore me listen to the experts

That is a problem with going into the nets against bowlers and really wanting to nail a certain stroke. When it doesn't come you go looking for it. I have done that before.


I guess the main things I know in theory about driving and the cover drive are these.

1.Have you body weight forward, with your head slightly in line of the ball and in just in front of your front knee.

2. Make sure the bat comes down in a nice arc next to your body and not to far away otherwise it wont be straight.

3. High Elbow and keep head straight.

4. When doing your backswing, try to keep your left shoulder lower to the ground while also maintaining high elbow. Allows for the head to come forward and more power from the shoulders.

5. SLightly open the bat face to work it on the off side.

6. Try to make contact with ball at eye level or close as possible.


Having spent some time today doing the cover the drive in the mirror ( Off season down here in AUs) and thinking about about what you all have said. I really think it is mostly where I plant my leg. getting my left leg more out of the way just feels more natural for me and allows the straight drive and leg side shots. So here is my question, for the straight drive I point my left foot towards the bowler and it seems to work. For the cover drive do I do the same or point it more towards cover ?

Thanks again.

[KarlPennington]

I'm genuinly no master batsman (I can't play anything on the leg side) but I can play the cover drive ok(ish)

From what you said earlier, my first instinct was that you were maybe playing too early and actually connecting with the ball on what should be your follow through sending it straight and not through the covers.

But from what you last said, if the ball is straight you play a straight drive right? You'll only be looking to play a cover drive if the ball is wide of off stump, if it is your front should be moving toward the line of the ball which would automatically angle your torso toward cover. If your keeping your front front straight then you are fishing a little bit, leaving a big gap between bat and pad and leaving yourself vulnerable to the inside edge.

Front foot toward the line of the ball, and wait to play the ball under your eyes.... In terms of angling the bat, focus on playing straight (in the V), sometimes the pace on the ball might take it more square, or if you're not quite there you  might instinctively make a late adjustement.

Now any adice you've got for me on leg-side play would be much aprreciated

[RoyalParkReds]

I'm genuinly no master batsman (I can't play anything on the leg side) but I can play the cover drive ok(ish)

From what you said earlier, my first instinct was that you were maybe playing too early and actually connecting with the ball on what should be your follow through sending it straight and not through the covers.

But from what you last said, if the ball is straight you play a straight drive right? You'll only be looking to play a cover drive if the ball is wide of off stump, if it is your front should be moving toward the line of the ball which would automatically angle your torso toward cover. If your keeping your front front straight then you are fishing a little bit, leaving a big gap between bat and pad and leaving yourself vulnerable to the inside edge.

Front foot toward the line of the ball, and wait to play the ball under your eyes.... In terms of angling the bat, focus on playing straight (in the V), sometimes the pace on the ball might take it more square, or if you're not quite there you  might instinctively make a late adjustement.

Now any adice you've got for me on leg-side play would be much aprreciated

I got a few lessons about 2 years ago and focused on the cover drive. The coach said that playing the cover drive, your left leg ( right handed batsman) should not go that far over to the offstump as I thought. It should stay more central in line with the stumps and it is your upper body( which you also state above) should rotate around and that keeping your elbow high will stop the wrist from breaking. Sounds great in theory, but of course doing waiting for the right shot and doing it in a game I obviously find hard and tend to either not play it or not gain enough power to get through the covers.

As for playing on the leg side, which I much favor, I'll try to give a few hints which I focus on.

1. Don't play around your front pad. In order to do this, read that the ball is going too straight or down leg and move your left leg towards the sqaure leg umpire so your body is more square on.

2. From this point, basically play it as a straight drive.

3.Head in line with the ball.

4. Wait for the ball to come to you

5. Don't let your head and thus your balance go towards the offside.

6. If you're hit straight, you only need the slightest bit of angle at the point of contact to hit it down to fine leg. Don't worry about this part, it will come natural. The right ball will go to mid wicket and the right ball you will flick to fine leg.

Basically I think balance is the key to onside play. Falling over makes it very hard and you end up missing out on a lot of 'easy' runs.

Thanks for your impute and hope mine helps.

[KarlPennington]

I play completely around my front pad, probably because I do step to the line of the ball, benefits my off -side play and completely restrict my leg side play. If I get a ball on middle-leg that I should be looking to score through mid-wicket/behind square leg I tend to push a late forward defensive and get bowled, it's my biggest weakness. So open up your stance and play straight. I'll give it a go

[RoyalParkReds]

yeah, you're basically just moving around a little bit and making mid wicket area a straight drive. If the ball tails or swings out more, it naturally turns into a clip of the legs. I usually always try to aim for midwicket when playing onside. The slighttest bit of angle, which you do not have to force, makes it go finer.

[RoyalParkReds]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whrZOG5R1zc

There is a series done by AB regarding different shots and how to play them from his point of view. This one is the onside/midwicket shot. Worth a watch.

[Nothing2SeeHere]

Can you visualise where your hands are just before you start playing the shot?

Taking a large stride will sometimes make your hands move away from your body. Just a theory (based around my own deficiencies) but it might be that your bat is starting the swing still straight (wicket to wicket) instead of canted slightly behind you. With a straight swing, what would effectively happen would be to step to the ball and then play straight down the wicket towards the bowler. I think people refer to this as an outside-in swing.

By keeping the hands close, its easier for the swing plane of the bat to follow the angle you make with your shoulder (without needing to think about the shot). Try it. Move your hands away from your body and then turn your shoulders a bit. Your hands don't move unless you tell them to. Put your hands so your front arm is resting on your body and do the same small twist. The hands are pivoted to follow the direction (plane) of the shoulders.

Edit. Have read your other post. I'd have thought that for most people with a normal level of duck stance, your front foot would point closer to cover. For me, twisting my foot towards the bowler would align my shoulders square to the wicket so my swing would be more wicket to wicket.