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[Contrails]

G'day everyone,

I am a left-handed batsman as the title states.  And I am struggling to play Right arm bowlers coming around the wicket and pitching the ball just outside of off stump at good length.  My natural instinct is to try to play on the back foot.  But I have been told that I need to come forward and to the line of the ball.  Any drills that I can work on that will improve this?

Thank you

[Seniorplayer]

I am  also left handed is it pace or spin you have a problem with.
As the ball is  piitched outside off stump don't see why you need to get into the line of the ball but yes  get to the pitch unless you are going to cut  off the back foot but wouldn't cut  against the spin as that  would be risky you could sweep with the spin  also  If he ball  has pitch outside off and is going straight on you could always leave it forcing the bowler to bowl it straighter.

[Contrails]

@Seniorplayer it's pace I am struggling with. 

[imran75]

So it sounds like the ball would be coming in to you (assuming that it's not swinging throughout this) if it's a right arm over the wicket to a leftie.

If that's the case then the best thing to try and do would be to move with your head first. Don't worry about your feet, almost try and headbutt the ball to get yourself in line. Starting your movement with your head rather than your feet will get your weight moving into the ball, and your feet will naturally follow your head movement. It's difficult to know what you're doing wrong without actually seeing what you're doing though.

If, on the other hand, the bowler is simply bowling a channel outside off, then just leave it and make him bowl to you.

[horseman]

Two things to start.

I slightly open my front shoulder to an over the wicket bowler, to keep the lines as straight and clean as possible. For round the wicket I would turn my front shoulder to face the bowler.maybe move my guard to middle or middle off. Use the angles if they stray onto middle and leg and get that front foot outside the line.

[Seniorplayer]

Lead with your head getting to the pitch to drive the ball is good advice. if the ball is not going on to hit the stumps as an opener I tend to leave or go hard  at the ball to score  between point and third slip bringing the  bat down  onto the ball if  the ball is a good length and is going to hit off stump you may have to defend by getting forward with bat and pad close together  using soft hands ensuring your top hand touches the top of your front pad as this will close any gap between the bat and pad.
If the ball is going across you towards leg stump look to   score square of the wicket as they say off your pads or step slightly inside the line of the ball looking to hit between past square legs left side and if the ball gets up as it  goes across you pull hard.

[Contrails]

Cheers for the advice guys.  I like the part of letting the head take the lead.  Unfortunately, got out today by outside edge to first slip.  During Nets this is usually how I get in trouble - the outside edge to slip while trying to come forward to a good length ball.   

[InternalTraining]

^ From what you describe in the original post, the bowlers are creating a wide angle for you to go after? I'd just leave the balls if I know my off stump is covered. Taking those dot balls to survive is a sound strategy when you can make up for them later. Longer you stay in , more runs you can score.

[Seniorplayer]

Cheers for the advice guys.  I like the part of letting the head take the lead.  Unfortunately, got out today by outside edge to first slip.  During Nets this is usually how I get in trouble - the outside edge to slip while trying to come forward to a good length ball.

Seems like you left it late  to get to the pitch and you got an edge in no mans land ( niether forward or back) this is why good length balls can  be left  if they are wide of the  off stump  and not going on to hit also  unless the bowlers  Glenn McGrath you won't get six good length balls every over

[Contrails]

Cheers for the tips.  I found out the cause, it was my shoulders and hips were too square to the bowler coming around the wicket.  I was keeping my both feet almost 45 degrees across the crease.  But as soon as I straighten up a bit, it was way easier to get to the line of the ball.  Usually, I just leave those deliveries outside the off anyway.

[Seniorplayer]

With regard to leaving the ball don't i  see it as a negative especially if doing so sees of the bowler that's causing you problems also nice to read that you have  I sorted it out.