Print

[LEACHY48]

Anybody experienced too much analysis that end in you pretty much forgetting which end of the bat to hold and just completely over thinking everything? It's so difficult to back yourselves when there are so many voices and differing opinions over analysing everything - so how does everyone deal with it?

[WalkingWicket37]

Not so much with cricket but I've had it with golf before.

I tend to just take a step away, take a deep breath and just hit the next ball however feels natural.

My advice would be have a net and don't think about any of the technical stuff, just try to hit it however and wherever you like!

[Big Mac]

I'm a lower order batsman with aspirations of being able to bat higher but yeah, I had a run earlier in the season where I couldn't buy a run and I just kept overthinking it. Went out there telling myself "Don't throw it away, don't throw it away, play yourself in, don't throw it away". Tapped a second ball full toss back to the bowler.

So then it became "To hell with being defensive, just smash it". Walloped the first ball straight into the hands of deep extra cover.

Didn't score any runs until one day where I was so fed up that I basically didn't care anymore, walked out to the middle whistling whatever random tune was in my head and my head was clear as a result. Got 32 and 25* in the last couple of games, not a lot for some but it's a lot by my standards, and it's basically because I'm not thinking about anything other than the voice in my head telling me to reverse sweep every ball. Making a concerted effort to watch the ball helps a lot, when you're focussed on the ball before it's left the bowler's hand it stops you from being preoccupied with other thoughts and everything kinda takes care of itself.

[Seniorplayer]

For me it's simple back yourself  head still eyes level watch the ball out of the bowlers hand see ball hit ball.
No trigger movements or fear of getting out

[Biggie Smalls]

for me its about my balance and weight. if im in a slump , i try to forget about analysis,  other than get my weight,  balance,  positions right... then everything tends to mend itself . ive previously tried to fix things i was doing wrong , to retrospectively realize i was trying to treat symptoms - if i had just treated the cause ( balance etc) , i would have fixed the symptoms too. This is where video and mirror batting helps me .
When I'm in good form , for me , thats the time when i can analyze a bit more , in an effort to upgrade /upskill my technique.

[Buzz]

If this is the issue you are having.
Have a load of throw downs and just try to smash the ball. Forget everything else.

[JB]

If this is the issue you are having.
Have a load of throw downs and just try to smash the ball. Forget everything else.

I did this in a net and it worked wonders, got 46 then 101

[LBWCandidate]

If this is the issue you are having.
Have a load of throw downs and just try to smash the ball. Forget everything else.

Problem is not having mates for throwdowns. So have to just over analyze and try it out in the match.
Sometimes I pay too much attention to wrist position, backlift, trigger movement etc. that I forget to watch the ball out of bowlers hands.

[smilley792]

When your out for form. Have as many nets a possible e and do what you do in a game.

If you attack from bad one in a game, do the same in the net.

If you are a blocker and defensive man.  Do that in the net.


I see players all the time practicing what they don't do/use in a match when there in a lean patch? Why,  when the runs are flowing yes, work on your game. But if there not. Go back to what you do best, and just play that way, nets and games over and over again until your confidence returns.

Then you can look to add a shot, or work on other things.

[FattusCattus]

If this is the issue you are having.
Have a load of throw downs and just try to smash the ball. Forget everything else.

That would be nice @Buzz - now where could such a thing happen?

[LEACHY48]

Thanks for all the replies today was a better day, forgot about everything and just saw the ball and backed myself 21*off 11 balls including a cover drive the felt the best it has all season ... no need for analysis.

[tom line]

I think what @Biggie Smalls says about saying something to yourself pre delivery is a good idea if you've got multiple things going through your head then saying something to yourself should clear all the other thoughts you don't want out of your head and keep you focused

[Big Mac]

I think what @Biggie Smalls says about saying something to yourself pre delivery is a good idea if you've got multiple things going through your head then saying something to yourself should clear all the other thoughts you don't want out of your head and keep you focused

Was watching a bunch of masterclass videos on youtube today and Ponting said basically this exact thing.

He said that he would say "watch the ball" to himself three times. Once when the bowler was the top of his mark, once again when the bowler was halfway through his run and finally one more time as the bowler was about to deliver the ball.

He did this for every single ball he faced and it wasn't really about reminding himself to watch the ball but more as a way of keeping his mind free from other thoughts and premeditating his shots.

[Biggie Smalls]

ponting definitely did this , as a kid i remember him doing so , you could clearly lip read on tv what he was saying too.
it is interesting he says its as much to clear the mind as anything else. ive sometimes sung the same song to myself , for hrs , to achieve the same result.
last year , i batted for 262 balls one day ... hot and muggy , a french festival was going on , with microphones and all kinds of crap. hard to concentrate.  to break things up , in between balls id look in the hill to spot this golden Labrador that was there with some lady spectator. id try to spot the dog after every ball and it helped to the point where someone asked me what my highlight of my innings was and i replied 'cant remember much of it , but i can tell you what the dog did for the last five hrs'.