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[richthekeeper]

Following a quote from @Neon Cricket in another thread, I thought I'd reopen the age-old discussion.

See, I've always found trigger movements to be the issue. I used to do something similar thinking that it'd help me get my feet moving when in reality it was just sending me off balance massively.

A few of the lads play minor counties for Wiltshire, with one in particular being an exceptional bat. The best advice I've ever been given was when he told me to just stay totally still whilst the bowler runs in - I'd swear by it now. Give it a shot and see how you get on, from what I can see on your video your trigger movement is leaving you in a different position almost every shot so you're putting yourself on the back foot from the get go.

I've realised that my trigger across the crease was leaving me off balance towards the off side and preventing me from playing anything to leg. So I tried the staying still thing last night in nets - it worked well for straight balls but anything outside off stump I found it difficult to play. Mainly because I was taking "stay still" to the extreme and not getting into line! How do others get over this?

The main thing that felt unnatural was forcing myself to stand with heels down rather than being on the balls of my feet which is pretty much the way that every other aspect of sport works. However when I managed it I was completely balanced at the crease and dispatched balls to all parts. A work in progress...

[justnotcricket86]

I know a man who has view on this....

Enter stage right - @Buzz

[Buzz]

Standing still is almost always the right thing to do.
But don't sit on your heals, flex your knees slightly so you are on the balls of your feet.

Been a while since we had a trigger thread...

[richthekeeper]

Maybe I explained poorly, but I'm a goalkeeper so used to having my weight forward in the "ready position" which isn't ideal for a batsman as it means my weight is always to the off side.

[Big Mac]

Maybe I explained poorly, but I'm a goalkeeper so used to having my weight forward in the "ready position" which isn't ideal for a batsman as it means my weight is always to the off side.

I get that as well, although I've managed to reduce it a lot with a couple of small changes. The first was just opening up my stance a little bit, when I was side on I would fall over all the time.

The second thing I'm trying to do (we'll see if it works on Saturday, my first game of the year) is something Ponting said in a masterclass on BT Sports. Try and get your head round so you're nose is pointing at the umpire and try and see the ball out of your right eye (assuming you're right handed ofc). Then when the ball is released try and take your right eye towards the umpire, that takes your head straight down the pitch and stops you falling over.

At the 10 minute mark in this video:

https://youtu.be/2wdT4zzNinI?t=10m

[Seniorplayer]

Stand still head still eyes level watch the ball out of the bowlers hand simple

[Novak]

Great thread very useful info

[Calzehbhoy]

Trigger is all very well if you are then still by the time the ball is released.

I've always had a trigger movement (Wierdly it was usually my back foot backwards slightly) but recently discovered I was really struggling to time anything and was very late on shots. I've made a conscious effort to amend this so I am triggering a lot earlier (just as the bowler is coming into his delivery stride) which means I've moved and am then still again by the time the ball is delivered. I actually trained it by watching youtube Batsman headcam videos and pretending I was batting (Quite sad I know)

It has helped me no end and I feel a lot sturdier and have more time to play the shot I want at the crease now.

[brokenbat]

i like "mental triggers" to be more useful.. in my case, this is getting more and more "in the zone" as the bowler nears his mark. unless you have 10,000 hours to learn a trigger, best to just stay still / natural, and not think about it.

[sarg]

I say to myself watch the ball clear your mind.

Then I start chatting with the other scorer and my teammates at it all goes to hell.

[mohawks94]

As Neon suggested elsewhere, im going to have a go at staying still rather than triggering. I did try it over the winter before getting injured, so just went back to what I knew after I was training again.

[Mpt7]

being still when the ball is delivered is where you want to be. if you trigger in to a "ready" position. that is up to you.

ultimately, the trigger is there to get you in to a good position to play your cricket shots. you should be have completed the trigger by the time the bowler releases the ball otherwise you're moving whilst hitting - a good guide is to start the trigger when the bowler reaches the umpire, be ware the sprinting bowler!!

Cricket is hard enough standing still, don't make it more complicated by moving against a moving ball :-D

[Buzz]

Further to the above, I advocate watching the ball in the bowlers hand in his run up. If you trigger you need to be done and in position by the time the bowler gets to his gather.

[golders]

He may be persona non Grata at the moment,but Steve Smith has a big trigger-need to check some footage-but I imagine his head is still at release?Has a great record (as  a Batsman...)

[richyreed]

On a similar note, what is everyone's preference? Bat down or bat up?

http://www.thecricketmonthly.com/story/931739/the-downside-of-up