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[cobweb1510]

Hi all,

As the non cricketing father of a 12 year old, things are getting challenging for me now! I'm trying to help, but often don't have the technical knowledge needed to give him good advice.

He currently has a bit of an issue of trying to hit everything. This isn't his fault. I was thinking about this during the ashes series. He's about to play U15s next year, but has only ever played 2 matches that weren't pairs cricket. If you have (on average) 2 overs to score your runs, you don't get the chance to "play yourself in" or be especially selective. We really do school them for T20 from an early age!

Anyway, he has been bowled twice in the nets recently to the same bowl- straight and pitched up. This isn't a huge issue, but he's not thinking about it critically and looking to see if this shows a weakness in his technique. He's just putting it down to a couple of balls that were "unplayable". I watched both balls, and to me it looks like he tried to play a straight drive at both and mis-timed them. Not the worst crime in the world- but is there something else he could have done? Should he have played a defensive shot? The added wrinkle is that with so much paired cricket- score runs when you get the chance- he hasn't ever really needed a forward defensive shot, and his straight drive is a stronger choice of shot for him.

Where I can't really help him is how should he decide to play the straight drive, or a forward defensive shot? I don't really understand what the decision should be based on, since to my mind they could both be played to a similar ball.

Thanks in advance.

[Buzz]

He is young and it will be a learning curve for him.

Now is the time to work on stuff, so check his grip. Make sure the vs ar going down the outside half of the bat. That will help the bat come through straight.

Then spend some time with under arming straight balls at him.

Also work on his guard to ensure he is standing in the right place.

Other than that it is a numbers game he just needs to hit a lot of balls.
Plus a new bat. Always a new bat.

[Jimbo]

For something as simple as a straight ball, bowling machine sessions never hurt!

[KettonJake]

Where I can't really help him is how should he decide to play the straight drive, or a forward defensive shot? I don't really understand what the decision should be based on, since to my mind they could both be played to a similar ball.

The question we ask ourselves every week. Do I block this or do I play it?

There is no definitive answer. It depends on amongst many other things; the situation, the pitch, the condition of the ball, how the batter is feeling (new to the crease or settled and seeing it like a football?) etc.

I would imagine something full and straight in an artificial surface net was not unplayable. Most unplayable balls i've seen rely on a significant degree of movement off the seam which doesn't happen in nets generally.

A good rule of thumb to begin with is to block literally everything that is straight. Once seeing it nicely and having scored a few runs from bad balls that weren't straight/on the stumps, then instinctive decisions will start to be made naturally, straight balls on certain lengths will be played more aggressively. It is very difficult to advise a player on when this moment should come in their innings. That is why temperament and mentality are crucial skills to being a good bat.

Plenty of players far more talented than me keep it as simple as block anything on the stumps regardless of length, and try to whack literally everything else. This is the other end of the scale of course but it works for some.

[InternalTraining]

There one thing that I have done in my own practice that helped me a lot against "magic" balls.

I dedicate one session (15-30) to only one thing: "magic" ball.

Setup a Bola machine and test it for that particular line and length at a fixed (low, not exceeding 60 mph) speed. Once the machine is throwing and landing the ball in the desired spot, don't move or touch the machine and its controls. Then, practice playing that "magic" ball over and over again.

After 15/30 minute session is up, go home and let my muscles build that memory.

Rinse. Repeat.

[cobweb1510]

Thanks to everyone for the replies.

Jake, I think you've nailed the answer I was after! I was questioning his decision making- not his technical skills. I don't think he's quite got it right yet (he's 12- of course he hasn't), but if he needs to get there on his own that's fine. Funnily enough his 7 year old brother has started wanting to go into the nets with me too, and we have adopted the "block anything straight" plan!

Thanks to all the other answers too. There are a couple of places near us where you can net with a bowling machine, and I think he'll enjoy the challenge. It's a bit more expensive than our normal place, but will be a nice change. I think we'll give it a go.

[SD]

A common issue for batsmen all the way up to test level when they are out of form is that they play the ball too early out in front of their body where they have less control and with the head going up rather than over the ball.  For full and straight balls that often means playing over the top of balls that go on to hit the stumps.

It is always useful of you can set up a camera side on so you can see the point at which the ball passes the bat.

There are a lot of drills on the internet to encourage playing the ball later.  A fairly simple one is to put a cross on the top of the helmet.  If batsman hits the ball with his head over the ball so the bowler can see the cross it is a point to the batsman.  If not, it is a point to the bowler.

Another option is to have a session using a narrow training bat.   It subconsciously makes the batsman which the ball more closely

[Chompy9760]

Where I can't really help him is how should he decide to play the straight drive, or a forward defensive shot? I don't really understand what the decision should be based on, since to my mind they could both be played to a similar ball.

I agree with you, the straight drive and forward defence are essentially the same shot, just with different power and follow through.
Without seeing your son, the usual problem with the kids I coach (and many cricketers) is they see something pitched up and their eyes light up.  The head lifts, the foot doesn't get near the line of the ball, and the bat becomes angled instead of vertical, and they try to hit the cover off the ball.  Getting bowled is very likely.

If you can keep those 4 technical points where they should be, and time the ball correctly with some power, then you have a lovely straight drive.
If you have access to a bowling machine, get him to practice a correct forward defence for ten balls, then drive the next ten with the same technique, but more intent. Repeat.

I personally find hitting straight drives off the stumps the easiest shot to play, as it requires very little head or foot movement to get your eyes over the ball.  I'm rarely bowled, but usually caught with poor timing.

[JTtaylor145]

I was going to start a new post about something that I saw whilst coaching on Sunday.

I haven't done any coaching for a few years but decided to help out the club with senior nets for the 3XI, 4XI and 5XI.

The biggest thing I noticed with junior players was their grip as mention by @Buzz in a previous post. I could not believe the number of junior cricketers whose grips were so technically poor (V's not aligned). I don't know how players can get to 15/16 with such fundamental technical flaws.

 

[Butterfingerz]

I was going to start a new post about something that I saw whilst coaching on Sunday.

I haven't done any coaching for a few years but decided to help out the club with senior nets for the 3XI, 4XI and 5XI.

The biggest thing I noticed with junior players was their grip as mention by @Buzz in a previous post. I could not believe the number of junior cricketers whose grips were so technically poor (V's not aligned). I don't know how players can get to 15/16 with such fundamental technical flaws.

The 'v' doesnt have to alllign, individuals are made different. We do need to address this however if the grp causes issues

[JTtaylor145]

The 'v' doesnt have to alllign, individuals are made different. We do need to address this however if the grp causes issues

The grip was causing a complete inability to play a shot on the offside, I considered this as an issue.

You are right they don't have to align but I've always found the adjustment to be slight. There are exceptions such as Graeme Smith and Steve Smith...these lads were neither.

[Jimbo]

The grip was causing a complete inability to play a shot on the offside, I considered this as an issue.

You are right they don't have to align but I've always found the adjustment to be slight. There are exceptions such as Graeme Smith and Steve Smith...these lads were neither.

Have they considered changing their last names and seeing if that helps? 😂

[JTtaylor145]

@Jimbo I'll suggest that on Sunday and see what they think 

[Buzz]

The 'v' doesnt have to alllign, individuals are made different. We do need to address this however if the grp causes issues

I am pretty rigid in my coaching around having the vs aligned I have to admit, but then I coach u8s and u9s predominantly and setting them up right materially helps them down the line.

What I really don't like is that bottom hand with the v down the inside edge of the bat, which is quite common now. It makes it very hard to swing the bat through straight.

Smith does it by moving his hand on the bat through the off side shots. Not many people can do that.

[cobweb1510]

One of the issues I'm passively aware of at my son's club is the emphasis seems very heavily on fun and engagement.  Obviously this isn't a bad thing, but it does seem to get in the way of pushing the children to improve beyond simply time playing. Children who play football are used to the idea of doing drills and technical exercises, but from what I've seen these seem to be almost totally absent. I can only assume this will lead to children failing to achieve their potential in the sport, or having to work harder, later, to correct fundamental weaknesses in their game.

My son loves challenging himself, and this hasn't really been utilised by the club junior training system. I think I'm running a bit close to being the "pushy dad" with them at times. I've arranged 1-2-1 wicket keeping and batting coaching for him. We will go and net together. I'm a non cricketer (I'm sure I mention that in every post!), but we made a huge difference to his batting during lockdown with nothing more than some time and YouTube videos (although we reached our (my) ceiling pretty quickly). He now trains with the adults, and loves the challenge. I appreciate all the junior coaches are volunteers, so I will not criticise them (apart from gentle moans anonymously here  but sometimes I wish there was a bit more rigour.