Topic: From Middle-Lower Order to Opener (Read 2295 times)

Slyboogy · « **on:** June 10, 2022, 12:16:44 PM »

Hi All,

Hope you're all good!

I'm looking for some advice here.

I started off as a bowler and as a slogger as I had no cricketing background or training and came around the middle-lower order batsman to now moved up to opener. The reason for this is our club is lacking batsmen, and I am one of the rare few who now has a "temperament" and can last.

However, as my teams batting is really fragile, I have a bad habit of not playing shots when opening and rather just leaving anything outside off and not playing risk shots. I'm afraid to give my wicket away, but I'm also not really scoring in the first 10 overs.

I know people say "pick the gaps" or "put away the bad ball" but this is very hard for me to do as I am a limited player with technique. Of course, not scoring freely also plays on your mind when you've played 30 balls for 6 or so.

I haven't really ever batted up the top of the order minus 3 innings, all 3 I've lasted for some time but not made much of a score, 21 from last weekend is my highest. I really want to do well in this new role.

Anyone got any tips or been in a similar situation that can help?

jjelricksmith · « **Reply #1 on:** June 10, 2022, 12:33:37 PM »

Personally I've opened for around 10 years now, I just know what shots and my scoring areas early. For example whilst the ball is moving around in overs 1-12 ish I will refuse to play a cover drive. Doesn't matter if the bowler chucks up 6 wide half volleys, I won't go for one. Depending on the standard usually the field in these overs is a little bit more forgiving as well. I'd say most of my runs in overs 1-12 come from balls on the legs, on drive and cut shot.

Don't be annoyed you are leaving the ball, that's one of the major parts. When you feel more in some of those balls just knock them on the head for 1 to third man or in between cover and point for a single if the ball isn't hooping around. Even the super aggressive openers you see leave a LOT of balls, they just smash the rest when its in their areas.

Jimbo · « **Reply #2 on:** June 10, 2022, 12:35:12 PM »

I'm in the same position this year, moved up from 7/8/9 to opening as nobody was willing to bat up top.

Learning very slowly but in terms of advice I've been given, try to pick 2 or 3 shots you can reliably hit for singles and focus on those or defending. For me, it's a cut shot, a nurdle into leg side and a push through cover.

Big thing for me has been making sure I'm backing up and alert to the singles on offer, you don't have to be hitting boundaries or taking risks to keep the score ticking on.

jonny77 · « **Reply #3 on:** June 10, 2022, 12:54:23 PM »

I bat 3 and although i agree with the abv, if a half volley is served up early doors I'm likely to take it on as I back myself in that area. I'm not saying be reckless, but imo you also can't be scared of getting out also.

That said, if bowlers ate bowling well and its doing quite a bit then rotating strike when possible is important. Boundaries will always come the longer you stay in and your strike rate improves.

brokenbat · « **Reply #4 on:** June 10, 2022, 02:25:17 PM »

Quote from: Slyboogy on June 10, 2022, 12:16:44 PM

Hi All,

Hope you're all good!

I'm looking for some advice here.

I started off as a bowler and as a slogger as I had no cricketing background or training and came around the middle-lower order batsman to now moved up to opener. The reason for this is our club is lacking batsmen, and I am one of the rare few who now has a "temperament" and can last.

However, as my teams batting is really fragile, I have a bad habit of not playing shots when opening and rather just leaving anything outside off and not playing risk shots. I'm afraid to give my wicket away, but I'm also not really scoring in the first 10 overs.

I know people say "pick the gaps" or "put away the bad ball" but this is very hard for me to do as I am a limited player with technique. Of course, not scoring freely also plays on your mind when you've played 30 balls for 6 or so.

I haven't really ever batted up the top of the order minus 3 innings, all 3 I've lasted for some time but not made much of a score, 21 from last weekend is my highest. I really want to do well in this new role.

Anyone got any tips or been in a similar situation that can help?

Leaving anything outside off is a great gameplan for an opener. The best players start with a limited gameplan (let�s say three shots) and then add shots once they get in. You could start with a late block, nurdle off legs for 1 (or 4), and maybe a pull (or cut). Just throwing out some options - you should come up with your own plan. But key is to start with only a few scoring shots, and then gradually add more shots as you get more comfortable.

So perhaps for you, the starting plan is totally fine - maybe think of adding one more shot, once you�re in and feeling comfortable?

InternalTraining · « **Reply #5 on:** June 10, 2022, 04:53:25 PM »

Quote from: Slyboogy on June 10, 2022, 12:16:44 PM

I started off as a bowler and as a slogger as I had no cricketing background or training and came around the middle-lower order batsman to now moved up to opener. The reason for this is our club is lacking batsmen, and I am one of the rare few who now has a "temperament" and can last.

1. Congratulations! Opening an inning is a lot of fun. Enjoy it.

2. You will play as you practice. Make sure you are designing your inning during your practice sessions - that's when you think and strategize. When you are in the middle and opening, just watch the ball and bat. No overthinking then.

3. It is all about muscle memory + ball recognition which you should develop during practice. You know which types of delivers get you out most of the time, right? In your practice, minimize the risk of those balls. Either leave them or defend them. That will prolong your inning.

4. Learn to hang on the back foot. That's opener 101. You can carry the bat by just hanging on the back foot. [Note: bowlers will eventually realize you are hanging back and change their lengths. Pounce!

. You want to play these games as an opener. Keep them guessing.

]

5. No cover drives. Enough said.

NT50 · « **Reply #6 on:** June 10, 2022, 06:12:49 PM »

After starting cricket as a bowler about 6/7 years ago - I transitioned to a batsmen and have been opening for the last 3/4 years.
This may be a bit different for you as I�m a left hander, but generally I follow a similar plan every time I bat.

Anything that�s threatening the stumps early on I will block. Always trying to play with soft hands when defending, rather than pushing at the ball.

For the first 6/7 overs I�ll generally only play the cut, the pull and the flick off the pads (which happens regularly as a leftie)
I know that generally these shots won�t get me in trouble and I can use them to keep the scoreboard ticking whilst I figure out what the bowlers are trying to do with it.

If it�s swinging or seaming a fair bit - I won�t drive anything outside off until I feel like I�m fully in. Once the opening bowlers are coming to the end of their spells, that�s when I�ll start trying to play drives and start to expand a little bit. From there on out it completely depends on the game situation. If we�re 90-0 off 15 I�ll start taking more risks, whereas if we�re 30-4 like we have been often, I�ll wait a little longer.

I think it�s important to not go in your shell and be of the mindset that you�re only there to block. When I first started opening I was convinced that I was there to block and not play my shots. This would often result in me being on 7 or 8 after 10 overs and I frustration I�d end up trying to force something and ultimately spoon one up in the air.

SOULMAN1012 · « **Reply #7 on:** June 10, 2022, 10:04:32 PM »

Rotate strike is the biggest thing as an opener, done it for years now 15+ and best partnerships iv had are with guys I know how to and when to take singles, also spotting early who in the field you can turn a single into a two etc. you don�t need to be �defensive� or aggressive as a rule but having the ability to go at 3 an over relatively risk free through good running and then when you get them put that bad ball away.

Also if you get a half volley put it away, first ball of the innings or last limited overs cricket remember. The point of not playing a cover drive for first 12 overs is almost a third or a quarter of club crickets and while innings by and large.

Final thing positive in defensive and positive in attack, defensive shots have the ability to be singles more often than not.

SLA · « **Reply #8 on:** June 22, 2022, 02:54:16 PM »

TBH I don't think there's a hard and fast rule about what shots to play or not to play.

Its more about learning to adapt to the situation: to the bowler, the pitch, the field, to which shots you're struggling with this season and which you're middling every time. With time you develop a kind of instinct as to which shot is going to get you out, and learn to put that one away in the locker until next week. You look at how the ball is coming off the pitch or whatever and you get a kind of premonition about how you might get out; nicking one to slip or spooning one to mid off or playing over one that stays low, or whatever.

Furthermore, I don't think this only applies to opening, and I don't think it only applies to early in your innings. If the pitch is occasionally staying low, it doesn't matter if you're on 10 or 60, if you try to pull a back of a length ball like you would in nets, eventually you will get hit on the knee in front of middle.

Author Topic: From Middle-Lower Order to Opener (Read 2295 times)

Slyboogy

From Middle-Lower Order to Opener

jjelricksmith

Re: From Middle-Lower Order to Opener

Jimbo

Re: From Middle-Lower Order to Opener

jonny77

Re: From Middle-Lower Order to Opener

brokenbat

Re: From Middle-Lower Order to Opener

InternalTraining

Re: From Middle-Lower Order to Opener

NT50

Re: From Middle-Lower Order to Opener

SOULMAN1012

Re: From Middle-Lower Order to Opener

SLA

Re: From Middle-Lower Order to Opener