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[tommo256]

Hello,
I can bat against pace and that but the minute a short ball is dropped in my reactions die and I get hit and just lose it. Can someone help guys?
x

[Watsontotty]

Im guessing your already wearing a helmet as they can boost your confidence, regarding the short ball decide either to play the hook or not ? if not then just get out of the way and don't play a hook shot bud just duck or sway out of the way. Once your confidence returns then practice playing the hook and pull with a tennis ball.

[tommo256]

Yeah I never bat without a lid. Er I work on the theory a dot ball is a wasted ball so I try and play everything.

[Liam-SCCC]

one short i have been working on to combat the short ball, is to step slightly to the off-side and stand tall and flick it backwards

Although I wouldn't recommend this, requires quite a lot of confidence, I just find it easy to play than the hook.

[Watsontotty]

That's why your getting hit then bud unfortunately unless your Tendulkar then you cant score off every ball and if a shot is getting you hurt then its pretty simple stop playing the shot until you can work in the nets on your technique. Steve Waugh wasn't a great player of the short ball and look at the runs he scored as he adapted his game to suit.

[Liam-SCCC]

Look at kallis, he has developed the upper cut over the keeper for short balls

[tommo256]

And when I try to block I still get one n the ribs so I dont know :/

[Perkins17]

this one helped me with the back foot to the quicker bowlers

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6IuI85HRNw

[niceonechoppy]

Best advice is throw downs from a short range (10-15 yards), with you batting with full gear on in the nets, just get someone to feed you 10 overs worth of short balls at varied paces, that way you recognise both length and speed, either that or get someone to serve some tennis balls at you from the same distance at your body, again teaching yourself to cope both with pace and the short ball length.

[Bulldog Cricket]

Good advise from Watson and Choppy. Practice on concrete with someone hitting tennis balls at you with a tennis racket. I did that for years as a youngster with my older brother and swear that is why i love fast bowling and play it well.

[tommo256]

Cheers guys..I am gonna go down tomorrow and work on it with a mate

[Colesy]

Im guessing your already wearing a helmet as they can boost your confidence, regarding the short ball decide either to play the hook or not ? if not then just get out of the way and don't play a hook shot bud just duck or sway out of the way. Once your confidence returns then practice playing the hook and pull with a tennis ball.

This makes perfect sense. I struggle against the short ball so I practice with tennis balls. Batting in nets last week the first half I didn't wear a lid and it affected me alot, second half I wore one and was back to normal.

It's perfectly normal to not want to get hit but sometimes you might as the bowler maybe too good. Just watch the ball all the time and if it's going to hit you then take the required action to move out the way or just defend it, I've been hit a couple of times and it doesn't hurt as much as you expect. Just gotta get on with it and make sure the bowler doesn't get the better of you

[ianbuchanan]

to be honest unless the ball is very high i try and play the pull or hook to every short ball. i find that whenever i tend to attempt the shot even when im low on confidence, i time the ball well becuase its based on natural instincts. this also boosts your confidence against the short ball to attempt other shots such as the upper cut, late cut etc....

[Buzz]

to be honest unless the ball is very high i try and play the pull or hook to every short ball. i find that whenever i tend to attempt the shot even when im low on confidence, i time the ball well becuase its based on natural instincts. this also boosts your confidence against the short ball to attempt other shots such as the upper cut, late cut etc....

This is a pretty interesting approach - as you play a higher standard you may get found out a little, I am not saying you definitely will, but certainly once you start facing guys who are properly fast (78+mph) you need to have a strong defence to get your eye in before you take them on. Playing a defensive shot out of the middle of the bat can give you as much confidence as hitting one for 4 early on - while smashing one out of the park can get the blood going a lot and could cause over confidence. These are obviously my views only and from a top order batsman. If you bat at 5 or 6 when the ball is softer you can take a bolder approach.
 
Personally I tend not to go after the quicks especially early on when they dig it in as I prefer to hit the ball of the front foot. As a result I try to let the quicks waste a few short ones by knocking them for one or letting them go and getting them to pitch it up to me. Obviously a longhop goes the distance. 

[ianbuchanan]

good points there buzz. i see what you mean. i do have this problem when facing one bowler at our club, some people reckon he bowls at around 75 and i often face him on a quick artificial and i sometimes tend to get half way into the shot and the ball ends up getting big on me and i lob it in the air. i suppose its all about picking the line and length of the ball as early as possible and picking the right shot to play....