Your Cricket Batting Advice

[FreddieFan]

Hi all

As some of you will know, I have recently started University and naturally, joined the cricket club. I've been going to nets for about a month now and I'm enjoying it, both the cricket and the social side.

However, on Thursday, I met a guy I hadn't faced before, who is a left arm fast bowler. Now, I'm not a great batsman, but like to try my best and improve, and I've played a couple of important supporting knocks for my club over the last season. Anyway, I was having real trouble dealing with his short ball. My main response to bouncers from right armers is to sway back out the way, but I couldn't do this becuase of the way the ball was angling into me as he bowled left arm over. My reluctance to hook (it's a risky shot for a good batsman, let alone me) meant I was a sitting duck - I got hit on the hand, the back and the elbow, after the last of which I had to stop the net as I couldn't bend my arm to bat.

Does anyone have any advice on how to deal with the short ball from left arm quicks and hopefully save me from such a battering next week?

 

[Jit]

I think you gotta keep your eyes on the ball and duck under it. If the ball is there to pull then pull it. Dont try to hit it hard and keep your eyes on the ball when he releases. Remember sometimes bowlers give you clues before they bowl and if you pick them your are already there where the ball is gonna pitch.

 

[Panda]

Thats a good point Jit. A bowler (unless he is world class) usually does something different in his action for bowling a bouncer. Try and study him when you are both batting and bowling to see if you can pick it up, then you will have a bit more time.

For a left arm bouncer, I would either hook it or if I pick it eary, just duck down but keep your eye on it. Just remember to not leave your bat dangling.

 

[karnog]

Yeah agree with Jit. I guess playing on your back foot and readying your self for the pull shot or back foot defence helps.

 

[Animator!]

Duck down. Don't sway. As soon as you see it coming in short just go down into a crouchy kind of position.

 

[Highlander999]

I also really struggle against generally any left-arm pace bowlers. I usually just walk down the track, and try and just flick it off my legs and get down the other end

 

[shubhrayu]

Practice the Pull and and the Hook and be Aggressive there.Practice these 2 shots so much that when you play these shots you should be totally confident of a boundary or a six.

 

[ZoraxDoom]

Walking down the track is a good option...

I can't help you much on this, sorry. I love to hook and pull. I can't play a short ball if it is going away from me, but if it is angling it, just step back, eye on the ball, and swing! Whack! Try and read his mind. Walk down once or twice, 'cause then you know he is going to bowl it short as revenge (I do this all the time in tennis ball/gully cricket. Works beautifully if you can pull it off). So as he runs in, wait till he is in the delivery stride, then step back (I don't know how people 'rock' back, for me it is just to step behind), let the ball come out, and the put all your weight on the backfoot and swing! Play as late as you can to get the ball behind square, and to pick the length right. Although if you can pick the length early, swinging early is no real danger. You can thwack it straight back to him if you do it right Always make sure you give yourself plenty of room to swing. So if his is bowling around the wicket into you, give yourself some room. Back away to leg. Or move inside the line and hook it behind you, that way you aren't likely to get hit, so if that is what is worrying you then this is the better option (at the risk of being bowled around your legs).
And if you keep pulling and hooking him, he's bound to give up on the short line and go full. It's risk vs. reward, be brave for a few overs to have it easier later.

But if you hate short bowling, then seriously, walk down. Make sure you are fully padded up, with a helmet, and waltz down to him. It's not like you'll get stumped, and it will irritate the hell out of him He'll keep bowling shorter as you walk down till the point where you can duck safely under it, and if he doesn't then it is a length you can negotiate.

 

[rvdthunder]

if the bouncer comes in line with the stumps make a big movement back and across to outside off, keep the ball on the left side of your head(inside the line), and play the pull. dont attempt to pull it if you are outside the line of the ball, you will either get hit or sky the ball.

if it comes in on the offside, just sway back and late cut it, either alond the ground or over slips, just use the pace of the ball and run it off the face

 

[bladescape]

I also really struggle against generally any left-arm pace bowlers. I usually just walk down the track, and try and just flick it off my legs and get down the other end

That's my trick!