Your Cricket Massive Form Slump - Help Appreciated.

[jordox]

Hi all.

Now, throughout this whole season I have hit an amazing drought in runs. Let me set the scene.

Last season (06-07) I averaged 78 with the bat in both Representative and Club cricket with 2 hundreds.

This season (07-08) with two or so games remaining my highest score has been 39. There is NOTHING wrong with my technique and I have not changed my batting one bit. Coaches see me in the nets and think "good player!" and then I get to the game, and here is the problem:

I can't score runs. It's not like I'm getting out cheaply. I can quite comfortably survive 20 overs without producing a chance.

However, I just can't strike the ball as well as last year. It's really really stange. I've even got a tape of me batting last year compared to last month and I can't even see a difference, yet I keep getting scores like 15 runs of 15 overs.

Our captain thinks it must be a mental side of things, yet I don't feel any different.

Anyway, has anyone ever been through this? It's so outrages I can't believe it. Last year I was the second best batter in the competition in the region and now I'm just an average club batter.

Thanks, Jordox.

 

[punterpupnroy]

I know how you feel. I have recently been in a form slump until up to todays game. My advice is to get early runs, get off the mark in the first few balls you face, it give you loads of confidence, for example aim to hit a few runs in the first 5 balls you face. It gives you confidence to go on.

 

[SciD]

Im not a batsmen so cannot offer that much advice about batting.

But mentally I can tell you that when it starts getting wrong then evrything wrong happens. I had a massive form slump in my third year and was not able to get wickets. Even though I was getting edges either they fell short or fielders were not placed in slips. When somebody mistimed pull it fell short of fielders or sometimes due to my pace the ball would just fly out for a six even when it was off edges.

My friend then adviced me Yoga and after few days I was more reflaxed while bowling and some wickets changed my mindset completely and I was back again. Though I was contributing more with my dogged batting in saving or winning matches from lower down the order but my confidence as cricketer grew from there.

My tip will be to relax yourself and look for other areas to get involved in game. Maybe stand at crucial fielding positions like point to be more involved in game. You'll be amazed how one fielding effort can change your outlook.

 

[mattfb]

I would just say dont think about your runs. Stay in there, the longer your in the more runs you can score. Just push the ball into the gaps and look for singles, the eventually you will start getting the 2's, then 4's etc...

 

[Ollie_H]

Dont change your game plan, If you attack keep attacking, if you fight it out keep fighting it out. Its best to play the same way. Dont change the way you play.

 

[Leicester Fox]

It sounds like a cliche but just play eah ball, if you're stood there thinking I can make runs today or i'm crap then your going to get out, just focus on every ball, the only times I ever get out are when I'm not focused on playing the next ball and am thinking too much.

 

[freddiw]

well if its not techinuqe its probably your mental game

- are you scared of losing your wicket
- what is your usual form of dismissal
- what number do you bat
- is it a higher standard of bowling/cricket (less bad balls)

if you have any vids please post...just go out and bat your game without being scared of losing your wicket

 

[punterpupnroy]

Maybe vids are not the answer. Coz as he said, he thinks it may be a mental side of things. But if there are any problems with technique or anything post vids if you wish. We will all be able to help you out.

 

[freddiw]

na. even a net vid you can tell from the way he plays the bowlers

e.g I reckon he blocks the good and average balls and scores off the s**t
then in games he scores too slow and does something stupid

 

[Cricketdude]

Do what Michael Hussey said on the cricket show ; clear your head and just focus on the delivery.

 

[Cricket_60]

I reckon it's a seasonal thing. One season you'll see the ball well, time it beautifuly and score lots of runs. The next, you miss easy runs, misstime the ball and fail to get any big innings going. The best advice is to keep on trying and concentrate on the small things in you're game. Sometimes having an extended break can really wreck things with you're batting ie foot movement, timing etc. Try and talk to you're coach and see if he can give you any advice.

 

[vaibhav mehta]

Thats all about bad time.Sometime happens when nothing going your way!I can understand its nothing about your batting style or concentration.Best way to get out of it is YOGA which sid already told you.Don't think so much about getting runs or don't worried about your wicket.Just blank your mind and play your natural game.Hope soon you get your form.God bless you..

 

[Cricketman]

Try your absolute BEST to get off the mark first ball. Keep the singles ticking, get the easy runs. Learn to drop and run, get about 10 from 11 balls.

Then, make a CONSCIOUS effort to hit. Even if this means "slogging". Once the runs start flowing, you will naturally regain your form and play to your best without the ugly strokes.

 

[gillyhuss'n'roy]

I think you should play to your stregths.
eg. dont try and play a pull shot if your not good at pulling

 

[aussie_ben91]

Same thing happened to me this season. I played up an age-level in juniors the last 2 seasons and averaged over 50 in both seasons and I've averaged 10 in 1st grade this season but I ended up making more runs in representive.

Don't try and hit the ball in the air early on in your innings and if possible try to cut out hitting the ball through the offside and force the bowlers to bowl at the stumps and try to pick gaps through the legside and pick out 1s, 2s and 3s.

Don't TRY to hit boundaries either because then you're trying to force the issue and this is how you end up throwing your wicket away. As your innings progresses the odd boundary will come your way anyway and you'll see an easy opportunity to get one anyway.

Also, try not to think too far ahead of yourself to early on as you'll become impatient. Try and take it every over at a time.

How old are you and how many overs do you play? Do you play on turf or artificial?