Batting Drills?

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It's is the off season for cricket in Australia and I would like to still work on my cricket. I don't have the chance of using a bowling machine (I don't think that helps a whole heap anyway) and I would like to know what drills are out there that I can do which involves 1-2 people?

I am opening the batting for my senior XI team, in the VTCA as a 16 year old and I feel as though my game could benefit from a big work out over the off season.
 
Take throwdowns on a decent surface, its as good as a bowling machine if you have someone that can throw straight. Lots of different shots you can work on.
 
TDs are hated but they are far superior to mindless net bowling or a bowling machine, suggest you also get one of those throw assisting things (looks like one of those things people use for tennis balls with dogs, not being a dog owner I can't confirm if they are one in the same).
 
leftie600 said:
TDs are hated but they are far superior to mindless net bowling or a bowling machine, suggest you also get one of those throw assisting things (looks like one of those things people use for tennis balls with dogs, not being a dog owner I can't confirm if they are one in the same).
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I think the problem with throwdowns is when people can't throw properly. You want to do it from about 15 yards, and you want to throw the ball quite hard and with decent accuracy.

It shocks me how many cricketers can't throw the ball to hit a length from 15 yards.

One of the most important and yet unpracticed skills in coaching is being able to give your players a range of different feeds and throwdowns. If you're trying to teach someone how to hit a thigh high ball on leg stump, it doesn't help if you keep throwing the ball head high and outside off.
 
SLA said:
I think the problem with throwdowns is when people can't throw properly. You want to do it from about 15 yards, and you want to throw the ball quite hard and with decent accuracy.

It shocks me how many cricketers can't throw the ball to hit a length from 15 yards.

One of the most important and yet unpracticed skills in coaching is being able to give your players a range of different feeds and throwdowns. If you're trying to teach someone how to hit a thigh high ball on leg stump, it doesn't help if you keep throwing the ball head high and outside off.
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Can't say I've had that problem myself but I do agree that not enough attention in general is given to throwing, once kids can send the ball in the direction it is intended it seems to be assumed that they will just get better. Main issue I have is that the thrower gets tired fast and too many throws are never good for the shoulder, hence the suggestion of the ball thrower thing.
 
leftie600 said:
Can't say I've had that problem myself but I do agree that not enough attention in general is given to throwing, once kids can send the ball in the direction it is intended it seems to be assumed that they will just get better. Main issue I have is that the thrower gets tired fast and too many throws are never good for the shoulder, hence the suggestion of the ball thrower thing.
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I used to be a baseball pitcher, so 200 medium hard throws are like a warmup to me :)

We do have one of those ball thrower things though, apparently it is quite tricky to get used to?
 
I would always recommend a sidearm (ball thrower things) if you are planning on doing any sort of quantity of throwdowns and if you are looking to practice with a mate throughout the off season it would be well worth the investment. I found that after a relatively short amount of practice (initially without a batter), its much easier to be quicker and more consistent than with throwdowns.
 
leftie600 said:
Can't say I've had that problem myself but I do agree that not enough attention in general is given to throwing, once kids can send the ball in the direction it is intended it seems to be assumed that they will just get better. Main issue I have is that the thrower gets tired fast and too many throws are never good for the shoulder, hence the suggestion of the ball thrower thing.
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Throwing is only an issue for the shoulder if you cannot throw correctly. You are right, players need to be taught to engage their backs for throwing, not their shoulder joints, which is not designed to take the huge forces. Get the mechanics right and they can throw all day as SLA does. ;)

If the shoulder starts to ache, you know they are not throwing correctly!
 
Liz Ward said:
Throwing is only an issue for the shoulder if you cannot throw correctly. You are right, players need to be taught to engage their backs for throwing, not their shoulder joints, which is not designed to take the huge forces. Get the mechanics right and they can throw all day as SLA does. ;)

If the shoulder starts to ache, you know they are not throwing correctly!
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Ah but as you know when you get tired the technique falters and the shoulder gets damaged, surprisingly common thing when large volumes of throwdowns are done. I come from a family of field athletes, I'm the nerdy one that bowled legspin instead of throwing javelins, poor throwing technique irritates the hell out of me.
 
Then you must ask 'why' the players are getting tired.

Good nutrition, S&C, sleep etc should allow you to throw all day. Back ten thousand years, when men ate well and exercised whilst sitting little, they and their families would have died out if they could not keep going until they caught their fuel. It is a myth that all men had to do was walk out of the cave and throw a couple of spears to bring home the mammoth!! Many tribes would run 50/60 miles before having to throw and several hours later run home with the spoils.

Working with Olympic throwers I have not yet had one complain of being 'tired' and they throw far more during the day than the cricketer. Players get tired because technique has faltered and they are not efficient. As an intern with college baseball in the States in the late 70s many a time I had to bring in a pitcher who had been at it all day and still felt he needed to throw a few more!! ...but then, these guys do not sit most of the year and then expect to be good at what they do a few hours a week. :D
 
Liz Ward said:
Then you must ask 'why' the players are getting tired.

Good nutrition, S&C, sleep etc should allow you to throw all day. Back ten thousand years, when men ate well and exercised whilst sitting little, they and their families would have died out if they could not keep going until they caught their fuel. It is a myth that all men had to do was walk out of the cave and throw a couple of spears to bring home the mammoth!! Many tribes would run 50/60 miles before having to throw and several hours later run home with the spoils.

Working with Olympic throwers I have not yet had one complain of being 'tired' and they throw far more during the day than the cricketer. Players get tired because technique has faltered and they are not efficient. As an intern with college baseball in the States in the late 70s many a time I had to bring in a pitcher who had been at it all day and still felt he needed to throw a few more!! ...but then, these guys do not sit most of the year and then expect to be good at what they do a few hours a week. :D
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Its a shame we can't invent a kind of hybrid winter cricket that we could play outdoors from October to March. Artificial pitches, 4 step runups and baseball gloves for fielders.
 
SLA said:
Its a shame we can't invent a kind of hybrid winter cricket that we could play outdoors from October to March. Artificial pitches, 4 step runups and baseball gloves for fielders.
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Absolutely SLA... but then you would need wellies/snow boots, 20 layers and umbrellas here in the UK! ;)

Most cricket injuries occur at the beginning of the season due to under use. I always find most winter, indoor net sessions are wasted; focussing on the wrong areas.

Not everybody is privileged to live the dream and can spend the summer here and our winter in the antipodes so they need to do more to keep their bodies in the right state to really enjoy the season.

Mind you, as I spend most frosty, winter days in my shorts in the middle of a rugby field... come rain, come blizzard... I see no reason why you should not work on you idea... go for it! :D
 
Liz Ward said:
Then you must ask 'why' the players are getting tired.

Good nutrition, S&C, sleep etc should allow you to throw all day. Back ten thousand years, when men ate well and exercised whilst sitting little, they and their families would have died out if they could not keep going until they caught their fuel. It is a myth that all men had to do was walk out of the cave and throw a couple of spears to bring home the mammoth!! Many tribes would run 50/60 miles before having to throw and several hours later run home with the spoils.

Working with Olympic throwers I have not yet had one complain of being 'tired' and they throw far more during the day than the cricketer. Players get tired because technique has faltered and they are not efficient. As an intern with college baseball in the States in the late 70s many a time I had to bring in a pitcher who had been at it all day and still felt he needed to throw a few more!! ...but then, these guys do not sit most of the year and then expect to be good at what they do a few hours a week. :D
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I've tried to get the guys to hunt mammoths during the off-season to help their throwing arms but there's been no takers yet. Anywho, we're hijacking a batting thread with talk of hunting, we better let this get back on subject.
 
Repl said:
It's is the off season for cricket in Australia and I would like to still work on my cricket. I don't have the chance of using a bowling machine (I don't think that helps a whole heap anyway) and I would like to know what drills are out there that I can do which involves 1-2 people?

I am opening the batting for my senior XI team, in the VTCA as a 16 year old and I feel as though my game could benefit from a big work out over the off season.
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Aside from good throw downs which can help you to target specific areas of improvements I'd suggest you go to a good coach for a look to see if there is anything worth improving. The winter is a good time to make important changes but only if those changes are needed.
 
One further point of interest:

Its much easier to throw finger spin than wrist spin when doing throwdowns.

So get two nets: one with a leftie thrower and one with a rightie thrower. Both throw the ball down with plenty of finger spin, but if a batsman has a go in each he can practice against the ball going in both directions.
 
leftie600 said:
...Anywho, we're hijacking a batting thread with talk of hunting, we better let this get back on subject.
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A repetitive issue within recreational cricket. Talking about improving fitness, S&C and the importance of nutrition and mind management for a 16 year old batsman during the off season is not a hijack. We have come a long way since it was once considered that the best preparation for batting was batting!

http://www.pitchvision.com/why-you-need-to-be-fit-to-be-a-better-cricketer/
 
Opened today - 16 overs and I got four runs. So I can block, any ideas what I might be able to do next? Even if it's advice as to how to poke the ball forwards a bit so that I might be able to run a single every now and then and get the other bloke on strike?
 
someblokecalleddave said:
Opened today - 16 overs and I got four runs. So I can block, any ideas what I might be able to do next? Even if it's advice as to how to poke the ball forwards a bit so that I might be able to run a single every now and then and get the other bloke on strike?
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try to manipulate the ball around to get quick singles so u aren't taking any risks but still ur scoring runs and if u are going for a shot go hard even if there are slips in place the harder u try the bigger the edge will be and the possibility of the ball going over the slips are high.
 
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