Journey to the top!

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Re: Journey to the top!

Hi mate, good luck making it to the top (though it sounds like you are well on your way ;))

I've been reading this thread with great interest. I'm also trying to make that journey to the top! I'm a lower-order batting all rounder for my university (played for the 3rd XI last season), but I've only been playing for a year or so and have lots of batting flaws I want to iron out, with the ultimate aim of batting in the top 5 for my university 2nd XI in a years time (when I graduate).

A lot of issues mentioned in this thread have been very close to home, particularly playing pace (I find slingy pace bowlers the hardest, darn them!) and hitting the ball far too hard -one remedy a batsman/keeper at my uni club suggests is to remove my rather substantial backlift (which is currently ala Brian Lara.. in one very embarrasing moment I nearly cleaned up a wicket-keeper with it once!) and just focus on timing the ball without a backlift. He said he was told to do this by his coach about a year ago and it helped him time the ball a lot better. Have people heard of this adjustment before and des it sound good?

A lot of batting technique certainly seems to come back to the position of the head (I'm very tall myself, but I'm trying to train myself to get lower when at the crease) and getting it over the ball and transfering weight into the shot. As they say, the power is in the wood, not the swing! (Unless you're Dhoni... :p)

The best of luck mate, I look forward to your next update!
 
Re: Journey to the top!

ive always played pace bowlers with the same mindset.

The faster the ball hits the bat! The faster it goes back past the bowler!

for example this year we have gained two new players, Both are ex county level bowlers (moved to our area, want to play friendly cricket). One of them bowls in the early 80's. He is by far the fastest bowler i have ever faced. But hes so accurate i know where he is going to bowl! i have to adjust my timing earlier, he's so quick i dont see the ball leave his hand, i catch it as it pitches. I dont have time to play any other shots apart from drives and forwards defensives.

My point is now i'm getting used to facing him it makes everyone else seem slow by comparison. and makes other shots i never used to time properly easier to play!

my downfall is Slow pie bowlers! i cant help myself ::)
 
Re: Journey to the top!

Stumped said:
ive always played pace bowlers with the same mindset.

The faster the ball hits the bat! The faster it goes back past the bowler!

for example this year we have gained two new players, Both are ex county level bowlers (moved to our area, want to play friendly cricket). One of them bowls in the early 80's. He is by far the fastest bowler i have ever faced. But hes so accurate i know where he is going to bowl! i have to adjust my timing earlier, he's so quick i dont see the ball leave his hand, i catch it as it pitches. I dont have time to play any other shots apart from drives and forwards defensives.

My point is now i'm getting used to facing him it makes everyone else seem slow by comparison. and makes other shots i never used to time properly easier to play!

my downfall is Slow pie bowlers! i cant help myself ::)
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That's exactly how i feel against this pacemen, it feels like the only ball i sweat on is a half volley or maybe I can get a cut shot away. This is why I'm using the machine, maybe i can get used to extreme pace so that when i face them they seem much slower, here's hoping anyways ;)
 
Re: Journey to the top!

*****************************
UPDATE
*****************************

Second net session today!


Let's just split it up into "Good outcomes" and "Flaws found"

Good Outcomes:

RAMPED up the speed and was coping pretty well. Was actually pulling some balls. Got it up to 75 on the machine (not sure what the real speed was), with a stop watch it was about 0.7s.

Was leaving the balls outside off pretty well.

I was still killing the half volleys and got away some cut shots at full speed.

Flaws Found:

Was not getting a good stride in for the front defensive shot. Was again getting the half stride in and sometimes getting an outside edge. Alot of the times was playing a back defensive to a ball that i could've played on the front foot.


The best thing was the confidence i got from facing the quicker balls. Hopefully i can ramp it up again next week :)
 
Re: Journey to the top!

Sounds good overall! Were you working to your plan of "One or two shots per session"? Which ones did you concentrate on?
 
Re: Journey to the top!

edladd said:
Sounds good overall! Were you working to your plan of "One or two shots per session"? Which ones did you concentrate on?
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I was trying to concentrate on balls pitched just outside off on a good length mixed in with some straight balls on a good length, however the machine isn't always that easy to control!
 
Re: Journey to the top!

phil2oo8 said:
at 0.7 seconds the average speed through delivery would be 62 mph btw
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I'm trying not to get caught up with the actual speed, rather concentrate on increasing it every week while maintaining good form. The aim is to become mentally prepared for pace bowling as I believe that is my problem.
 
Re: Journey to the top!

mas cambios said:
Nice to see the progress, you'll be flaying them all around the ground next season.
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Let's hope so!! Hopefully the training sessions will become a little more productive now that we've worked out how to use the machine!
 
Re: Journey to the top!

Well no training this week , had alot on my plate this week so didnt get time in the nets :(

Will update soon enough!
 
Re: Journey to the top!

madbunny said:
Well no training this week , had alot on my plate this week so didnt get time in the nets :(

Will update soon enough!
Click to expand...

Hey Madbunny - how goes the quest? Have you had a chance to get down training at all recently?
 
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