Stepping Away in the Nets

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lewissaffin

lewissaffin

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Stepping Away in the Nets

The problem I have is that, when I play in the nets, I keep stepping towards the leg side and exposing most of my stumps, even to straight balls. They are new nets and may just need getting used to because, interestingly, I play the line with the majority of shots in game.

Can anyone give me some advice?
 
Re: Stepping Away in the Nets

As a coach I view nets as a nightmare and your particular problem highlights the main reason I try to use them as sparingly as possible - its very difficult to replicate 'game' situations and conditions as it relies on the hardest bit of players to coach (the top 12")

Anyway, if nets are used as your main source of practice (as seems to be the case at many clubs) try to focus less on the 'environment' and more on what you would in a game - as a guess once the bowler is at the top of his run up you are no longer looking around the field placings etc but starting to focus in as he runs up (this should look relatively similar in both nets and game situations). Try to give yourselve 'game situations' to bat in (again better if this is also agreed with bowlers and coaches) and try to do what you would out in the middle - if you walk around after a ball do so in the nets

The only other thing to add is do you have any idea why you step towards the leg side, are the nets bouncier and thus seen as a bit more dangerous than the square?
 
Re: Stepping Away in the Nets

lewissaffin;400211 said:
The problem I have is that, when I play in the nets, I keep stepping towards the leg side and exposing most of my stumps, even to straight balls. They are new nets and may just need getting used to because, interestingly, I play the line with the majority of shots in game.

Can anyone give me some advice?
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Try putting a cone or stumps behind you so that you hit something when you step to leg. Best to start off with throwdowns though.
 
Re: Stepping Away in the Nets

In Ashley Malletts biography of Clarrie Grimmett "Scarlet" he tells how when Grimmett was coaching a young batsmen who continually stepped backwards against pace, Grimmett drove a stake into the turf and tied the pupils ankle to it so he could not make the move. Maybe you could try that, mentally anyway.
 
Re: Stepping Away in the Nets

This was a huge problem for me when i was in under age cricket, and still occasionally troubles me today, and inhibits a lot of my leg side shots. My coach basically got me to concentrate on getting a stride towards the ball when i'm playing front foot shots, and to step across the stumps when i play back foot shots, and i have much improved
 
Re: Stepping Away in the Nets

ZacDuggan;404892 said:
This was a huge problem for me when i was in under age cricket, and still occasionally troubles me today, and inhibits a lot of my leg side shots. My coach basically got me to concentrate on getting a stride towards the ball when i'm playing front foot shots, and to step across the stumps when i play back foot shots, and i have much improved
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Exactly right!
 
I'm the same, but in all situations, both in the nets, and out in the middle. Does anyone have any tips to fix this?
 
I've been in the nets a fair bit recently and video-ing the sessions and it's very apparent that this is the case for me too and it's something I need to work on. I might try putting the stumps right behind me to try and stop me doing it.
 
To be honest Dave, I would give the bowling machine a miss for a session or two and just work on drop/bobble feeds until you get the feel of moving your head (and weight) into the line of the ball. It might seem like something you would suggest to a junior (and I would) but it still has value for all players just to get into a better position to make contact with the ball, then progress onto throw downs (pitched up) and then back onto the bowling machine. This might all be in one session but I would repeat for a few sessions, perhaps reducing the % spent on the earlier types feeds but still start there each session and see how it goes.
 
TonyM said:
To be honest Dave, I would give the bowling machine a miss for a session or two and just work on drop/bobble feeds until you get the feel of moving your head (and weight) into the line of the ball. It might seem like something you would suggest to a junior (and I would) but it still has value for all players just to get into a better position to make contact with the ball, then progress onto throw downs (pitched up) and then back onto the bowling machine. This might all be in one session but I would repeat for a few sessions, perhaps reducing the % spent on the earlier types feeds but still start there each session and see how it goes.
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Yeah we did that today an hour of throw downs, I've been looking at a lot of videos and they're all saying the same thing, so that's what we've been doing along with working in front of a mirror getting the bat coming through straight and some strength and conditioning work. It's all going quite well, quite surprised at Joe with the S&C stuff. The South Essex boys had a session last time and their fitness was laughable, I'd have run rings round them if I was out there it was embarrassing! I think Joe came away thinking that he was unfit, but looking around at the others he was up there as one of the better ones and I think he's got a sniff of the fact that with a little extra work he could come through it next time looking like the exemplar player for S&C! Tomorrow we'll be doing some more - currently doing it alternate days.
 
Never really understood the mirror drill but know it works for some so give it a go. This is the drop feed appreciate it doesn't look difficult but is the batting equivalent of bowling from a standing start, allowing you to focus on a specific area without lots of other stuff distracting from that focus - great for head/body weight transfer (you) and bat path (Joe) drilling. Obviously then need to progress to bobble feeds (underarm with 2/3 bounces before the batter) and then throwdowns to get closer to 'real' batting but as you read lots of times on the spin thread there is often benefit in going back to basics.

Best of luck with the S&C stuff, Ollie is following one of Cricket Strength's programmes and so far, so good.
 
Another session in the nets, still backing away to some extent, but hitting the ball a lot more and lot cleaner. Overall I think I'm progressing each session. I think if I walk out onto the wicket in May 2016 with more confidence with a bit of self belief that I'm going to be able to drive the ball and move towards the ball, I reckon I'll have made a big step forwards. At the moment that feels like it's going to be possible especially if I continue to improve at the rate that I am. One of the key things that might also be improving is the lack of fear. In the sessions I'm also facing my son who usually bothers me in the nets, but I'm hitting him cleanly at the moment which is good. Feels like this is one old dog that is learning some new tricks? What do you reckon...
 
someblokecalleddave said:
Another session in the nets, still backing away to some extent, but hitting the ball a lot more and lot cleaner. Overall I think I'm progressing each session. I think if I walk out onto the wicket in May 2016 with more confidence with a bit of self belief that I'm going to be able to drive the ball and move towards the ball, I reckon I'll have made a big step forwards. At the moment that feels like it's going to be possible especially if I continue to improve at the rate that I am. One of the key things that might also be improving is the lack of fear. In the sessions I'm also facing my son who usually bothers me in the nets, but I'm hitting him cleanly at the moment which is good. Feels like this is one old dog that is learning some new tricks? What do you reckon...
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I think the key Dave is to remember that batting is not only a side-on game! A batsmen should stay side-on for offside shots, but get into more of a front-on position for leg-side shots - if the ball is on middle/leg stump line, instead of backing away, rotate so you play the ball in front of you.
 
SLA said:
I think the key Dave is to remember that batting is not only a side-on game! A batsmen should stay side-on for offside shots, but get into more of a front-on position for leg-side shots - if the ball is on middle/leg stump line, instead of backing away, rotate so you play the ball in front of you.
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I'll give it a go. I think I know what you mean, but I think it's counter-intuitive reaction to the situation, so it's quite tricky to overcome.
 
This is similar to my problem i posted in the other thread just to ask you honestly, are you scared of the ball or ever were scared of the ball? I will be honestly I used to be, not as much these days, but I still it thinks it subconsciously affects me.
 
lower11 said:
This is similar to my problem i posted in the other thread just to ask you honestly, are you scared of the ball or ever were scared of the ball? I will be honestly I used to be, not as much these days, but I still it thinks it subconsciously affects me.
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Yeah definitely when my sons bowling at me or the bowling is good, we've got a kid (17 year old) that bowls fast - he swings it and then it goes the other way off the seam ****ing horrible to face. But having been in the nets for the first time through Nov and Dec, I'm less fearful as I am able to hit the ball far more. But if it's on leg-stump, It's a problem for me and part of it is it feels as though I'm going to cop it in the wedding tackle I guess?
 
For me my fear is getting hit in the head with a bouncer I espescially struggle against bowlers who bang the ball hard into the pitch rather than those who might be quicker but just slide the ball through.
 
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