Bat Against Fast Bowlers
Ok, so you're ready to play your next season of cricket, but everyone seems to be a lot faster than before and you haven't really practiced all that much. Use these tips to be more confident and to be the one who leads the team out on the field by example.
Steps
- Be Psychologically prepared. Cricket, like many other sports is highly reliant on mental attitudes. Being mentally ready includes: getting all your gear ready the night before, and waking up well rested, eating well, keeping yourself hydrated ,getting at least 8 hours of sleep and take sometime to prepare your mind for the game ...
- Have your batting gear ready (have the right size bat, pads that fit , comfy shoes etc.)
- Before the match, get a bowler to bowl to you. Tell him/her to start off at a medium pace, then work his/her way up to a faster pace, until he is bowling as fast as (s)he can.
- If the option is available, you may want to bat, fifth or sixth, so you'll be more likely to face spinners or medium pacers.
- Once you are called up to bat, walk out with confidence and looking up towards the pitch. After saying 'well done' to the batsman who got out. Go over to your teammate and ask him how this bowler bowls.
- Take your stance after checking the fielders positions and setting up your own.
- When the bowler runs in, keep your head still and focus on the ball (or the hand with the ball in it).
- As he bowls, don't play too aggressively (unless the situation needs you to hit out or get out).
- After he bowls, keep your head up, check the pitch for the hardness and get ready to face again, until your comfortable with playing an attacking shot.
- Don't afraid if the ball swings or moves too much. Play confidently.
Tips
- Don't think of bouncers as scary or bad, they aren't aiming at the stumps so there is no way that he can get you out easily.
- Watch the ball carefully until it hits your bat.
- Don't pay attention to the keeper, if the opportunity arises, you can even sledge against him.
- Don't get down when you get out, show good sportsmanship and stay positive. (positive players tend to improve the most, especially at a young age (10 - 18 is considered young)
- Fast balls at the ribs hurt, but if you do get hit, don't show the bowler. Don't rub it, just keep playing. The bowler gets unnerved by this and thinks that you have a solid batting style.
- The biggest sledgers in the game are (in no particular order): 1) The keeper, 2) The slips, 3) the bowler, 4) the batsmen, 5) the fielders close in (especially the fielders at silly mid on, or silly point etc).
- The same thing rarely happens twice, don't get bogged down if you miss a delivery and it just misses the stumps.
- Train before the season to get a head start on your opposition.
- Walk around the pitch after every dot ball or so, it gives you a chance to recuperate and relax before the next bowl.
Warnings
- Fast bowlers can hurt, but with training, you can out-perform any bowler
- Every batsman has his/her own technique, don't worry if your technique is different, if it works then it's good.
Things You'll Need
- Cricket gear (bat, pads, helmet, gloves, ball, stumps).
- a friend or family member or teammate who can bowl fast.
- Venue: either local cricket pitch, or the nets (preferably the nets for practice).
