Hello Everyone!

In this post I am looking at a batting fault common amongst young cricketers aged 8-13 years.

From my coaching experience I have noticed young batsmen tend to move/jump away from the leather ball. They do this instinctively and most likely against faster bowlers. By doing this they expose their stumps and open themselves up for a wicket loss. 

In this video I show you a simple drill to fix this issue.  

Firstly, place cones (or any similar object) in front of the batsmen’s leg and middle stump (as shown in the video). 

Then, a parent or coach is to give the batsmen underarm throwdowns (or overarm for a more experienced batsmen). These throwdowns are to be in leg stump line and length is to be good and full length. This will ensure the batsmen is coming on to their front foot. Start with slow throwdowns and then speed it up as the batsmen gets accustomed to the pace.

The cones will direct a batsmen’s feet into a straighter position automatically. This helps the batsmen to get behind and on top of the ball, which is an important technique when batting. 

As a result they learn to face quick bowling on the pads without backing away. Moreover they learn how to play better on drives, leg glances and flicks. 

In conclusion this helps their scoring ability, their confidence and benefits the team. A win-win for everyone!!

Love to Play! – Ankit