Trigger Movements.

Anybody have one?

My back leg goes slightly back and across, then I start transferring my weight onto the front foot which gets me into line and ready to get onto the front foot

to my mind the benefit is that light on my feet (as it were) as opposed to having my feet rooted to the spot as the ball is on its way

i have the exactly opposite problem evrytime the bowler bowls [fast bowler] i get scared and move back.
Also no matter how much i practice playing with my top hand in front of my mirror i always end up playing with my bottom hand during matches. Please advise.

Originally posted by Kerm Any really batting coach would probably consider what i do as the ball is about to be bowled as a sin

Tell that to Shivranine Chanderpaul...

I don't know exactly what you mean by "dancing around", but if you simply mean shifting your weight slightly from foot to foot, I think that's perfectly sound technique. i can't say I've seen any first-class players do it, but plenty of good club cricketers do, and technique does differ slightly between the two. My father, for example, has always done it, he learnt his cricket at a top private school and has played to a high level of club cricket


Edited by Chin Music - 27 March 2007 at 1:09pm

It's worth a try, honestly.

try loosening your grip with the bottom hand

I've experimented with different triggers in the nets. I used to shuffle across my stumps from leg to middle, but felt myself playing to on-sidish and getting out LBW.

Must be your aggressive nature.

I was always to bottom-handed, a couple of years ago I changed my grip and it really helped, what I do is I rest the handle accross the knuckles/fingers of the bottom hand then grip with the thumb rather than holding it in the palm. Try it, it might help

Which of you prefer to play off the back foot? Or more conventionally the front foot?

k, thanks rambo and chin music i'll try what you've written

I'm not much of a batsman, I'm a bowler. When I'm batting I'm predominantly back foot though. Against the quicker bowlers I'll defend until there's something outside off stump (if I last that long!) to have a go at cutting. I don't mind pulling the odd long-hop if I get a chance, too, but I love taking on the spinners. My favourite shot is the slog-sweep but I'll look to smack every ball into the next county when there's twirly stuff coming at me. Shot selection depends on where the ball pitches as I'm just as happy rocking back and smashing it, but I do love the slog-sweep. It's entirely instinctive, I never think about it. On our home pitch if you get hold of it at all it's going over the wall into the sheep even if you mistime it slightly.

I look to get on the front foot as much as possible.  Love driving the ball.  Dont have any problems playing off the back foot either though.  Just more comfortable on the front foot.

Re front foot shots - I had a net the other day with a couple of the lads and they pointed out my initial stance was wrong. That meant that whatever initial move I made, however hard I tried to get my front foot to the pitch to play a straight drive, I was always going to be off balance. Get one of the batsmen in the team who knows what he's doing to take a look at you. It could be the same thing. By the end of the session I was smashing the ball straight back over the bowler's head, something I've never been able to do before. All it was was a case of shifting the position of my feet a couple of inches each way as I stood at the crease.