Hey chaps,

I need some help. I'm coaching my 10yo son batting.

When he is batting in the nets, he is brilliant - he can play the cuts, pulls and drives that I had been practising so hard with him. But when I take him to the cricket pitch (out in the centre) he seems to struggle. His timing and footwork seem to desert him.

How do I overcome this problem ? I;m open to any suggestions ?

Thanks.

Make him practice on the actual pitch... in nets there is no fear of getting out, and some shots we play in nets are actually catches but we tend to think they are not. usually nets should only be used for getting your eye in, knowing your power and your strengths..but if you make him practice on the actual pitch he will get more confidence..have some of your family members as acting fielders..let him play his shots in the middle and keep telling him, its the same thing as nets.  have some throw down on the actual wicket first

throw him 20 balls for each shot..start like this

Front foot defence = 20 balls

front foot shots, (cover drive, straight drive and on drive) each 20 balls

back foot defence,  20 balls

back foot shots, cuts, pulls and back foot drives. each 20 balls.

once he will know and have a little practice of playin these shots he will be set...

i had the same problem when i was a child, my dad kept doing this to me until i got confidence. hope it wors!

at 10 years old there's not alot you can do. I guess you could help him develop a game plan e.g. play defensively then knock around some singles and score faster.

Learning how to play in a match is something that comes with experience and mental toughess at 10 years old you just got to let him learn the hard way. I mean teaching a 10 year old how to handle pressure and how to handle his mind is not something you can just force feed him. He'll learn himself in time.

Thanks guys for all your help. I tried the throwing drill on the weekend and then he is now getting better. Need to work on it for many weeks. I guess.

10 Years old!!!, how many games has he played. I'd say get him more game experience. Ask him what's on his mind as well to see if its nerves

It took me years for me to get settled at the crease, I used to be a nervous reck and now I'm as calm and cool as Damion Martyn

here some advie from me, i thought i posted this before, but i guess my connection must have failed!

try get your son to focus on the process of executing each shot, and to be proud of the shots he has played, even if he onlys scores a few runs, as when he gains confidence from the good shots played, the runs will move along, he basically needs to learn to focus on playing the ball, and not the situation!

let me know how this works!

Well I hate batting in the nets as it is cramped and I fell like I have to stop horizontal bat shots what may be happening is your sons may be intimidated by the wide space and his focus is less channeled. That may be the soloution is to just get him to focus on the ball in the middle. An old stump and a tennis ball helps me

when i used to bat in the crease on the pitch i used to shake but now i just overcome that i have a very good way of making myself stay in longer think of it like this "you cant do anything in the changing rooms right?" thats my way of thinking about it i hope it works for you it helped me and also just take every ball as a step so for example ball 1 is step 1 ball 2 is step 2 and build this up to 6 balls which is a over and start again this keeps my concentration up.

I used to get nervous when I was only 10. My advice though is to stop taking him to the nets, it doesn't give a real simulation of being out on the field. And try to eliminate the fear of getting out, it will make him play better, I made my first fifty when i was calm and relaxed. Once he makes a good score he will have no trouble.

One final thing, does he play pairs, that always good for young batsmen as when you're out you only use a few runs rather than walking back to the pavillion.