Coaching: Renegade back foot?

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Renegade back foot?

Printed From: Cricket World
Category: Let's Talk Cricket
Forum Name: Coaching
Forum Discription: How to improve your Game
URL: http://www.cricketworld.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=3472
Printed Date: 18 May 2013 at 7:06pm
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Topic: Renegade back foot?

Posted By: Whitheand
Subject: Renegade back foot?
Date Posted: 11 April 2007 at 9:36am

Hi all,
I've been having trouble playing, well, most front foot shots. Not that I'm unable to do them, because I play most of them absolutely fine. It's just that when I play them, as mostly an involuntary action, my backfoot 'slides' about 50-75cm to my left. While it feels perfectly natural for me, Noone else does it, and I cop a bit of flak for this way of batting.
Any advice on whether this is normal or not and if I should try to stop this from happening.

Replies:

Posted By: Clobber
Date Posted: 11 April 2007 at 1:10pm

If it isn't causing you to get out, and you are scoring off your back foot shots I wouldn't worry about it

Posted By: Pietersen Fan
Date Posted: 11 April 2007 at 10:28pm

just let yourself react to the ball coming into you, without forcing yourself to do things, if thats the way that works the best for you then whats wrong wiht that, some of the best batsmen in the world dont go completly textbook

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check out the ultimate spinners guide - spinny.co.nr

Posted By: NewBowler
Date Posted: 12 April 2007 at 12:04am

Keep doing what you're doing if your getting the runs and it feels natural for you to do.

A lot of good batsmen (and bowlers too for that matter) aren't exactly textbook.

And batsmen wouldn't have so many shots they could use if it wasn't for people who weren't textbook batsmen.

The sweep, slog sweep and reverse sweep are good examples of this.

Time old saying but worth saying again:

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Posted By: Chin Music
Date Posted: 12 April 2007 at 3:03pm

I disagree with the majority view here - although I don't normally like to encourage orthodoxy for the sake of it, because "it's the done thing", what you are describing here does sound to me like a serious fault, even if it's not causing you problems now it might later. If it's the problem I think your'e describing (which is quite a familiar one from observation), it's incorrect at such a fundamental level that it is, or will be, harmfull to your batting overall

Basically (correct me if I'm wrong), it sounds like you are getting in to position to play the drive the wrong way, ie instead of moving the front foot forward you're moving your back foot back, so ending up in the same position but with two key differences - 1) you're not getting as far forward towards the pitch of the ball as you should be for driving and 2) more importantly, your weight is being transferred away from the ball, hence messing up your timing and balance.

As everyone else says, don't be overly keen to be perfectly textbook in everything you do, but if I've understood what you said right then my opinion is that this is one thing worth working to change. It may feel a lot worse to start with, but that doesn't mean it's less effective in the long term. Having said that, if you're still hitting your front foot shots alright you're obviously not doing it to too great a degree so maybe won't be difficult to change. If you are gonig to make a fundamental change like this, try if you possibly can to work on it in a one-on-one session with a good coach.

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Turnham Green CC
Fast bowler & middle/lower-order bat

Posted By: NZ_Fast
Date Posted: 13 April 2007 at 1:02am

Agree with Chin Music here, it sounds like a fundamental flaw that in the long run will be a big weakness bowlers can target. I used to do the same thing, thougn not quite as pronounced and i used to always snick the real quick bowlers (though i am a number 9). but since i fixed it, i hardly ever snick the ball any more.

Posted By: Whitheand
Date Posted: 13 April 2007 at 1:11am

Actually, that's not really correct. I do put my front forward. It's about the time that I make contact with the bowl that my backfoot does it's little slide.

Posted By: Smack
Date Posted: 13 April 2007 at 7:21am

Out of interest, does the back foot slide more to quicker bowling?

Often quicker bowlers can cause some batsmen to "back away". They still play the ball but often both feet can end up outside legstump. You might have a slightly different version of the same problem.

Also is your back foot flat on the ground when you drive or do you raise your toe?

I assume we are talking just about the cover/sqaure drive here. I mean if your back foot is sliding outwards then your body must be facing coverish. Its hard to see how your back foot could slide out when playing a straight or on drive.

Posted By: Whitheand
Date Posted: 13 April 2007 at 8:25am

Originally posted by Smack

Out of interest, does the back foot slide more to quicker bowling?

Yes, much more so

Originally posted by Smack

Often quicker bowlers�can cause some batsmen to�"back away". They still play the ball but often both feet can end up outside legstump. You might have a slightly different version of the same problem.

This sounds very similar to what I do.

Originally posted by Smack

Also is your back foot flat on the ground when you drive or do you raise your toe?

When I drive my bat foot is generally resting on my toe.

Originally posted by Smack

I assume we are talking just about the cover/sqaure drive here. I mean if your back foot is sliding outwards then your body must be�facing coverish. Its hard to see how your back foot could slide out when playing a straight or on drive.

Well, it does to a certain degree with On- and Straight-driving, but nowhere as near as much as happens when I cover-drive or square-drive the ball.

Posted By: Smack
Date Posted: 14 April 2007 at 1:21am

Well to correct your backing away it might take some practice. Possible solutions:

1) I'd suggest placing a pair of pads behind your feet when your batting in the nets. This will force you to keep your feet in line, otherwise you will end up hitting/stepping on the pads.

2) You could try adopting a trigger movement of going across your stumps, forcing you to get in line with the ball.

3) You could try opening your stance, so your standing at an angle with your toes pointing towards cover instead of point.

You need coaching really but try those 3 and see how if any of them work for you.