Cricket Batting Tips / Opening The Batting And Taking Wickets

by Hemanath
(Bengaluru, India )

Hashim Amla Batting

Hello Coach,

I am 13 years old and a left handed batsmen and a pace bowler. Normally I open the batting or get to the pitch after two wickets and open the bowling as well.

Please pass on some batting tips as I am struggling against fast bowlers and to take wickets in test matches. Appreciate your reply soon.

Hi Hemanath,
as an opening batter facing fast bowlers its important you get through the new ball, batting becomes easier after this.

You want to be able to score runs off them, but low risk, without having to play shots you don’t want to. To do this you will work on your rotation game, picking up singles and hitting the ball into space to get off strike.

Practice Drill: Playing with soft hands is important here, have a friend, coach or parent throw to you in the nets and practise playing defensively off front and back foot when the ball is bowled straight at you.

Picture and imagine having four boxes around you, one each in front and behind you on the off and leg side, in the drill you allow the ball to come right up to you and drop the ball in the box.

Look at the picture of Hashim Amla here and you’ll see how his body is forward and how relaxed his hands are, to either drop the ball in front of him, or accelerate them through into a drive.

The bottom hand relaxes on impact and you angle the bat down toward the ground slightly, rather than you pushing the ball out toward the fielder.

It means the fielders in the ring have to sprint in to collect the ball and it gives you time to run through for a single.

Singles frustrate bowlers and they usually try to change their line or length after this, often giving you boundary scoring options.

Practise hitting your favourite boundary shots off front and back foot, so that when the boundary ball does come you can put it away. Your 3 key shots to master are drive, pull and cut.

Bowling Tips. In the bowling tips section read through the taking wickets tips, you’ll see how important it is to control your line and length to build up pressure. If you’re a genuine fast bowler, continue to bowl fast while you work on your control.

Best wishes Coach

About Richard Pybus

I'm Richard Pybus, I've coached Pakistan, Bangladesh, Middlesex, Titans and the Cape Cobras in South Africa and the goal of this site is to help you to play winning cricket.