Cricket Coaching Batting Tips / Adapting To Different Playing Surfaces

by Asp
(Dubai)

Michael Clarke – Mastering Foreign Conditions In India

Dear Sir,

I used to play on normal wickets as an opening batsman, now I am in Dubai, the problem I am facing here is most of the wickets are made of concrete (top surface is smooth as mirror). I cannot time the ball on this surface (I have a high backlift) because the ball skids and goes past me very quicky before I can even think of playing a shot. I’ve seen other players playing very easily on these wickets. Sir, can you help me with this issue.

Hi, this situation applies to all batters when they find themselves playing on surfaces they haven’t experienced before. This happens all the way through a cricketer’s life, from the schoolboy graduating from artificial surfaces to turf, going to different parts of their country where the wickets are unlike what they usually play on, to the international players who go to tour and compete in conditions far removed from where they learnt the game.

It is important not to under estimate the challenge this poses, going to the subcontinent has always been the great challenge for batters who have grown up in the southern hemisphere and europe. As we have seen time after time with the sides from Asia, the reverse is true when they are off home soil, it is a very different game when the ball bounces and seams.

I have chosen the picture of Michael Clarke for this hundred against India in a losing cause, there is probably no greater a challenge for a non subcontinent batter than to score a hundred in India.

So what you are experiencing in Dubai is what the subcontinent players go through when they go to Australia and South Africa, pace and bounce.

Let’s apply the first law of training to your situation, specificity. Your game has evolved playing on slower, lower wickets and now you need to learn how to play on quick, bouncy wickets.

To apply this first law of training you need to bat as much as possible on the concrete surfaces so your brain starts to learn to how to adjust to the pace and bounce.

Play on those specific surfaces in practice and games as much as possible.

WATCH THE BALL closely, when you are playing in new conditions it is easy to get over whelmed by all the things you think you should be doing. Pay attention to one thing at a time. The first and most important thing to pay attention to is the ball !

21 days is how long it takes to build new habits; gameplan, focus and strokeplay are the habits of batting, so be patient whilst you do the learning.

Game plan and strategy: Do your homework on how batters are being successful on these surfaces?

How are they playing and where are they looking to score? You can always ‘borrow’ and copy their game plan to work out simple scoring options.The great players do this all the time.

You’ve seen other batters doing well, alot of these players will be like you, they won’t be Dubai locals, they’ll be players from other parts of asia, so ask them how they made the adjustments.

Don’t distract yourself with technical thoughts about backlifts etc, just watch the ball, you have enough to think about without wondering where your arms are going when you are picking the bat up. If you find you want to make an adjustment, then let it grow naturally into your game.

Some simple tips: Still play to your strengths, but because of the bounce you will find it more difficult to drive off a length, so work on your cut, pull and straight drive. Wait for the bowler to bowl fuller and straighter to use the straight drive. The off and cover drive are more challenging because of the bounce so you will wait for a half volley length for these strokes.

As always your rotation game will be important, particularly at the start of your innings as you get yourself in, so work on getting off strike with soft hand defensive shots, working on dropping the ball in front of you and to the side to get off strike.

Good Luck 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.