Cricket Batting Exercises

The legendary Australian cricketer Sir Donald Bradman (1908-2001), as an 8-year-old boy, practiced by throwing a golf ball at the base of an outside rainwater tank. He would hit the erratic rebound with a cricket stump (one-inch diameter). The coordination he developed made him the greatest batsman the world has ever known. His exercise lives in cricket lore but is too difficult for most batsman of any age. Here are some exercises for mortals.

  1. Preparation

    • Practice the grip until its automatic. A correct grip and stance lets you play a full range of shots. Place hands on the handle with the V formed by thumb and forefinger of the top hand pointing to your front shoulder, and the V on the bottom hand pointing to the back. Keep hands together in the middle of the handle. Practice the stance, with your feet straddling the batting crease while shoulder-width apart. Crouch slightly, toes on the mark of center stump or your preferred spot. Keep weight forward and rest the bottom of the bat on the ground, your front hand resting on the inside of your front thigh.
      Practice the back-lift until it is automatic, lifting the bat up to horizontal at the imagined moment the bowler delivers. Practice a near-straight back-lift, toward the first-slip position. Keep the hands close to the body and the rest will follow. Practice keeping your eyes level and the leading elbow high, pointing at the bowler. Once these preparations have been mastered it is time to practice in the nets.

    Nets

    • In the nets, the batsman is surrounded on three sides by netting to contain the ball. Writes Julian Knight in "Cricket for Dummies," it is the place to develop muscle memory. He recommends practicing as you would play in a match, slowly and defensively at first until you have "played yourself in." Then practice aggressive shots. Work on footwork, stepping forward a pace to reach the pitch of the ball. If you can't get to where it pitches, do not try to drive it--defend. Practice playing back to short-pitched balls in defense and attack, always getting your body behind the ball. Work on weaknesses and don't worry how many times they hit your stumps. Watch the ball onto the bat.
      In the nets you will face a barrage of contrasting deliveries from the bowlers in the team. Don't be afraid to ask for specific types, such as over-pitched deliveries to practice driving. A 10-minute net practice is a microcosm of what you will experience in the match. Every shot has its own technique and all develop from the defensive strokes.

    Last Minute

    • Batsmen often have last-minute practice--when padded up and waiting their turn at the crease--with a few throw-downs from a teammate. It settles the nerves and gets them in the groove.The teammate lobs the ball from six to eight yards away, not too hard, to land it in front of the batsman. The length should be just right for a gentle bat back and for the batsman to practice the forward defensive stroke, to get the back-lift working and the feet moving.