Fielding Development

CATCHING- PRINCIPLES FOR MOVING TO A CATCH
When moving towards a catch, the fielder needs to be aware of the position of the sun and the direction of the wind, relatives to the path of the ball. The fielder should:
Look and listen to get an idea of the impact of the stroke and to track the ball
Move quickly and smoothly to the line and depth of the ball, keeping the hands and arms loose so they can respond smoothly to receive the ball
Run low, so you can accelerate, change direction or drive to receive the catch if required
For difficult catches, slide so the body provides a more stable base for the hands to softly catch the ball.

CATCHING MOVING FORWARD
For catches where you must move forward, you should track the ball with 'relaxed eyes' and run smoothly, staying low. For the difficult catches, you can slide or drive to give a stable base for the hands. Keep your hands and arms soft.

CATCHING MOVING TO THE SIDE
For catches where you need to move sideways, you should run quickly and smoothly and 'round up' the ball, keeping your hands and arms soft. For difficult catches, slide or use a shoulder roll to keep the body steady and control the ball.

CATCHING MOVING BACK
For catches where you need to move backward, you should turn on your side and run smoothly with the ball, in the direction the ball is moving overhead. Keep your hands and arms soft.

ATTACKING GROUND FIELDING - TRIPOD POSITIONING
For a fielder who throws with the right hand, the tripod position is formed when the right foot is behind the line of the ball, the left foot is to the side and more advanced than the right foot to give a slight side -on body position, and the hands receiving the ball form the third part of the tripod.
To use the tripod position in an offensive ground-fielding situation, begin by tracking a spot on the ball, or the seam of the ball. Run low, with knees bent and hips low, and if necessary run around the ball to round it up, so the ball is received on the throwing-arm side in the tripod position. With hands soft and in front of the body, collect the ball in the tripod position, funnel the ball to the waist and then to shoulder level as the crow-hop os used to engage the whole body in the throw to the target.

Batting Development

TECHNICAL PHASES OF A BATTING STROKE
The distinct phases of a batting stroke are:
BACK-SWING - The back-swing should be guided by the top hand, to establish a foundation for a fluent vertical -bat shot, or both hands can combine for a horizontal or cross-bat stroke to a short or full-pitched ball. The batsman should rely on the senses to guide the movement.
DECISION-MAKING - You should rely on your senses to guide decision-making and your movement.
DOWNSWING - The downswing should be coordinated with the movement of the feet so the momentum of the body can be applied to the stroke at impact, and to allow fluency and generate power.
FOLLOW-THROUGH - During the follow-through, the batsman's balance should be maintained to achieve fluency in stroke-making.

GRIP WITH GUIDING TOP HAND
The top hand on the bat, which is left hand for a right-hand batsman, is important in guiding the swing of the bat through the direction of the stroke. This is especially so with vertical-bat strokes to well-directed balls. With the horizontal-bat strokes, to less well-directed balls, both hands are important and the bottom hand supplies added power.

Wrist Spin Development

WRIST-SPIN DELIVERY TYPES
A wrist-spinner can use several delivery types, including the leg-break, top-spinner, wrong'un, and flipper or backspinner.

PHASES OF WRIST-SPIN BOWLING ACTION
There are four distinct phases of the wrist-spin bowler's action
APPROACH- The approach should be short and efficient, just long enough to provide balance and build rhythm and momentum that can be transferred to the ball at delivery.
GATHER- The gather is the all-important transition from the run-up to the delivery, as the bowler springs or leaps off the front foot to swivel in the air and land on the back foot immediately prior to delivery.
DELIVERY STRIDE AND RELEASE- The delivery stride is longer for most wrist-spinners than finger-spinners. This is the time when the rhythm and momentum developed during the run-up is transferred and applied to the ball on release. This transfer is maximized by the rhythmical pivot on the front leg.
FOLLOW THROUGH- The follow through occurs as the back leg continues forward and across the body after release. After the back foot lands following the release of the ball, the bowler may take another step or two or may spring to the 'ready position' to the field or catch after the batsman plays a shot. At this stage, the bowler becomes a key player in the fielding team, particularly in relation to strokes in the direction of the bowler or for returns from the field if there is the chance of a run-out at the non-striker's end.

PRACTICAL PRINCIPLE OF WRIST-SPIN BOWLING

• Develop a feel for the ball, with the dynamic double-hinge action that comes from finger strength and the wrist-snap producing spin and 'fizz' to make the delivery lively and venomous
• Spin the ball hard, to achieve flight, rift, drop and sharp turn
• Understand that spin and flight(drift, drop and hang0 are dependent upon the direction and amount of spin imparted and the body action.
• Develop a strong spinning leg-break as a stock ball
• Develop a big spinning leg-break with maximum revolutions
• Develop variations of spin, pace, flight/drift, and trajectory
• Practice bowling at targets to refine accuracy with all deliveries, while also maintaining the capacity to spin the ball sharply
• Develop their own points of difference

VARIATION

STOCK DELIVERIES

A spinner's stock delivery serves as the foundation for adding subtle variations of flight and pace. A stock leg-spin delivery should be strong-spinning leg-break that can be bowled with confidence in various situations. A stock finger-spin delivery should be a strong-spinning off-break that can provide the basis upon which variations of spin and flight can be developed and perfected.

BOWLING TO INTENDED TARGET

A spinner must be able to exert pressure on the batsman and the batting team by bowling as accurately as possible, thereby minimizing the number of loose deliveries and making the batsman play at the ball. The constant aim is to pitch the ball where the batsman will be uncomfortable and will be undecided as to whether to defend or attack.

WRIST-SPIN WITH FLIGHT AND PACE VARIATIONS

Wrist-spin should be bowled with variations of flight and pace to create different trajectory, spin, and bounce. Wrist-can is bowled with different blends of spin, flight, and pace to create different flights paths, in terms of drift and drop, and then different amount of turn and bounce.

ATTACKING AND DEFENSIVE FIELDS FOR FINGER-SPIN

Attacking fields for finger-spin bowling will have more fielders in catching positions and saving singles in the infield ring, in order to put more pressure on the batsman. As with wrist-spinning, the bowler should resist the temptation to reduce the spin of the ball and therefore the wicket-taking potential simply to increase accuracy. If the bowler is using a line outside off stump, the batsman is encouraged to play against the spin and into the off side, to a 5/4 or 6/3 balance.

The defensive field setting for finger-spin also depends on the bowling line. If bowling an outside off-stump line, the usual defensive field will have a 5/4 balance (or a 6/3 balance for more accurate bowlers).

Finger Spin Development

 FINGER-SPIN DELIVERY TYPES

A finger-spinner can use several delivery types, including the off-break, arm ball, and doosra.

PHASES OF FINGER-SPIN BOWLING ACTION

APPROACH- The approach should be short and efficient, just long enough to provide balance and build rhythm and momentum that can be transferred to the ball at delivery.

GATHER-  The gather is the all-important transition from the run-up to the delivery, as the bowler springs or leaps off the front foot to swivel in the air and land on the back foot immediately prior to delivery.

DELIVERY STRIDE- The delivery stride will be similar to that used by wrist-spinners except that for a finger-spinners refer to 'digging a trench' as they pivot on their front foot and achieve a dynamic twist with the body, in order to transfer momentum to the spinning of the ball at release.

FOLLOW THROUGH- The follow-through will be similar to that used by wrist-spinners. Most finger-spinners pivot dynamically around the front foot at the release of the delivery and immediately spring into the 'ready position', with both feet in front of the batting crease at the non-striker's end, ready to play a role in the field.

PRACTICAL PRINCIPLE OF FINGER-SPIN BOWLING

• Develop finger strength and their wrist action
• Spin the ball hard, to achieve flight, drift, drop and sharp turn
• Develop the ability to maximize spin by imparting the maximum revolutions, to generate drift, drop and turn
• Develop a strong spinning stock ball
• Develop big spinning off-break
• Develop variations of spin, pace, flight/drift, and trajectory
• Bowl at targets to refine accuracy while maintaining the big-spinning capacity
• Develop an arm-ball that can be bowled at different speeds to suit circumstances
• Develop their own points of difference

VARIATION
STOCK DELIVERIES
A spinner's stock delivery serves as the foundation for adding subtle variations of flight and pace. A stock leg-spin delivery should be strong-spinning leg-break that can be bowled with confidence in various situations. A stock finger-spin delivery should be a strong-spinning off-break that can provide the basis upon which variations of spin and flight can be developed and perfected.

BOWLING TO INTENDED TARGET
A spinner must be able to exert pressure on the batsman and the batting team by bowling as accurately as possible, thereby minimizing the number of loose deliveries and making the batsman play at the ball. The constant aim is to pitch the ball where the batsman will be uncomfortable and will be undecided as to whether to defend or attack.

FINGER-SPIN WITH FLIGHT AND PACE VARIATIONS
Finger-spin should be bowled with different combinations of spin and flight, in order to produce different trajectories and different amounts of turn and bounce. This provides variety in deliveries and develops uncertainty in the mind of the batsman.

ATTACKING AND DEFENSIVE FIELDS FOR FINGER-SPIN
Attacking fields for finger-spin bowling will have more fielders in catching positions and saving singles in the infield ring, in order to put more pressure on the batsman. As with wrist-spinning, the bowler should resist the temptation to reduce the spin of the ball and therefore the wicket-taking potential simply to increase accuracy. If the bowler is using a line outside off stump, the batsman is encouraged to play against the spin and into the off side, to a 5/4 or 6/3 balance.

The defensive field setting for finger-spin also depends on the bowling line. If bowling an outside off-stump line, the usual defensive field will have a 5/4 balance (or a 6/3 balance for more accurate bowlers).

Pace Bowling Development

BALANCED AND ALIGNED ACTION TO RELEASE UPRIGHT SEAM
Pace bowlers need to focus their attention and direct all body movements through the target, as the aim is to bowl each delivery past the batsman to the wicketkeeper or to hit the stumps. The direction of the upright seam determines the shape of the delivery.

FAST, MEDIUM-FAST AND MEDIUM CATEGORIES
Pace bowlers are generally classified in one of the three categories, based on their speed:

• A fast bowler is usually athletic, strong and physically explosive; aims to hit the pitch hard and surprise the batsman with pace and bounce, and their change of pace can be very damaging
• A medium-fast bowler is generally strong and physically assertive and should develop subtle variations of pace, combined with swing and cut
• A medium-pace bowler is typically strong with good endurance and should develop accuracy combine with subtle variations of pace, swing, cut and tactics 

PRINCIPLES AND OBJECTIVES OF PACE BOWLING

To maximize their chances of succeeding, pace bowlers need to:

• Have an economical run-up to build momentum to the delivery stride, with a smooth follow-through
• Be able to bowl a stock ball with accuracy and variation
• Develop weapons for wicket-taking balls, which may include accuracy, change of pace, swing, cut and surprise
• Assess each batsman to identify their preferences, preliminary movements, concentration levels, strengths, weaknesses, and vulnerabilities
• Have a strong concentration and focus
• Make use of a physical training program and practice program

INTENDED TARGET AREAS

The basic area at which a pace bowler should aim just short of a good length on off stump. However, because all batsmen are unique, the bowler must be able, depending on the preferences, preliminary movements, strengths and weaknesses of the batsman. The area considered a 'good length' may vary for each individual batsman.

VARIATION

USE OF MOVEMENT IN THE AIR

Swing is a very important weapon for a pace bowler but the bowler must also realize that some conditions will make it difficult to swing the ball. The bowler's accuracy and control of pace must be developed so that he/she can contend with each batsman and each situation. While accuracy and the ability to consistently bowl a stock ball are important in building the pressure on the batsman, subtle changes of pace are essential to keep the batsman guessing. Any plan must be supported by a well-placed field to apply pressure- catches and run-outs often result from the pressure that the bowler and the fielders exert.

When the conditions to allow for swing bowling, it is important that the bowler maintains an upright seam. The seam acts as a rudder and helps to direct the swing.

SWING BOWLING

OUTSWING

To bowl outswing (for a right-arm bowler) the ball should be gripped with a seam angled to point at third slip. At release, the first finger leaves the ball last to keep the seam steady and upright. The bowler should then follow through in the direction of the desired swing.

INSWING

To bowl inswing (for a right-arm bowler) the ball should be gripped with the seam angled to point at to fine leg. At release, the second finger leaves the ball last to keep the seam steady and upright in the direction of fine leg. The bowler should then follow through through the back leg (right leg) in the direction of the desired swing.

Swing bowling aids should be introduced to demonstrate the importance of the upright seam and to enable the bowlers to experiences methods to keep the seam upright throughout its flight. These can include wooden discs, flat boot-polish tins (to simulate the upright seam), waffle balls, airflow balls or tennis balls with one side taped to facilitate the swing.

STANDARD FIELD PLACEMENTS FOR SWING BOWLING

Standard field placements for swing bowling should be based upon normal 5/4 off-side balance, with more close-catching fielders on the side of the wicket to which the ball is more commonly swinging.

USING LINE TO RESTRICT SCORING OPPORTUNITIES

Pace bowlers can restrict scoring opportunities for the batsmen by bowling outside off stump with a strong off-side field

Another option is to bowl middle and leg, with a strong leg-side field. This is especially useful for a batsman who has difficulty with deliveries pitched in this area, in some cases because they make an early commitment forward and have to play around their front leg. 

Tactical - 1

RUNNING BETWEEN THE WICKETS

PRINCIPLES AND OBJECTIVES OF RUNNING BETWEEN THE WICKET
When running between the wickets, the batsman should:

• Make the decision as quickly as possible on whether to run or not
• Communicate clearly with your batting partner with the calls 'Yes', or 'No', or 'Wait'.
• Run the first run hard
• Turn low, facing the direction of the ball, Place the bat over the batting crease and stay low to accelerate quickly into the next run

CALLING
Call clearly and support the call with a hand signal, if appropriate. The calls that should be used are 'Yes', or 'No', or 'Wait'.

RUNNING WITH THE BAT
Run with the bat held across the body, with the bottom hand holding the blade, to provide a balanced sprit- running position.

SILIDING THE BAT
Slide the bat into the crease when sprinting to avoid a potential run-out. With the bat held in the top hand, and weight projected forward, extend the bat towards the batting crease, with the side/edge of the bat landing before the crease and sliding over the crease. Ensure that it continues to slide until your feet are safely over the crease.

Cricket Drills

To be a good cricket player requires:

Good hand-eye coordination
The ability to throw and catch a ball
Good batting and bowling technique
The ability to concentrate for sometimes long periods of time
Below we’ll practice exercises that develop skills 1-2. Good concentration is a skill that can only be developed over time.

DRILL 1 BATTING: HAND EYE CO-ORDINATION AND BATTING TECHNIQUE.
The late great Don Bradman used to do this exercise every day as a kid (and it sure worked for him).

Stand about 4 meters back from a concrete wall and hit a tennis ball into the wall. When the ball rebounds hit it again.
When hitting face side on to the wall, feet shoulder width apart, bat lifted ready to hit the ball. As you hit the ball keep your front elbow up and hit straight through the ball so it bounces once before hitting the wall.
Try to hit the ball as many times as possible before you lose control and you can even compete against your friends to see who can get the highest number of hits.
As you improve try using a golf ball to increase the difficulty.


DRILL 2 FIELDING: HAND-EYE COORDINATION, THROWING, AND CATCHING
“Catches win matches” as the old saying goes so improving hand-eye coordination for catching is very important.

Place two balls on the ground 3 meters in front of a wall.
Pick up the first ball throw it at the wall, clap your hands and the catch the ball with two hands as it rebounds off the wall.
Then place the ball back on the ground, run to a marker behind you 10 meters away from the wall and run back to the second ball.
Pick up the second ball throw it at the wall, clap your hands and catch the ball with one hand.
Place the ball on the ground, run back to the 10-meter marker and return to the first ball, and repeat.
Aim to increase speed and go as many times as you can without dropping the ball.
You can also practice catching with your non-dominant hand at the second ball station.

DRILL  3: BOWLING TECHNIQUE
Learning a proper cricket bowling technique can be difficult for beginners so it’s important to start slowly, get the technique right and then worry about the accuracy of the bowl later. The “Rock and Bowl” is a great learners drill.

Stand side on to the batsmen/wickets with your dominant hand at the back.
Hold the ball with both hands under your chin and turn your head sideways to face the batsmen/target.
Rock back and forth transferring weight from the front foot to the back foot in a smooth consistent motion.
Now as you rock back to end your back arm and when you rock forward let to your front arm extend and pull down and your back arm comes over your head and releases the ball in the direction of the batsmen.
This will take patience and practice to feel comfortable and it’s important to watch your favorite bowlers to see their techniques for some extra tips.

Practicing these 3 drills regularly will give the basic skills of cricket

Basic Exercise

There is six major exercise it will do on a daily morning.

1. Jogging

     Slow jogging about 15 - 20 mins.

2. High Plank

• Start on your hands and knees on the ground. Your hands and knees should be shoulder-width apart, hands under shoulders and knees under hips.
• Lift your knees off the ground and step your feet back, bringing your body to full extension. You want to create one long line that connects your shoulders, hips, and ankles.
• Reach back through your heels and forward through the crown of your head. To keep your neck and spine in a neutral position, try aiming your chin about six inches in front of your body.
• Keeping a tight core is key here. Tighten your quads, engage your abdominals, and push through your palms. Keep those hips lifted and don't forget to breathe!
• Moving your feet closer together will make this exercise more challenging.

3. Bodyweight Squat

• Start standing with your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart, feet turned out about 5-15 degrees.
• Hinge your hips back toward a wall (real or imaginary) behind you, and bend your knees to lower into a squat.
• Keep the weight in your heels and your chest upright. Keep your knees in line with your feet (don't let them buckle in).
• Go as low as you can, then push through your heels to return to standing.

4. Push-Up

• Start in a high plank position and place your palms under your shoulders or slightly wider. Keep your fingers pointing directly forward.
• Keep your core tight and bend elbows to lower torso toward the floor. Don't let your hips drop down before your chest lowers.
• Go as low as you can, then push through your palms to straighten your arms.

5. Reverse Lunge

• Start in a standing position with your feet about shoulder-width apart.
• Inhale as you step backward with your right foot. Land on the ball of your right foot and keep your heel off the ground.
• Now bend your knees creating two 90-degree angles with your legs. Your left shin should be perpendicular to the floor and your left knee is stacked above your left ankle. Aim to have your back knee hovering about 3-6 inches off the ground. Get low!
• You want to have your shoulders directly above your hips and your chest is upright.
• Push off with your back foot and press through your front heel to return to standing.

6. Burpee

• Start standing with your feet hip-distance apart. Then bring your palms to the floor.
• Jump your feet back so that you are in high plank, keeping your core tight and your hips lifted.
• Bend your elbows and do a push-up, returning to high plank. (Some variations of the burpee skip this step or do it slightly differently. Do what works best for you!)
• Now jump your feet to the outsides of your hands and explode up. Reach your arms overhead as you jump as high as you can.

Cricket Basic Rules

• Cricket is played between two teams each made up of eleven players.
• Games comprise of at least one innings where each team will take turns in batting and fielding/bowling.
• The fielding team will have a bowler bowl the ball to the batsman who tries to hit the ball with their bat.
• The fielding team tries to get the batsmen out by…
• Hitting the wickets with the ball when bowling
• Catching a batsman’s shot on the full
• Hitting the batsman’s leg in front of the wicket (LBW)
• Or hitting the wickets before the batsmen can run to the other end of the pitch
• The batsmen try to score as many runs as possible before getting out by…
• Hitting the ball and running between the wickets and making it to the other end before the fielders can hit the wickets with the ball. Each time you run one full length of the pitch it equals 1 run.
• Hitting the ball to the boundary along the ground is 4 runs.
• Hitting the ball over the boundary on the full equals 6 runs.
• The fielding team must get 10 batsmen out before they can change over and start batting.
• The aim of the game is to score as many runs as possible before the fielding team takes 10 wickets. The team with the most runs wins.

Basic of Wicket Keeping

PRINCIPLES AND OBJECTIVES OF WICKET KEEPING

• The basic fielding responsibilities of a wicketkeeper are:
• Watch the ball at the time
• Stay low to receive the ball in soft hands and with a soft body
• practice with bowlers and fielders

In addition, the wicketkeeper is central to the performance and mood of the fielding team. While in the field, the wicketkeeper should:

• Support the bowlers and fielders, by his/her actions as well as encouraging words.
• Inspire the fielding team.
• Continually backup and support all members of the fielding team.

WICKETKEEPING EQUIPMENT

1. Gloves

2. Inner gloves

3. Pads

4. protector

5. Helmet (When keeping up to the stumps) or cap

POSITIONING FOR DIFFERENT TYPES OF BOWLERS

The wicketkeeper's body should be positioned to give a clear, uninterrupted view of the bowler releasing the ball, and the full trajectory of the ball. This should be achieved from a balanced, crouched state.

CROUCHED, READY POSITION

The Wicketkeeper should begin crouched in a ready position, with the weight on the balls of the feet. The hands should be open and in front of the body, with the back of the hands on the ground, awaiting the delivery.

BASIC CATCHING TECHNIQUES

The same basic catching principle that applies to the field also apply to wicketkeeping. The hands and body should be soft, to cushion the catch, and the fingers should point down, up or to the side, depending on where the ball is in relation to the wicketkeeper.

The Wicketkeeper should stay low and rise after the ball bounces. The wicketkeeper should free their elbows- the elbows tend to be away from the body so that the hands can move freely and to cushion the catch.

KEEPING BACK

CORRECT POSITIONING FOR KEEPING BACK

A couch in a balanced position, from where there is a clear view of the release of the ball. This position should also allow the wicketkeeper to take the ball at waist level as the ball is on the way down.

CATCHING THE BALL

The wicketkeeper should position the body so that the ball is taken in line with the inside hip. This allows wicketkeeper to catch more outside edge and able to cover more ground to accept thicker, wider outside edges. When catching the ball, the fingers should not point at the ball - they should point up, down or to the side.

SIDESTEP / CROSSOVER FOOTWORK

For wider balls, it is important to move quickly in order to align the eyes and the gloves with the line of the ball. To do this, stay low with smooth and sharp footwork, which should be practiced regularly. The first sidestep should be a definite one, with the inside foot closing to the outside foot, which itself steps again to ensure the body is balanced.

For wider deliveries, the outside footsteps to the side, and the inside foot crosses behind the outside foot, which then steps again for balance and/or to make further ground. For very wide deliveries, the hips may be opened to the side so the wicketkeeper can run to cover more ground and dive if necessary.

CATCHING TECHNIQUE - SOFT HANDS

When catching the ball, the wicketkeeper should always use soft hands. The body should also and should 'give' an impact of the ball. When standing back, the aim is to take the ball in line with the inside hip. This hip should be withdrawn to enable the gloves and arms to float with the ball and smoothly take the ball.

POSITIONING SLIP FIELDERS IN RELATION TO WICKETKEEPER'S STANCE

One of the wicketkeeper's role is to give the slip fielders and other close catchers advice on their positioning. The first slip should stand behind the level of the wicketkeeper and wide enough that both can cover an edge that goes in their direction. The second, third and wider slips and gully fielders should be staggered gradually closer to the level of the batsman. This is because a thicker edge is likely to move slower through the air and is unlikely to carry as deep as a thin edge.

Basic of Fielding

Catching - Principle
Fielders should be aware of the following :
1. Track the ball with relaxed eyes and let the senses guide the movement
2. Use soft hands- the hands should be relaxed and soft that they accept the ball.
3. The ball can be taken on the body When it traveling at the trunk.
4. Be aware of the position of the sun and the direction of the wind, relative to the path of the ball.

1. Close catching ( 1 to 5 meters)
with the eyes behind the ball and soft hands acting as cups, the fingers should be pointing up, down or to the side, depending on the height and the angle at which the ball approaches. The fingers should never be pointing straight at the ball. The knees and body should be soft and spongy to absorb the impact and receive the ball. Experiment with the balls lobbed directly at the body. The catcher should let the ball hit the soft body so that hands can wrap around the ball on the body, to receive the catch.

2. Mid fielding catching ( 8 to 20 meters)

Stay low and remove smoothly so the eyes are behind the line of the ball. Receive the ball with soft hands, with the finger pointing in the appropriate direction: the fingers point up for the catch at chest height and above; they point down for catches at waist level and below, and they point to the side for catches wide of the body.

3. Outfield catching ( 20+ meters)

For high outfield catches it's important to be aware of the condition. The wind, sun and ground conditions could all affect the catch. Look, listen and feel to track the flight of the ball. Catch with soft hands at eye level, using orthodox or baseball style, with the fingers pointing up The body should be soft and knees 'give', to act like the shock absorbers in cars and bikes.

Ground Fielding 
Track the ball and stay low when approaching it. Move smoothly to behind the line of the ball, as if rounding it up. Use soft hands to receive the ball, With the hands in front of the eyes.

Attacking ground fielding

Staying low, move smoothly to position the body so the ball is received on the throwing arm side of the body. The hands- soft hands - should be out in front to receive the ball. For an overarm throw, funnel the ball to the waist and then to the shoulder level, before crow-hopping to fluently throw the ball using the power of the whole body. The crow hop involves the fielder hopping into the air on the front foot to the back foot steps forward in the direction of the target. The front foot then drives towards the target to allow the ball to be thrown fluently, using the whole body.

Batting - Footwork

FOOTWORK
Good footwork is a major part of successful batting techniques as it makes it easier for the batsman to play. By moving forward towards the ball with the front foot, or back and away from the pitch of the ball with the back foot, the batsman is able to adjust the length to suit the shots, for example, a front-foot drive or a backward defensive stroke. Good footwork can combat the bowler's attempt to make the batsman uncomfortable by pitching the ball where it is difficult to hit.
Training activities should include front-foot drives, where the batsman can easily reach the bounce of the ball, front-foot defensive strokes, where the cannot be easily reached with a forward step and a defensive stroke is played for safety.
Back-foot strokes can then be introduced and refined. The back-foot defensive stroke is played to a ball that is well pitched but too short to play comfortably on the front foot. By stepping back to cover the stumps, the batsman can wait for the ball to come to him/her and to play a defensive stroke.
If the ball is pitched a little shorter, there is more time for the batsman to judge the bounce and pace of the ball and it may be possible to drive this delivery more power than can be applied with the defensive stroke. This should be practiced using balls through to targets to enable the batsman to drive the ball off the back foot, as target areas. Once these batting activities have been practiced, the perception and judgment aspect of batting must be introduced and practiced.

JUDGMENT OF LENGTH DECISION- MAKING

For a ball landing over the line, step FORWARD with the front foot to play the ball

For the ball landing short of the line, step BACK with the back foot to play the ball

For the ball landing on a good length, the batsman should take quick decision to play forward or backward, if the ball comes off side the batsman step forward to play the ball. If the ball comes leg side or near body, the batsman step backward to play the ball. 

FRONT-FOOT STROKES

PRINCIPLE AND OBJECTIVES OF FRONT-FOOT STROKE

When playing a front-foot stroke, the batsman should:

Track the ball and rely on the senses to guide his/her movement

Make sure the head moves to the line of the ball, closer to the point of contact

Move the front-foot towards the pitch of the ball, in the direction of the stroke

Ensure the hands are in front of the ball at impact

Hit through the line of the ball, with the top hand guiding the direction

If not taking off for a run, finish with the weight on the front foot, with the back toe on the ground, to maintain balance through the stroke

ATTACKING STROKES

When playing a front-foot stroke, the batsman should:

Track the ball and rely on the senses to guide his/her movement

Make sure the head moves to the line of the ball, closer to the point of contact

Move the front-foot towards the pitch of the ball, in the direction of the stroke

Hit through the line of the ball, with the top hand guiding the direction

Ensure the hands are in front of the ball at impact

If not taking off for a run, finish with the weight on the front foot, with the back toe on the ground, to maintain balance through the stroke

FRONT-FOOT DEFENSIVE STROKE

Relying on your senses, if you judge the ball as a good length ball the head and hands should be over the ball at impact. Stop the shot at the point of impact- 'feel' the ball on the bat and let it come to you.

BACK-FOOT STROKES

PRINCIPLE AND OBJECTIVES OF BACK-FOOT STROKE

When playing a front-foot stroke, the batsman should:

Track the ball and rely on the senses to guide his/her movement

Use the back-foot move to provide a better platform from which to hit the ball and protect the wicket

Move in line with the ball back across to the line of the ball on the middle and off stump and just outside the off; back and across to move inside the line of the ball on or outside the leg stump

Wait for the ball to come to you, particularly in defensive stroke; 'feel' the ball on the bat and let it come to you; direct the ball to space for a single, if possible

Brace against a firm body for vertical- bat attacking strokes on the back foot

Open body for horizontal-bat strokes to short balls. The back foot turns to face down the pitch, to achieve this more open position.

BACK-FOOT ATTACKING STROKES - PULL SHOT

Relying on your senses, if you judge the ball as short of a length, move the back foot back and across to open up your body. Hit down on the ball, swinging from high to low, and watch the ball onto the bat.

BACK-FOOT DEFENSIVE STROKE

Relying on your senses, if you judge the ball as short of a good length, step back and across and let the ball come to you. The head and hands should be over the ball at impact. Stop the shot at the point of impact and let the ball drop in front of you.

Keeping practicing regularly.

Basic of Batting

PRINCIPLES AND OBJECTIVES OF BATTING
The primary aim of batting is to score runs and to do this, a batsman must be able to:
1. Protect their wicket
2. Rotate the strike and run singles
3. Build momentum and compile an innings
4. Expert pressure on the fielding team

To achieve these goals, a batsman needs to understand the following technical aspects of batting.

STANCE
The player should stand astride the batting crease, with feet comfortably apart (up to shoulder-width part) and weight evenly distributed on the front and back feet. In the 'ready position', the eyes should be level and the hands should hold the bat resting on top of the pads.

GRIP

The grip of the bat needs to be comfortable and relaxed so the player can respond to the fast-moving ball. Most successful players use a grip with the hands together in the middle of the grip, with the 'V' shapes formed by the thumb and forefinger of each hand pointing generally towards the forward edge of the splice of the bat.

BACKLIFT

The backlift should occur in preparation for the bowler's release or as the ball is released, to ensure fluency of movement. The backlift should be reasonably straight (between the wicketkeeper and second slip).

TRACKING THE BALL

The batsmen should be watching the ball in the bowler's hand during the run-up and begin to focus at the moment the ball is released. Former Australian captain, Bob Simpson, used to say to himself ' now', as the ball was released, in order to maximize his focus on the ball. When the batsman is concentrating well, these early visual cues enable quick-decision making so the feet can move either forward or back to play the ball. The batsman movie is feet to adjust the length of the ball, to be in the best position to hit the ball and protect the stumps. The movement of the feet should be coordinated with the downswing of the bat to produce smooth and continues motion to meet the ball.

BATTING EQUIPMENT

1. Bat

2. Pads

3. Gloves

4. Protector

5. Helmet

6. Thigh pad

7. Inner thigh pad

8. Chestguard

9. Armguard

TOP HAND DOMINANCE (Vertical bat strokes)

Vertical bat strokes are most important as they are used to play balls that well-pitched. These deliver that are pitched in the general direction of the stumps and or about a 'good length', where the batsman may be uncertain whether to play forward or back, are more likely to dismiss the batsman bowled or caught through missing or misjudging the ball.

The vertical bat is used against these threating deliveries because it provides more surface area of the bat, to help deal with the uncertainty of the pitch and bounce. By applying with a vertical bat, the batsman also ensures that his eyes are positioned more in line with the ball and can, therefore guide the bat to meet the fast-approaching ball.

The top hand plays a very important role in steering the backswing and the downswing to meet well-pitched balls. There are numerous top-hand drills to channel the swing of the bat through the line of the ball. It is important to ensure these activities don't become too mechanical and detract from the natural flow of the bat to meet the ball.

HITTING THE BALL

A good way of developing the swing of the bat through the line of the well-directed delivery is to practice the vertical-bat front-foot drive. Stationary-ball activities such as this, using low batting tees, also reinforce the guiding role of the top hand. This tee-ball drive can then be repeated with a cricket bat.

The next step is to repeat the stroke with a lobbed ball and then with balls that are thrown and bowled. Targets should be used to ensure the balls that are lobbed, thrown or bowled are appropriate for the stroke development.

It is worthwhile to introduce the check-drive follow-through, which is used for well-pitched deliveries on a good length. This allows the batsman to keep the hands in front of the ball through impact-  checking the drive- so the ball is played along the ground rather than being launched in the air, where it may be caught.