How to hit a cricket ball harder and longer
Not many things on the cricket pitch top hitting the ball cleanly over the boundary. It looks and feels great. To improve this skill you need to have good technique and work on your 'speed-strength' during the winter. Speed-strength, in shot making terms, is how fast you can swing the bat. The faster you can do this with good technique the harder and longer you will be able to hit a cricket ball. This velocity is developed in three distinct phases:
- General training. Here you build a base of strength with a range of compound weightlifting style exercises such as the bench press and chin ups. Most people can only do general training in a gym as bodyweight training tends not to be enough for this kind of strength development. New trainees can see a significant increase in bat velocity purely from this method. Make sure your programme is designed by an expert strength development for sport.
- Special training. Once a base of strength is built up you can move onto more power specific exercises such as cleans and medicine ball throws. Hitting a ball long requires your muscles to generate explosive, rotational power through your whole body so this training is teaching your body how to deal with such movements. As your body adapts to these exercises you see a progressive improvement in bat speed with it. Again, speak to a sport strength specialist to get a programme that is suitable for cricketers.
- Specific training. More advanced players can finally move onto training with overweight and underweight bats. Lighter and heavier bats can be used in the net to play shots. The heavier bat develops strength, the lighter bat speed. Be careful with this approach as if you go too heavy you lose technique as you try to adapt to the weight. A few ounces difference should be fine either way. Once you have batted with the different bats, finish up with a bat that is your usual weight to counterbalance.
Beginners can stick to general training and still improve greatly, but once you have a base of strength you want to develop seriously you can periodise the training to rotate between all three methods to get the best bang for your buck.
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Comments
I'm a total beginner and right now bruised and battered after being struck twice and bowled three times in one indoor cricket over; so what I want to know is how to hit a cricket ball AT ALL.
Des, keep practicing, work on your hand eye-coordination, basic movement skills and general fitness (if you have not already).
Good luck!
hey,
ive been playing cricket for 7 years now and im 14 years old. Im playing under 15's and seniors twos turf side. In juniors i bat high up the order, but in seniors i bat number 8 or 9. I really want to prove to them that i can bat higher how could i do this? im opening the bowling in both sides but i really want to prove i can bat, but i dont get much of a chance at number 9!.
thanks
Hey,
iv played cricket for 2 weeks and i love it so far.Im having trouble in batting because i get so nervous when the ball is comeing at me and i dont no how to hit the ball very well so if i could have some advise from anyone that would be awsome.
I'm glad you are enjoying it. First thing is to practice with a tennis ball so you learn some shots you are confident with. The straight drive is a good place to start. Then wear the right protection and practice against real bowlers as much as you can. If you feel scared you just need more confidence in your technique, so keep practicing with tennis balls. A dad or coach to throw and drop them to you every day is a great help. It's just a matter of practice. Every day.
Hey i've been playing cricket since i was 7 and i'm now 14 and i'm an opening batsmen. I've got great technique and defence but I have no confidence to hit the ball in the air which helps you score runs a lot faster. Does anyone know any confidence boosting things I could do?? Much appreciated
hit hard with a tennis ball and then switch onto a leather ball
Hi
Im the opening batsman for my schools u14 team, but im not a great player of swing any tips on how to play swing would be much apriciated.
if you are just beginning i would recommend that you focus on being balanced and still at the crease with your bat slightly raised in your stance, the harder part is keeping your balance when you are deciding to either go onto the front foot to the full ball or to get back to the shorter ball, depending on the speed of the delivery will determine how far forward or back you can move your feet, if you are facing a pacey bowler try having smaller movements towards the ball focusing on retaining your balance rather than overbalancing. keep your head movements as minimal as possible and play deliveries that are on your bodyline which will mean your head will be inline with the delivery giving you more chance of successfully negotiating the delivery.
when playing a shot try to use the mantra "play it late, play it straight" meaning that the bat meets the ball coming down in a straight trajectory and using the full face of the bat to hit the ball thus giving you more chance of hitting it, so you are trying to hit the ball back to where it is coming from, and you must watch the ball intently as it is being delivered wether you try to watch the seam of the ball or which side is shiney to increase your focus. overhitting the ball can be a problem when you are beginning so focusing on letting the bat do the work is a good place to start just time the ball you will be surprised how hard it can be hit with little effort and alot of middle. good luck
jokingly tell them that you want to bat at 5 or 6 just be keen to bat and train hard at practice and when your chances come at 8 or 9 aim to bat for a not out then give the batsmen shit when they have got out cheaply, theres no easy way but score as many runs as you can in your position and take your chance in the big games good luck
Easy. Just swing the bat and hope like hell you hit it!
No, what you do is you watch the ball and practice hitting. Start with slower bowls then work up to faster ones.
hi.,
iam playing ckt from 10years,now iam 13,i used 2 play defence i can't try2 hit
big shots i need more concerntration & practice,power i think so,.
dont worry you have to play each and every match as your first match and while in batting you have to make concentration that you should not make out and you have to play till the end of the innings and in powerplay try to hit harder and once the powerplay is over dont try to hit difficult balls and try to play it on the ground and make use of each and every delivery dont get panic
regards
gokul
try to swing the bat whenever your are free
ok...Some advice, I have my son Aged 13, never picked a bat up till 11, and he is now playing at a decent level...
He only got there thru practice, but to be a good batsman you need good eye to ball co-ordination.
You need to virtually have your eyes over the ball when its hit, stretching your neck, like your almost trying to kiss the ball, this is your first point of timing the ball.
Keep your head still as possible, keep staring at the ball until its left your bat, you need to get your left foot (vice versa if your LH batsman) to the pitch of the ball with your bat moving down at the same time, as straight as you can to your pad. Also develop your follow thru with your bat, to create whip action....3 methods of training you can use over the winter....which cost next to nothing ...and 1 that does.
Tennis balls, get some decent ones £2 a go,,,get fully padded up...and from about 5 meters away on a hard floor or tarmac, get someone to throw underarm to you,, some a little short and try and trap the ball under your left toes, whilst bringing your bat down at the same time, move your feet to get there, then progress into whipping your bat thru to hit the ball...Time, Balance and Movement prictice...
Another excercise get a cricket ball and a rope, get someone to drill a whole in the ball pass the ropel thru and tie off....then find a football cross bar without net, tie the rope on the bar, let the ball dangle a couple of cm off the floor, the someone can swing the ball slow or fast to you whilst practicing every shot in the book, all you have to do is change your starting position, adults will be able to sing it at a max of about 70mph...make sure your fully padded up....THIS WORKS...I promise you...
The other is to pay indoor practice at around £20 per hour with machine...thats good but the rope ball is cheaper and works..
ENJOY your cricket, and make sure your bat is the right weight for your size..don't get a oversized bat or one thats to heavy...
Hi
I'm an opening bowler in u15 and I want to speed up my bowling.I practise everyday. Is there any diet or exercise to improve.
Thanks
Hey, I'm playing in a girl's cricket competition and I have only been playing for about 6 to 7 months (i'm 14). I really want to improve my batting since my bowling is fine at the moment. My main problem is actually getting the right timing for hitting the ball with the bat and hitting farther and maybe even higher. Can anyone give any advice on what I could do?
See my comments already on page...also put ball under your chin...drop to your feet, hit the ball once it has hit the ground ....Half volley...also put ball on plastic cone,,,keep about 2-3 feet away,,then step to drive the ball, hit the ball once your head is over the ball as hard as you can...repeat repeat,,practice...to get elevation...the ball when bowled needs to be hit slightly in front of you,,,but timing is crucial to hit the middle of the bat..for hitting straight..high back lift..high finish,,in a straight kine..if right handed...your left elbow should have a high straight finish.....The rope ball is excellent way of practicing if you are on your own,,or 1 other..100'S of hours of practice is required to improve your batting by 10%...its not easy,,you have to put the work in........REMEMBER THIS...keep you head as still as possible...make sure your foot movement is fluid....and keep your head over the ball,,to keep the ball down...you want to kiss the ball on contact...and you will never hit a ball in the air...When cutting a ball...your bats action must go HIGH to LOW.....never low to high...YOU WILL BE CAUGHT..GL
hmm you have to sprints as you can ,and eat more food in the morning ,bit less in the after noon , and special eat less then less in the night , and eat healthy food ,I hope this work ,and your a child yet when you grow up ur speed will increasing , if you can't speed fastest then sometime try to swing the bowl , not usually like shapoor zadran he's an afghan player he bowling fastest sometime he swing the bowl not usually, I will show u the result of swingin bowl once in over ,If you remember he bold a player against bangladesh and srilanka ,dont take it wrong I am not gonna show him famous but its reality . I hope this help !
hmm you have to sprints as you can ,and eat more food in the morning ,bit less in the after noon , and special eat less then less in the night , and eat healthy food ,I hope this work ,and your a child yet when you grow up ur speed will increasing , if you can't speed fastest then sometime try to swing the bowl , not usually like shapoor zadran he's an afghan player he bowling fastest sometime he swing the bowl not usually, I will show u the result of swingin bowl once in over ,If you remember he bold a player against bangladesh and srilanka ,dont take it wrong I am not gonna show him famous but its reality . I hope this help !
just look at the ball put your leg infront on the same line with the ball and just put your bat down on time. its very simple practice hard...............................
To play swing bowling, you need to have good balance, technique and quick hands. To cut the swing of a bowler try and play the ball late as much as you can. Play late with quick hands and watch the ball carefully till the last moment. Well u need to practice a lot for playing the swing bowling as no one will make u learn it in a single day. let the ball come on to u and play closer to the body to so that the swing doesnt troubles you
Mail on manojtmahadik@gmail.com i will give you some great tricks of Batting & Bowling..
i am a batsman i play good shots but i can play all to all cross shots on backfoot i want to improve my batting with playing good shots on frontfoot please tell me how to play shots on frontfoo
hI, SIR
Can u tell me some specific exercises to improve my bat speed or muscles power at basic level as i do not have the facilities to go to gym or buy expensive stuffs for this purpose, so if u could tell me sme exercise which i can do at my home, i will be very greatful
thank u
Hi sir I am 14 i am a very capable batsmen I play 1st grade and open the batting but I bat very slow I need to score faster and nene to learn how to hit more boundaries I have been told
hey iam playing cricket in und 15. i want to increase strength of my hand.so what exercise should i do.for playing big shots
i am a batsman and i want to increase my bat speed and power for hitting sixes
how to keep my patience when a spinner bowls a flighted delivery ?? whenever spinner bowls a flighted ball i tend to loft it in the air and i gets out by doing so more often to a spinner as i am good against pace. any tricks for building patience?
Well i am playing cricket since i was 10. Now i am 14 years old. I play with some boys who are older than me.I cant play on their ball as they bowl very fast. I cant see the ball(coming).
PLEASE HELP ME!!!
I am a right handed batsman.I am facing problems in hitting a leg spin balls pitching on or outside leg stump to hit it straight or through off side.What should be an ideal batting stance and grip to hit those balls powerfully through off side or straight?