< 1 minute readAll save the clearest technician must rein themself in when essaying a cover drive, lest they founder betwixt active and passive. Wise words and worth remembering when attemping this shot for this is almost entirely wrong. Should a delivery pitch six inches short of overfull and a similar distance wide
Continue readingCategory: Regulars
On drive | batting lessons
< 1 minute readWhen playing the on-drive, always remember the following mantra. The batsman whose shoulder rolls counter-topwise places undue emphasis on hip position and will often play bethwart the intended line. Yes, of course we all know the dangers inherent in a counter-topwise rolling shoulder, but are we always aware of it?
Continue readingSpike conspicuously obstructing the view of the cricket
< 1 minute readWill writes: “This was my cat Spike’s response to my entire attention being focused on the cricket last night.” For the sake of clarify, we should point out that ‘last night’ wasn’t the highlights of Canada v Kenya, it was during the Ashes.
Continue readingSquare cut | Batting lessons
< 1 minute readA side-on game of angles, the square cut is to cricket what a near-miss on a red is to a bad game of snooker played by Pagans. Square everything. Square your footwork; square your bat stroke; square your follow-through. Should time allow, a counter-squaring of extraneous footwork will balance the
Continue readingPull shot | Batting lessons
< 1 minute readWitness the greats play the pull shot and you will learn nothing. A good pull shot is played instinctively after careful deliberation and many hours of practice. Whether played off the front or back foot, your weight must be even, progressing and at once forward-moving and retreating. The central pivot
Continue readingPakistan v Australia Lord’s match report
2 minute readWill writes: Despite being a Thursday, it was actually the fourth day of what is now, with hindsight, the totally ironically named MCC Spirit of Cricket Test Series. I had bought the tickets a year before with the intention of taking clients and having a drunken day out on the
Continue readingForward defensive | Batting lessons
< 1 minute readBring the bat down, clean and true, angled topwards but vertically horizontally. Aim to strike the ball while moving into a stationary position. A good forward defensive stroke will be soft-yet-firm, played late at the earliest opportunity with supple hands that caress the bat handle in a vice-like grip using
Continue readingBacklift | batting lessons
< 1 minute readAs the bowler runs in, lift the bat backwards in the direction of the stumps. Keep raising the bat until you feel glad. If you start to feel depressed and resentful, your bat is too high. Ensure your shoulder rolls counter-topwise at the moment the bat reaches its highest point
Continue readingBatting stance | batting lessons
< 1 minute readSpace your feet roughly shoulder width apart. Stand side-on to the bowler on the balls of your feet but evenly balanced, pressing forward with your weight moving counter-crosswise while remaining perfectly still. Bend your knees to the extent that you feel euphoric. Try and project a high-minded yet magnanimous air
Continue readingOur reasons for starting a cricket school
< 1 minute readWe’ve just watched the fourth one-day international between Australia and England. England won, but we still haven’t got anything to say. We’re assuming this situation will persist, so to ensure that we can put up a post each day, we’re starting a new section of the site which is called
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