Batting Thoughts for Discussion

1. Batting Thoughts for Discussion By Gary Kirsten

2. 1. What are you feeling when you walk out to bat? • Process the nervous energy • Assess what your task is • Back your preparation • Focus on your trigger points (e.g. get forward, back yourself, watch the ball) • Then do not think too much

3. 2. Do you have the ability to control your emotions at this time? • Difficult to control, but the above will help

4. 3. Do you have a game plan? • Knowing your game • Play to your strengths and limitations • Crucial to stick to your game plan throughout your innings • Don’t bullshit your game plan by playing outside of your limitations • Don’t let your ego get the better of you

5. 4. What drives you? • Reaching your goals • Support (mentor) • Feeling of success • New challenges • Create 100’s competition with team mate • Determination, desire , passion

6. 5. How does anybody overcome the fear of failure? • Focus on the now and don’t think about the outcome • With good preparation and positive energy when you walk to the crease • Let the process run it’s course • Another low score brings you that much closer to the big score – make it count

7. 6. What is “mental toughness?” • The ability to stay within your game plan (e.g. Steve Waugh and Jacques Kallis) • Uncompromising will in surviving the toughest of challenges at the crease

8. 7. Why do you think you are a successful batsman? • Determination • Enjoyment • Hungry for success • Coping with pressure • Stick TO your game plans • Good intensity when batting • Focus • Self belief

9. 8. What happens when you get to 30? • Danger zone • Too relaxed – leading to complacency • Play outside of your game plan • Fatigue (no way!!!) • Lose your intensity • Need to be in a state of relaxed concentration • Stay tight and believe you can bat for the next 5 hours • Today might just be my day in the sun

10. 9. How do you handle quick bowling? • Need to have courage • Can’t be scared to get hurt • Have to get on to off stump and get in to the bowlers channel • Show him nothing • Enjoy the challenge • Don’t sit on the crease and GET FORWARD • How you look is not important, how many runs you score is

11. 10. What is your plan against spin bowling? • Wait to see of the spinner bowls bad balls • If not then you need to make a play • Always show intent to score runs, don’t just eat up balls blocking • Use your feet to mess up his rhythm • If the ball is not turning big, the cut is a useful shot • If the ball is turning get inside the line and play with the spin • Learn to hit over the top • Use the sweep according to the field setting

12. 11. How fast should you bat? • You need to create time so that the bowlers can take 20 wickets • Batting at 3 an over has become acceptable although not great. 4 an over is first prize • Scoring a 100 in 200 balls is pretty good, but scoring 100 in 160 balls is first prize • Need to assess the situation in the game before you determine how fast you need to bat

13. 12. Do you think you have a presence at the crease? • Get forward, don’t sit on the crease and be tentative • Even if you are a little nervous, don’t show it • Get in to the bowlers channels on to off stump

14. 13. How do you practise your batting? • Simulate match conditions as much as possible • Put yourself under pressure with pace in a throw down session • Don’t get out

15. 14. What do you think will make you a better player? • Learn more about batting • Learn how to play different situations • Create competition within the batting unit (e.g. the most 100’s) • Don’t worry about a bad session. Stick it out the next one could be your best • Prepare yourself physically and mentally to bat for long periods

16. 15. Can you adapt your play to different wickets? (E.g. flat or green) • Different wickets require different ways of playing • Green wickets, your hitting area less, need to leave more • Flat wickets, stay disciplined – don’t go outside your game plan

17. 16. Do you make a contribution to the team outside of batting? • No point in moping around, you are adding no value to the team • Support your team mates, one day it will be you wanting that support • Help the batters going in by telling them what the wicket is doing • Offer any other useful information to them

18. 17. Do you help your team mated prepare? (T.D.’s and technique) • There is nothing more rewarding than helping your team mates prepare then watching them do well • Pair off and spend a lot of time working on each others game

19. 18. Have you been in the zone? • A place where everything seems easy and you feel like the game is in slow motion • You are in complete control • You will experience it very seldom, so learn how to score when the going is tough (most of the time)

20. 19. Why does a big 100 have such a big impact on the game? • 150 means that no one else needs to score a hundred for the team to get 400 • If you get out for 105 someone else needs to score a big one • If it is your day for the team make it count • The best time to bat is after you get a hundred

21. 20. Are you converting enough, and if not, what will make you convert more? • Play your game plan throughout the innings • Don’t change just because you have got to 80 • Nothing wrong with leaving balls when you have 110 • Prepare yourself to bat for the whole day

22. 21. Have you set goals as a batting unit? • Work as a batting unit to achieve your goals. It’s easier than setting personal goals • Keep your personal goals under the pillow at home

23. 22. Why is the partnership so important? • One big partnership can turn the game • Easier to work together out there than on your own • Can help each other especially against specific bowlers • Pick up the energy and the mood of the team by running well between the wickets • A 100 run partnership is a lot more achievable than an individual 100

24. 23. Why are run rates and strike rates so important in one day cricket? • Always stay focused on the run rate. Avoid going over 6.5 when chasing • If it is under 6.5 you can win the game by playing low risk cricket • More than 6.5 means that you need to take high risks – hitting in the air • Someone must bat through (80 plus) at a rate of 75% plus • Others must score at close to a run a ball

25. 24. Why is physical conditioning so important as a batsman? • You let your team down if you get out slogging because you got tired • You need to train endurance if you are going to be ready to bat for 6 hours • Lack of physical conditioning will lead to mental fatigue and loss of concentration • It is important to your team and then to you

26. These points are here merely to provide the opportunity for you to think about various aspects of your batting. Use it as a tool to take your batting to the next level.