Grip and Stance
Basic Batting Drill 1 – Grip and Stance
Gripping a cricket bat correctly will help you make better shots and reduce the risk of injury.
The Grip
To grip the bat, lay it face down on the ground in front of you.
Now pick it up as though it were an axe and you were about to chop a tree down.
That is the correct grip and it is the same principle for left and right handed players.
Gripping The Bat
Keep the hands close together
- For a right-hander the left hand should be at the top of the handle – vice versa for a left-hander.
- Check both your hands are fairly close together on the bat, towards the top of the handle.
- Form a “V” by pointing your thumb and forefinger down between outside edge and centre of back of bat.
- The top hand rests comfortably on the inside of the front thigh (left thigh for a right hander).
Never
Bat with your finger down the splice of the bat like this:
This is a short cut to a broken finger!
Ouch!
The Stance
Basic batting stance
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Your stance is your position when you are facing a bowler. All your shots start with same stance so remember to be comfortable and relaxed.
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Your feet should be a shoulder’s width apart with one foot either side of the popping crease.
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Your knees should be bent very slightly (flexed) with your weight evenly spread.
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Your head should be straight and in line with the ground (not looking up or down).
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You should be side on to the bowler.You can help to establish a rhythm using a short bat tap on or just above the ground as the bowler approaches.
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Use your wrists and arms only to tap the bat.
