Left Handed Batsmen

Advanced Bowling Drill 5 – Bowling to Left Handers

This section looks at dealing with ‘lefties’. 

Left-handed batsmen tend to cause problems for right-handed bowlers.  Most juniors will change their attack to around the wicket when a left hander comes in to bat.

They tend to do this for one of three reasons:

  • They have seen professionals do it.
  • They can’t see enough of the stumps when bowling over the wicket.
  • They think it will give them a better chance of an lbw dismissal.

However, most left-handed bowlers don’t change their attack when bowling to right-handed batsmen, they bowl over the wicket and try to angle the ball across the batsmen towards their off stump.  This often results in them taking a lot of wickets clean-bowled on off stump.  Left-handed bowlers see this as a natural advantage.

Think before you switch from over to around the wicket for lefties

  • So stop and think about it before you switch.
  • If you find it hard to play a left-handed bowler angling the ball across you towards off stump; isn’t it likely that most left-handed batsmen will find it equally difficult if you angle the ball across them towards their off stump? 
  • You need to continue bowling over the wicket in order to bowl this line.




 

Do you have any lefties at your club? 

Ask them which they prefer: bowlers that bowl around the wicket or bowlers that bowl over the wicket. 

Many will say they prefer around the wicket bowlers because they are used to facing this type of delivery and become very adept at dealing with it.

Just remember you must tell the umpire of your intention to switch before you do it, otherwise they will call a no-ball.