Blue Ball Batting
Spin
Up the ladder
Get some hurdles on the floor, ideally with
some variation in height so we can make it
easier or harder for the player to jump over
them. Stand the batter side on, so they are
taking up their batting stance, and ask them to
jump up and down the ladder, using their feet
to make the jump forwards, backwards and up.
As with facing pace bowling, I’m looking at
whether the batter can be dynamic with their
bodyweight – can they transfer weight quickly
and effectively?
The drop
From there we can move into the nets and drop
the ball down a couple of metres in front of the
batter, asking them to use their feet to get to
the ball and drive it straight. Like with the pace
practices, we’re building confidence and
progressing the difficulty.
Game scenarios
When we move to throw-downs, always look to
change the rules for the batter to get them to
use their heads. You could say, “the next six
balls you can’t block, only attack”. Or give them
a field that they’re batting against.
Making the most of your equipment
I prefer the Sidearm to a bowling machine, when the option of a real bowler
isn’t there, because I don’t fully know where it’s going. And if I don’t know,
then neither will the batter. With a bowling machine, it’s good for isolating a
shot but doesn’t have the variation. If you do only have a bowling machine
option, then ask your batter to do something different with each ball, despite
them landing in the same spot. That’s a particularly useful skill if you’re
working on someone’s one-day batting.
If you have the ability, then video technology is great for isolating a movement
and rolling it backwards and forwards, looking with the player at what is
happening with his/her body at key moments. Look at the batter’s position as
the ball is released by the bowler – are they giving themselves the maximum
number of options for dealing with that delivery?
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