On Monday evenings I coach a promising young player. He tries to batter almost every ball I throw to him, generally successfully. Drives, pulls, lap sweeps from outside off, reverse sweeps.
Yet when he gets a ball just a fraction outside leg stump, he shoulders arms and refuses to play a shot. (more…)
I had a couple of 1-to-1 sessions yesterday. Nothing unusual in that – I do four or five regular 1-to-1s almost every week – but I came away last night feeling that these particular sessions had gone especially well.
Good engagement, high energy, good questions (all of the above two-way); positive outcomes, clear summary of “learning points” (not too many) and players left with a challenge – “now, go out and try it!”
The players left hopefully having learnt a little, tried something new, and with a clear idea of something they could try in their next game. They both told me they had enjoyed the hour; as importantly (more importantly – they might have been very polite), I think I saw a few “light bulb moments”, when they understood what I was trying to tell them and realised that it could work for them.
So what was going on? And, more to the point, what might have been missing from other sessions that were “OK”, but not perhaps as good as last night’s? (more…)
More insight from AB de Villiers – “I look to block pretty much every ball I face”.
This from the man who has just hit an ODI century in only 57 balls!
via How I play my most important shot, the late block – AB de Villiers, on CricketYard.com.
But de Villiers’ “late block” is not the textbook forward defence, nor is it a defensive option. Rather than a full stride, it is played from a front-foot press trigger move. And the ball is played very late, and only if an aggressive stroke isn’t possible.
The Teesra 