I am a decent batsmen who comes in the middle order. But my weakness is my inability to play leg side shots. When the ball is pitched up and is on middle and leg I just can't seem to connect becuase my pad gets in the way. Does anyone have any tips on how to adjust to allow myself more room?

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Im a left hander so my strongest area is leg sidem, my tip is to get into a net with a bowling machine and just practice the leg side shots. You can't learn how to play a cricket shot from a book or over the internet, he best way is to just practice the shot.

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Ketz
Without even watching you bat, i can easily identify the problem you are having. It is quite clear that you are falling away to the offside at the point of delivery and/or you are bending over too much when facing up, such as the problem Saruv Ganguly has. This is a common problem and one that Ricky Ponting had issues with a couple of years back. Fortunately, it is one of the easier technical faults to correct.

Firstly, what you need to do is learn to stay balanced and still at the crease until the ball has left the bowlers hand. To get you into that habit, you need to do a little exercise that i picked up from Andrew Symonds many years ago, and one i have used on my young charges when coaching, to this day.

You get into the nets with a friend, take a balanced stance that is as upright as possible, and get your friend to slowly roll balls down the wicket aimed at you legs. Don't move until the ball until the ball has left his hand, and after a short time, you will find your feet naturally moving to the pitch of the ball when hitting the ball. Once you are in that habit, get your friend to roll the ball faster, then get him to throw the ball from three quarter length of the pitch, and finally get him to bowl at you as normal. If you find yourself starting to fall to the offside or moving your feet before the ball has left his hand, repeat the process and keep doing it until you have finally rid yourself of the habit.

This exercise is a good one for all shots using a vertical bat - cover drive, on-drive whatever. If you find yourself "out of form" this is a good exercise to employ.

Now, when playing the leg glance (which is what i assume you are aiming to learn) you must understand that the shot is basically an ondrive with the face of the bat facing towards mid-wicket. You don't close the face of the bat at point of contact - that is the mistake many make. And remember, you don't need to hit the ball very hard, the leg glance is all about timing - use the pace of the ball to do the work for you. When the ball is coming down at your legs, you drive the ball, but have the face of the bat facing towards mid-wicket. Once contact with the ball is made, the natural consequence will be for the ball to go behind square on the leg side.

One last thing, definately the most important, and this is what decides whether a batsman is either "in form" or "out of form" Watch the ball very closely out of the bowlers hand. Forget everything, think of nothing but concentrating on the ball. Depending on the quality of the batsmans eye, you only get a certain amount of frames (snap shots in your minds eye) to determine what the ball is doing, and is likely to do. If you miss that first frame when the ball leaves the bowlers hand, it gives your reflexes too little time to react.

Try that exercise that i mentioned to correct and perfect your technique, bear in mind the other things i mentioned, and you will find batting much easier.

Good luck Katz, and let me know how you get on.

The on-drive is one of the most difficult shots to play because of this reason. Most good batsmen cultivate the skill of getting the leading leg out of the way for legside shots. For some reason, left handers do this better and look more elegant doing it. Having said that, one of the best on-drivers that I have seen was the right-hander Greg Chappell.

Im a left hander at it is one of my best shot when in form, you know your in good knick when you hit a clean straight or on-drive. What people struggle with the on-drive is that they over balance and fall away towards cover-point. Its like any shot, balance is so important.

I think that Ponting is a brilliant on-driver, probably the best in the world at that shot today. When he hits that shot and stops trying to hit is square you know a big score is coming.

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The Leg Glance off the Front Foot

This is a scoring shot played to a good length ball pitching on or just inside the line of leg stump and bouncing between knee and waist height. You must use the pace of the ball for this shot, and steer it down towards the fine leg area. A useful, low-risk shot against fast bowlers.

1. Point front foot towards the bowler to open the body. The backswing should be in the direction of slips.

2. Body should be leaning forward with weight on the front foot and head in front of the front pad pointing down to expected point of contact.

3. As the bat comes down the back foot should be on its toes. The bat should remain straight as it approaches point of contact like a drive or forward defensive push. The left forearm (for a RHB) should be vertical. This is to avoid hitting across the line of the ball.

4. As the ball approaches take a small step towards it and lean well forward so the bat is on the same angle as the body ie the handle is forward of the toe of the bat. This will help to deflect the ball to ground ASAP.

5. By now the bat face should be pointing to the leg side. Let the ball come on to the bat which should be forward of your front foot. Roll the wrists as you strike the ball and complete the shot with the toe of the bat pointing down the wicket. Your eyes should be looking under your left arm to view the ball racing away to fine leg.

The Leg Glance off the Back Foot

This is a scoring shot played to a short-pitched ball on or just outside the line of leg stump and bouncing between waist and chest height. You must use the pace of the ball for this shot, and steer it down towards the fine leg area. A useful, low-risk shot against fast bowlers on bouncy wickets.

1. Step back across to off-stump to get inside the line of the ball.

2. Bat motions are the same as for the front foot leg glance. Keep it vertical with the handle forward of the toe of the bat.

3. As the ball approaches drag the front foot alongside the back foot to open the body. At point of contact both feet should be pointing down the wicket.

4. Let the ball come on to the bat. Roll the wrists and view the ball travelling down to fine leg from under your left arm (for a RHB). The toe of the bat is pointing down the wicket.

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The Leg Glance off the Front Foot
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/cric...ls/4174762.stm

The Leg Glance off the Back Foot
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/cric...ls/4174052.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/cric...ls/5239764.stm

The Glances video
http://coachesinfo.com/category/cricket/30/

Front Foot Leg Glance video
http://www.videojug.com/film/how-to-...oot-leg-glance

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1. Have your training partner deliver different length balls eg full toss, half-volley, good length. He can use underarm, overarm or throw. Get him to angle the ball between middle stump and leg stump.

2. You, the batter, should start the drill in the contact position with the body already well forward so that you concentrate on the last phase of the shot - contact and follow through. Attempt some shots with your eyes closed once you have established the line and length of the delivery.

3. Next practice the shot from the downswing position ie raised bat followed by step forward leaning into shot.

4. Next execute shot from initial stance. ie backswing and front foot forward are executed together to stay balanced. Downswing occurs once front foot is in position. Lean forward to make contact with ball. At contact roll bottom hand wrist over. Experiment with the bottom hand for correct grip pressure. The less palm contact the better to ensure the ball isn't scooped up in the air due to too much bottom hand pressure.

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