Not every ball you'll receive will have four or six written all over it.
Most of the time, a good length ball pitching on middle stump needs to be treated with respect.
 Herschelle Gibbs plays a very straight bat |
That means playing it with a straight bat with a good front foot stride right to the pitch of the ball.
Your head and shoulders should be in line with the ball, making sure you watch it right onto the bat.
The bat should be right next to the front pad and there should be no gap between the two.
This means there's no chance of being bowled through the "gate" - the phrase used to describe the gap between bat and pad.
Step One
The head and front shoulder should lean into the line of the ball with the front leg taking a stride towards the pitch of the ball and bending to take the weight.
The back leg remains straight.
Step Two
The bat should swing down and make contact with the ball, beneath the eyes and with the face of the bat angled towards the ground.
Step Three
The bat should be slightly forward of the front leg and close to the pad.
Raise the heel of your back and hold your finishing position rather than following through.
