Reading the Game
Interestingly, most of us seem to be better players off the field than on it! We see all the mistakes, criticize the performance, and offer wonderful insights on how something should be done. That is, we say a lot until we have to actually do it.
Batting is one of the most difficult skills in cricket, simply because you often only get one chance. You must balance risk with surety, knowing when to up the attack, when to defend stoutly, and when to improvise.
In general, the best time to sum up the state of the game is at the end of each over. Learn the situation of the game by discussing strategy and exchanging words of advice with your batting partner. Likewise, when there is time to assess a game situation during a break in play, it is often useful for a coach or captain to re-emphasize the state of play.
Reading a game incorporates the following abilities:
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Summing up game situations (Is the run rate appropriate to the situation?)
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Analyzing and implementing methods to support the best strategy (supporting a partner who is scoring freely)
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Adapting to the changing fortunes of a game (reducing risk when wickets are falling around you and planning to up the rate when a partnership is established)
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Assessing the opposition bowlers’ strengths and weaknesses in order to negate or manipulate them (It is also useful to know which bowlers are more easily attacked.)
Although star batters are not necessarily the best readers of books in the world, they are usually the best readers of a game.
Lofting With the Wind
Hitting in the air may be dangerous, but the risk of hitting the wind is twice that. Many times exist in a game (particularly in a one-day or a Twenty20 match) in which a lofted shot is a reasonable option. These include the end of an innings when bound- Aries are required to lift the scoring rate or a situation in which the fielders are surrounding the wicket area and the best option is to go over the top. When a large open space is left in the outfield, a lofted shot to that area is relatively safe.
Whatever the situation, you should always sum up the wind factor. When possible, ensure that your lofted shots are played with the wind. It is amazing how much farther the ball will go with the wind’s axis- dance. Conversely, a ball hit into the wind tends to suspend its flight, giving fielders time to turn, run, and catch it before it lands.
Former international player Dean Jones was fastidious with his lofted shots, hoping to tail his loft on side shots (a bit like a draw shot in golf) when the wind was blowing in the right direction. His bail- it to implement this strategy was developed through many years of practice and refinement. Don’t expect the same results without due diligence to your own training methods.
In more recent times, with the introduction of power plays and In twenty20 cricket, the lofted shot has become a major part of the game. Players like Brendon McCullum, M.S. Dhoni, Albie Morkel, and Kevin Pietersen rarely make errors with this shot. They sum up the field, target certain bowlers, and assess which end has the most helpful wind conditions.
Of course, there are times when hitting into the wind might be the only worthwhile option. Hopefully, you’ll do this when the boundary is short, the outfield is empty, and there are plenty of batters still to come.
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