The defensive stroke should be played to a ball of good line and length.
Players stand in a relaxed and balanced stance, head and eyes level.
Back swing and step forward to meet the ball.
As they prepare to strike the ball the front shoulder dips and the front knee bends.
Shoulders rotate vertically and the bat decelerates on contact. The back heel should be raised to help get above the ball and players' bottom hand should be relaxed to avoid over hitting the ball.
August is when seasons are decided, and most club games are lost chasing rather than setting. Give your batters a framework for the chase and you win the close ones.
Green July pitches and a shiny Dukes mean the ball is talking. Here is how to coach your batters to survive the moving ball, trust their defence, and cash in once the shine has gone.
A bowling change can dismantle a partnership, halt a run surge, or hand the match back to the batting side. This article explores how modern captains use match phases, matchup data, and rhythm signals to time their changes, with a practical framework coaches can use to develop tactical thinking in young captains at club and age-group level.