Cricket: The Straight Drive

Player 2 throws. Each batsman has 3 consecutive balls, then goes to the back of the queue. If you leave a ball you get another go. The ball should be a slow high underarm feed.

Each batter gets 6 feeds. Drill is best done in nets where available (2 grounds per net in opposite directions). Can be done in pairs/ groups of three with 6 tennis balls per group. The feeder bobble feeds the ball towards the batter who aims to drive the ball through the target cones. Encourage players to wear at least batting gloves when doing this drill.

Each time ball is driven through cones you score 2 and you do not run. If defended, you score 1 and must run 2. If you miss the target you stay at that end for another delivery. In 1st net each individual batsmen runs to marked point and then back. Set Targets for each net (eg. 1 wicket left with 30 runs needed). When out second time your score returns to 0. Any shots into the air means you are out.

*AUDIO DESCRIPTION ON* Set up 3 different coloured cones midway down the wicket going across.  From a bobble feed.  Hit the ball and hold the shape whilst taking steps in the line of the shot till the cones are met.   Players to have 2 shots each before rotating.   Once players have a feel for it, move on to the progression- calling the colour of the cone. 

*AUDIO DESCRIPTION ON* Batter to set up in stance, and receive bobble feed.  Hit the ball driving onto front foot. Hold shape of follow through for 3 seconds. 

*AUDIO DESCRIPTION ON* Batter to hit one shot from set position followed by one shot from stance (slighlty open).  Set position with kness and laces down the wicket and holiding the shape.  From stance, stepping into the shot and finding that same position down the wicket and holding the shape.

*AUDIO DESCRIPTION ON* Set the bowling machine to bowl between middle and leg. Set two cones up a third of the way down the wicket. One central and one leg side.  Batsman to hit from the front on drive set position, knees and feet facing down the wicket. Batsman to hit an on drive, hold the follow through and move towards the cones holding the shape.  Have the batsman face 3 balls each, making adjustment, and rotate through several times. 

*AUDIO DESCRIPTION ON* Mark out a boxing ring/ square with cones.  Coach or someone trained in using pads to have a set of pads. Player to have a set of boxing gloves.  Moving around the marked out ring/square with legs in your batting stance.  Pads are to be shown and player with the gloves is to react and punch the pad. Opposite hand to pad shown.  Coach to throw in some swings with the pads so that the players have to react and duck.

**AUDIO DESCRIPTION ON** Coach or partner feeds the ball. They will feed the batsman a total of 4 balls and alternate between a low full toss and a waist height full toss. The batsman will drive the low full toss and pull the waist height feed. After every shot, the batsman should advance down the wicket towards the feeder, ready for the next delivery.

1 side bats and the other fields. Each batter gets 3 feeds each and extra ones if they hit the ball over the boundary, and if the ball if left another feed is given. If the ball is hit over the boundary in the air then no runs are rewarded otherwise if on ground they get 4 runs. If they get out they lose 6 runs but carry on until out of feeds. Fielders must stay in boundary to try to stop the ball going over it for runs.

With between 5-8 players on each team. Each batsmen must drive on one out of 3 deliveries and run on the driven one, then complete two runs. The fielders must stay behind the boundary until the ball is hit. If a boundary is hit the batsmen gets an additional 3 balls. If the ball is hit out of the grounds then 6 runs are awarded. 1) Bat until all out or 2) Bat until teams wickets are used up i.e. 4 wickets per team.

Organisation: Organise as in the diagram in groups of 5 people. Server stands in the cirlce and drops a tennis ball at arms length from well below eye level. Batter strikes the ball as it bounces for the second time. Equipment: 1 bat and tennis ballper group, 2 marker cones and chalked lines.

*AUDIO DESCRIPTION ON* In pairs, one player with a football feeding and one with a bat in their stance.  Feeder to throw the ball out slightly in front of the batter and high enough for them to header it.  Batter to return the ball with a header, with the head leading the player should be automatically stepping into the header. 

For groups of 3-6 people, with one player feeding. Feeder delivers 20 good feeds over arm, or until he gets a player out. Each Batter has 3-4 deliveries then they run to back of que and rotate around. Competition: The batter can choose to leave the ball or defend it through cones. If the ball goes into the air the batter is out. If you defend and hit the ball back through the cones you can call \"YES\" and run. If the ball doesnt go through the cones then you stay in batting unitl out of goes. ( Target of 30 runs per group)

The coach throws on one knee with a football style throw in, which the batsmen have to defend by hitting back through the cones, with 6 balls each.

The Coach feeds 6 balls to each batsman, who have to drive the ball through the set of cones.

*AUDIO DESCRIPTION ON* Set up two cones half way down the wicket, one central and one leg side. Feed from a bobble feed. Batter to hit from the front foot drive set position, knees and feet facing down the wicket, and aiming for one of the two cones.  If the shot is an on drive (towards left cone), batter to hold the shape, and take small steps towards the direction of the shot to the cone.  If the shot is a straight drive (middle cone), batter to simply hold the shape.

*AUDIO DESCRIPTION ON* Set the bowling machine to delivering from around the wicket, swinging into the batsman. Allow each player to hit 3 balls and rotate.  Have the player hitting straight or through mid on Coaches to observe at first before making changes. Batter to hit from the front foot drive set position, knees and feet facing down the wicket.

*AUDIO DESCRIPTION ON* Set up 3 cones of different colours a third of the way down the wicket.  Bowling machine can be set to vary the line a little. Batsman to face 3 balls and to call the colour out of the cone they are aiming for. Aim of the game to get a shot aimed at each of the 3 colours- 1 point for each correct shot. If they are not successful then back to 0. If player misses swap them out.  If hit the on drive, hold shape all the way to the cone. If a straight drive or off-drive, hold the shape and balance.