Group Coaching for the Front Foot Drives

Set Up for the Practice:
Set up practice as shown below.
Target area: 20 marts away from batsman - SAFETY.
Target area: 10-15 marts wide. Fielders stand between markers.
NOTE - FOR BETTER PLAYERS TARGET AREA SHOULD BE FURTHER AWAY AND MORE NARROW.
Mark out parallel lines on the floor to show line of feed.
Ideal number for groups is 4-6 players - MAXIMUM ACTIVITY.
Feeder stands 10-12 paces from batsman.
Feeder says “Bat up!”, then feeds a BOBBLE FEED, which bounces more than twice below the batsman's knee height.
(Underarm feed standing up.)
Each group has 3 balls.
Ideal duration of practice: 25-35 minutes.

Aim of the Practice:
To drive the ball successfully along the ground in the V towards the target area. This shows you how to play an attacking shot off the front foot and score runs without getting out.

THE SAFEST DRIVES ARE THE STRAIGHTEST ONES.

Rules of the Practice:
Each player has 8-10 feeds, then all rotate clockwise.
Give groups 2-3 coaching points to work on.
Have about 3-4 rounds each (depending on time limit).
For the first round of 8-10 play every other shot with the top hand only.
(This shows the importance of the top hand.) Play further rounds with two hands. Make the last round competitive: who can hit all balls through target area along the ground? Fielders must stop ball. If players leave the ball they get another feed. If they play and miss they do not. If players deliberately play cross-batted shots on leg side they lose that round. (Be strict on this point - SAFETY.) If players hit the ball into the air, over the fielders, it does not count and they lose that feed. On the competitive round, if a player gets out all change round.

COACHING POINTS: (IN ORDER OF IMPORTANCE)
For younger players, introduce one point at a time.
1. High backswing over off stump with dominant top hand. (Bottom hand fingers and thumb grip.)
2. Lean towards ball with head and shoulder (eyes level).
3. Take a good step forward towards the ball. (Weight over front foot.)
4. With dominant top hand and diamond shape formed with arms, SWING bat through the line of the ball.(Forearms passing close to body.)
5. Strike ball forward of front pad, directly below eye level.
6. Keep leading elbow high, throughout the shot.
7. Top hand dominates throughout the shot, bottom hand assists on impact. (Bottom hand fingers and thumb grip.)
8. Finish the shot with high hands, with toe of bat pointing towards target area.
9. Hold position of body for two seconds to show that you are balanced (looking through lower forearm).

REMEMBER: TIME THE BALL WITH CORRECT TECHNIQUE
DO NOT TRY TO HIT IT TOO HARD

Now you have learned the front foot drives, try to play the appropriate drives to the various lines of delivery.

Layout for the Game:
(Set up as shown below)
1. Mark out creases and boundary areas with cones. If playing inside, use chalk or make use of lines already marked on the floor.
2. Use three sets of stumps.
3. Position incoming batsmen behind the wickets and to the LEG SIDE of the playing area - SAFE FROM INCOMING THROWS AND DRIVES HIT BY THE BATSMAN.
4. Coach stands 15 paces away from the batsman.
5. Set the game up, do a quick demonstration and explain the rules (see below).
6. Fielders must be AT LEAST 20 METERS AWAY FROM THE BATSMAN.
7. When playing outside, mark out a wider target area and utilities all the space available. (For better players, put the boundary further away.)
8. Depending on the space available and the distance of the fielders from the batsman, judge the distance a batsman must run to ONLY JUST complete two runs. Mark out this crease with cones.
(For younger players, mark a wider target area and have the cones closer.)

Aim of the Game:
To drive the ball successfully along the ground in the V towards the target area. This shows how to play a low-risk attacking shot. The game encourages batsmen to try to run 2 runs when the ball is hit towards the boundary, thus putting pressure on the fielders. This is an important tactic in run-chase situations.

Rules of the Game:
Play as:
TEAMS, 6-8 a side
INDIVIDUALS, 8-10 players

(1) Coach feeds: (i) a bobble feed to all players; or (ii) a half volley to better players.
(2) All fielders except the wicket keeper and the player backing up MUST stand on the boundary between the cones until the ball is fed. (Coach keeps hold of the ball when feeding every so often, to check whether fielders are moving too early.)
(3) Ball must be DRIVEN towards target area, along the ground, and NOT DEFENDED. It must pass the first set of cones or the batsman is out. The batsman MUST complete 2 runs after striking the ball.
(4) The ball must be hit in the V to score runs. If it is hit outside that area or behind the wicket the batsman is out. (Give younger players another feed.)
(5) The wicket keeper must take incoming throws to the stumps either side of the original ones. OFF SIDE shots must be thrown to stumps on the OFF SIDE - SAFETY. LEG SIDE shots must be thrown to stumps on the LEG SIDE - SAFETY.
(6) SCORING (Batsmen bat one at a time):
4 runs if the ball is hit through the target area along the ground.
2 runs if the ball is hit towards the boundary and the batsman completes 2 runs.
2 runs if a fielder stops the ball with his foot.
1 run if fielders move off the boundary too early.
4 runs if the player backing up the wicket keeper misses the ball (when boundary is not hit).
(7) WAYS OF GETTING OUT: Bowled, caught, stumped, run out (no LBW). Also: not completing 2 runs after hitting the ball (unless boundary is hit); hitting the ball outside the V; not hitting the ball past the first set of cones; hitting the ball over the fielders on the boundary.

Variations of the Game:
AS TEAMS (6-8 a side)
(A) Each batsman has 6 feeds. If he is out he scores -4.
When all the batsmen have batted they switch to fielding.
(If time allows, play a second innings.)
(B) Each batsman has 4-6 feeds. If he is out the next batsman comes in. If the batsman is not out he returns to the back of the queue of waiting batsmen, until it is his turn again. The batting team bat until all the batsmen are out. The last batsman has unlimited feeds. If a batsman hits a 4 another feed is added.

AS INDIVIDUALS (8-10 players)
(A) Each individual bats until out. When a batsman is given out, all the fielders move clockwise one round from their previous position.
(B) Each individual batsman has 6-8 feeds. If he is out he scores -4. When a batsman is given out, all the fielders move clockwise one round from their previous position.

ALL OF THE ABOVE VARIATIONS CAN BE PLAYED AS:
(i) Tip and run.
(ii) 2 balls to score or you are out. If you miss a ball it counts as a feed. If you leave the ball you get another feed.