These are coaching techniques and drills devised by Gary Palmer to both enhance and correct technique through innovative simple coaching methods. By implementing these ideas a player can work out for himself the most efficient way of playing and practicing a particular shot, while incorporating the four key areas into his practice.
(1) Technical
(2) Tactical
(3) Mental
(4) Fitness
This page is designed to show you innovative methods to correct technique along with drills in which you can practice that technique in a tactical situation which with minimum technical input from the coach.
When grooving a particular shot it is important to over exaggerate the various technical components of the shot so it is easily imprinted in the muscle memory. The coaching methods below are examples of how to enhance and develop batting technique. These are simple solutions to complex problems. A coach has to interpret and analyse all the technical information when assessing a player. This detail must be converted into a simple solution that the player can understand. In this way the player has ownership of his own progress and as a result has a much greater chance of succeeding.
While some of these drills are quite different, for example we all know a batsman will not try to play front foot drives on one leg in a match, but during grooving a particular shot this method is a means to an end. For instance having hit a few shots on one leg the batter can understand how it helps him or her lean into the shot and get the head over the ball and a front foot drive played with a dominant top hand. When the player registers the feeling of this shot and sees a successful outcome having mastered that particular drill they can then play it from their original stance as they would in a match situation.
" * " An asterix indicates that the drill can be used for both front and back foot practices.
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Drop Feed:
The ball is being deliberately dropped further from the batsman than he would like. This is to lengthen the batters hitting zone. An exaggerated full face of the bat is presented through the line of the ball for as long as possible. Batsman finishes with high leading elbow position. This also enhances the flow of your arms through the shot. Use targets in front of batsman to measure success rate.
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Top Hand Driving: *
Driving the ball with one hand only to strengthen the top hand and to feel the dominance and importance that hand plays when driving the ball. It helps a player to perfect his backswing. If he has a poor backswing this drill will highlight the problem because the player will find it difficult to hit the ball straight back up the wicket. The player will make his own adjustments accordingly when presented with a target area. Also enhances hitting zone.
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Set Position Off Drive:
This is a method of improving your technique for the off drive by hitting the ball from a set position half way throughout the shot. This is to encourage balance, firm base and weight over the front foot.
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Set Position On Drive:
As above but with this position it is vitally important to point front foot up the wicket and to start from a very short stride.
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One Leg Off Side:
A shot played off one leg to enhance balance leaning into the shot and striking the ball forward of the front pad with a dominant top hand. Encourages full face of the bat and enhances hitting zone.
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One Leg On Side:
As above, but with this drill it can only be effective if the front foot is pointing up the wicket. Again use targets to measure improvement.
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Front Foot Drives:
To encourage leaning into the shot with weight over the front foot and striking the ball with good balance forward of the front foot. This drill also lengthens the hitting zone, encourages full face of bat at ball with the use of dominant top hand.
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Drop Feed On Side (Cones):
This is to simulate on drive set position with the use of cones on the floor to guide you on foot position and to make sure you hit the ball forward of your pad which result in you leaning into the shot. The cones are positioned to make sure your front foot is planted no wider than the line of leg stump, the cone in front is to make sure you take a short stride.
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Kneeling Drives/Defence:
This is to practice front foot defence and front foot drives. It encourages backswing over off stump, leading elbow pointing towards bowler, balance, but above all a good finishing position with high leading elbow. When playing the forward defence it encourages the batsman to make contact with the ball slightly forward of the front pad. When the ball is fed around the wicket or an off spin is thrown the player has to play in front of the pad and therefore works it out for himself. Particularly a good practice for hitting on the up which is what a player needs to do in a run chase situation.
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Against the wall (Right Arm Over):
This is to speed up a batsmans reactions to help him to play pace bowling with the angle of the ball coming into him. Tactically the idea is that the batsman should play the straight balls back between the two red cones positioned on the wall and to practice leaving balls outside off stump. This can be done by using the off side cone as a guide if the player feels he is going to defend or drive the ball wider than that cone he should try to leave the ball. The back and across trigger movement adopted against face bowling would be a good method to practice within this drill. (When batter says "ready" feed releases ball)
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Against the wall (Left Arm Over):
As above but the feed is from the opposite side simulating a left arm pace bowler. Now the angle of the ball is slightly across the batsman. The difference this time, you will leave more balls outside off stump, you may move the position of the off side cone slightly to the left as your guide. (When batter says "ready" feed releases ball)
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On/Straight/Off Cone Combination:
The cones are arranged to groove a player to put his or her foot in the correct positions for the respective front foot drives. This encourages good foot positioning, balance striking the ball forward of the front pad thus leaning into a perfectly executed shot.
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Off Side Leave:
This is to help a batter learn and practice how to leave a ball outside the off stump. Essential for a top order batsman when building an innings. Position stump as shown in video. Use it as a guide to leave the ball, if you feel you are going to drive or defend the ball wider than the stump then you must leave it. All straight deliveries must be played back up the wicket inside the line of the blue stump. Coach throws random feeds and teases player by throwing high percentage balls wide of the off stump. (Could introduce one different coloured ball that must be called when thrown to gauge focus)
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Cones Offside:
This is another method of leaving the ball outside off stump and is also a method to stop batters stepping across the crease thus tipping towards the offside rather than stepping up the wicket and being well balanced.
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Cone on Ear:
This method is to stop the batsman tipping to the offside which happens when the head tips to the off side. This encourages the batsman to keep the eyes level thus keeping the head in a good position therefore playing a well balanced shot. The cones on the floor are to stop the player stepping to far across the crease and can also act as a good guide when learning to leave the ball.
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Cone on Head:
Similar to above this is another method which stops the batsman tipping over to the offside and also keeps the eyes level thus being well balanced. As it is harder to keep the cone on your head than your ear, the batter is encouraged to play a controlled shot thus not swinging the bat too quickly and therefore not compromising technique.
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Kneel Sweep:
This is to simulate the final position the batter should be in when making contact with the ball.
(A practice which can help you understand when you make contact with the ball is to get the batsman to lean forward and catch the ball with both hands, obviously without the bat. This simulates getting the head and hands forward to execute the shot).
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Intensity of Focusing on the Ball (Underarm) *
During the drill the batsman calls out the colour of the ball before they strike it. This method can be used to maintain focus and concentration throughout grooving. (i.e. As the batter improves so should the speed of the feed)
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Intensity of Focusing on the Ball (Overarm) *
Same as above but more testing for the batter as the ball is thrown quicker. (Progression for this: six red balls one yellow ball, only call yellow ball. Awareness of yellow ball simulates being aware of an alternative delivery being bowled i.e. a bouncer or an arm bowl)
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