Following the Basics of Test cricket

[express bowling]

Everyone connected to cricket and playing test cricket are aware of these and  they are nothing new....but we often see them not being followed.   When the basics are followed then the teams and players invariably do better.  ( the following is not an exhaustive list )

 

Batting-

 

• Always keep your eyes on the ball. 
• Do not play at deliveries clearly outside the off-stump unless the ball is short and wide. (  Unless the team is looking to accelerate  before a declaration or the pitch is really flat ).   Leave a lot of deliveries.   Play only those deliveries which are under your eyes.
• Always go to the pitch of the ball before playing it on the front foot.  In most cases, go tho the line of the ball to play it.  Make decisive foot movements, either front or back.
• Do not play unnecessary lofted shots.  Do not play  risky shots.
• Put away every loose delivery so that you don't feel under pressure or get bogged down.
• Play with soft hands when defending  a bouncer, defending to a spinner, defending  when there are close-in fielders  etc.
• Play mostly in the " V " when out of form or not getting enough runs.
• Don't open the face of the bat too often like you do in LOIs.  Do not play away from the body unnecessarily.

 

Pace Bowling -

 

• Target the top of off-stump for  4 or 5 deliveries in an over.  Do this every over unless the captains wants to implement a short ball strategy for a couple of overs 
• Bowl 2 or 1 bouncer in the over, targeted at the head of the batsman .....or his rib-cage if there is field set for it.  This is very important as it creates doubts in the minds of the batsmen as to whether to come forward or back ....the batsmen's feet don't move as decisively then.
• Don't try too many unnecessary variations.
• Bowl with full effort....don't just float the ball in.
• Hit the deck hard unless you are looking to swing the ball and some swing is actually on offer.

 

Spin Bowling -

 

• Target the top of off-stump with almost all deliveries.
• Put a lot of revs on the ball. and don't just put the ball on the pitch.
• Use your body while bowling.

 

 

Edited December 18, 2016 by express bowling

[express bowling]

Please add your own points about what you think need to be done to do well in test matches consistently...whether it is batsmen, pacers, spinners or keepers.

 

We can also post instances of innings when players have followed the basics of test cricket and done well.

 

This can be done for future tests too.

[beetle]

Ground your bat.......it s not a sword.

[Laaloo]

Get 20 Wickets.

Don't get run out. My Pet peeve in Test Cricket.

Edited October 8, 2016 by laaloo

[Forever Indian]

Most important especially overseas is to take all the slip catches!

[gakgupta]

18 hours ago, express bowling said:

Everyone connected to cricket and playing test cricket are aware of these and  they are nothing new....but we often see them not being followed.   When the basics are followed then the teams and players invariably do better.  ( the following is not an exhaustive list )

 

Batting-

 

• Always keep your eyes on the ball. 
• Do not play at deliveries clearly outside the off-stump unless the ball is short and wide. (  Unless the team is looking to accelerate  before a declaration or the pitch is really flat ).   Leave a lot of deliveries.   Play only those deliveries which are under your eyes.
• Always go to the pitch of the ball before playing it.
• Do not play unnecessary lofted shots.  Do not play  risky shots.
• Put away every loose delivery so that you don't feel under pressure or get bogged down.
• Play with soft hands when defending  a bouncer, defending to a spinner, defending  when there are close-in fielders  etc.
• Play mostly in the " V " when out of form or not getting enough runs.
• Don't open the face of the bat too often like you do in LOIs.  Do not play away from the body unnecessarily.

 

Pace Bowling -

 

• Target the top of off-stump for  4 or 5 deliveries in an over.  Do this every over unless the captains wants to implement a short ball strategy for a couple of overs 
• Bowl 2 or 1 bouncer in the over, targeted at the head of the batsman .....or his rib-cage if there is field set for it.  This is very important as it creates doubts in the minds of the batsmen as to whether to come forward or back ....the batsmen's feet don't move as decisively then.
• Don't try too many unnecessary variations.
• Bowl with full effort....don't just float the ball in.
• Hit the deck hard unless you are looking to swing the ball and some swing is actually on offer.

 

Spin Bowling -

 

• Target the top of off-stump with almost all deliveries.
• Put a lot of revs on the ball. and don't just put the ball on the pitch.
• Use your body while bowling.

 

 

I am sure, none of the batsmen have all those traits.....batsman have few of those traits and they believe on the instincts and strengths

[tweaker]

To adjust to different conditions, both for batsman & bowlers.

To adjust quickly to the swinging ,seaming,bouncing conditions as early as possible.Bowlers also should adjust their length quickly as it will be different in subcontinent & overseas pitches

 

[Laaloo]

YOU DO NOT JUDGE THE WICKET UNTIL BOTH THE SIDES HAVE BATTED/BOWLED ON IT

 

This is to all the morons who declared it a draw lunch time today

Edited October 10, 2016 by laaloo

[express bowling]

On 10/9/2016 at 9:33 AM, gakgupta said:

I am sure, none of the batsmen have all those traits.....batsman have few of those traits and they believe on the instincts and strengths

Unless you are an exceptional hand-eye coordination dependent batsman, like a Sehwag, all other batsmen generally strive to do these things or are told to follow these basics.

 

We will generally observe that, when a batsman has played an excellent innings or his having a very consistent run....he is following the basics to a large extent.  Take the case of Kohli in this series.  He failed the first 3 times he batted ....twice he played lofted shots which he is not good at and once, he chased a wide delivery outside off. After that, he played 2 excellent knocks....and we will observe that he left almost all deliveries that were clearly outside the off-stump, he rarely played a lofted shot, always kept his eyes on the ball, got set , did not miss putting away any loose delivery etc.  

 

Now, let us take the case of Pujara in India and out of Asia.  Here, he plays almost perfectly and follows all the basics of test cricket.  Abroad, he does not put away the loose deliveries and that puts pressure on him.  

 

We will also observe that whenever any batsman stops watching the ball, he ends up in an awkward position. We have seen this quite a few times in this series that batsmen have been hit on the helmet when they have stopped following the ball.

 

It is more a case of  following the basics and succeeding or picking up bad habits and going through a  bad patch.

Edited October 10, 2016 by express bowling

[beetle]

With so many non strikers getting run out .......non striker...please keep your bat grounded behind the popping crease even if you are  ready to run.That is a sad way to get out,but you deserve it.

[express bowling]

The  49 not out by Kohli  to save the 1st test against England,  on a turning 5th day pitch, was a good example of an innings when the basics of test cricket were  followed.

 

While playing spinners

-  He watched the ball carefully

-  Defended  lots of deliveries with soft hands

-  Left  good length deliveries around off stump, that were spinning away.

 

And this yielded fantastic results.

 

 

Edited November 16, 2016 by express bowling

[maniac]

When you have an amazing natural 6 hitting ability go for it...Rotating the Strike is 12(12)...6 Hitting is 12(2)

[sandeep]

6 minutes ago, maniac said:

When you have an amazing natural 6 hitting ability go for it...Rotating the Strike is 12(12)...6 Hitting is 12(2)

[fineleg]

Most important - Catches win matches. Field (outfielding and catches  both make a significant difference). Add to it sharp in stumping and run-outs.

Edited November 16, 2016 by fineleg

[Forever Indian]

On 08/10/2016 at 11:18 PM, Forever Indian said:

Most important especially overseas is to take all the slip catches!

Quoting my October post again. Slip/Keeper catching is the main difference.

[tweaker]

Winning the toss

[express bowling]

KL Rahul does not  follow the basics and is dismissed.

 

He poked at a delivery outside off-stump unnecessarily.

Edited November 17, 2016 by express bowling

[Laaloo]

Two near run outs in two balls

 

Bad fundies

[express bowling]

Don't play unnecessary cross-batted shots and lofted shots on pitches with either variable pace or variable bounce or both.

Edited November 17, 2016 by express bowling

[Cricketics]

On 10/8/2016 at 6:10 AM, radhika said:

Ground your bat.......it s not a sword.

Also look to slide it before grounding it. 

Yesterday Craig Braithwaite got run out against Sri Lanka since his bat got stuck right before the popping crease. He could have easily made it, but he wasn't able to as he grounded the bat at the very last minute only to find the bat stuck in the ground.