When do you start your backlift?

[Joe Ninety]

Having a bit of a struggle timing the ball off the bat lately and have realised that my backlift has gone to pieces,timing wise, with a lot of drives being lofted.Any pointers from players or coaches as to when I should be starting my backlift would be greatly appreciated.I tend to have a pretty fast bat action too.What I am looking for I guess is a point in the bowling stride that I should be looking at to 'release the trigger'.

 

[Neil Pickup]

Traditional coaching wisdom has it that the backlift happens at exactly the same time that your committed foot movement - either forward or back - happens, ensuring that you're ready and in position for the shot well in advance of the ball getting to you.

Out of the two evils, I would imagine that an early backlift would be a lesser sin than a late one - I've seen countless children at a very low level who don't swing the bat back until the ball is up to them and then wondering why they have no time to play the shots. Of course, if your backlift is early then you set yourself up to be early on shots, and could well end up lofting your drives if you hit the ball with a bat angling upwards.

I would be surprised if the backlift was the cause of lofting shots, however. This is far more often triggered by a problem with the weight balance in your shots - either your head is not committed far enough forward, or your stride is too long, or a combination of factors, generally mean that unintentionally lofted drives come from playing the ball out in front of your body rather than waiting for it to come to you.

 

[bond21]

I dont have a backlife, I hold my bat where the backlift would be the whole time im waiting for the bowler to bowl it.

Like Kallis, instead of wasting time swinging back then forward, I just swing through the ball. You need all the time you can get so why waste it by having a late backlift?

 

[Joe Ninety]

Traditional coaching wisdom has it that the backlift happens at exactly the same time that your committed foot movement - either forward or back - happens, ensuring that you're ready and in position for the shot well in advance of the ball getting to you.

Out of the two evils, I would imagine that an early backlift would be a lesser sin than a late one - I've seen countless children at a very low level who don't swing the bat back until the ball is up to them and then wondering why they have no time to play the shots. Of course, if your backlift is early then you set yourself up to be early on shots, and could well end up lofting your drives if you hit the ball with a bat angling upwards.

I would be surprised if the backlift was the cause of lofting shots, however. This is far more often triggered by a problem with the weight balance in your shots - either your head is not committed far enough forward, or your stride is too long, or a combination of factors, generally mean that unintentionally lofted drives come from playing the ball out in front of your body rather than waiting for it to come to you.

Thanks,you've given me lots to think about.

 

[Son Of Coco]

I haven't timed the ball sweetly off the bat since 1993.

 

[Goughy]

For me. Trigger movement as the bowler is in action, backlift as ball is released and then play ball forward or back.

 

[Isolator]

round lunchtime.

 

[_TiGeR-ToWn_]

For me I had a 6 month period where the ball was often going under my bat or beating me 'for pace'. So I adjusted my backlift to be resting horizontal to the ground and as the bowler was into his delivery stride my backlift would lift up to conincide with a slight movement back and across to get me totally balanced and ready to attack on the front foot (as I was already back in my crease)

 

[Matteh]

For me I had a 6 month period where the ball was often going under my bat or beating me 'for pace'. So I adjusted my backlift to be resting horizontal to the ground and as the bowler was into his delivery stride my backlift would lift up to conincide with a slight movement back and across to get me totally balanced and ready to attack on the front foot (as I was already back in my crease)

Pretty much how i do it.

 

[Manee]

I start my backlift whilst the ball is in the air, which is probably why I am no good against pace. However, it gives me a lot of power in my drives, which are my strongest suit.