Playing on the legside

[Nate]

Any tips? I feel like I'm getting on the front foot, head over the ball... but I have nothing. Thinking it might be a sight issue.

 

[Mister Wright]

I have the same issue also, and it's usually a case of incorrect balance. Something I've tried to do to overcome it is to shorten my back lift, I barely have one (similar to Laxman). Something else I've done is anticipate that I will be playing forward every shot, this gets me balanced early as it's always easier to adjust and play of the back foot than it is to be late on the front foot. This has helped me somewhat, maybe it will help you...

 

[Nate]

Thanks mate, it really did. Played with virtually no backlift, worked a treat. Have always been pretty solid defending, but hopefully now I can turn it into runs.

 

[Mister Wright]

Another thing I forgot is to ensure you have the 'V' of your thumb and index finger going right down the spine of the bat. Something I always thought I did, but didn't. Until I actually concentrated on it I wasn't able to play those leg shot strokes effectively.

 

[Nate]

Haha, before I had the 'V' sorted out, I couldn't hit properly on the offside. But thanks.

 

[Goughy]

It may not be the case here but one of the big problems people can have with playing on the legside is that they play too early and dont fully allow the ball to reach them. The batsman needs to let the ball come to him.

 

[thierry henry]

I have this problem too. If a ball is on middle and leg, I am practically Ranji-esque and sometimes elicit admiring gasps from my indoor cricket teammates when I flick the ball nonchalantly way behind square on the leg side. Likewise, I have no issues turning a ball on my hip down to fine-leg. However, I have two problems-

(1) if the ball is even fractionally down leg side, I can't hit it. Indeed, it's become a standing joke that I often start my innings with a beautifully played leg-bye to a ball that would've only narrowly missed leg-stump

(2) I can't hit anywhere between wide mid-on and backward square leg. If it's middle and off, it goes through mid-on, if it's middle and leg it goes through backward square. In indoor cricket you get more runs for hitting in front of square, I have a real problem with playing beautiful leg glances where a push in front of square would be more valuable.

 

[chyickenkeev]

you sound like your using too much bottom hand.
try practising all your straight bat shots with your top hand only, when you are confident using your top hand on drives and glances and what not, grip the bottom of the handle with your bottom hands thumb and index finger and your middle finger.

 

[Jarquis]

It may not be the case here but one of the big problems people can have with playing on the legside is that they play too early and dont fully allow the ball to reach them. The batsman needs to let the ball come to him.

That was my biggest problem, the amount of time where I'd be through the shot too early and close the face getting a leading edge to square leg was untrue. Just waiting that extra bit has turned a huge weakness into a genuine run scoring shot for me.