On side vs off side batsmen..

[Chrish]

Thing I have always wondered about being a specialist batsman. From my time of watching and playing cricket, a batsman usually prefers one side over the other. Most left handed players score vast majority of runs on their off side; probably has to do with most bowlers being right handed.

Thing I have always wondered is can you be a successful batsman by being good on just one side?

 

[Line and Length]

Thing I have always wondered is can you be a successful batsman by being good on just one side?

A 'one-sided' batsman can be successful but their limitation means it is easier for captains and bowlers to set fields to restrict their scoring.

 

[mr_mister]

I remember as a youngster the pull shot and other leg side swipes were my go to, I didn't even know how to connect with a cut lol and had a very weak drive. I played tennis too so legside shots felt as natural as a forehand. Had a handy clip off my legs too ala mark Waugh

I remember over the years getting hit in the gut and ribs from mistimed onside shots as well as getting lbws a bit once the umpires started giving them in U/15s and the bowlers got stronger and faster

Eventually I started favouring the offside, it felt safer to have a big swipe at a ball outside off as if I missed it, there was no chance of an lbw. And cover drives felt even safer, playing with a straight bat, I would always swing the bat like a maniac to minimise the chance of an edge being an easy sitter. I got really good at hitting sixes over cover and point, something I was proud of as I'm not a big bloke and it felt like not many of my peers could hit sixes there. I remember taking 18 in an over off the best bowler in the comp, all lofted cuts and cover drives

But by the end I would only play legside shots to slow bowlers and spinners where I didn't have to worry about being hurried for pace. Would just backfoot defence short stuff at my body that better players would put away for four past square leg

Missed out on many runs I'm sure. Anyway, I basically started batting as a Ponting/Junior wannabe but ended up batting a lot more like Phil Hughes/Sehwag as a late teen/early adult

 

[Adders]

Ok

 

[Burgey]

A 'one-sided' batsman can be successful but their limitation means it is easier for captains and bowlers to set fields to restrict their scoring.

Yeah. Phil Hughes (RIP) and Kepler Wessels come to mind