Whether it comes to learning 12th grade math, maintaining friendships or trying to embrace your inner Johnny Depp, you need to know where the line is. It is imperative to the narrative that the “line” in question has an identity in all three situations, regardless of it being a sly dig at your friend’s parents’ failed divorce or the white powder that gave Pablo Escobar a place of relevance in history. In cricket, this line is known as the crease; and as a batter, playing around this line is what differentiates the mediocres from the legends of the game.
We had a conversation with Cricket Australia's Coach Development Specialist Bryan Harper about impact pitch map, and how important it is to improve your overall batting performance on the pitch.
Also Read - Bryan Harper Batting Masterclass on Sweetspot Percentage | str8bat Cricket Bat Sensor
What is an impact pitch map?
It is the visual representation of where the batter has made an impact on the crease- the areas being ahead, behind or on the crease. The impact pitch map shows where you strike the ball relative to where you started your position on the crease.
Why is an impact pitch map important?
“You know if you get your best results if you move forward to strike a full ball and if you transfer your weight backward to strike the slightly shorter ball,” says the development coach. Knowing when to shift your weight backward and forward helps improve in spontaneous decision making as well, something you can do to pay homage to the spontaneity of your favourite Hangover movie as well. Practicing drills to improve this will turn you into every baba you see at any ashram in Ayodhya, perfecting your balance on the pitch with the added bonus of having fluid footwork as well.
How to practice this?
Our Aussie coach advices you to get out into the nets and practice three situations:
- Ask the balls to be fed more fuller so you can practice shots carrying your weight forward.
- Ask the balls to be fed shorter so you can practice shots carrying your weight backward.
- After you’ve gotten the hang of both, have the balls be fed to you irregularly with varying lengths so you can practice real match-like situations to help improve your decision making.
How to use the data?
Having a few factors in mind while reading the data is as important to you as hurling slurs is to Virat Kohli. The following are those factors:
- What did the data show you?
- Did you feel better forwards or backwards?
- What is it about the more preferred one for you that differentiates it from the other?
- Why do you think this is the case?
- What happens when you get stuck on the crease?
Tips for improving this
Getting caught on the crease favours the bowler, and just like Blockbuster rejecting the opportunity to buy Netflix in the early 2000s, you don’t want to make decisions that favour the opposition.
Transfer your weight to the best position to hit the ball.
Your head and feet work in tandem like Bonnie and Clyde. Make sure to keep your head moving towards the line of the ball and your feet will follow and provide balance automatically.
“This is not to say that a batter should not develop a particular movement pattern, but just make sure you’re moving your head to the ball and you’re moving to get the strike,” quotes Mr. Harper.
