West Indies Cricket Fans

http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/co ... 94707.html

For me, as a pupil of the finer points of batting, the single most significant fundamental in the success of Ponting, Clarke and those before them is the balance of the head at the moment the ball is released. The position of the eyes is the absolute key to true balance. Both eyes need to be level, still, and looking directly at the bowler's hand. Any deviation from that position and the batsman's balance is affected.

When a batsman sets himself into his stance, it doesn't mean that that position is retained right through to when the ball is released. Often batsmen will lose a still, level, aligned position a split second before the ball is released, resulting in losing the proper balance needed at the crease. Often they never get into the right position to start with, being too "closed off" and not looking at the bowler with square and level eyes.

Sachin Tendulkar has the perfect head position, as does Virender Sehwag, as did Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman. Sourav Ganguly was a bit hit and miss with his. Jacques Kallis, Hashim Amla, Graeme Smith and AB de Villiers all have it, but only at the last minute, as their stances are adjusted just prior to delivery. The South Africans get into the right position at the right time; the Indians are naturally always there.

Brian Lara never quite got his eyes level. His stance was slightly closed and his left eye not always level with his right, but he hardly missed a ball. Ultimately he moved beautifully, lifted the bat naturally and fluently, and had an eye like a hawk. Shivnarine Chanderpaul has an open stance to enable his eyes and head the best position. He executes this perfectly, illustrating that it's better that the stance and body position be more "open" than "closed".

Shiv's stance is interesting...he has an open stance, so that he can use both his eyes in the run up, but when the bowler delivers the ball, by that time Shiv usually walks into an orthodox batting position....

"Balance is everything: the feet moving together, the bat held down to centre the body, the head and eyes in a level, still hold. Holding that balanced position to the point when the ball is released is the single most important fundamental to batting, and ultimately to dominating." Martin Crowe

Martin Crowe played in 77 tests---he scored 5444 runs at an average of 45.37 with 17 hundreds and 18 fifties.

THAT MAN KNOWS HIS CRICKET--AND KNOWS WHAT HE IS TALKING ABOUT!

Excellent! Excellent article.


RE: SHIV & HIS CRABBIE STANCE

It's all about balance---now we know why Shiv has put up great numbers---the man knows how to balance himself.

Rev

Rev wrote:

"Balance is everything: the feet moving together, the bat held down to centre the body, the head and eyes in a level, still hold. Holding that balanced position to the point when the ball is released is the single most important fundamental to batting, and ultimately to dominating." Martin Crowe

Martin Crowe played in 77 tests---he scored 5444 runs at an average of 45.37 with 17 hundreds and 18 fifties.

THAT MAN KNOWS HIS CRICKET--AND KNOWS WHAT HE IS TALKING ABOUT!

Excellent! Excellent article.


RE: SHIV & HIS CRABBIE STANCE

It's all about balance---now we know why Shiv has put up great numbers---the man knows how to balance himself.

Rev

I diagree in this sense.

while all those things may come into alignment I doubt any great batsman...indeed any batsman at all.. has had to think about doing all those things, getting them right every ball he faces from a bowler.

allyuh be serious. all those things Crowe talking about is after the fact.

it is either you have them or you dont. or have all it takes to a degree that makes you a great or lesser batsman.

allyuh think while at the crease Viv and lara and Pontin' etc have the time for all that. it would take to much time to have to think about all that.

humans do all those things unconsciously, at speeds faster than light..for that is how the body communicates within itself..instantaneously. it is from survival in the wild, in war etc. yu have to know what to do instantly or perish. it all comes naturally in the process of winning survival.

who too slow get eaten..who fast become great batsmen