Читать книгу Cricket My Way - Ian Botham, Ian Botham - Страница 10

Hands nearer the top of the bat handle – the bat is now longer, provinding greater swing, more power but less control.

Hands nearer the blade of the bat – the bat is effectively shortened giving more control but slightly reduced power.

Back of the top hand facing towards the extra cover area.

Bottom hand – the ‘V’ between the forefinger and thumb is facing middle stump.

1 Try to follow the basic rules

2 Don’t be too rigid if things aren’t working out

3 Feel free to relax and find your own grip

So to sum up the grip, do what I did. Lay a bat down on the ground, and just pick it up with hands together as though you are picking up an axe to chop wood. Remember that because the real power in wood-chopping as well as batting comes from both hands working together. The position of the top hand can vary a little, but as a general rule the back of the hand should face out towards extra cover.

A little variation either way won’t hurt, but all sorts of problems arise if, for instance, the hand is turned round too much, with the back facing gully. As a check, the ‘V’ between forefinger and thumb should face back on to middle stump; whereas if the hand comes round further, it ends up facing fine leg, and it is almost impossible to drive off the front foot with that sort of set-up.

If the top hand – the left for the right-hander and vice versa for the ‘caggies’ – is turned round too much the other way, then the back of the hand faces the bowler, and it is impossible to get all the fingers round the handle.

Regarding the bottom hand, try and keep it as relaxed as possible, even if it means not wrapping all the fingers round the handle. I know a lot of players who just concentrate on holding the bat lightly, but firmly, with only the thumb and forefinger of the bottom hand on the grip. You need to be a real touch player to carry it that far. As a general rule, as long as the ‘V’ is in line with that of the top hand, you won’t go far wrong.

If all four fingers are on the handle, and it feels right, don’t alter it, because the grip is the starting point of so much that is right or wrong in batting.

I have spent more time on the top hand than the other one because although I don’t agree with much of the orthodox coaching teachings, I realize that cricket is mostly a sideways game, with the opposite hand and arm the governing influence. By that I mean, for the right-handed batsman, his top, leading left hand and arm is the most important one. Again there are plenty of top-class players with strong bottom grips – Allan Lamb comes to mind as one example. He has worked out what suits him best. Because he is shorter than me, he clearly cannot drive the same length deliveries as I can, and so that strong right hand has given him extra power for back foot strokes, like cutting and pulling.

A good illustration of top hand ‘V’ between forefinger and thumb, facing offside.

Derek Randall’s unorthodox grip with the separated hands.

A good illustration of the value of a correct grip. The leading left arm and top hand have totally controlled the stroke and kept the blade open to the offside. The right hand has supplied the power at impact and nothing else.

THE STANCE

When I spent my two years on the Lord’s Ground Staff in 1972 and 1973, one of the coaches who never tried to alter my batting approach was Harry Sharpe. He would stand behind me in the nets, and would make the odd comment, but his general view was ‘nine times out of ten you hit it where you want – so why change?’ Exactly, and if more coaches were as far-sighted as Harry, then fewer promising cricketers would be spoiled by the interference with their natural ability that over-coaching produces.

I’ve dealt with the grip, so now to the stance. Again I repeat, that what happens before the ball is bowled, settles much of what happens when the real action starts.

Let me explain the advantages to me of my own stance, which is quite ‘spread’. By that I mean that my feet are further apart than the coaching manuals indicate is the ideal position. I stand that way because that is how I feel most comfortable, and that last word governs so much of my approach to batting, although it doesn’t appear too often in the official teaching books.

Anybody who ever offered me any advice as a kid – including Dad, Ken Hibbert, Dave Burge and Ivor Twiss – all used to accompany a particular tip with ‘as long as you feel comfortable doing it’.