| As a batsman in cricket it is essential that you have a | | | | but if you have a cricket bat nearby you should be |
| good batting grip to enable you to play the full range | | | | able to try this out. |
| of batting shots with full control and precision. | | | | Often some players rest their fore-finger down the |
| The way a batsmen grips the bat often varies | | | | side of the bat/handle and not closed around the |
| slightly from player to player which is some times | | | | grip; this is not recommended as it can lead to injuries |
| reflected in their batting style. | | | | (possibly even a broken finger) as you progress to |
| For simplicities sake the easiest way to hold a bat | | | | higher levels, with faster delivers and higher impacts. |
| correctly is to lie your bat face down on the ground | | | | Your top hand should rest nicely against the inside |
| and pick it up with both hands as though it were a | | | | front thigh. |
| small axe and you shouldn't go to far wrong. | | | | You should have a relaxed stance, with feet parallel |
| However, there is a definite recognised and 'correct' | | | | and around a foot length apart. Make sure you have |
| bat grip which is taught by the English Cricket Board | | | | you weight evenly distributed across both feet and |
| (ECB). | | | | keep your knees flexed. |
| After picking up the bat ensure you have your | | | | The stance is a side-on position in relation to the |
| fingers and thumb wrapped around the centre of the | | | | bowler and should always be relaxed. |
| handle with your hands close together. | | | | Your head position is very important and you should |
| The shape should form a 'V', in line between the | | | | ensure you keep your eyes level, as having a slightly |
| splice and the edge. | | | | tilted head actually has been proven to reduce |
| This means that when you are holding the bat a 'V', | | | | reaction time as it is harder for the brain to process |
| as such is formed between where the inside of the | | | | the incoming information. Keep you eyes level over |
| thumb and fore finger hold the bat with each hand. | | | | your toes. |
| The two 'V's on each hand should line up almost | | | | Ensuring you have a correct cricket batting grip and |
| centrally between the splice/handle and the leading | | | | stance is essential to your success as a cricket |
| edge. | | | | batsman as all successful shots start with an |
| This is quite hard to explain without out a diagram, | | | | effective grip, stance, backswing and step. |