Need help in batting

[ujjawal24]

I have played more then 200 hours at Rookie level in career mode. After playing for so many hours I reliased I can also change levels at career mode. So, I changed it to 'pro'. Now the difficulty in batting has increased a lot. I always have to pre meditate the shot, there is no time to react after the bolwer has released the ball. Is there any tricks for batting, I am not aware of. Any help will be appreciated,

[lunarvision3]

My suggestion would be to premeditate foot movement only. That way there are fewer decisions to make while the ball in on the way down. My technique:

- RH Seam bowler over the wicket, premeditate going onto the back foot (unless he's really short).
- RH Seam bowler around the wicker (or LH over), premeditate going onto the front foot.
- Spinner, premeditate going onto the front foot.

This way, all I have to do while the ball is on the way down is to judge the line and whether/where to play it. Don't be afraid to leave the ball when it's outside off (in longer forms of the game, anyway)

If you find yourself on the wrong foot you can defend or play a simple shot for a single. For instance, if a RH seam bowler bowls very full over the wicket, even though you're on the back foot you can defend or play out into the covers for a single. Or if a LH seamer bounces you from over the wicket, even though you're on the front foot you can leave safely or play the front foot pull out for a single. Main issue I find with this technique is the leg stump yorker from RH seamers over the wicket (I tend to try to play it down to fine leg from the back foot and get bowled--I ought to be defending it). My own damn fault, I just get greedy when the ball's on my pads.

Only if I've really really got my eye in or if the bowling is very slow will I change from front foot to back (or vice versa) after the release of the ball. It's easier with spinners and medium pacers, of course, because you have more time to pick the length. For instance, though I prop forward by default against the spinner, I still usually have time to spot anything dropped short, and go back to cut it.

My other advice--premeditate defence. In other words, as the bowler's delivering, already have the right stick forward or back (depending on whether you're premeditating forward or back), and be holding down the trigger for defence. *Way* easier in my experience to release the trigger to play an attacking shot than it is to make the decision to pull the trigger for defence after the ball is released.

Test average of 80 on Veteran using basically this technique. Works for T20 as well. I'll premeditate defence in T20s in this way even though I rarely play an actual defensive shot in that form.

[ujjawal24]

Thank you very much @lunarvision3. Your answer was of great help. I got some idea about how to manage this difficulty level.

That leg stump yorker, has happened to me many time, straight bold. But, how will you have so much time, to change your buttons to defensive shot in a split second.

I also wanted to ask you, how to play aggressive air shots. Its pretty tough for me. Currently, I am able to stay at the crease, but with a pathetic strike rate of 50% and only taking singles.

Test average of 80 is commedable. Awesome job. In veteram difficulty..BRAVO!!

Actually, where can I practice pro level difficulty? Practice on the groud at pro level is much easier then that in actual match. I guess I will have to do using bowling machines. Bowling machines are not fun..

[lunarvision3]

This is where starting out on the defensive comes in. Because you already have the defensive trigger pressed when the bowler releases, all you have to do to defend is push the stick up--you don't have to make any change on the triggers, because they're already in place for the defensive shot. My problem with the leg stump yorker is not so much that I can't react in time but that I (wrongly) see it as a scoring opportunity, and try to take it on from the back foot instead of defending. I just have a bit of a blind spot there.

I don't play very many lofted shots, but when I do they're usually premeditated based on the field positions. For instance, if the AI lines up without a mid-on (God knows why, but it sometimes does), that's basically a free hit over cow corner for anything slightly back of a length or fuller, on virtually any line. The other main lofted shots I play are the lofted pull/hook from the right-arm quick (since I'm always on the back foot for that type of bowler I can just watch for the short ball and go right for the attacking shot as soon as I see it), and occasionally the cheeky chip down through third man off medium pacers or spinners. Also occasionally productive is the lofted flick down to fine leg off the spinners, when there's no man on the boundary behind square. In all these cases, the key is to identify the area you want to attack, and watch for the specific delivery that will allow you to play that shot. I try not to take on boundary fielders with lofted shots (and I never advance down the wicket--too hard to time it). When I see the ball I'm after, release the defensive trigger, crush the attacking trigger, and play the shot.

In T20, where strike rate is the issue, I'll play a lot more aggressive ground shots (both triggers), aiming for the gaps in the field, or identify the areas where there's no fielder on the boundary and try to loft over the infield. It's riskier, but that's T20.

The main thing I try to do to up my run rate in T20 is run hard. Really hard. I get loads of twos, and can regularly get fifties in thirty or so balls with no more than three or four boundaries. That's mostly about placement, and working on your timing until you can play the shot where they don't want you to. For instance, they might bowl fairly full on your off stump with lots of men in the covers, and it can be really hard to pierce that field. But with practice you can cut that same delivery squarer and frequently pick up two into the gap through point. Or if they have point covered, maybe play later and try to get it fine down to third man. It's rare the AI comes up with a field and a bowling line that doesn't offer the opportunity for a two somewhere if you play it right. Work those twos and watch for the right ball to attack, and you can get a very healthy run rate. If you run really hard, you can keep your run rate up without playing too many risky shots, until you get your eye in.

[Riteshk84]

ADD ME

[ujjawal24]

Ok..thank you very much for your help @lunarvision3...I will try all these things you have suggested..It will take time for me to get accustomed to these techniques...

[lunarvision3]

Best of luck, I hope it helps.

[Riteshk84]

add me

[ujjawal24]

@Riteshk84..add you where?

[Ram]

I also had the same problem once I switched to pro mode. But as they say, practice makes perfect.

Amateur and rookie modes are useless since they develop a lot of bad shots rather than make us good cricketing shots.

To start with, use backfoot to play your shots against fast and fastmedium bowlers. This will give you some time to observe the delivery.
Against spinners, frontfoot is better.

With practice I'm now able to score 100s easily now in pro mode.

Come online yaar, we'll play a match. :)

[ujjawal24]

@Ram : thanks for the tip..

I have played more then 200 hours on rookie and amateur level, so now, because of boredom, I play very less now. Like once in a week.

Plus, you are an expert pro player, I will easily lose. But still, If i find you online, I will ping you, we can then play.

Add me as your friend, Im not able to send you a request..