Bat grip and stance
Ready when: nothing, this is the first card.
What you are learning
How to hold the bat and how to stand: both hands together in the middle of the handle, standing side-on to the bowler with the head still and the eyes level. A good grip and stance make every later shot easier.
Words on this card Crease, Bowler, Side-on, Front foot
- Crease
- The line in front of the stumps. The batter is safe while the bat or a foot is grounded behind it.
- Bowler
- The player who bowls the ball at the batter.
- Side-on
- Standing with the front shoulder, not the chest, toward the bowler or the target.
- Front foot
- Stepping forward toward the ball, or back toward the stumps.
Set up
A plastic bat, a tennis ball, a line on the ground as the crease.
Weather: dry ground
Show it first for the one teaching
- Lay the bat face down on the floor. Pick it up with both hands close together in the middle of the handle, the "V" between thumb and first finger pointing along the front edge of the bat.
- Stand side-on: the front shoulder points at the bowler, feet a shoulder-width apart, knees a little bent.
- Head still, eyes level, looking at the bowler; the bat rests behind the back foot.
- Lift the bat back with the top elbow high.
Your part while they practise
Check the grip and the stance from the front.
Step by step
- 10 grips: pick the bat up from the floor with both hands together.
- 10 stances: side-on, feet apart, knees a little bent, head still, eyes on the bowler.
- From the stance, lift the bat with the top elbow high.
How much: 10 grips and 10 stances 5 min a session 4 days a week
Say one thing Pick one line from "What you will see" for today and say only that.
The game: Freeze
On "go" the child picks up the bat, takes the stance and holds it; the steadiest wins.
Who plays: 1 to 3 children; you judge.
How to play, turn by turn
- Turns
- The bat lies on the floor
- On "go", pick it up with the right grip and take the stance
- Hold still for 5 seconds while you check
- 10 tries
- Fair play
- A younger child uses a shorter bat.
- Points
- 1 point for the right grip; 1 point for a side-on stance with the head still; 1 point for holding still for 5 seconds.
- Fouls
- No points for that try
- The hands apart on the handle
- The chest facing the bowler
- Moving during the hold
- Winning
- The most points after 10 tries.
- 15 points for 1 star
- 22 points for 2 stars
- 28 points for 3 stars
Easier or harder
Use a shorter bat.
Hold for 10 seconds and then play a pretend shot.
What you will see, and what to say
- the hands are far apart
Hands together
Both hands touch, in the middle of the handle. - the chest faces the bowler
Turn side-on
The front shoulder points at the bowler.
Self-check
The child shows the grip and stance correctly 3 times in a row.
Fitness for this
Warm up first: how to warm up, at workonfitness.com. For strength and stretching, its exercise library shows each exercise step by step, with an easier version.
This card trains grip, stance.
awiseathlete.com/sports/cricket/cricket-b1