Poor batting preparation

THE pathetic and wretched batting of the West Indies cricket team in the Test series, along with the continuation of poor cricket being played in the Twenty20 competition, reveals a total lack of application. This is derived from a shortage of proper practice sessions, or knowing how to approach batting, not only in an international game, but generally.

The coach is responsible for the batting outlook of any present-day national team, which all have coaches as part of their teams in the modern-day setup. Hence, it is natural for any fan to assume that the batting of an international cricket team would be of a certain standard.

Having said that, it makes me wonder whether the individual batsmen of the West Indies cricket team accept the responsibility of practicing to improve their game? Some years ago, I witnessed a WI practice session at the Queen’s Park Oval.

It took place on the pitch in the middle, not in the nets, and to my surprise, the batsmen were trying to strike almost every ball delivered by the various bowlers over the boundary for sixes and this was followed by laughter from batsman or bowler, depending on the result of the hit.

Not wanting to believe what I was looking at, I enquired from one or two interested cricket enthusiasts nearby if they knew the intention of this approach to batting. I was told the players were instructed to have fun and enjoy the practice. This was their idea of enjoyment. Another said that they were practising for a limited-overs game and sixes counted.

That ignorance has invaded West Indies cricket for, at least, the last fifteen years. Simply because the coaches have been directing the sessions and have not tried to educate the batsmen on the right way to play an innings. Batting is not a matter of just trying to hit the ball, but by attempting to do so successfully.

It involves a lot more to be successful in its execution. As one of my first coaches informed me, “you cannot score runs while sitting in the pavilion; you’ve got to be in the middle.”

Therefore, due care and attention have to be paid to “playing an innings,” which describes the proper approach of the batsman.

Batting requires deep concentration, trustworthy strokeplay, commitment, self-confidence, determination, plus the knowledge of how to read the game, thus, when to take risks and when not to. These are in addition to the right footwork to get in position to defend or to play an attacking stroke. When to look for the single and how to put pressure on fieldsmen. Also, not to build the bowlers’ confidence if he bowls a good one that had you beaten. Be nonchalant. Certainly, cricket on the whole, especially batting, requires cricket intelligence.

It may sound like a lot, however, once the proper approach to batting at practice is utilised in the nets, all the other virtues follow. And it must be done for hours at every opportunity.

EXAMPLES:

When Sir Everton Weekes was the captain of Barbados on tour in Trinidad in January 1961, I was the captain of the Trinidad Colts team. I asked him at the end of the two-day game, how often should one practise, his reply, which I recall to this day, “every opportunity you can get to practise, you use it to practise and bat as long as you can.”

Since his early days at Fatima College and at Queen’s Park C.C., Brian Lara was a compulsive and passionate young cricketer at practice and never stopped until he retired from the game. The reason being that he loved to bat and his intention was not to practise just to make large scores, it was because he loved to bat.

The legendary George Headley, a fantastic Jamaican batsman, said of a young batsman who was batting well and got out playing an atrocious stroke, “Him no like to bat!”

The batting of the WI team in the Test series and the ODI’s is an example of how not to prepare for international competition. It is a disgrace, really. These cricketers have to take it upon themselves to practise their batting and fielding (especially catching) and although there are a few who are bowling well, more consistency is required. The results prove that the coaching is a waste of time.

No coaching ability betrays a lack of selection competence.