Greg Chappell

Today's Discussion

- Timing- Preparation to move- Unweighting- Setting up of the hands- Body Coil- Takeaway patterns- Body patterns- The Levers- Releasing the build up- Stopping the Forces

A key to all sports is timing. Timing requires the matchingof the external variables with the internal response.

Ricky Ponting has achieved this aim. Feedback as to the applicability of our timing is location of ball strike on the bat.

Graeme Pollock hit with tremendous power and as we’ll see it was his tremendous ability in setting up the hitting position that allowed this to happen.

In this image I’m driving the ball wide of mid-on.Contrast the set up and requirements to Graeme’s cover drive.

Sachin Tendulkar also hits with tremendous powerfor a little man. Take note of the position of the bat and the body at contact point.

Brian Lara is another little man who can generate tremendous power. He achieves it by his wonderful setup.

In this image Sunil Gavaskar is directing the full ballon his legs through mid wicket. Notice how he hits into the line of the ball.

Barry Richard’s appeared to just caress the ball butit raced off his bat. The reason for this was his setup.

Barry’s stance at the wicket was wonderfully relaxed. As the bowler approaches he narrows his field of vision to the point of release. Through his training Barry has developed this into a consistent routine.

The Don also displays the state of relaxed readiness.Notice the different bat position and top hand position to Barry.

Mathew Hayden is ready weight on the balls of his feet,like a boxer ready to throw a punch.

The knees bend in the stance to allow the back and head to assume a power position. Steve Waugh demonstrates the ideal position.

The takeaway is triggered by the top hand, allowing the bottom hand to take on the vital role as the fulcrum during the setup.

The wonderful head and upper body symmetry reflects the balanced unweighting of the lower body.

A perfect photo of the back hand fulcrum position.Just the thumb and first two fingers in contact with the bat

Steve defies what’s commonly coached. As the bat is being setup so is the lower body and its all happening in a synchronisedpatterning.

Graeme used a very extreme front of the handle top grip. This grippresets the front wrist in the position so the use of the top hand is slightly different. Compare it to the image of Adam Gilchrist.

Barry maintained a more upright position in his unweighting.He relied more on the unweighting of the hitting leg to generate theground forces. Compare Barry to Brian Lara.

Ricky Ponting shows a tremendous lever position. At times he can get into trouble with the head leading the upper body.Obviously the greater the variance the larger the core strength to prevent the body falling over. In this instance it’s okay.

Like Graeme Pollock, Brian employs a front of the handle grip.This sets his bat face slightly more open than Adam Gilchrists.

I like to call the position Brian has assumed “The Active NeutralPosition”. I think the term highlights the movement nicely.

Compare Adam with Brian.

Take note of the bat as it curls back into the fully loaded position.

Note the bottom hand position.

Perfect illustration of the creation of the hitting fulcrum.

As the bat begins its takeaway it triggers the feet to begin the set up for the shot. What a wonderful upper body position.

The leg stride triggers the rotation of the shoulder settingup a degree of difference between the shoulder and the hip.An extremely powerful position.

Sachin again sets up torque in the body. To optimisethis he keeps the weight forward. Once the weight is significantly over the back foot the bat will release.

Wonderful examples of the principle of “Unstructuredbatting”. Gary Sobers and Viv Richard's optimise the set upfor the demands of the situation.

Loading for attack.

Loading for defence

Gary quietly pushes this one into the covers for a single

One of the great memories of Viv Richards batting washis tremendous “unstructured” bat control.

Hitting Murray Bennett over mid-wicket

Recognising he needs to defend…..

Quietly turning Bennett around the corner for a single

The same with the body position. Here Andy Roberts brings the ball back into my brother Ian...

So Ian allows his body to open up providing room forhis bat to access the ball, and quietly pushes it down on leg side.

This time the situation is different and Ian applies a different solution to the problem….

This ball is shorter and wider from Michael Holding allowing Ian to drive off the backfoot….

In this instance he has coiled further delaying the rotationout. Side on vs Front on. We use both in the process of rotation.The key is the solution definition and the timing of the rotation.

The body has rotated maximally for the cut and the shotwill begin once Adam plants on the back foot.

In this shot Brian pulls through mid wicket. Notice the different loaded position of the bat to Adam’s.

No wonder this bloke could hit a ball!

For this shot the demands are different. The ball is full inat Sunil’s legs. Therefore the bat loading is cut short by the early release of the hips back into the ball allowing Sunilthe time to take the ball forward of his centre of mass.

This ball goes over mid wicket. See how the length and placement of the levers set up the body for the optimised release. Compare Mathew’s position to Adam’s for the cut.

Like Sunil’s, this ball is directed in towards my legs.The key is to allow my bat access back into the ball. To do this Imaintain the integrity of the upper body out of the unweighting, restrict the coil with my foot plant. Plant so as I don’t block the ball off and then by bringing the weight forward and over the front legI can direct this ball anywhere from fine leg to mid-on.

What a tremendous example of the use of levers. Now it’s just matter of letting it happen!

With the front foot now planted the bat is triggered to return back into the ball.

Who said that movement wasn’t about synchronisation?The key is to get the internal timing right to the external demandspresented.

Weight the back foot Sachin and let it happen.

The weight begins back as the bat begins its descent. Everything in perfect balance.

I’ve planted appropriately for the requirements, my weight forward over the front leg and my bat is beginning its descentback into the ball.

Poor old cover…...

I know because it was me!

Great example of the front arm pulling the bat into line as the hips are rotating out. The reality is you can’t control this point,so you had better have set it up appropriately!

It’s a classic shot and look at the position the Don is in if he has to run. He’s allowed the bat to unwind over the shoulder and look at the balance.

The alternative to taking the bat over the shoulder in thefollow through is to bend the top elbow post hit and slowthe bat. The key is to make sure the hit is completed before this action takes place.

A natural easy flowing movement between mid offand cover for 4!