Form is temporary and class is permanent; a sporting mantra that is rooted in fact. For every cricketer there will be spells in their life where they are in bad form as a batsman. At these times there are a few things you can do to try and help play your way out of bad form. Choosing the right cricket bat for your needs, being mentally strong and following a few different practices can help you soon rediscover your form, and show your class that has always been there, no matter what level of cricket you are playing at.
As soon as you remind yourself that a bad run of form in cricket has been easy to find, you’ll remember that good form is also something that can come out of nowhere and stick around for a long period of time. It’s a great relaxing technique that can help you get back to where you want to be. Bad form leads to bad habits; you’ll plant your feet and get stuck in one position, reach for balls that leave you in a vulnerable position, back away against fast bowlers and keep your eye on anything but the ball!
Playing Into Good Form
There are a few processes you can do to ensure that you play your way back into some good form and show the class that you’ve always had, no matter what level of cricket you are playing at. These include:
Think Positively – Your skills are the same as when you were playing well. Physically you’re the same person and you’re using the same cricket bat and cricket equipment as when you were in good form. Try to remove the negative cricket thoughts from your mind and focus on visualising the runs returning .
Increase Time at the Crease – A low run count usually means you’ve not been out on the field of play for too long. Next time you go out to bat, concentrate on staying at the crease for as long as you can, rather than a run count. Even if you have to play conservatively it’ll give you the chance to build confidence as the innings progresses.
Embrace the Singles – Sometimes taking on a single run is no bad thing. If you can take the positives from running a quick single it can help you build a positive momentum. A few singles can soon turn into a solid display as a batsman and a larger score, it’ll also get your legs going and your mind thinking positively from early in the innings.
Practice, Practice, Practice – Take a deeper look at your technique and ask friends, teammates and coaches to stand and watch you in the nets to see if there is anything they can recommend that you tweak in your play. Putting the hours in at the nets and practising is a great way to play yourself back into form without the pressure of a match situation.