Cricket players more successful when batting the ‘wrong’ way, say experts

BIPIN DANI. Dated: 1/19/2019 10:47:06 PM

MUMBAI, Jan 19: Trent Woodhill, who has played cricket in Australia and has coached several teams internationally, believes that suspended captain Steven Smith can bat left-handed.
Woodhill was also referring to Warner's decision to bat right-hand (BPL match) instead of being a regular left-hand batsman.
"Warner is a better right-handed than some current first class cricketers", speaking exclusively over telephone from Australia, he said.
"It's all about balance at the crease that allows for late contact that leads to optimal ball striking", Woodhill, who is also a sports scientist, added.
Another sports scientist (in University in Amsterdam) David Mann (he played cricket too) believes that cricket players can be more successful when batting the ‘wrong’ way.
Speaking exclusively, he said, "No I was not surprised when Warner changed...I’m more surprised that he didn’t do it earlier in his career, particularly in T20s".
"It is incredibly difficult...I expect you would need to do both from a young age to be able to do it well".
"You could look up ‘The Southpaw Project’ where Blake Dean, a cricketer in Canberra, has been learning to bat both", he further added.
Mann also believes bowlers also need to change hands.
"I imagine it would be advantageous for a bowler to be able to do it too. It would be ideal to be able to change to exploit weakness in opponents’ techniques", Mann signed off.
Footage reviewed: In the meantime, the MCC (Marylebone Cricket Club), which controls the laws of the game has reviewed the footage.
"MCC has reviewed the footage of David Warner switching to batting right handed in the Bangladesh Premier League match and feels that his actions were within the Laws of Cricket", Fraser Stewart, Cricket Academy Manager at Lord's said in an e mail to this reporter.
"The Laws do not state that a batsman can bat only in one way and, from the footage seen, it seems clear that Warner made it obvious that he was changing to batting right-handed. The bowler, Chris Gayle, altered the field accordingly and everyone seemed to know what was happening".
"MCC will continue to monitor and debate this area of the Law, ready to provide clarification if further incidents or developments require that", he further added.

 

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