Most Recent Entries
The Batting Box

Add these feeds
to your homepage

Cricket Batting Tips For Aspiring Batsmen
Ian Canaway

There are hundreds of different batting tips in the game of cricket which can all potentially improve your batting and run scoring ability. Here is a selection of cricket batting tips that I've found useful to help improve your batting. -1st Batting Tip - Keep your eyes level, it's been shown that having your eyes level helps speed up your reaction time. It makes it easier for your brain to process the incoming information if your eyes are level when the ball is delivered. -2nd Batting Tip - Your first movement should be from the shoulders towards the line of the ball. The rest of your body will follow naturally and will help ensure you get correctly inline with the ball. -3rd Batting Tip - Play the delivery based on its length, if it's short; even if it's in line with the wickets it should be 'tonked away', Andy Flintoff style, to the boundary. The same principle applies with full deliveries and half volleys. -4th Batting Tip - One of the most important things is to watch the ball from bowlers hand in run up all the way to the bat. By watching the ball in the bowler's hand you can see what the bowler may be trying to do with the ball. Try to identify which is the shiny side or rough side, so you can determine which way they may be trying to swing the ball. The same applies with spinners; but also make sure you closely watch the wrist movement to determine the type and direction of spin. -5th Batting Tip - When batting against spinners, try doing an initial 'forward press' by making an initial half-step on to the front foot as the bowler bowls. This will give you a good base to play from and help give you quicker feet. -6th Batting Tip - It is essential to maintain a solid base when batting and to be in a solid position when you play the ball. If you watch, for example Brain Lara play a cover drive, he has a solid base from which he plays the stroke and he is perfectly balanced. Discover amazing cricket tips and tricks at Cricket Secrets.com that you can use today to explode your cricket results!

Or visit our cricket forum at the Cricket Secrets Forum

It’s More Important than Batting Practice
Tony Papajohn

It’s More Important than Batting Practice Tony Papajohn

It was a night of focus and inspiration.

On October 20, 2004, the Boston Red Sox made history.

They became baseball’s first team to win a best-of-seven post-season series after losing the first three games.

And they did it against arch-rival New York in Yankee Stadium.

Even if you are not a sports fan, here are some lessons you can use to turn any situation around.

When things stink and they have stunk for awhile you lost three in a row, the best way to turn things around is to forget how badly you have screwed up thus far.

Apparently, the Red Sox did this. After the game, manager Terry Francona said his team had no margin for error. They played “inning by inning” and “pitch by pitch.”

He said they “concentrated on every play.”

This is the short course in breaking any slump.

Focus on the present.

Forget the past.

Disregard the future.

Be in the moment with all your brain cells on board. Practice this and no slump will ever be a long one.

Centerfielder Johnny Damon exemplifies this. Prior to this game, he was hitting a dismal .108 for the series. Then he hit two home runs including a grand slam.

Will anyone in all of New England remember his batting average for the first 6 games

The Red Sox players prepared for this game in an unusual way.

They did not take batting practice.

Instead, they watched “Miracle on Ice,” the movie about the amazing gold medal performance of the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team, still considered one of the most stunning upsets in sports history.

At some point, you are ready. You know what to do.

The rest is focus and inspiration.

And that’s more important than batting practice.

About The Author

Copyright 2004 by Tony Papajohn

Tony writes and speaks on success. Subscribe to his free SuccessMotivator e-zine at http://www.successmotivator.com

tony@successmotivator.com

Real Solutions For Combatting Extreme Shyness
Royane Real

Real Solutions For Combatting Extreme Shyness Royane Real

Most people experience some degree of shyness from time to time, depending on the situation. In fact, only about 7% of the population claims that they never feel shy. For the rest of us, shyness can range from being an occasional, minor inconvenience, to being a major problem.

Some people however, are afflicted with a degree of shyness so severe that it is almost disabling. This type of acute shyness is not only very painful to experience, but it can have devastating effects on a person’s social life, happiness, and career.

Severe shyness is a complex mix of biology, upbringing, traumatic experiences, and negative self-talk. Severe shyness can co-exist with other debilitating psychological conditions such as low self-esteem, perfectionism, depression and anxiety.

Extreme shyness can take many forms, and can show up differently in different people. Some very shy people have problems being in large gatherings, yet feel comfortable in small groups. Some shy people only feel acute discomfort with persons they have just met, while others are never comfortable around people, even with those they have known a long time.

Psychiatrists and psychologists use the term “social anxiety disorder SAD” to describe extremely debilitating shyness. There isn’t complete agreement about whether severe, disabling social anxiety disorder is simply a more severe type of shyness, or whether it is another type of disorder altogether.

Some very shy people are able to overcome their fears by learning social skills and practicing them frequently in social situations. Many also find it useful to gain some measure of control over their uncomfortable physical reactions such as sweating and trembling, by using special relaxation techniques and bio-feedback training.

Many very shy people deal with their extreme anxiety by simply avoiding any social situations that might trigger their discomfort. This may mean turning down invitations to parties and other social events, crossing the street in order to avoid running into someone they know, and even turning down promotions at work.

Although avoiding the feared situation may seem to the shy person like the perfect solution, it actually makes the problem worse in the long run. Every time a shy person chooses to avoid social interaction, he reinforces in his mind how much he fears dealing with other people. By choosing the short-term benefit of avoiding his anxious feelings, he reinforces the power that his fear holds over him

Psychologists who specialize in the treatment of shyness disorders have discovered that avoiding social situations can actually make the problem worse. Many psychologists who treat people afflicted by shyness recommend a program of repeated and gradually increasing exposure to the feared situation, combined with helping the client learn new ways of thinking.

Various psychological therapies have been used to treat extreme shyness, most of them with limited success. The most successful approaches use some variation of cognitive therapy, or behavioral therapy, or both of these, combined with graduated and increasing exposure to the feared situation.

In cognitive therapy, the patient is taught to notice the thoughts he is thinking while he is in the feared situation. The client learns to challenge his thoughts to see if they fit reality. If these thoughts do not match the reality, the client is taught to substitute more realistic thoughts in their place.

Behavioral therapy aims to change the client’s behavior using a program of positive reinforcement of the desired behavior, and negative reinforcement of the undesired behavior.

Both cognitive therapy and behavior therapy focus on teaching the client to deal with situations and symptoms in the present. Neither form of therapy delves into situations in the client’s distant past. Those forms of psychotherapy that attempt to deal with shyness by delving into the client’s past history have not been shown to be effective. in cognitive therapy techniques.

There are many books that can teach the reader to effectively use cognitive therapy techniques for both depression and loneliness. If your case is not particularly severe, you can often learn enough from reading a book and doing the recommended exercises to greatly relieve your symptoms of shyness or depression. Dr. David Burns, one of the pioneers in bringing cognitive therapy to a wider audience, has written several very useful books and workbooks for the general public, including “Intimate Connections” and “Feeling Good--the New Mood Therapy.”

In the past decade, researchers have discovered that some anti-depressant medications, particularly the so-called SSRI’s selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors, can also be very helpful in the treatment of extreme shyness. One of these SSRI drugs, Paxil, was the first to receive American F.D.A. approval as an effective treatment for social anxiety. In fact, ads for Paxil as a treatment for social anxiety have been marketed directly to the public, not just to doctors. Other anti-depressant drugs in the SSRI group are also believed to help in reliving social anxiety.

Does drug treatment for shyness really work Some very socially anxious people have tried everything that regular psychotherapy has to offer, including cognitive therapy, yet they still suffer debilitating symptoms of shyness until they try SSRI drugs. In some cases, the improvement in sociability after taking SSRI drugs can be swift and profound. This class of drugs seems to help the socially anxious person turn down the excessive volume of their inner judgmental thoughts.

If you are shy or socially anxious, should you take a pill to make you more friendly There are pros and cons to be considered when deciding whether or not to take a drug for social anxiety. The SSRI drugs can cause nervous agitation, insomnia, weight gain, and sexual dysfunction, as well as many other less common side effects.

Some doctors and psychologists are concerned that a normal human trait, shyness, has been declared a medical condition requiring expensive pharmaceutical intervention. Because the SSRI drugs are relatively new, it is not yet known what the long-term effects of this class of drugs may be. Nevertheless, the SSRI drugs are very widely prescribed, particularly in North America, for depression and social anxiety.

In most locations it is easier to find a doctor who will prescribe SSRI medication to combat shyness than it is to find a counselor trained in the use of therapy effective in treating shyness disorders.

The difference in shyness experienced with drug therapy can be quite astounding, but it will likely last only as long as the drug is taken on a regular basis. When the drug is discontinued, the symptoms of shyness will likely reappear. With the proper psychotherapy for shyness, the positive results are likely to be long lasting.

About The Author

This article is an excerpt from the new downloadable book by Royane Real titled "Your Guide to Finding Friends, Making Friends, and Keeping Friends" available at www.royanereal.com.

olena@ablewise.com

A Guide to Batting Cages
Jason Gluckman

Batting cages are enclosed or partially enclosed pieces of sporting equipment that act as a “catcher,” in effect, for batters practicing hitting baseballs or softballs. Batting cages help to keep balls in a contained space so that the batter can continue hitting without having to continually retrieve them. Different types of batting cages can be located outdoors or in a gym or activity center. Batting cages are both in professional, school-sponsored, and recreational baseball and softball. They can be used to help improve a batter’s speed or to improve his or her accuracy in hitting a ball. A batter’s agility and stance, as well as his overall performance, can be enhanced by using a batting cage. While aiding a batter in improving his or her skill, batting cages also keep the ball in an enclosed area to prevent the injury of bystanders and onlookers.Batting cages consist of a configuration of netting over a frame. They can differ in material, size, and cost, as well as structure and workmanship. Whether batting cages are used indoors or outdoors can be a deciding factor in what the best choice of material should be. Cages that are used outside will need to be tougher than those used indoors. The netting in batting cages can be constructed of various materials and degrees of sturdiness. Framing in a batting cage should be constructed with a pipe that will withstand temperatures and weather in the area in which it is used. For that reason, a batting cage used by the Boston Red Sox will probably be made differently than one used by the Los Angeles Angels. With less time spent retrieving baseballs, batters can spend more time advancing their technique. For decades, batting cages have played a central role in improving the swings of professional and amateur batters.

About the Author

Batting Cages Info provides detailed information about batting cage equipment and indoor, outdoor, portable, and tunnel batting cages for sale. Batting Cages Info is the sister site of Trampolines Web.

Cricket Batting Tips – Foot Work
Ian Canaway

Recently I was asked, “is ‘foot work’ really that important?”When batting in cricket it is essential to have excellent footwork. As good foot work is the basis for achieving excellence in cricket and is the foundation for good batting technique.Foot work is absolutely necessary as all successful strokes start with effective footwork.If you watch Brian Lara, Michael Vaughan, Ricky Ponting, Sachin Tendulkar, all of these amazing batsmen have outstanding footwork, often when these types of players don't perform it is simply due to lack of footwork.Good footwork allows you to time the ball well and place the ball in gaps. It gets you in the optimum position to hit the ball, so you can hit it where you want and with ease.If you have been struggling to play a particular shot for some reason it could be due to poor footwork causing bad timing and body positioning.With faster bowlers it is even more essential to have excellent fast and precise footwork, so that you can get into a balanced position, in-line with the ball, so you can play the ball with control.Getting quickly into position through footwork therefore is very important.The more you practice your footwork against both fast and slow bowlers the easier you will gradually find it. Many players do what we call trigger movements just before the bowler releases the ball, this helps get the feet moving into position and into line much quicker and easier, especially against faster bowlers.Next time you watch a game on TV watch the batsmen’s feet really closely as the bowler is about to deliver you’ll see these small ‘trigger movements’; small foot movements, which help the batsmen get in position and inline early.As a batsman it is absolutely necessary to develop your foot work and foot movement, as all excellent strokes start with effective and efficient footwork.

About the Author

Discover amazing cricket tips and tricks at that you can use today to explode your cricket results! Visit: http://www.cricketsecrets.com/bonus.html