Batting against swing/seam: Is it skill or genetics/reflexes that makes the difference?

[Hawkeye]

Every batsman, from their club days, are taught what a good batting technique is.

Footwork, defense, attack. They train and practice hard. However, not everyone succeeds.

In fact, it's only a small number of batsmen in history who have been able to bat well against all types of bowling.

The moving ball is the ultimate threat to a batsman, and most cannot claim to have conquered it.

But those very few who do, what separates them from the rest? They all have mostly the same basics.

Is it the natural ability, to be able to actually see till very late where the ball's going to move, that's the ultimate differentiator?

Not everyone can I assume.

The pace is just too fast.

You got to have extremely quick reflexes and natural ability to pick that movement.

I guess that might explain not everyone can succeed, even if they train hard?

 

[Cuts_and_cuts_hard]

Takes more skill and a much more refined technique. Playing the ball late and with soft hands isn't something you can just start doing if you just have good reflexes. It is something you need to drill into your technique and muscle memory with time.

 

[Robert]

Well, I live in England where the moving ball is normal. So most can “conquer” it. There were plenty of all-conditions batters.

The problem is that pitches have become heterogenous and cricket stereotyped due to the County cricket structure. They don’t see much spin any more except late in the season, and there are not many fast bowlers about. So England players struggle against pace and bounce, and against spin due to lack of exposure. They don’t even see many green seamers these days. So their skill set compared to their forebears such as Gooch, Gower and Gatting is narrower.

There used to be many Subcontinental players in the English County game who learned to play the moving ball. Gavaskar, Imran, Zaheer, Miandad, Vengsarkar, Kapil, Azhar, Tendulkar, and they won series in Engkand. But now they are not represented so India in particular lack the requisite skills, come here and get beaten 4-1.

It’s just a matter of skill set due to practice. There are tons of people with the ability to play the moving ball, but lacking the opportunity to develop their skills.

 

[Cuts_and_cuts_hard]

Well, I live in England where the moving ball is normal. So most can “conquer” it.

The problem is that pitches have become heterogenous and cricket stereotyped due to the County cricket structure. They don’t see much spin any more except late in the season, and there are not many fast bowlers about. So England players struggle against pace and bounce, and against spin due to lack of exposure. They don’t even see many green seamers these days. So their skill set compared to their forebears such as Gooch, Gower and Gatting is narrower.

There used to be many Subcontinental players in the English County game who learned to play the moving ball. Gavaskar, Imran, Zaheer, Miandad, Vengsarkar, Kapil, Azhar, Tendulkar, and they won series in Engkand. But now they are not represented so India in particular lack the requisite skills, come here and get beaten 4-1.

It’s just a matter of skill set due to practice. There are tons of people with the ability to play the moving ball, but lacking the opportunity to develop their skills.

Azhar wasn't a great playr of the moving ball, really. Used to get squared up off the back foot a lot. Dravid the best at playing swing among all subcontinent players I have seen.

 

[Hawkeye]

Takes more skill and a much more refined technique. Playing the ball late and with soft hands isn't something you can just start doing if you just have good reflexes. It is something you need to drill into your technique and muscle memory with time.

Well, I live in England where the moving ball is normal. So most can “conquer” it. There were plenty of all-conditions batters.

The problem is that pitches have become heterogenous and cricket stereotyped due to the County cricket structure. They don’t see much spin any more except late in the season, and there are not many fast bowlers about. So England players struggle against pace and bounce, and against spin due to lack of exposure. They don’t even see many green seamers these days. So their skill set compared to their forebears such as Gooch, Gower and Gatting is narrower.

There used to be many Subcontinental players in the English County game who learned to play the moving ball. Gavaskar, Imran, Zaheer, Miandad, Vengsarkar, Kapil, Azhar, Tendulkar, and they won series in Engkand. But now they are not represented so India in particular lack the requisite skills, come here and get beaten 4-1.

It’s just a matter of skill set due to practice. There are tons of people with the ability to play the moving ball, but lacking the opportunity to develop their skills.

Hmm so if I got it right, you both seem to be implying that it's the skill and technique that makes you conquer the moving ball.

In Pak domestics the pitched these days are horrible for batsmen, even skill less trundlers move the ball miles and get 10fers.

So our domestic batters get good exposure, yet they fail at intl level.

imo natural ability and reflexes still play a huge role, no matter how much you practice.

 

[Mamoon]

India 100/17 against swing. Utterly embarrassing.

Year in year out, Indian batsmen’s zero skill vs the moving ball remains constant.

 

[anikrc1]

India 100/17 against swing. Utterly embarrassing.

Year in year out, Indian batsmen’s zero skill vs the moving ball remains constant.

Don't think swing was the issue in the second innings. It was the extra bounce o' rourke generated