Straight Drive

In this lesson you will learn why coaches value the straight drive so highly. Because the bat swings straight down the line of the ball, there is a large area of the bat to make contact with and a small chance of an edge. The ball travels back past the bowler, where there are usually fewer fielders, and a good straight drive often runs away for four. In T20 cricket it is a low-risk way to score off the fuller ball, especially in the powerplay when only two fielders are allowed outside the thirty-yard circle under standard T20 playing conditions. You will see that the straight drive also gives you a reliable reference point for every other drive, because it trains your bat to swing straight.

• Straight bat means a large hitting area
• Fewer fielders behind the bowler
• Low-risk boundary option
• A reference point for every drive

In this lesson you will learn which delivery to drive straight. The ideal ball is full, pitching up close enough for you to reach it on the front foot, and on the line of middle or off stump. A ball like this is often called a half-volley or an overpitched ball. Balls on a good length are better defended, and balls wide of off stump are better driven through the covers. You will practise watching the ball from the bowler's hand and recognising the full length early so you can commit to the shot. The key message is patience. Wait for the right ball, rather than trying to drive a good length delivery that could take the edge.

• Full, overpitched ball on middle or off
• Reach it comfortably on the front foot
• Defend good length balls
• Be patient and wait for the right ball

In this lesson you will build the movement for the straight drive. It begins exactly like the forward defence. Your head and front shoulder lead towards the line of the ball and your front foot strides close to where it will pitch, pointing roughly towards mid-off. Your front knee bends and your weight transfers forward, while your back toe stays grounded behind the crease. Your head should finish over or just in front of your front knee at the moment of contact, with your eyes level. If your head stays back, the bat face tends to open and the ball goes in the air. You will practise the stride without a ball, holding the contact position to check your balance.

• Same start as the forward defence
• Stride close to the pitch of the ball
• Head over the front knee at contact
• Back toe grounded behind the crease

In this lesson you will learn the swing. From a high backlift, bring the bat down straight with the top hand leading and the front elbow high, so that the full face meets the ball just under your eyes, close to your front pad. The bottom hand adds power through contact but should not take over, or the face will close and the ball will go to the leg side. Strike the ball, do not slog it. Timing, not strength, makes the ball run away. You will practise hitting the ball along the ground and aiming between the bowler and mid-off or mid-on. Aim to feel the bat brush past your front pad as it comes through the line.

• High backlift, top hand leads
• Full face meets the ball under your eyes
• Bottom hand adds power without taking over
• Timing beats strength

In this lesson you will complete the shot with a good follow-through. After contact, let the bat continue along the line of the ball and up towards the sky, finishing high with the top hand in control. Some batters prefer a checked drive, stopping the bat after contact with the face pointing at the target, which gives more control on slower pitches. Either finish is fine as long as the bat stays on the line of the ball. Hold your finishing position for a moment to check your balance. If you are falling to the side or your back foot has dragged forward, something earlier in the shot needs work. You will practise both full and checked finishes.

• Follow through along the line of the ball
• Full finish or checked drive both work
• Bat face points to the target
• Hold the finish to check balance

In this lesson you will meet the straight drive's partner, the on drive. When a full ball is on middle or leg stump, you can drive it between the bowler and mid-on. The on drive is one of the hardest drives to master, because you must keep the bat straight while your weight and head move slightly towards the leg side. Your front foot strides a little less across, often pointing towards mid-on, and your front shoulder and head must lead so you do not fall over to the off side. You will learn that if your head falls away, the bat closes and the ball goes square or in the air. Practise with gentle feeds aimed at leg stump.

• Full ball on middle or leg
• Drive between bowler and mid-on
• Head and front shoulder must lead
• Keep the bat straight, do not close the face

In this lesson you will look at the faults that cost batters when driving. Driving at a ball that is not full enough leads to edges and catches. Lifting the head too early to look for the runs pulls the bat off line. A bottom-hand dominant swing closes the face and sends the ball to mid-wicket. Standing too far from the ball makes you reach and lose balance. You will also learn that once your grounded straight drive is reliable, you can loft the ball over the bowler's head by getting under it slightly and following through high. Only loft when the field is up and the ball is genuinely full, and always make sure the net or ground is clear before practising.

• Do not drive at good length balls
• Keep the head down through contact
• Avoid a dominant bottom hand
• Loft only when the field is up and the ball is full