The Art of Test Match Batting

Leave, leave and leave again

Many will question how you can be aggressive by doing nothing. It is the build up of inaction which frustrates and places pressure back on a fast bowler. They may only have a spell of around six overs, 36 deliveries, in which to make a break-through, before their body clock runs out, so will be drawn into at least trying to make the batter play a shot, by bowling straighter. This somewhat nullifies the slip cordon threat, which can at times contain up to half the opposition, opening up scoring options in the barren lands of the leg side, and straight down the ground.

The act of a leave requires little technique, the art is knowing when it is safe to do so. Out of form batters are normally so because they are unsure of where their off stump is in relation to their movements, their bat, and the ball, and don't want to risk getting bowled. This uncertainty will result in them playing high-risk defensive prods on a five or sixth stump line, and consequently knick off, all in trying to achieve the exact same outcome as an uncomplicated leave, to simply survive.

Wait, wait and wait some more

Pushing at the ball is a classic batting blunder. AB de Villiers came up with a batting box theory to ensure a compact game: nothing (head, hands, feet, or bat), was permitted to permeate an invisible boundary directly around him. With a 140kph delivery arriving with the batter in a swift 0.45 seconds, every milli-second counts. Additionally, waiting automatically results in playing with soft hands, which decreases the likelihood of any edges carrying to the slips, and also opens up the opportunity to...

Drop and run

Turning over the strike is important in all situations, even if runs are meaningless to the outcome of the match. The only way a bowler can set a batter up with, for example, five regulation out-swingers followed by a surprise booming in-swinger, is to keep them on strike for the entire over, so the key is to prevent them from joining up the dot balls. Consistent turnover in strike between left and right-handed batters can be especially impactful, frustrating captains and bowlers alike as they waste energy re-aligning their field and action: rhythm transfers from the bowler to the batting partnership.

Put shots back in the holster

If a particular attacking shot hasn't been working recently, then just don't play it! This has been done with great success previously: Sachin Tendulkar famously scored an unbeaten 241 against Australia without playing a single cover drive - his favourite shot. Patience and discipline clearly pay dividends, however, don't be afraid to...

Show some intent

Charging down the wicket need not necessarily be a reckless act. Getting to the pitch of the ball and only playing a defensive shot is not a missed scoring opportunity for the risk taken, instead, it ensures the bowler is not dictating terms, and may make them re-consider their lines and lengths. Similarly, manoeuvring the field by taking a slight pre-meditated risk, such as playing an unnatural reverse sweep to a spinner, may result in the fielding captain defensively plugging that gap, and by doing so, open up another area better suited to a batter's attacking strengths.

Push over shove

With the middles of cricket bats resembling more the size of trees than sticks these days, leaning a little more on a defensive shot can result in the ball whizzing back past the bowler to the fence, without the need to flaunt a full drive - low risk, high reward, and certain to make the highlights package. Pace on the ball similarly opens up an easy scoring option if a batter can catch up with any deliveries heading down the leg side: a fine tickle past the keeper, and its a certain boundary.

Find a rhythm

Batting long requires an unwavering focus, but breath must also be drawn. In-between deliveries, many players will take a walk towards square leg, practice the shot they should have played to the previous ball, or help the groundsmen out with some gardening. There is no right or wrong way to get into a rhythm, as long as it enables a batter to reset and concentrate on the next delivery, rather than on what has gone before.