The batting really isn't that hard. It's just more realistic in that you'd best play in the /\ for boundaries and through gaps behind square for singles to build up confidence. NZL Fan, you say that if a bad ball is bowled early on you still can't hit it for four if you time it well enough. Fine. Let's envisage a first-up delivery here:
Fleming (i.e. you) facing Shoaib Akhtar. Short and wide outside off stump, an absolute gift. I tell you what, Fleming wouldn't go for the blazing cut shot. Whatever the ball quality, you cannot slash outside off stump so early on unless it's your greatest strength. I find Gilchrist and Martyn, for example, proficient in that area early on, because it is their number one shot. I got Gilly a hundred against England with three sixes, 18 fours. 15 of those fours were square cuts and drives, and many of them early on. For other players, if you get a full, straight ball, play in the /\ and go over the bowler's head, making use of the full face of the bat and thus, a low risk move. Works like a charm until the seventh time Freddie gets caught on the boundary and England speed to their doom ... *sniff*
Another thing is the slog over midwicket that works better with Pietersen than anyone. Just slog it, and with a guy of his calibre, it should go for six a hell of a lot. As proof: Pietersen c Gough b Mushtaq Ahmed 90 (28 balls, 3 fours, 14 sixes)
Hope you get better at the game, mate! Maybe you'll learn to forgive it, my dear Kiwi.
