Pro level batting

[Bahger]

It's always a good idea to place your feet properly, even on Amateur where, depending on the shot selected, I have noticed a little bit of shot scripting that overrides the player's foot placement input as long as his shot timing is good. For example, if you attempt to play a very fine square cut past the gully, if you push LS forward out of habit, your batsman will still play the orthodox shot off the back foot and if it's properly timed, you'll even get a "back foot" award. The batting mechanic works much better if, as in real life, there is a deliberate time-lapse between the LS input for foot placement/direction and RS input for shot timing/placement. This is what sometimes makes facing slow spin quite agonizing after you've been batting against a fast bowler; you must wait a milisecond or two longer between LS and RS inputs against a slow bowler or you will get bowled, LBW or caught off an edge.

In Amateur, correct foot placement may not be critical but it will reduce edges and catches from shots that fly up off the bat. It will also help send the ball where you want to. If you get in the habit of using LS for foot placement in Amateur, it will become a reflex so that when you play on Pro the transition will not be so difficult. Pro is indeed more unforgiving; if you don't get your foot to the pitch when playing forward you are much more likely to get an edge, an LBW, or caught off a pop-up.

As for the forward or backward debate, I've noticed that a lot of people here feel that they do not have time to make this choice, especially against a fast bowler. I think this is a very realistic aspect of the game. It is possible to integrate a forward or backward foot placement decision into your shot preparation after the ball leaves the bowler's hand but, as in real life, it functions almost as a reflex, as muscle memory. If you go into the nets against a Pro-level bowler and play every shot off the back foot, as long as your timing is good you will see a whole range of strokes played that you might not see when playing habitually off the front foot. It's well worth practicing, not just for short-pitched deliveries from fast bowlers but to enable your batsman to play some pretty beautiful cuts and glances, as long as your timing and foot placement and timing are sound.

 

[inertSpark]

In my opinion the back foot/finesse shot choice is largely premeditated, as many Pros themselves admit - KP being one of them. Pietersen said that for him, it's all about instinct based on the way the game is playing and how the bowler is choosing to bowl at him at that moment. Of course you can get it wrong too, but that's expected that you will. You cant be hitting boundaries of every short ball, because that's not the way it works. As always, if in doubt, press forward or even leave the ball if you can afford to.

IMO the way the front foot/back foot works in this game appears to be an accurate reflection of the way it is in Professional Cricket. At village level you'll have time to make a choice, but in the big boys leagues? Naah, not gonna happen.

 

[Biggs]

I really don't think facing someone like Brett Lee any quality player is thinking about where his feet are going. It's instinctual by that point in their career and that's why they play at international level and we don't. The comparison with "reality" is skewed because none of us play international cricket, that we know. If we did, I'm pretty sure the last thing that goes through their mind is whether it's a back-foot or front foot shot. It just "happens" because they've trained their body to act naturally facing down a ball coming at 140kmph and the whole front/back foot thing is just organic. Few players like Martin Crowe (as one example) mentally told themselves "front foot, front foot" often to force their mind and body to stay forward and play off the front foot, other players are predominately backfoot which gives them a little more time to judge the ball, especially against pace but dangerous against spin bowlers.

For us, holding a controller... it needs to be predetermined to an extent because it's hand, eye, controller, computer ...vs, Hand, Eye, Ball. So I think picking forward or backfoot in advance whilst not compulsory certainly gives one a better chance of getting it right. Against the AI or a Human opponent the best thing is to make an educated guess at the length you're going to be getting. Is it short, or is it mid-pitch. I can pick pretty accurately when Matt is going to bowl a short-pitched delivery to me online now... as he can with my slowler-ball yorker. It's just playing the same opponent over time, like any international players would play similar players over time and get used to them.

It's those cool little things that make this game different from any other cricket game before, outside of the mechanics and the gameplay, much of the time it makes you feel like you're in a real cricketing scenario.

 

[Ren]

I am up to veteran level on my career as an opening batsman and most times getting out happens because I've pre-meditated my footwork. My method is to constantly remind myself to watch the ball when the quicks are bowling. "wait for it...wait...wait..." as the bowler runs up. More often than not you'll make the right choice after he's bowled. Very often that means blocking a straight ball...but that's cricket.

The most frustrating times are when I see that juicy gap at [insert fielding position] and before the bowler starts moving I'm thinking about whether I'll go for a big sot in that direction. That's when I get out trying to manufacture a shot to that gap and much like my saturday cricket league, I'm left thinking "I wish I tried to just tap a single".

If you wait instead and play the ball based on where it's being bowled to you it won't result in loads of runs right now but time at the crease always brings runs.

 

[cricket_online]

I am up to veteran level on my career as an opening batsman and most times getting out happens because I've pre-meditated my footwork. My method is to constantly remind myself to watch the ball when the quicks are bowling. "wait for it...wait...wait..." as the bowler runs up. More often than not you'll make the right choice after he's bowled. Very often that means blocking a straight ball...but that's cricket.

The most frustrating times are when I see that juicy gap at [insert fielding position] and before the bowler starts moving I'm thinking about whether I'll go for a big sot in that direction. That's when I get out trying to manufacture a shot to that gap and much like my saturday cricket league, I'm left thinking "I wish I tried to just tap a single".

If you wait instead and play the ball based on where it's being bowled to you it won't result in loads of runs right now but time at the crease always brings runs.

There are two flaws in your theory...

1. You can't really tap and take a single. The ball just dies near the pitch and bowler & fielders in the circle are so fast you won't even get halfway down the pitch before you are run out.

2. Playing a defensive shot is no more safer than trying to hammer one through the covers. In fact I've found that playing a defensive shot leads to more dismissals via edge to wkt keeper than other kind of shots.

 

[inertSpark]

I am up to veteran level on my career as an opening batsman and most times getting out happens because I've pre-meditated my footwork. My method is to constantly remind myself to watch the ball when the quicks are bowling. "wait for it...wait...wait..." as the bowler runs up. More often than not you'll make the right choice after he's bowled. Very often that means blocking a straight ball...but that's cricket.

The most frustrating times are when I see that juicy gap at [insert fielding position] and before the bowler starts moving I'm thinking about whether I'll go for a big sot in that direction. That's when I get out trying to manufacture a shot to that gap and much like my saturday cricket league, I'm left thinking "I wish I tried to just tap a single".

If you wait instead and play the ball based on where it's being bowled to you it won't result in loads of runs right now but time at the crease always brings runs.

Actually this kind of mirrors my experience with Legend/Procam/No HUD. In fact with these settings you kind of have to play to what you see because all you have to help you is the ball coming towards you! It's actually quite satisfying just knocking it around for singles and doubles, and if you get a few boundaries it's a bonus![DOUBLEPOST=1409195147][/DOUBLEPOST]

2. Playing a defensive shot is no more safer than trying to hammer one through the covers. In fact I've found that playing a defensive shot leads to more dismissals via edge to wkt keeper than other kind of shots.

Actually this isn't quite true now, at least for PC anyway. Yesterday's patch for PC (consoles will get it later) has made defensive shots far more viable.

 

[cricket_online]

Actually this isn't quite true now, at least for PC anyway. Yesterday's patch for PC (consoles will get it later) has made defensive shots far more viable.

Thanks for the update. Haven't been on PC.net for more than a day and a half so haven't yet been up to date with regards to any new developments. If the patch has addressed defensive shots being less risky along with the shots going along the ground then I can't wait for the patch! Do confirm the ball going along the ground, especially the pull & cut shots.

 

[inertSpark]

Thanks for the update. Haven't been on PC.net for more than a day and a half so haven't yet been up to date with regards to any new developments. If the patch has addressed defensive shots being less risky along with the shots going along the ground then I can't wait for the patch! Do confirm the ball going along the ground, especially the pull & cut shots.

Yes they do, but only when timing and footwork conditions are met. In short - If you sucked before the patch, you'll still suck. If you were good at striking the ball but fell foul of the bug, the you'll have a grand old time!

 

[cricket_online]

Yes they do, but only when timing and footwork conditions are met.

That's what we wanted! I would expect to hit the ball in the air if I mistime a shot or have poor footwork.

 

[inertSpark]

Yeah just added that in. You're right, thats exactly how it works.

 

[Ren]

There are two flaws in your theory...

1. You can't really tap and take a single. The ball just dies near the pitch and bowler & fielders in the circle are so fast you won't even get halfway down the pitch before you are run out.

2. Playing a defensive shot is no more safer than trying to hammer one through the covers. In fact I've found that playing a defensive shot leads to more dismissals via edge to wkt keeper than other kind of shots.

You can alter how hard you defend by how far you push the right trigger down. I use that a lot in limited overs matches to keep the score ticking over before the confidence bar fills up a bit.

 

[cricket_online]

Yeah just added that in. You're right, thats exactly how it works.

Sorry, one last clarification needed. You can hit a pull and cut shot along the ground off front foot if you time it right. I hope they haven't done it only for the back foot.[DOUBLEPOST=1409195966][/DOUBLEPOST]

You can alter how hard you defend by how far you push the right trigger down. I use that a lot in limited overs matches to keep the score ticking over before the confidence bar fills up a bit.

Pushing the trigger never really worked that well for me. It's either a defensive shot that dies on you or a powerful ground shot which goes to the boundary. I'm on PS3 so that could be the difference.

 

[inertSpark]

You can alter how hard you defend by how far you push the right trigger down. I use that a lot in limited overs matches to keep the score ticking over before the confidence bar fills up a bit.

Actually you're right here. I've been playing around with that recently and it does definitely work. It matters a lot which controller you happen to be using too - the 360 pads have quite stiff triggers with a lot of play to them so you can actually have a lot of control of this. The PS3 triggers are quite mushy and don't move in as far - I'd expect PS3 players to struggle with this.[DOUBLEPOST=1409196093][/DOUBLEPOST]

Sorry, one last clarification needed. You can hit a pull and cut shot along the ground off front foot if you time it right. I hope they haven't done it only for the back foot.

Yep. It's a legitimate shot, so it works the same as any other.

 

[Ren]

Sorry, one last clarification needed. You can hit a pull and cut shot along the ground off front foot if you time it right. I hope they haven't done it only for the back foot.[DOUBLEPOST=1409195966][/DOUBLEPOST]

Pushing the trigger never really worked that well for me. It's either a defensive shot that dies on you or a powerful ground shot which goes to the boundary. I'm on PS3 so that could be the difference.

I'm using an xbox controller, that'll be why.

 

[dippa]

I'm using an xbox controller, that'll be why.

I'm using a DualShock 4/PS4 controller. I've noticed against some bowlers that I can use different levels of strength when blocking, but it's pretty rare.

Really nice when there's a deep extra cover and you just prod it about 15m in front for a cheeky two. Or at least when you used to (AI batters seem a lot slower off the mark now since the patch, but maybe that's just because I'm playing with NSW and their batters have been rubbish for me over the last two seasons).