Front-foot defence and the leave

Setup

1. Set one set of stumps at the batting end. The feeder stands about 12 m away, beside a cone, with a bucket of balls.
2. Put two cones on a full length just outside off stump to show the feeder where to land the wider balls.
3. A catcher waits behind the stumps to collect, standing well back.
4. Start with incrediballs or tennis balls. With a hard ball, the batter wears a helmet with a faceguard, pads, gloves and a box or abdominal guard.

How it runs

1. The feeder throws one ball at a time on a full length, mixing balls at the stumps with balls a bat-width or more outside off stump.
2. Ball on the stumps: the batter steps forward to it and plays a front-foot block that drops at their feet.
3. Ball wide of off stump: the batter leaves it, bat lifted high over the shoulder, and lets the catcher take it.
4. Score 1 point for each right choice played well. Sets of 12 balls, then rotate feeder, batter and catcher.
5. The feeder waits until the batter is set and calls 'ready' each time.

Coaching points

• Head leads the movement and stays still and over the ball at contact.
• Front foot to the line of the ball, knee bent, weight going forward.
• Bat comes down straight beside the front pad with no gap between bat and pad.
• Soft bottom hand and a firm top hand so the ball drops dead rather than flying to a close fielder.
• On the leave, move the feet and body, then lift the hands high and away from the ball; watch it all the way past.
• Know where off stump is: take guard and look at it before each set.

Common mistakes

• Pushing hard at the ball so it carries to a close catcher.
• Planting the front foot before seeing the length, then reaching.
• Leaving with the bat hanging down by the off stump, where an edge is still possible.
• Leaving a ball that would have hit the stumps (bowled shouldering arms).