Hitting off a feed with a straight bat

Setup

1. Batter in front of a set of stumps. Mark a V with cones opening out in front of them: this is the 'straight' scoring zone.
2. The feeder kneels or stands 5–6 m away, a step to the side of the V so a straight hit goes past them, not at them.
3. Two fielders stand at the far end of the V, at least 10 m back. Soft balls only.

How it runs

1. The feeder waits for the batter to be still, then tosses underarm so the ball bounces once and arrives about knee height, just outside the front foot.
2. The batter steps towards the ball and drives it along the ground back through the V.
3. Two points for a hit along the ground inside the V, one point inside the V in the air, none outside it.
4. Fielders stop the ball and roll it back to the feeder. Six balls each, then rotate: batter to fielder, fielder to feeder, feeder to batter.

Coaching points

• Bat comes down in a straight line, like a pendulum, from the backlift to a high finish.
• Front shoulder and elbow lead; the top hand does the steering.
• Head goes towards the ball and stays over it as you hit.
• Watch the ball onto the bat and hold the finish for a moment.
• Fielders watch every ball and call 'mine' when they go for it.

Common mistakes

• Swinging across the line, so the ball goes square instead of back past the feeder.
• Lifting the head to see where the ball went before hitting it.
• Feeding while the batter or fielders are not ready.