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Cricket: Football Header- Leading with the head

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Horatius, Cricket Coach

DESCRIPTION

*AUDIO DESCRIPTION ON*

In pairs, one player with a football feeding and one with a bat in their stance.
Feeder to throw the ball out slightly in front of the batter and high enough for them to header it.
Batter to return the ball with a header, with the head leading the player should be automatically stepping into the header.

COACHING POINTS

*COACHING EXAMPLE 0.49*

Encourages batters to move towards the ball leading with their head. Allows batters to work the movement pattern out by themselves.
Good drill for players who are leading with their legs and feet first.

PROGRESSION

*VARIATION 0.42*

Batters can work on this drill individually.
Bounce the football against a wall and, as before, leading with their head, step towards the ball and header it.

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OFTEN USED WITH...

Drive & Pull Quick Hands:

**AUDIO DESCRIPTION ON**

Coach or partner feeds the ball.
They will feed the batsman a total of 4 balls and alternate between a low full toss and a waist height full toss.
The batsman will drive the low full toss and pull the waist height feed.
After every shot, the batsman should advance down the wicket towards the feeder, ready for the next delivery.

Front foot batting

Pick Up That Ball:

*AUDIO DESCRIPTION ON*

Get batter to stand in their normal stance.
Place a ball in front of them and ask them to pick it up.
Player should automatically lead with their front foot and head to pick up the ball. This is the movement pattern to encourage.
Can move the ball around and drill can be completed by the cricket at home.

Front foot batting

Example of advancing down wicket:

Can be done in pairs/ groups of three. One batter and one feeder minimum required. 6 tennis balls per pair/group.Feeder stands 4 meters away from batter, feeding ball as a drop feed, with arm out horizontally, and standing on the batters off side for safety. (adjust height of arm depending on height of feeder, and speed of batter to ball)Batter must use their feet and move down the wicket, meeting the ball on the second bounce, before hitting the ball through the cones.

PROGRESSIONMake target smallerAllow player to hit over the top (aerially) – still keeping shape of shot and not leaning back or hitting to hard/to the leg side.Alter distance batter has to advance to get to the ball.

Techniques