Day 3 - 5

Bowling
Not much improvement here! Didn't bowl anyways. Started the three knee drill! Now, after the three knee drill, I realize that the problem occurred because my body didn't realize the takeoff's where and how!

How : The frontfoot
Where : Such that the backfoot lands in line with the stumps. For me, in the side on position!

Had a fitness session in between. Whatta day that was! Must have done more than 30 pushups :P Loads of exercises, atleast for two hours and didn't get exhausted for one bit!

Fielding

• For Slip Catches, bend as much as you can. Keep minimal movements!
• With the higher catches, I'm being pretty good - except that I take the catches in an odd position. I get under the ball, go onto the side and take the ball on the sides! Isn't the standard way to catch the ball in your palms with the body behind it?
• Follow the trajectory! Somehow, it always land in the palms! Otherwise, you're hurt!
• Loads of great fielders in the side. Nishant is one! I was wondering how to differentiate from them? Had some ideas in mind at that time - don't remember what they were. Will post whenever I remember!

Next Post : On coaching, differentiating, bowling action and follow through, and the two of other bowlers.

Day 2 : LOADS OF FEEDBACK

Bowling

• 2 continuous no balls. Coach noticed me! Great! So now when I gain rhythm, he's gonna keep my improvement in mind ;)
• There's a problem with my run up I'm sure! Somewhere I gain enough momentum and if that place is not the crease I end up moving zig zag. So, the moment I start being zig zag that's probably the right time to bowl!
• Kept my head straight! Looked constantly at my target and hit it consistently!
• Nishant - Pampa - says my body's unstable near the delivery. Fits in with my theory!
• I made a new resoltion - as I approach the crease for my jump, I'll make a violent gather to announce to my body I'm ready!

Fielding

• Vivek has given me a lot of inputs. Also seemed sometimes as if he was kinda embarassed, so I think I did go too far with some of my mistakes!
• Minimal Movement needed. There's a lot of unnecessary actions by me.
• Lower catches, bend a little and take the catch with fingers down. Be very specific about this!
• Some great catches and a stop. Atleast I'd like to think so!
• Take your body behind the ball to catch it ideally. Going away from it, grabbing at it - doesn't make sense!
• Let the ball come to you!
• Did good at High Catches!
  

First day at the nets - all's not bad!

Bowling

Not all that impressive. Bowled "two foot no balls" consistently for three deliveries, with the delivery that I was taken off being a waist high fultoss!

Am not all that disappointed - I consistently landed on the same spot! That mostly implies I marked a shorter run up, and I guess I did - 12 steps instead of 14. What we can learn from here is that small mistake cost us a lot! Don't be so careless about them!

Nishant told me about my unsteady head. Great! Proper feedback on the first day itself! Well, It's just getting back into rhythm of something I have barely done for two months - so am not worried about it so much. Found a drill for steady heads!

Fielding

Mostly catching practice - the "Slip style" and the high catches, both forward and backward run.

Got a few points in my head:

• If the catches are low in the slip catch practice, why bend only sidewards? Missed ALL of my low catches! Bend a little forwards as well!
• During the high catch practice, I observed a lot of guys giving up their "attack" in the last few milliseconds! I feel that is the most crucial time to correct your judgement - you know, kind of all's not lost attitude!
• Don't sprint from the beginning, especially if the ball's rising from a gloomy horizon. Advance towards the ball cautiously, and "go for it with full force" only after the highest point in the trajectory comes - or whenever the ball's not in the foreground of trees/dark objects and in the foreground of the clear sky.

Thoughts

• Disappointed about the bowling, but it's ok. You know your mistakes - you can work on them!
• Plus, no need to be unconfident just because you couldn't deliver! If insincere people can walk around with pride, we can too! Only that the pride should come from the fact that we are concerned enough and then that we act on our concerns!