Concentration in a Long Innings
Also known as: concentration when batting, concentrate for a long innings, switching on and off, losing focus when batting, batting focus, staying focused at the crease
Nobody can concentrate hard for hours, so good batters switch on and off. Relax between balls by looking away and walking towards square leg. Switch on fully as the bowler runs in, with one simple cue like 'watch the ball'. Break the innings into small targets such as the next five overs.
Concentration in cricket comes in short bursts. The ball is live for a few seconds, then there is a gap of half a minute or more. Trying to stay locked in through every gap wears you out. Many batters use a routine to switch off after each ball and back on before the next. They might walk away, look at the crowd, tap the bat, adjust a glove and then reset.
The switch-on should be the same every time. Settle in your stance as the bowler reaches the top of the run-up, breathe out, and use one cue word. 'Watch the ball' or 'still' are common. Then react to what is bowled. Talk to your partner at the end of overs about the bowling and the plan. It keeps your mind on the job between bursts.
Break a long innings into chunks: the next five overs, the next 10 runs, or the time until drinks. When you reach one, set the next. Concentration often slips after a milestone, a break in play or a boundary. Those are the moments to be extra deliberate with your routine. Drink and eat at breaks, because tiredness and dehydration make focus harder.
Tips by skill level
Pick one switch-on cue, such as 'watch the ball', and say it in your head as every bowler starts their run-up.
Plan the reset you will use after milestones, boundaries and breaks in play. Rehearse it in the nets so it is automatic in the middle.
Example
On 45 in a long two-day innings, a batter notices his mind drifting. After each ball he walks towards square leg and looks at the sightscreen. As the bowler turns, he takes his stance and says 'watch it'. He sets a target of reaching drinks.
Why it matters
Many dismissals in long innings come from a lapse rather than a great ball. A simple routine keeps your best focus for the moment it is needed.
Common mistakes
- Trying to concentrate flat out between balls as well as during them
- Relaxing after reaching a milestone
- Thinking about the score or the result while the bowler runs in
- Skipping food and drink at breaks in a long innings
Frequently asked questions
How do I concentrate for a long innings?
Switch off between balls and switch on as the bowler runs in, using a simple routine and one cue word. Break the innings into small targets, such as the next five overs or until drinks.
Why do I lose concentration when batting?
Usually because you are trying to focus all the time, or your mind jumps to the score. A routine that relaxes you between balls and refocuses you before each one helps.
How do batters switch on and off between balls?
Many walk towards square leg, look away and tap the bat or adjust a glove. Then they take their stance, breathe out and use a cue word as the bowler comes in.
Related terms
- Building an InningsBuild an innings in stages. Spend your first balls getting used to the pace and bounce, scoring mainly from singles and bad balls. Once you are set, widen your scoring shots and push the rate. After a milestone, reset and start again instead of relaxing.
- Test CricketTest cricket is the oldest, longest, and most prestigious format of the sport — played over up to five days between two national teams, with each side receiving two innings and ten wickets to be dismissed.
- Nerves Before BattingFeeling nervous before you bat is normal, and a little helps you stay sharp. Get padded up early, watch the bowlers and plan your first few balls. Take slow breaths with a long out-breath. Then focus only on watching the next ball. The aim is to manage nerves, not to get rid of them.
- CenturyA century is a batting milestone of 100 or more runs scored by a single batter in one innings — the most celebrated individual achievement in cricket batting.
- JudgmentJudgment in cricket batting is the ability to quickly decide which deliveries to play and which to leave, choosing the right shot for each ball bowled.
Cricket analysis is in development
Motion Lab does not analyze this sport yet. Keep exploring the terms in this section.