andy wrote:i myself continued my struggles falling for 3 from 9 balls
In my experience, too many players try to combat a lack of form by trying radical solutions or moving away from tried and trusted methods feeling change is necessary, and its usually this shift that creates or compounds issues with bad form because you are no longer playing the game in the right way. Not taking wickets? Start firing it in being ultra aggressive or looking for Hollywood stuff, and then before you know it you are spraying all over. Not batting well? Try to invent shots that aren't there or wildly take on the bowling, and get out.
When I felt my form dip, I used to focus solely on the fundamentals. With ball in hand, the first thing was to always make sure the approach to the crease was rhymical and controlled, and just forgetting about pace, spin or flight of the ball; get the action flowing nicely, body in a good position, and tell myself for the next 3 overs my sole intention is to hit the stumps. Once you regain that control and flow, then add revs or play with flight or what not.
With bat in hand, I think its all about certainty of action. If you have an element of doubt about playing shots because you aren't in good nick, then shelve them. That belief will only return once you have the belief in your fundamentals, and halfway house of half committed attacking strokes is the common deathblow of the out of touch batter. Again, I would just go out and bat 20-30 balls if the match allowed, block them all. I am not looking at the scoreboard and runs, the sole objective is to feel the hands, feet and head are all flowing and into position, and having that confidence in your core setup to then play shots.
Get in the nets for the latter if you can. Batting is a lot like golf, if you are halfway through a stroke and there is doubt, you are screwed. Have someone bowl at you and just defend your wicket, no fancy stuff. Bat long enough and you will reach a point where you stop thinking and it feels automatic... thats the place to be!
Apologise for the poundshop wisdom...