Cricket Hook shot
Apart from being trained in batting for various deliveries, a guide to play a hook shot in cricket is very necessary for every batsman. This shot is very dangerous to play but is considered to be the most spectacular in the game. If you hit it correctly you are sure to get a boundary, but if it is played too early then there are great changes of being caught.
A batsman can hit a ball in many different ways according to the way the ball is delivered. Mostly they have to use a good foot work while facing various types of deliveries. He can refresh his position by front foot strokes and back foot strokes. He will have to change this position depending on how the ball is thrown and where it is going.
How To Play A Hook Shot
If you are bowled short deliveries then the hook shot is ideal to hit the ball especially on the leg side in an attacking way. If a short pitch ball is bowled to you on the leg side between the waist and head height you can hook that ball. Remember you should have your eyes on the ball at all times. If you even wink you may get hit by the ball on your chest or your head.
You need to form the base for the shot. Move the front leg back and towards the leg side. Put your head slightly forward to judge the line and bounce on the ball correctly. You should swing the arms through the line of the ball fully extended when you connect with the ball.
Defensive Playing
There are times when you are batting; you need to be defensive in your cricketing shots. Footwork is the main key to all the cricketing shots. A back foot defense is a shot that you play with a straight bat and soft hands that will allow you to bend down or up depending upon the bounce, and to pull your hands and bat inside the line if you choose to let the ball go.
When you intend to play a forward defensive shot unlike the back foot which is played against fast bowlers you go on the front foot and play against the spinners. You have to be very careful as you will have fielders surrounding you to catch you out. You may even miss the ball and get out stumped.
The Bat And The Batsman
A cricketing batsman uses cricket bats, according to the convenience of playing various shots. There are certain batsmen who prefer to play with heavy bats as they find it comfortable to play cover drives. If you want to play a hook shot especially on bouncers, then a light bat would be more comfortable.
Whether it is a light or a heavy bat, your shots will also depend upon the quality of willow used in the manufacture of cricket bats. You may play any type of a cricketing shot that you are comfortable with, with the right bat. When you want to play a hook shot you should watch the classic batsmen play the same and consider them as the guide to play a hook shot in cricket.