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What is it?

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Batter’s Fog happens to best of us on the cricket pitch. Well, those of us who don’t know how to overcome this relatively common but rarely talked about phenomenon. It basically refers to the loss of concentration at a crucial time in the batter’s innings. You don’t realise you have lost concentration until it’s too late. The ball has whizzed past your outside edge or you inexplicably missed a straight delivery and now you’re out. You’re walking off thinking “why wasn’t I watching the ball?” or “I saw it, but why didn’t I move my feet?”

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Former Blackcaps skipper Brendon McCullum famously fell victim to Batter’s Fog in the final of the 2015 Cricket World Cup. After reflecting upon being clean bowled by Mitchell Starc, McCullum stated “I was super excited, not nervous at all. The thing I forgot is, I forgot to watch the ball.”

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Is it your fault, or are you the victim?

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As McCullum found out, Batter’s Fog doesn’t come from nerves. It simply comes down to a momentary lapse in concentration. Concentration can be likened to the bail that sits on top of your middle and off stump (Find out more). As a batter, you need to be in a state of hyper-concentration for every delivery you face. The human brain can only focus its attention on a limited number of things and for a limited amount of time. Batter’s Fog therefore comes from either:

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1. The batter being overwhelmed by the number of things they are trying to pay attention to

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2. The batter attempting to concentrate for too long without taking a break                           

               

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So no, it’s not your fault that the monkey brain inside your head will lose concentration every now and then. It is, however, your fault if you choose to do nothing about it.

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Can we fix Batter’s Fog?

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Of course. You don’t have to be a slave to your monkey brain any longer. World class batters have figured out how to avoid lapses in concentration. Some players bat for hours, sessions, and even days without getting out. There are ways to improve your concentration at the crease, and these can be personalised to fit you.

 

Unfortunately, Clutch Coaching isn’t going to give away the secret sauce that easily. But the good news is that being aware of the problem is your first step. Clutch Coaching can teach you proven methods from Sports Psychology to give you the edge on the cricket field as part of the coaching packages we offer.

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Take Batter's Fog for example. Clutch Coaching uses an approach from behavioural psychology and applies it to the way the cricketer's mind works during an innings. In just one 30 minute session, you will learn how to train your mind so that concentrating during every ball of an innings becomes second nature.

 

For club based cricketers wanting to work on the mental side of their game, Clutch Coaching now offers 30 minute video chat sessions where we can discuss how Sports Psychology can be incorporated into your game to make you a better cricketer. Click here for more details, or contact us now.