Batting Performance Research Articles

The use of self-talk during elite cricket batting performance

ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to qualitatively investigate the use of self-talk during cricket batting performance through an innovative approach that allowed for within performance responses to be examined. Design and methodFive elite cricketers were interviewed alongside edited video footage of their batting innings. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to gather in-depth information and explanations about the participants' use of self-talk during each critical incident. Results and conclusionsThe findings of this study highlighted the use of instructional and motivational self-talk as a fluctuating continual narrative that enhanced skill execution, self-efficacy and focus of attention, whilst reducing performance anxiety. In particular, the athletes described the effectiveness of self-determined self-talk on their performance. Specifically, they advocated self-talk that narrowed their attentional focus and redirected their thoughts to performance-related cues during periods of declining performance.

Correlation of static and dynamic trunk muscle endurance and bat swing velocity in high school aged baseball players

BACKGROUND: Trunk muscle endurance training is used by most high school baseball or softball coaches. However, evidence demonstrating a relationship between trunk muscle endurance and batting performance is lacking. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to establish a relationship between trunk muscle endurance and bat swing velocity in a high school baseball team. METHOD: Sixty-one high school (15–18 years old) baseball players, taken from the same team, with 6.5 ± 1.3 years of training experience, participated in the following tests: static trunk flexion/extension endurance tests, dynamic trunk flexion/extension endurance tests and a maximum bat swing velocity test. RESULTS:Bat swing velocity showed significant low-to-moderate negative correlations with static trunkflexor endurance (P = 0.001, r = �0.404), dynamic trunk flexor endurance (P = 0.016, r = �0.308) and the ratio of static flexor/extensor endurance (P = 0.021, r = �0.298). CONCLUSIONS: These findings support the concept that better trunk flexor endurance might not benefit batting performance. Trunk flexor endurance training should not be over-emphasized when the targeted training goal is to enhance bat swing velocity.

Being selective at the plate: Processing dependence between perceptual variables relates to hitting goals and performance.

Performance of a skill that involves acting on a goal object (e.g., a ball to be hit) can influence one's judgment of the size and speed of that object. The present study examined how these action-specific effects are affected when the goal of the actor is varied and they are free to choose between alternative actions. In Experiment 1, expert baseball players were asked to perform three different directional hitting tasks in a batting simulation and make interleaved perceptual judgments about three ball parameters (speed, plate crossing location, and size). Perceived ball size was largest (and perceived speed was slowest) when the ball crossing location was optimal for the particular hitting task the batter was performing (e.g., an "outside" pitch for opposite-field hitting). The magnitude of processing dependency between variables (speed vs. location and size vs. location) was positively correlated with batting performance. In Experiment 2, the action-specific effects observed in Experiment 1 were mimicked by systematically changing the ball diameter in the simulation as a function of plate crossing location. The number of swing initiations was greater when ball size was larger, and batters were more successful in the hitting task for which the larger pitches were optimal (e.g., greater number of pull hits than opposite-field hits when "inside" pitches were larger). These findings suggest attentional accentuation of goal-relevant targets underlies action-related changes in perception and are consistent with an action selection role for these effects.

Effects of Various Warm-Up Devices and Rest Period Lengths on Batting Velocity and Acceleration of Intercollegiate Baseball Players

It is common among competitive baseball players to swing bats while in the batter's box in an attempt to improve their batting performance. Players use bats of different weights during this time, and only a few studies have evaluated the optimal bat weight to increase performance. Previous studies have not investigated the optimal rest period after a warm-up with bats of varying weights. Therefore, we tested the peak bat velocity of 16 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II intercollegiate baseball players at 1, 2, 4, and 8 minutes, after warming up with bats of 5 different weights. Measured variables were peak bat velocity at peak acceleration (PVPA), peak bat velocity of the swing (PV), peak bat acceleration (PA), and time to reach peak acceleration (TPA) using a chronograph, which measured the batting velocity in real time every 10 milliseconds throughout the swing. A repeated measure analysis of variance was run to assess group, time, and group by time interactions. If any main effects were found, a Tukey post hoc was employed to locate differences. There were significant (p ≤ 0.05) time effects for PVPA, PV, and PA but not for TPA. The PVPA, PV, and PA all increased over time, peaking from 4 to 8 minutes. There were no significant differences in any of the variables among the 5 bat weights used in the warm-up (p > 0.05). However, there were significant differences in PVPA, PV, and PA after 2, 4, and 8 minutes of rest compared with the preexperimental warm-up and 1-minute post-warm-up. From a practical standpoint, batters should warm up early and quickly in the batter's box to maximize the amount of recovery time before they swing at the plate. In addition, batters may want to take their time getting ready at the plate or take some pitches while at-bat in an attempt to maximize performance. Alternatively, the data imply that pitchers should throw their fastest pitch near the beginning of the at-bat to correspond with the potentially slower bat speeds of the batter.

A preliminary analysis of team performance in English first-class Twenty-Twenty (T20) cricket

T20 cricket is becoming the most popular and financially valuable form of the game, yet information related to the performances of winning teams is limited. This preliminary study investigated batting and bowling performance indicators, and additionally employed pitch level analysis to identify micro level variables related to successful outcomes in matches. Several large to moderate effect sizes were noted, including taking wickets (ES=1.64), wickets in last 6 overs (ES=1.44), percentage of runs from boundaries (ES=1.26), lower percentage of runs from boundaries in first 6 overs (ES=0.96,) and run rate (ES=0.90). Pitch map analysis identified bowlers from winning teams seem to take more wickets through LBW decisions, which could be related to a different grouping of deliveries in comparison to non-winning teams. Success in T20 cricket is linked to some obvious performance indicators; taking wickets, especially in the last 6 overs, and scoring runs quickly, principally through boundaries with specific attention to hitting 4's. There appear to be different batting and bowling tactics or skill levels within performers from winning teams, which may increase the likelihood of capturing wickets or scoring boundaries. Mapping of performance indicators across different T20 playing conditions may assist with team preparation and tactical decisions.

Do Scores on a Tachistoscope Test Correlate With Baseball Batting Averages?

Millions of dollars are spent each year by individuals seeking to improve their athletic performance. One area of visual training is the use of the tachistoscope, which measures inspection time or visual recognition time. Although the potential of the tachistoscope as a training tool has received some research attention, its use as a means of measurement or predictor of athletic ability in sports has not been explored. The purpose of this pilot study is to assess the potential of the tachistoscope as a measurement instrument by determining if a baseball player's ability to identify a tachistoscopically presented picture of a pitch is correlated with hitting performance as measured by batting average. Using sport-specific slides, 20 subjects-all non-pitching members of the Pacific University Baseball Team-were administered a tachistoscopic test. The test consisted of identifying the type of pitch illustrated in 30 randomly ordered slides depicting a pitcher throwing four different baseball pitches. Each slide was presented for 0.2 sec. The results of the test were compared with the athlete's previous season's batting average. A positive correlation was found between an athlete's ability to correctly identify a picture of a pitch presented tachistoscopically and batting average (r=0.648; P<0.01). These results suggest that a superior ability to recognize pitches presented via tachistoscope may correlate with a higher skill level in batting. Tachistoscopic test scores correlated positively with batting averages. The tachistoscope may be an acceptable tool to help in assessing batting performance. Additional testing with players from different sports, different levels of ability, and different tachistoscopic times should be performed to determine if the tachistoscope is a valid measure of athletic ability. Implications may also be drawn in other areas such as military and police work.

Upper Body Muscle Strength and Batting Performance in Cricket Batsmen

The aim of this study was to determine if upper body muscle strength (as measured by the 1 repetition maximum bench press) was associated with cricket batting performance. Cricket batting performance was defined by the maximum hitting distance during a batting task and batting average and strike rate during 1-Day and Twenty/20 (T/20) matches. Eighteen, provincial level, elite cricket batsmen participated in the study. Upper body muscle strength was found to be positively correlated with maximum hitting distance (p = 0.0052). There were no significant correlations between upper body strength, batting average, and strike rate for both the 1-Day and T/20 matches. The results of this study have implications for coaches choosing a particular batting line-up. Batsmen who have stronger upper bodies could be favored to bat when a match situation requires them to hit powerful strokes resulting in boundaries. However, coaches cannot use upper body strength as a predictor of overall batting performance in 1-Day or T/20 matches.

A COMPARISON OF THE STRENGTH OF THE ABDUCTION OF THE LITTLE AND INDEX FINGERS AND PALMAR ABDUCTION AND OPPOSITION OF THE THUMB BETWEEN COLLEGE BASEBALL PLAYERS AND INEXPERIENCED SPORTS PLAYERS

The purpose of this study was to investigate the strengths of four intrinsic muscles of the hand of college baseball players. The strengths of four intrinsic muscle groups were measured by the Rotterdam Intrinsic Hand Myometer (RIHM) which has been developed to assess the abduction of the little finger and index finger, and palmar abduction and opposition of the thumb. The strengths of these four intrinsic muscle groups were compared between baseball players and inexperienced sports players. The abduction of the little finger and index finger, and the opposition of the thumb in both the dominant and nondominant hands of the baseball players were notably stronger than those of the inexperienced sports players. There was no statistical difference in the strength of the palmar abduction of the thumb between the two groups. The results suggest that the specific intrinsic muscles in both the dominant and nondominant hands might be strengthened by repeated baseball practices, such as a batting performance, which requires strain in both the dominant and nondominant hands repeatedly.

Cricket performance measures

The purpose of this paper is to present a summary of batting and bowling performance measures that have been developed over a period of eight years. The measure of batting performance (BP) consists of three components. Firstly, an exponentially weighted average (EWA) is calculated in which recent scores have higher weights than scores further back in time in order to get a measure that adequately reflects the batsman’s present form. EWA is then adjusted up- or downwards depending on the batsman’s consistency and strike rate. This measure was subsequently generalized to BPW which includes weights for runs scored against specific countries in home or away matches separately. In the case of bowling, the first challenge was to develop a single comprehensive measure of bowling performance, the combined bowling rate (CBR) for limited overs matches and the dynamic bowling rate (DBR) for unlimited overs matches. Hence, by alsotaking bowling consistency into account, the current bowling performance measure (CBP) wasdeveloped. This measure was also extended to include weights for wickets taken and runs concededagainst each international team in home or away matches. These measures contain parametersthat were based on players’ scores up to the specific date of calculation. Before using the latestavailable data for the present presentation, it is logical to update these parameters. This hasbeen done in the present study. If a player performs well at local level, it is important to be ableto compare his performance with those of players already in the national team. Weights havebeen determined for runs scored by batsmen and also for runs conceded and wickets taken bybowlers in local matches, whereby the performances of players can be compared irrespective ofthe proportion of international matches played by each player. After having used the measures onvarious occasions the need arose to revise some of them slightly. The updated measures are thenused to give rankings of South African batsmen and bowlers in First Class and List A matchesalike. Methods have also been developed to compare the batting and bowling performances ofplayers after a short series of matches. It was shown that the traditional average could haveunrealistic values in the case of a batsman who had a large percentage of not out scores in ashort series. Alternative measures have been developed and shown to give much more realisticvalues. In the case of bowling it is important not only to count the number of wickets a bowlerhas taken, but to distinguish between the wickets of top and middle order batsmen on the onehand and lower order batsmen on the other. A system has been established whereby weights areattached to the wickets according to the batting position of the batsman. Instead of just countingthe number of wickets taken, the sum of the weights of the wickets taken by the bowler is usedin the calculation of CBR* or DBR*. Finally, the latest form of the game, Twenty20 cricket, isalso discussed.

A model of motor inhibition for a complex skill: Baseball batting.

The ability to inhibit an ongoing action in response to a signal from the environment is important for many perceptual-motor actions. This paper examines a particular example of this behavior: attempting to inhibit or "check" a swing in baseball batting. A model of motor inhibition in batting is proposed. In the model there are three different inhibition signals (out of range launch angle, early expected-actual trajectory discrepancy, and late expected-actual trajectory discrepancy) resulting in four possible response outcomes for the batter's swing (full swing, inhibited swing, partial response, or interrupted swing). The predictions of the model were compared with the actual batting performance of 20 baseball players using a high-fidelity batting simulator. The proportions of the different response outcomes could be explained by the inhibition model for 17/20 of the batters in the study. These findings suggest that models of motor inhibition developed for simple, discrete tasks can be applied to complex, multistage behaviors. This batting inhibition model could be used to provide a quantitative measure of a player's bat control for training and player-screening purposes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2009 APA, all rights reserved).

The Designated Hitter Rule and Team Defensive Strategy in Japan's Professional Baseball Leagues

Economists have debated whether and why the designated hitter (DH) rule in North American Major League Baseball led to an increase in hit batsmen. We use data from Japan's professional baseball leagues to reexamine this question. Our empirical analyses of hit batsmen for batters as well as by pitchers reveal that the DH rule resulted in increases in hit batsmen even after effects of team batting performance and pitcher quality are controlled for. We argue that the DH rule prompted changes in managerial defensive strategies, in which pitchers of poorly performing teams are instructed to engage in aggressive pitching.

Effects of Focus of Attention on Baseball Batting Performance in Players of Differing Skill Levels

This study addressed the question, what should baseball players focus their attention on while batting? Less-skilled and highly skilled (college) baseball players participated in four dual-task conditions in a baseball batting simulation: two that directed attention to skill execution (skill/internal [movement of the hands] and skill/external [movement of the bat]) and two that directed attention to the environment (environmental/irrelevant [auditory tones] and environmental/external [the ball leaving the bat]). Batting performance for highly skilled players was best in the environmental/external condition and worst in the skill/internal condition. Performance of less-skilled batters was significantly better in the two skill conditions than in either of the two environmental conditions. We conclude that the optimal focus of attention for highly skilled batters is one that does not disrupt proceduralized knowledge and permits attention to the perceptual effect of the action, whereas the optimal focus of attention for less-skilled batters is one that allows attention to the step-by-step execution of the swing.

Performance Breakdown in Sport

ptimal performance is the goal of all athletes, particularly when rewards are high. In pressure situ-ations, many athletes perform suboptimally despite ahigh motivation to succeed (Baumeister & Showers,1986). The phenomenon of paradoxical performancebreakdown has been observed under pressure (Bau-meister, 1984; Beilock & Carr, 2001), during competition(Baumeister, 1984; Seta, Paulus, & Risner, 1977), and inthe presence of an audience (Baumeister, 1982, 1984;Schlenker, 1980) or evaluative others (Martens LGray, 2004; Lewis & Linder, 1997).Gray (2004), for example, found that expertise inbaseball batting was associated with poor awareness ofonline movement kinematics (see also Beilock & Carr,2001). Attending to movement dynamics degraded bat-ting performance among expert batters. Gray alsofound that performance pressure tended to increaseskill-focused attention, supporting the idea that devot-ing attentional resources to normally automatic pro-cesses may mediate choking in sport. In a series ofpapers demonstrating a benefit of focusing externallyon movement outcome rather than internally on move-ment dynamics, Wulf and colleagues reported on theimportance of attentional focus (e.g., McNevin, Shea, W Shea & Wulf, 1999; Wulf, McNevin, & Shea,2001). McNevin et al

투구 속도 증가에 따른 타자의 발 움직임과 지면 반력의 변화

The batting performance in baseball is a repetitive movement. In order to make the stabilization of posture and the efficient shift of body weight, both the range of stance and stride are important. The previous studies explained that the consistent stride which included the amount of time, stance, and direction were needed. However, the batting performance is frequently changed according to the several speed of ball. Therefore, this study was to analyze the reaction time, the range of stance, the change of stride, and the change of GRF during the batting movement in three kinds of ball speed (120km/h, 130km/h, & 140km/h). Seven elite players are participated in this study. 1. The reaction time of the stride phase was short whereas the time of the swing phase was long according to the increasing ball speed. 2. The range of the stance was wide and the mediolateral direction of the stride was decreased according to the increasing ball speed. 3. In the three kinds of ball speed, the change of body weight was transferred to the center, the rear foot, and the front foot directions. The ball speed of 130km/h showed the high frequency of the suitable batting. At this ball speed, the movement of the body weight was shifted smoothly and the value of the Ground Reaction Force was large enough.

A criterion for comparing and selecting batsmen in limited overs cricket

The batting average statistic has been used almost exclusively to assess the worth of a batsman. It reveals a great deal about the potential performance of batsmen in cricket played at the first class level. However, in the one-day game, strict limits on the number of balls bowled have introduced a very important additional dimension to performance. In the one-day game, it is clearly not good enough for a batsman to achieve a high batting average with a low strike rate. Runs scored slowly, even without the loss of wickets, will generally result in defeat rather than victory in the one-day game. Assessing batting performance in the one-day game, therefore, requires the application of at least a two-dimensional measurement approach because of the time dimension imposed on limited overs cricket. In this paper, we use a new graphical representation with Strike rate on one axis and the Probability of getting out on the other, akin to the risk–return framework used in portfolio analysis, to obtain useful, direct and comparative insights into batting performance, particularly in the context of the one-day game. Within this two-dimensional framework we develop a selection criterion for batsmen, which combines the average and the strike rate. As an example of the application, we apply this criterion to the batting performances of the 2003 World Cup. We demonstrate the strong and consistent performances of the Australian and Indian batsmen as well as provide a ranking of batting prowess for the top 20 run scorers in the tournament.

An ordered response model of test cricket performance

The paper analyses the prediction of test cricket outcomes using an ordered response model. The results, based on data over the period 1994 to 1999, suggest that the ordered categorized production outcome of test cricket (win, draw, loss) can be explained by simple measures of the batting and bowling labour inputs. For example, across all countries the model correctly predicts 71% of test cricket outcomes. Further, it is found that losses are correctly predicted most often at 81% of the sample but that the model faces its biggest challenge predicting test match draws-only getting 57% of these cases correct. Also analysed are the circumstances in which the model produces incorrect predictions and it is found that the most common events are unsuccessful last innings runs chases; successful last innings runs chases and rain-affected matches. An analysis of failed model predictions in terms of country factors suggests that (relative to all other countries) Pakistan has a higher tendency to be involved in such matches, whereas Sri Lanka has a higher tendency to be involved in matches that are ‘predictable’. A ‘style’ analysis using this model suggests that five test cricket styles are evident. Style I is that of ‘Bowling and Batting Performance’ and describes Pakistan, the West Indies and (perhaps to a lesser extent) Zimbabwe. Style II is that of ‘Batting Performance’ and describes England, New Zealand and (perhaps to a lesser extent) India. Style III is ‘Bowling Performance’ and describes Australia. Style IV is ‘Bowling Performance/Batting Strike Rate’ and describes South Africa. Finally, Style V is ‘Bowling Performance and Strike Rate’ and describes Sri Lanka. Finally, the model is used to analyse which country can claim to be the world champions of test cricket over the sample period. In an initial analysis based on average performance over this period, South Africa has the best claim. However, in a ‘heavyweight title’ contest between South Africa and Australia, Australia has the superior claim.

Manual laterality and hitting performance in major league baseball.

Asymmetrical hand function was examined in the context of expert sports performance: hitting in professional baseball. An archival study was conducted to examine the batting performance of all Major League Baseball players from 1871 to 1992, focusing on those who batted left (n = 1,059) to neutralize the game asymmetry. Among them, left-handers (n = 421) were more likely to hit with power and to strike out than right-handers (n = 638). One possible account, based on the idea of hand dominance and an analogy to tennis, is that batting left involves a double-handed forehand for left-handers and a weaker and more reliable double-handed backhand for right-handers. The results are also interpretable in the light of Y. Guiard's (1987) kinematic chain model of a between-hands asymmetrical division of labor, which provides a detailed account of why left batting is optimal for left-handers.

Effects of the Lower Half of the Body on Batting

The purpose of this study was to clarify the effects of the lower half of the body on batting performance with a comparative analysis among three different kinds of tee-batting. Those tee-battings were performed 1) with no restraints of movements on the lower half of the body (standing posture), 2) with a restraint of movements on the lower half of the body by sitting on a non-swivel chair (fixed posture), 3) with a restraint of movements on the lower half of the body by sitting on a swivel chair (turn posture).The subject in the experiment was an intermidiate-skilled baseball player, who was right-handed. The batting performances were recorded with EMG and a videocamera, and analyzed from a biomechanical viewpoint.The main results obtained were as follows:1) By comparison with the distance of a batted-ball at the standing posture, the percent-age of that at the fixed posture showed only 56.4%and58.7%was shown at the turn posture.2) Muscle activity of the upper half of the body at the fixed posture was different from that at the turn posture.3) It tended that the inclinations to the forward of right shoulder, right elbow and right wrist at the fixed and the turn posture were quicker than those at the standing posture.4) Horizontal movement of head at the fixed and the turn posture were larger than that at the standing posture. It seemed that the movement had an effect on the accuracy of batting.5) It was clear that the bat swing speed at the standing posture was quicker than that at the fixed and the turn posture.From the results above metioned, it was concluded that the lower half of the body was very important to the effective and speedy batting performance, so it was essential to make a careful consideration for a training load, coordination enhancement and a training period in order to provide a training program for the lower half of the body.

A Statistical Analysis of Batting in Cricket

SUMMARY The batting average is ubiquitous in cricket. In this paper we show that the traditional batting average depends on an unrealistic parametric assumption. We propose a nonparametric approach based on runs scored for assessing batting performance. The methods have been applied to a large sample of players at various levels of cricket, examples of which are featured in this paper. The statistical methodology employed is akin to that used in reliability and survival analysis.

Declines in Major League Batting Performance as a Function of Game Pressure: A Drive Theory Analysis1

Zajonc's (1965) drive theory explanation argues that greater arousal tends to impair performance on difficult tasks. The hypothesis that arousal generated by “pressure situations” during major league baseball games would hinder batting performance—a difficult task—was tested by examining such performance during the 1989 season. Six “pressure situations” were identified, some occurring during the late innings of close games and others occurring throughout the game when there were two outs. Two measures of batting performance (batting average and slugging average) were employed. Results indicated broad support for the hypothesis. Reasons for this pattern are discussed, as are possible alternative explanations for these findings.