Next year's hit summer movie - surely it's "Batting Camp"

by bodyline Tue 20 Dec 2011, 00:54

COMBATING India's swing bowlers, preaching mental toughness and one-on-one sessions dealing with cricket and life are set to be the focus of Australia's batting camp, beginning in Melbourne today.

Captain Michael Clarke, Ricky Ponting, Michael Hussey, Brad Haddin, Dan Christian, Shane Watson and Shaun Marsh will take part in the three-day camp under the guidance of coach Mickey Arthur and batting coach Justin Langer.

Bowling machines will be used to simulate swing and the points of delivery of the Indian speedsters in a bid to improve footwork and deal with the likes of the crafty Zaheer Khan and rangy Ishant Sharma - although both are in doubt for the Boxing Day Test because of injury.

Michael Clarke ... Branded a "nicker" by Duncan Fletcher. Must curb chasing ambitious drives outside off stump.
''You can do the physical and technical preparation but for me a lot of preparation for the opposition is a real mental thing,'' Langer said. ''A lot of it has to do with strategy. It's a mind game really. We know the Indian bowlers really well. We've just got to get our minds attuned to getting ready for what is to come.

''The [recent batting] collapses, we certainly don't ever accept those, we need to get better. I think the wicket in Hobart was really green, and in Cape Town it was a lot different wicket than we'd generally play on. We have to adapt better, there is no doubt about that, but I'd like to think that no one is panicking.''

Australia have long struggled to combat the moving ball, again highlighted in recent series against South Africa and New Zealand.

Brad Haddin ... Under pressure to temper his aggression and show greater judgment with the bat.
Arthur is concerned Indian counterpart Duncan Fletcher is plotting a swing-led take down of his top order. Fletcher, for instance, has long branded Clarke a ''nicker''.

Clarke's second-innings dismissal against New Zealand in Hobart, caught at slip from a mistimed drive, would have warmed the cockles of Fletcher's heart.

Arthur will use the camp to deeply analyse his batsmen's techniques, having had little time to do so since joining Cricket Australia on the eve of the New Zealand series.

Mike Hussey ... Struggled since Sri Lanka. Susceptible to early swing. Needs to tighten up.
Warner yesterday praised Arthur's technical nous, telling radio 2KY: ''I don't think many people would have noticed this at all, but in the second innings in the [Hobart] Test I actually changed my stance. My stance was a bit closer than it normally is. Mickey Arthur actually just made note to me before that saying, 'I think that you should move your stance closer together.' It allows me to put my weight going forward.''

Arthur, known for his man management when coach of South Africa, will use this camp to preach a team-first ethos, batting in partnerships and resilience during tough times, having been shattered by the second-innings meltdown in Hobart. He will also attempt to learn more about the personal lives of his men and what makes them tick in a bid to unlock their best form.

The timing of the camp is unusual for the squad for the first Test has yet to be named. However, Ponting's inclusion means it's almost certain he will at least start the series amid intense scrutiny over his position.

Marsh has had a couple of light runs and net sessions in Perth in recent days but is unlikely to be fit for Boxing Day because of a degenerative back problem. He has not played since the first Test against South Africa in Cape Town Test last month but is hopeful of stepping up his training in Melbourne and returning to action in the Perth Scorchers' Twenty20 clash on December 29.

The camp will double as a fitness test for Watson, who missed the series against New Zealand because of hamstring and calf complaints. Watson must determine whether he is fit enough to bowl and be the all-rounder Australia craves, while his spot in the batting order remains a point of debate.

David Warner, Usman Khawaja and Phillip Hughes will not attend the camp as they have the best practice of all - facing the Indian bowlers for the Chairman's XI in Canberra.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/mind-games-and-repelling-indias-bowlers-on-menu-for-batting-camp-20111219-1p2l1.html#ixzz1h20pXU3u

So what summer hijinxs will the boys at "Batting Camp" get up to - and when will it eventually end up a movie franchise of "Porkys" or "American Pie" proportions.

And who will play Clarke - Ponting - Hussey etc!