Gary Palmers technical analysis on, SIDE ON verses a more OPEN stance 2021.
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- Опубліковано 8 лют 2025
- This video responds to Mike Atherton saying on TV, " There are coaches out there that think the game is not a sideways game; they are WRONG.”
I am inclined to disagree with this statement because so many players I have worked with and encouraged to be more open, have responded with positive results in doing so.
Sir Alastair Cook is a good example.
Also coaches teaching a more open stance have been highly effective in developing young batters who play straight well.
I am passionate about this because I have seen the data/results through actively coaching batters day in, day out over 30 years of coaching.
I will always favour open stance over a side-on stance because it works and makes batting easier.
The evidence is compelling to support this approach and in a practical coaching situation could prove it every time.
There are many successful international players who stand open which is evidence that it works at the highest level. Steve Smith is a classic example.
You can be side-on, or open in your stance, there are players that are successful at both, but I have discovered through years of coaching that an open stance is more effective.
It stops batters tipping over and getting blocked off.
It gives you better access to hit the ball in the v.
It makes it easier to maintain alignment and balance
It makes you less vulnerable to LBW when the ball swings in.
It makes it easier to judge leaving the ball outside off stump.
It allows you to play well through the off-side from an initial position of good balance and alignment.
It makes it easier to get your head forward for the front foot drives which enhances your hitting zone and leaning into the shot.
It's easier to access and play the swinging and turning deliveries on the stumps being more open.
The key is to keep the front shoulder more open in the set up and during back swing so you can maintain good balance and alignment until you commit to the shot.
When playing straight in the V you only need to engage the shoulder to hit through the off side which is easier to do from a more open stance than a side on stance.
When the shoulder is too far round in stance or begins to turn too early before you know what line a delivery is, balance and alignment can be compromised.
Try it and let the outcome decide whats works best for you.
Test by results
Gary is an outstanding coach, and his open stance methods of coaching are proven at the highest level with the players he has worked with.
His views on open stance have resonated with a lot of people who have implemented his methods, with great success. I have a video on my channel showcasing Gary’s philosophies (over 200k views), and the overwhelming feedback is that he is spot on.
Absolutely spot on Gary. Your work with my son has enabled him to open up the straight and on drives and his general access of both sides of the wicket. This will especially be important when and if he travels to play in the UK where the ball generally swings later.
Totally agree it is what works best for the individual player . Not sure in current times one can be so blinkered. I've seen the work you have done for young players who have struggled with head falling to offside making them vulnerable to the straight and inswinging ball, opening up the legside yet not taking away the offside scoring possibilities. I have also seen other reputable coaches online NOT coach just sideways on.
End of the day it is what works for the individual.
Wow what a difference open stance batting is making. My son seems to be benefitting hugely with Gary’s guidance. Looking great and much more comfortable striking the ball so much better.
Thank you Gary you have put the enjoyment back in my sons game.
After almost 50 years of coaching experience, from Lords to the subcontinent, I have also come to the viewpoint that a more open stance, rather than a sideways one benefits the batsman more. So many sideways players tip over to the offside with their head, which causes more problems than this space allows for comment. I completely agree with Gary's take on this, and would urge batters to try out this technique to see what benefits they will get.
Spot on Gary. The changes you’ve made to my son’s technique have transformed him from a lower order slogger to someone who can bat in all conditions and against all bowling 👍🏼
Absolutely spot on Gary!
Have had first hand experience of batting open stance . I must say it does open up a lot of scoring options which side on batting limits you to. This makes batting so much simpler with no worries of getting lbw or bowled through the gate!
Gary as a coach is unbelievable! Having had the privilege to run a masterclass with Gary at HPC Chigwell it was amazing how players improved within a very short period! Hope the traditional coaching world adapts quickly enough to produce more top batters!
Totally agree Gary, I have found it much easier to play the inswinging ball being more open (it was something that I struggled with previously). You are an excellent coach and you really do help groove technique with great drills, volume, helpful explanations and infinite patience!
I 100% agree with you. I used to play sideways on and through offside. But that was my only scoring area and now with your coaching videos I tried open ways. It improved a lot in my batting and scoring areas
Thank you.
I totally agree with you Gary slightly open players have more options to play shots and less chance to get stuck .Brilliant explanation .
Everything Gary has said on this video is correct, the guy is a batting coaching genius. I have had the privilege of being coached by him on many occasions and he turned me from an average club cricketer into one of the leading run scorers at my club and in my league.
I also do a lot of coaching with juniors and I can tell you now this is 100% the best way to coach them to play straight. The number of kids I have seen who have grooved the cover drive to death in a side on position and cannot play the straight ball back down the ground is astonishing. I wish the people that slag off his methods would have the balls to go down for a session with him and let him prove to you that they work!
Dom Sibley was nowhere near the England set up until Gary started working with him, then all of a sudden he started scoring a bucket load of runs for his county and got picked for England, what a coincidence!
Scott
It certainly makes a big difference to me. Mostly, I find that opening up "the right amount" helps my balance, especially with balls coming onto my pads or close to my legs. In fact in our last lesson - Gary had me close off just a little, as I had become too open...so it's not just about opening up to an extreme - it's about finding the right amount. When I do, I just find that my timing and technique are so much better and I'm not fighting against myself to access the leg side or even just the on side of a straight shot. Certainly no loss of scoring on the off side as a result. Give it a go...it's a top tip.
I am a big fan of Gary’s coaching. All his comments about the technique is very true. This technique has helped my son develop confidence in his batting. He is a coaching genius !
Brilliant coach, helped my son go from a lower order batter to a top 4 in first team. If you want to be a great batter get some 1-2-1's with him or if your a junior get booked onto his winter training program, worth every penny..
Terrific to see the alternative view so we'll articulated. Many top players play chest on and its not often this is explained so we'll.. Great info.
Gary Palmer's technique certainly helps develop a more well rounded batsmen. His open stance technique has even reached the island of Bermuda! My son has been to Gary several times since Aug 2019. Having sessions with Gary has definitely improved his overall batting technique. He is able to incorporate Gary's method with his own natural batting style, which leads to favorable batting results. Gary's technique teaches a batsmen to be ready to react to any bowling style they may face. Keep up the great work, Gary! You'll get that big time batting specialist contract one day. 😉
A month ago, I attended one of Gary's workshops with a group of Juniors that I coach at club level.
I should start by saying that, as a traditionalist, I was highly skeptical of Gary's 'revolutionary' ideas on batting. However, for every challenge I had to this more open stance, Gary had a sound and logical response.
In just one 3 hour batting workshop I saw a considerable improvement in the group to hit the ball straight back down the ground.
All through the medium of games and challenges, the boys were gradually encouraged to open up their stance, not hide their back elbow behind their body and hit through the line of the ball.
Since the session, I have also tinkered with my own technique and found that opening up my stance has not just made it easier to hit straight, it has also allowed me to leave better as I feel I can pick the ball up earlier.
The session significantly influenced my views on batting and coaching. I can now safely say that, with all ranges of ability, I am an advocate of a more open stance. The main reason for this is because I feel it gives you better access to the ball.
For any other skeptics out there, give it a go!!!
Embraced
If you’re having trouble hitting straight from a side on stance then there’s probably something wrong with where you’re placing your front foot. For a ball that’s on middle or middle and leg if you’re just placing your front foot down the middle of the wicket your leg will get in the way of the bat thereby blocking access to the ball. Your front foot needs to be beside the line of the ball … so for a ball on middle or middle and leg you need to place the front foot slightly more to the leg side to get it out of the way of the bat. This will then open up the on drive and leave you in a more balanced posture rather than a tendency to fall to the offside. An open stance may make this easier for you but it makes it harder to get the front foot across to a ball outside off stump because it has further to travel. A side on stance is a neutral position which when combined with correct footwork will make playing on both sides of the wicket easier.
Totally agree Gary, in my experience being more open allows you to cope with the seaming ball a lot more easily having not got closed off. Also driving the ball straight becomes second nature. Certainly in my case results are significantly better having opened up. The majority of the Aussies are pretty open, smith, marnus etc. Will be interested to see if this is re-visited by sky over the winter.
I agree with Gary 100% with the side on approach. My son has been with Gary for the last 3 years and the open stance works for him.
Well said Gary. The open stance is a technique that should be discussed and coached far more widely in cricket of all standards. It works for Steve Smith, why should it not work for others at the highest level.
Brilliant!!! Shame the Sky gang never mention how Gary Palmer helped Alastair Cook. I believe Cook spent many hours netting with GP.
Joe France
Gary, you’re right - Your approach provides balance and greater accessibility for the batsman and helps them to play straight in the “V”. Cheers
Totally agree Gary - one size does not fit all. Ever since you introduced me to opening my stance, I have felt happier, get hit less on my pads, score more runs on the onside and now very rarely get bowled. My head now doesn't fall over to the off side like it used to. It was an odd comment from a renowned commentator. My advice is, try it before you make a comment - you'll then be making a comment from experience.
I am using full batting technique of yours.please post videos as fast as you can.Thank you sir.
Another piece of well reasoned argument from Gary on the side-on vs more open stance debate which surfaced recently with Mike Atherton's somewhat simplistic definitive statement. Gary's work with many top players including Sir Alastair Cook is proof that it is not as clear cut and a more open stance can be technically beneficial in terms of balance and ultimately run-scoring.
Gary is one of the very few batting coaches with the ability to put technical coaching out there with a definitive method which works.
Cricket is and should be a broad church of ideas, underpinned but strong and consistent basics. Especially playing on the leg side and through mid on the more open position is of great help
Like many others here, I completely agree with you Gary! When I read about all the debate around this, I always end up thinking that the folks backing SIDE ON are missing an important point. You emphasize opening-up the back shoulder SLIGHTLY which not only improves the balance enormously but also puts you in a perfect position to drive the ball both on the off-side and on-side. You work tirelessly with players to figure out how much does "SLIGHTLY" really mean for each one of them and don't just push them towards a standard method. SIDE ON is a more traditional approach and it has worked for many legends of the game but there is nothing wrong in helping few others get there with a bit of tweak. I just don't understand how can one classify it as being "WRONG"! I strongly encourage people to be more open to alternate methods and comment based on experience rather than some preconceived notion.
I have spoken to Gary over the last few years and we have agreed and disagreed on many aspects of batting techniques but one I do agree on is that every player is different and every batsmen have their own strengths and weaknesses
When I started playing in the 60s and was lucky to get to go to Edgbaston and be coached as a 11 year old
They coached a very side on batting stance and fed that stance so you could hit through mid off to extra covers left hand which was fantastic
Years later I was lucky to become a professional cricketer with Warwickshire and was still side on
However bowlers and captains soon work you out and with different lines and lengths I very quickly learnt being side on closes off the middle and leg stumps and the legside
Because of years of side on batting hitting through the offside was still natural and the hands took over
Being slightly open gives you all round play but it is still very important that you are able to bring the bat down straight or at least from first sleep unlike most of the so called top players in England whose bat comes down from gully and finishes towards mid off which is why one edges the ball when it swings or seams away
Another reason for this is the fact they are ,not as suggested by Gary,as slightly open but being very open so their back hip stops the bat coming through in a straight line.
As for the back foot shots if you are tall it is easier to be able to get your left elbow high and above the ball
If shorter then most will have to come more open so both hands can work together and get much higher
In theory the game of cricket is played side on bat side on and bowl side on but if you look at the great players over the last 50 years both batsmen and bowlers they have not been fully side on
Please try to hit a very full length delivery on leg stump through mid on with a side on stance it's not easy without opening up
For bowlers try bowling an inswingercwith a side on stance
Not easy
My final comment is if you want to improve your cricket especially your batting then listen to someone who knows what they are talking about like Gary not people who were very good players in their day and are now better at criticising players than improving them
They all state the bloody obvious that other than Joe Root the batting is well below par
Thank you for reading my thoughts
Steve Smith is NOT open. He does strange things before the ball is bowled but is in a pretty classic side on position with shoulders in line to the bowler/stumps at decision time after his trigger
As a lefty I was always taught to open up to address my problem of falling over trying to on-drive.
Having listening to Gary Palmer and seen some of his academy player close up - I have to say technically they look better, at the age of 10-15, than most players I watch on TV.
Palmer’s results speak for themselves - #testbyresults…!
Sir please make a video on batting against spin your videos are very helpful
Even I too was unable to play the on drive earlier .But after opening up my stance with front leg on leg stump and back leg on middle stump....I was able to score freely on leg side......Also I think.. if somebody prefers to be side on then he should avoid back and across trigger and be still like Tendulkar.
Gary, Clearly your view on playing open is a very credible response to Atherton’s unusual closed views. Closed being the operative word. They’re plenty of examples of some fine players who have adopted an open stance, Steve Smith, is a prime example. The examples of not tipping over, promoting a good head position and accessing down the ground shots more freely by playing open makes a great deal of sense to me. I’m afraid the old MCC coaching book is an outdated set of guidelines. One final observation, by adopting a more open stance also facilitates a wider range of shots, a more 360 degree range, which is needed in playing the shorter form of the game.
My lad has had sessions with Gary since he was young and his baseline technique and ability to score on the drive in the v is his strongest setup - Michael atherton is closed minded - Donald bradman, viv Richards, Steve smith and even Kevin Pietersen were more open. I also don’t recall malcolm Marshall or flintoff being side on - sorry narrow minded comments don’t fit the modern game
Sir, please make video on forward defence.
One thing to add ; I have seen if you have open stance ur both eyes work better with aging and focus with both eyes is better
Having worked for 22 years as a batting coach I can safely say that cricket is not only a side on game indeed it’s not necessarily only a front on game. The reality is there are many ways to play it. Side on players tend to hit the ball square of the wicket and flick around the front pad whilst front of players would need to understand their off side game, leaving etc but have greater gains playing straight and indeed 360. Many people say that people who are front on with their bat pointing more towards gully will always play in-to-out, this is not true, if they have good discipline and control of top hand bottom hand they can play very straight, indeed a side on player can often pull his bat behind his body then creating an ark and an in-to-out motion, just as much as someone who is open, if not more. Personally I think lots of people get hung up on old cliches and myths but the actuality of how people play comes down to personal preference and finding a method that works for them. I have had probably more success with people being open than choosing to be side on.
Fantastic video as usual Gary. Standing slightly open makes so much more sense. Atherton’s comment was arrogant and stubborn.
All very much common sense to me and there is enough evidence over time of the great players playing like this.
Painful watching so many aspiring young players with ability constantly out bowled and lbw as they set up to play through cover, heads tipping to cover rather than back towards the umpire/ bowler.
Gary would you mind filming yourself batting in an open position facing a bowling machine so I can have a better idea of how open you are talking about and how exactly you are accessing the onside. Legside batting and the shortball coming into my body is my kryptonite and I can't seem to react fast enough or when I do I'm playing it awkward. I'm hoping a more open stance helps me
Thought proving approach. As with most things, having an open mind cant hurt. There are enough examples of players out there that have been successful with unorthodox techniques - batting or bowling. It is a fine balance which every individual needs to work out for himself or herself. Try it!
It is my opinion Gary’s methods are far more up to date than the outdated MCC coaching manual promoting the side on game. Standing more open allows for less inhibited stroke play. Maybe Michael Atherton should attend Gary’s facility, have a two hour session, then consider his statement made on air during the lords test.
Gary for Batting specialist for England's national team
I think Gary is right but like all techniques there are pluses and minuses. The minus here is you become more vulnerable to balls swinging away and nicking off (unless you know exactly where your off stump is like Smith does)
Came back to cricket three years ago in late 40s. Only playing a lower level of Essex league cricket. Have had a few sessions with Gary to date and his methods make total sense and a big difference. It’s disappointing to hear ex England players of the stature of Nas and Athers being so narrow minded about the virtues of the open stance. Surely the results of their contemporary Sir Alaister Cook in his mid career turn around might be worth a discussion ! ‘Open up’ boys….
Gary Palmer’s methods and approach make the cricket establishment uneasy. This is a logical reaction as the standard cricket coaching manuals have, for millennia, espoused that the only way to bat is ‘side on’.
Imagine making such an absolutist statement then sticking with it regardless of the evidence?
There is not ‘only one way’ to do anything yet this stubborn adherence to outdated thinking means the cricket establishment have painted themselves into a corner.
Many commentators haven’t done the coaching hours needed to make an informed decision yet they scramble to outdo one another to been seen to stick firmly to the known - the traditional. Many ex-players are just that - ex players but that heritage does not automatically make you a good technical coach. In fact, often it has the opposite effect, as you just transpose what worked for you onto the player. That’s not good coaching.
So Palmer comes along does the coaching hours and works out that if batsmen and women stand more open they tip over less, increase the area where they can strike the ball and therefore bat better. Not a just theory something he’s proven with statistics and something I have seen work first-hand in the UK at all levels and in India.
Revolutionary stuff? Possibly and clearly an idea that hits a nerve and causes consternation if you have a fixed mindset and want to keep your peers and the cricket establishment onside. For those with a growth mindset it is possible to stand more open and see if it works for you.
If it does you can join the swelling ranks of batsmen and women who are evolving with the game. If not… nothing lost… just go back to what you were doing.
Dismissing something out of hand is the sign of a closed mind. As someone once said the human mind is like a parachute - it works better when it’s open - like your batting stance.
Sir In open stance how to play outswing bowling
From your balanced and aligned stance with head forward of the body lean forward turn your front shoulder to a more sideways position to access the off side.
Important to keep top hand dominant don't over stride , let the ball come to you swing the bat through ball to target and complete shot with high hands and leading elbow.
Dont try to hit the ball too hard..
Try it .
Having a very open stance limits your ability to play 360. For the best techniques in cricket, I would look to emulate the likes of Ricky Ponting, Sachin Tendulkar, Sangakkara and AB De Villiers who were excellent players in both Test and ODI/T20s. They had a strong offside game, an ability to hit wide yorkers, cover drive etc. If you just stand very open chested you may be good down the ground and leg side but you'll struggle to have a great offside game. You also end up getting squared up by outswingers and have the bat coming down at an angle from gully. Apart from Smith, almost all the greats of side-on or very slightly open stances
Why does it limit your ability to play 360? I would have thought it helps since it opens up the leg side a bit more and also playing the line rather than across for any balls coming into you
Not always. Having an extremely stance might limit your ability to do that. But having a a slightly open stance does not. Also, Gary talks about keeping our shoulders open. To do that you don't have to be front on. You just have to make a minor adjustment to your stance to help you. Yes it is easier to play on the on-side and straight but also easy to play on the off side. If you look at Gary's stance it is not extremely open. This stance and technique has worked for me. TBH, I am still an off side dominant player while at the same time I feel much more comfortable playing both in and out swing and playing straighter and on the on-side. The finish position also matters. If you look at many great players their shoulders finish open and their back laces are pointing down the ground.
You'll hear no arguments from us. We've seen many a player benefit from this approach and everyone shows improvement. It's incredulous to think an "expert" wouldn't be open to another approach.
Sorry, but I can’t agree with this exaggerated open stance theory. Firstly, nearly all these batsman bring their front foot back to closer to side on in the last one or two strides of the bowler so why not start more side on in the first place. Secondly, it means the front foot has to move further to the offside to be approximately just inside of the line of the ball when on or outside off stump. Many players these days just shove their front foot down the middle of the pitch rather than out to the line of the ball. This leads to a gap between bat and pad, the head not being in line with the ball, and a tendency for the body to fall to the offside. Thirdly, it promotes an exaggerated outside off to inward back lift which makes it harder for the bat to come straighter down the line of the ball … Labuschagne in particular has this weird exaggerated cross the line movement of the bat which is why he is vulnerable on or just outside off stump. And lastly, it’s not correct that you need an open stance to be balanced. Just look at video of Greg Chappell, one of the most elegant and beautifully balanced players to play the game. Balance comes from good footwork … something that seems to have faded away from the game which I have attributed to the need to score quick (slog) runs in the T20 form of the game.