Middlesex and England Lions opener Nick Gubbins offers his tips on facing the new ball and improving your game as a batsman.
This article first appeared in Wisden Cricket Monthly magazine
Scoring areas
First and foremost I’m looking to score straight – that puts me in a positive frame of mind straightaway because I’m looking to take the bowler on. Then it’s about focusing on my strongest areas and playing the percentages. My biggest shots are the straight drive, the cut and the pull, and on all wickets I’ll look to play them when the ball’s in the right area.
The conundrum of form
Form is a strange one. I think it really comes down to confidence, but also enjoyment. I’m really enjoying batting at the minute and when I enjoy it, I bat better. My advice for anyone going forward, at whatever level, is to try and enjoy your cricket as much as possible, and not worrying about what might or might not happen.