Getting
to Grips is a unique publication for cricket coaches and
players of all ages. It offers skills, drills, and practical solutions to
common batting problems. Author Toby Radford uses his experience as an
international batting coach to offer invaluable insight into what makes the
world's best players so successful. He describes the Five Fundamentals of
Batting - the basis of good batting - and uses an innovative mix of images and
notes to clearly describe highly complex batting techniques and movements.
This
second expanded edition includes new technical analysis of international and
county batsmen and offers practical guidance for players preparing for, and
managing, their innings as well as how to cope with any unwanted yet inevitable
runs of poor form. For coaches, there is a new and detailed breakdown of how to
structure a one-to-one session with a batsman to quickly improve and maximise
their potential.
The
effective techniques, skills, and drills are the same Toby uses with the
world's top batsmen in the West Indies, in Bangladesh, and with the ECB, and
are all offered here to help take your playing or coaching to the next level.
About the Author :
Toby Radford
is widely regarded as one of the best batting coaches in the game. Toby was
head coach when Middlesex was crowned English T20 Champions in 2008, and
batting coach when the West Indies won the T20 World Cup in Sri Lanka in 2012.
Following a successful spell as an England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) national
coach, Toby launched the Middlesex
Cricket Academy,
which produced England Test stars Steven Finn, Eoin Morgan, and Dawid Malan. In
2010 Toby set up the West Indies High Performance Centre in Barbados, from
where seven of his impressive students graduated to the senior Test team, led
by the towering Jason Holder, who went on to become world number one
all-rounder.
Following ten enjoyable years of coaching
in the Caribbean and working with greats of
the game, such as Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Chris Gayle, and Marlon Samuels, Toby
was recently head of performance for Bangladesh Cricket (BCB) and a batting
consultant for Pakistan Cricket (PCB).
Passionate about developing the coaches of
the future, Toby has written and delivered several batting modules for the
ECB's advanced coaching program and also mentors several coaches for the game's
governing body.
Toby is currently batting coach for Kent
County Cricket Club.
Review :
'High Net Value. It really
should be an asset to anyone looking to improve their knowledge of the art of
batting.' - George Dobell, Editor, The Cricketer Magazine, June 2025
'Toby Radford's Getting to Grips is
a wonderful batting aid for all standards of batters:
from juniors or club players to top-level players who need
to check their batting fundamentals. Toby's passion for
batting technique is well-known throughout the game and
here he combines his technical knowledge with
easy-to-follow illustrations of how the best players
strive to perfect the basics. Stick it in your kit bag,
the perfect coaching aid!' Dave Fulton, Sky Sports Presenter and former Kent Captain
'Toby has played an important role in my
development as a cricketer. He offers excellent technical advice and instilled
in me a strong work ethic.' -Dawid Malan, England and Yorkshire
CCC
'Toby is very strong at analysing faults
and quick to come up with solutions for putting them right. We have an
excellent working relationship and he has helped my game enormously.' -Jason
Holder, West Indies
'I very much enjoy working with Toby and he
has helped me improve my game massively. In this sport of fine margins, his
attention to detail really stands out. He has given me a good understanding of
my game and how to bat at my best. With so much knowledge and experience from
working with top batters around the world, it's not hard to see why he's one of
the best batting coaches around.' -Daniel
Bell-Drummond, Kent
CCC
'I worked with Toby when I joined Middlesex
and he really helped me progress to the next level. He helped mould the basics
of my technical game.' -Eoin Morgan,
England World
Cup Winning Captain
'Toby is a
legend. He is a very knowledgeable and informative coach and has helped me a
lot technically.'-Kraigg Brathwaite, West Indies
Test Match Captain
