How do I use a batting journal?
Before batting, write one focus agreed with your coach. Afterwards, note two or three deliveries you remember clearly. Describe what you saw and chose to do before recording the outcome. Finish with the coach’s feedback and a next-session focus. You do not need a ball-by-ball record to make the worksheet useful.
A worked net-session example
Focus: leave the ball outside off stump when it is not in my scoring area. Observation: I left a wider delivery, then reached for a similar ball later and edged it. Feedback: decide on the ball’s line before committing. Next session: revisit that decision with my coach. This is an illustrative entry, not a report about a DCA player or a technical prescription.
What should I compare over time?
Look for decisions or cues that recur across entries. Was the same uncertainty present against a different bowler? Did the adjustment still feel clear when the match situation changed? Record the practice conditions so you can interpret your notes fairly. Runs scored in a net are not directly comparable with match runs, and an isolated good shot does not establish a trend.
Who is this worksheet for?
Players can use it independently to organise observations, or discuss it with a coach or parent. It is a reflection sheet, not an assessment of selection prospects. Your coach should decide which technical adjustments suit your game. Print a blank copy for the kitbag or type your notes below and download them before leaving this page.
What should I leave out?
Avoid turning every entry into a score out of ten. Keep the language specific enough that a coach can understand the situation without having seen it. You can leave any field blank when you have nothing reliable to add; the journal is for useful observations, not filling space.
Original worksheet for the Dehradun Cricket Academy website. General context: Australian Cricket Institute’s player diary shows how training reflection can be organised. Our fields and examples are original; no affiliation is implied.
Content checked 2026-09-12. This is an organisational aid, not a coach-certified training plan. Free to copy for personal, school and club use.