Batting the Forward Strokes

Graham Gooch demonstrates the art of positive batting, and David Gower takes a taxi to Lords for the Test match.

This series of coaching films funded by major cricket sponsor Natwest Bank features the leading players of the early 1980s showing their style. In the case of playing forward, who better than the run machine that was Graham Gooch of Essex and England to demonstrate the correct method? Of course, there are different batting styles, which the film hints at by showing the elegant but unorthodox David Gower taking a leisurely taxi to Lord's.

This instalment includes demonstrations of technique and coverage of county and Natwest Trophy matches. The whole series is preserved in the BFI National Archive and other editions, including Spin Bowling and Batting the Forward Strokes, are available on BFI Player.