Hello, I’m 19 and want to play grade cricket in Brisbane next season.
I’m a top order bat and would like to ask about players mindsets when they go out to bat. Do you have a plan to get to 10 or 20 and what’s your process in building an innings. Thanks.

When you 1st come in as an opener there are lots of gaps, so singles and boundaries are at their 'easiest', but you are more chance of snicking out, so openers have to leave a fair few.

Best place to be in the 1st 5 overs is up the other end. Don't worry about getting to 10 or 20, just worry about the next ball and get up the other end.

To plug those gaps, fielders eventually come out of catching spots, so the batsman needs to change gears too.

The ball is older, so you can play shots with less risk and try to pierce the field and hit loose balls to the boundary

Eventually fielders drop back and gaps open up for singles again, so you have to change gears again, but by now you can feed the strike to your batting partner who may be a bit fresher + is being offered more gaps.

Understanding that might help you make a plan about how you are going to bat in between gear changes. You have to turn the dial up and down, if you keep dialing it up you'll make a mistake eventually

Nothing more frustrating that seeing the field drop back a few yards and seeing guys trying to smash it through - I tell kids I coach "nice shot no run" Much better to drop n run and take the 'easy' runs.

It doesn't matter so much how you get them, but the game is about scoring runs.

Hi Jordan, David has summed the situation up very well in my opinion. A couple of thoughts you may consider.
Some players are naturally more aggressive than others, and in my experience, you need to work with your style to establish the way you go about building an innings. Naturally aggressive players who over emphasise defence often come unstuck. Defensive players who over emphasize attack, often make an early mistake. The question is what is your natural rhythm? Work around that. If you feel comfortable mentally, you will more than likely make better decisions and reactions to the deliveries.
No 1 - always bat with the intention of hitting the ball. If your mindset is to hit the ball, you will be in position to let it go if you choose, on the other hand if your mindset is to leave the ball, you can find yourself in a position where you need to play the ball but are not well prepared to do so.
No 2 - understand and practice which balls you will play aggressively at early. You may decide that short wide deliveries get left early in your innings, while full balls on your pads get hit. Be decisive about this and own the outcome. Too many batters come off having played a shot and then sit and ponder why they did. Own the plan, practice the plan and own the decision. You will make mistakes, but this doesn't mean it is wrong. Jake Fraser McGurk is a very exciting player who is still learning about what shots he can play, and which shots cause consistent mistakes. He does own the outcomes though.
No 3 - I love David's point about being up the other end. I couldn't agree more, and you need to develop the skills required to be able to do this. Get less caught up in technique and more focused on getting the ball into a spot that creates enough time for you and your partner to run a single. If you practice the intention, it comes more easily in a game.

Good luck, hope you have a fantastic time of it.