Points to look for:
- The player has watched the ball onto his bat.
- The angle of the bat is roughly vertical, although this is hard to see from this angle. For defensive lobs the bat would be a little open, while for offensive lobs the bat would be a little closed.
- The knees and torso are beginning to straighten, which adds to the amount of lift given to the ball.
- The forearm and bat are moving faster than the upper arm, as shown by the slight blurring in the photograph.
- If the ball was compared to a clockface, the bat has made contact at a point roughly around the number 3, while the bat was moving upwards and forwards.
- The amount of spin put on the ball will vary, depending on the circumstances. Most lobs will vary from light-medium to heavy topspin. Lobs without any spin can tend to drift a little sideways in flight, while topspin lobs tend to keep to a straighter line.
- Again, note that the free arm has remained still - since there is very little body turn in this stroke - it is not necessary to use the free arm much for balance.
