Batting Out of the Crease
Also known as: standing out of the crease, batting outside the crease, standing outside the crease, batting out of my crease, taking guard outside the crease, standing out of your crease
Batting out of the crease means taking your stance a step or more in front of the popping crease. It lets you meet swing and seam before the ball moves as far. It also changes the length a spinner must bowl. The costs are a stumping risk when the keeper stands up, plus less time against short balls.
The Laws do not fix where a batter stands at the crease. Standing a step out shortens the distance between you and where the ball lands. A swinging ball has less time to curve. A seaming ball is met closer to where it bounced. Many batters stand out against medium pacers who swing the ball or who rely on LBW.
Against spin, standing out turns good-length balls into fuller ones. The bowler must drag the length back. That can offer more short balls to cut and pull. It also helps you reach the pitch of the ball to smother turn. Some batters move out of the crease as the bowler runs in. That is legal. You are still out stumped if you miss and the keeper breaks the wicket while you are out of your ground.
Bowlers and keepers respond. The keeper may stand up to the stumps to threaten a stumping and stop you moving forward. A fast bowler may bang the ball in short, since you now have less time to react. Stand back in the crease when the bowling is quick and the bounce is steep. Mark your guard where you stand to keep a clear sense of where off stump is.
Tips by skill level
Try it in the nets against a medium-pace bowler first. Mark your new guard so you still know where your stumps are.
Change your crease position during a spell to disrupt the bowler's length. Moving between out and back makes it harder for them to settle.
Example
Against a medium pacer swinging the ball late, the batter takes guard a full step outside his crease. He meets the ball before it moves and drives it back past the bowler.
Why it matters
Where you stand changes the length the bowler must hit. Used well, it takes away a bowler's best ball. Used carelessly, it gives away a stumping.
Common mistakes
- Standing out against genuine pace and getting hurried by short balls
- Forgetting you can be stumped when the keeper stands up
- Losing track of off stump after moving the guard forward
- Staying out of the crease after the bowler has adjusted and started pitching short
Frequently asked questions
Should I stand out of my crease against spin?
It can help. Standing out turns good-length balls into fuller ones and lets you reach the pitch to smother turn. If the keeper stands up, remember that missing the ball out of your ground can get you stumped.
Can you be stumped if you stand outside your crease?
Yes. If no part of your bat or body is grounded behind the popping crease, the keeper can stump you when you are not attempting a run. Standing out is legal. You simply carry that risk on every ball.
What are the risks of batting outside the crease?
The main risks are being stumped and having less time against short, fast balls. Bowlers may also change their length once they see where you stand. Use it as a plan for certain bowlers, not as a habit for every ball.
Sources
Related terms
- Playing Swing and Seam BowlingTo play swing and seam bowling, know where your off stump is and leave balls you do not need to play. Watch the seam and shine in the bowler's hand, then play late under your eyes with a straight bat and soft hands. Let the ball come to you instead of reaching for it.
- Playing Spin BowlingTo play spin bowling, watch the bowler's hand to read which way the ball will turn and pick up the length early. Be decisive with your feet. Go right forward to smother the spin at the pitch, or right back to play it late off the pitch. Keep your bat in front of your pad and score by playing with the turn.
- StumpedA batter is out stumped if the wicket-keeper breaks the wicket while they are out of their ground and not attempting a run. No other fielder may be involved. You cannot be stumped off a no ball, but you can be stumped off a wide. Keep part of your bat or body grounded behind the popping crease.
- CreaseThe crease is any of the white painted lines on the cricket pitch. These lines define legal bowling positions, the safe zone for batters, and the starting point for LBW and run-out adjudications.
- Taking GuardTaking guard means lining up your bat with a chosen stump before you face. It tells you where your stumps are. Hold the bat upright on the crease and ask the umpire at the bowler's end for leg stump, middle and leg, or middle. Then mark the spot. Many batters start on middle or middle and leg.
- FootworkFootwork in cricket batting is moving the feet into the best position to play each delivery. Moving quickly and correctly to the pitch of the ball is the basis of all good batting.
Cricket analysis is in development
Motion Lab does not analyze this sport yet. Keep exploring the terms in this section.