Cricket Batting Stance
Also known as: cricket stance, cricket batting stance, side-on stance, open stance in cricket, how to stand at the crease, stance at the crease
A good cricket batting stance is balanced and still, with your feet about shoulder-width apart, usually either side of the popping crease. Bend your knees slightly and keep your weight on the balls of your feet. Hold your head still, with your eyes level and looking down the pitch. Side-on, open and raised-bat stances all work if you are balanced at release.
The stance is the position you hold as the bowler runs in. Its job is to let you move quickly forward or back, and to start with your head still and your eyes level. Most coaches teach the same basics. Feet are about shoulder-width apart and parallel to the crease. Knees are slightly bent and weight is spread evenly. The front shoulder points roughly down the pitch, and the head is turned so both eyes look at the bowler.
There is no single correct stance. A traditional side-on stance rests the bat near the back toe. Some batters stand more open, with the front foot pulled back and the chest turned towards the bowler. Some find that helps them see the ball with both eyes. Others hold the bat raised behind them to shorten the backlift against pace. Some crouch and some stand tall. What matters is that the head is still and the body is balanced when the ball is released.
Stance faults usually show up later in the shot. Weight on the heels makes it hard to get forward. A head leaning towards the off side drags the body across the line. Feet too wide make it hard to move. Feet too close make it hard to stay balanced. A tight grip or tense shoulders slow the backlift. Many batters check their stance in a mirror, or on video filmed from side-on and front-on.
Tips by skill level
Practise your stance in front of a mirror. Check that your feet are shoulder-width apart, your knees are soft and your eyes are level as you look down the pitch.
If you use a trigger movement, design your stance and trigger together. Aim to finish the trigger balanced, with your head still, just before the ball is released.
Example
Before each ball, the batter settles with her feet shoulder-width apart, knees soft and her bat resting by her back toe. Her head is level and still as the bowler reaches the crease.
Why it matters
Every shot starts from your stance. A balanced, still stance makes it easier to judge length and move your feet the right way.
Common mistakes
- Standing with the weight on the heels, which makes it hard to get forward
- Letting the head lean towards the off side before the ball is bowled
- Placing the feet too wide or too narrow to move freely
- Still moving or fidgeting as the bowler releases the ball
Frequently asked questions
What is the correct batting stance in cricket?
There is no single correct stance, but the basics are shared. Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent and weight on the balls of your feet. Keep your head still and your eyes level, looking down the pitch.
Should I stand side-on or open when batting?
Either can work. A side-on stance lines the front shoulder up with the bowler. An open stance turns the chest more towards the bowler. Some batters find it helps them see the ball. Choose the one that leaves you balanced and still at release.
Where should my bat be in my batting stance?
Many batters rest the bat near the back toe. Others hold it raised behind them to shorten the backlift. Both work if the bat comes down straight and on time.
Related terms
- 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.
- Head PositionHead position in batting refers to where and how still the batter's head is during the stroke — keeping the head level, forward-leaning, and over the ball is a universal marker of quality technique.
- BackliftThe backlift is the upward movement of the bat before the batter plays a stroke — the height, direction, and angle of the backlift influence bat path and ultimately the direction of the shot.
- 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.
- Weight TransferWeight transfer in batting is the movement of the batter's bodyweight from back foot to front foot (or vice versa) as the stroke is executed, generating power and setting up correct balance through impact.
- BalanceBalance is the ability to keep a stable base and a controlled center of mass in a swing. It spans the full motion, from setup through the end of the follow-through.
Cricket analysis is in development
Motion Lab does not analyze this sport yet. Keep exploring the terms in this section.