Bowled Through the Gate
Also known as: through the gate, bowled through the gate, bat-pad gap, gap between bat and pad, bowled between bat and pad, the gate in cricket
Being bowled through the gate means the ball passes through the gap between your bat and front pad and hits the stumps. It usually comes from a stride wide of the line, a bat coming down across the pad or reaching for the ball. Keep your bat close to your front pad and let the ball come to you.
The gate is the space between bat and pad when you play forward. A ball that nips back, swings in or spins into the batter can slip through it. The usual culprits for a right-hander are off-breaks and inswingers. The ball sneaks past the inside edge and onto the stumps.
Common causes are easy to spot on video. The front foot strides wide of the line, away from the ball. The bat comes down from gully and across the pad. The hands push out in front of the body. The head falls away towards the off side and drags the bat with it. Each one widens the gap.
The fixes all close the gap. Lead with the head and front shoulder so the front foot lands close to the line. Let the bat come down past the front pad with the face straight. Play the ball late, under your eyes, with soft hands. Against spin turning in, many batters keep the bat slightly ahead of the pad. One drill is to place a cone just inside the front foot and keep the bat brushing past it.
Tips by skill level
Shadow bat with a ball placed by your front foot. Keep the bat brushing past your front pad on every forward defence.
Film your forward defence from front-on. If light shows between bat and pad at contact, work on your stride and bat path.
Example
The off-spinner tosses one up on off stump. The batter strides forward but leaves a gap between bat and pad. The ball turns back, slips through the gate and clips middle stump.
Why it matters
It is a frequent way to be bowled, especially against spin and inswing. Closing the gap protects your stumps.
Common mistakes
- Striding wide of the line of the ball
- Bringing the bat down from gully and across the pad
- Pushing the hands out in front of the front pad
- Letting the head fall away towards the off side
Frequently asked questions
Why do I keep getting bowled through the gate?
Usually there is a gap between your bat and front pad when you play forward. A wide stride, a bat that comes down across the line or reaching for the ball all open it. Keep the bat close to the pad and play late.
How do I close the gap between bat and pad?
Lead with your head and front shoulder so your front foot lands near the line of the ball. Let the bat come down straight, past the front pad. Play under your eyes with soft hands.
Related terms
- BowledBowled is a dismissal where the ball, delivered by the bowler, hits the stumps and dislodges at least one bail. It still counts as bowled if the ball first touches the batter's bat or body on the way to the stumps (Law 32.1.1).
- Straight BatPlaying with a straight bat means swinging the bat vertically, in line with the ball's path. It is the safest, most orthodox way to defend and drive full or good-length balls.
- Front-Foot DefenceThe front-foot defence is a defensive batting stroke where the batter strides forward and blocks a good-length ball with a straight, angled bat to keep it down and safe.
- Off-SpinOff-spin is finger-spin bowling that turns the ball from off to leg, toward a right-handed batter. It uses the fingers, not the wrist, and its stock delivery is the off-break.
- In-SwingIn-swing is conventional swing bowling where the ball curves in the air from off to leg (in towards the body of a right-handed batter), often targeting the stumps or pads.
- 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.
Cricket analysis is in development
Motion Lab does not analyze this sport yet. Keep exploring the terms in this section.