Clearing the Front Leg (Making Room)
Also known as: clearing the front leg, clear the front leg, making room to hit, make room to hit, giving yourself room, making room through the off side
Clearing the front leg means moving your front foot out of the way, usually towards the leg side, to let your arms swing freely through the ball. Making room means stepping away from the line of a ball on the stumps to hit it through the off side. Both create space for a full swing. Both also leave more of your stumps exposed.
To clear the front leg, the front foot moves out towards the leg side as the ball arrives. The hips open and the arms have a clear path. Batters use it to hit full balls straight or over mid-wicket. The head stays still and the base stays wide. The front foot moves and lands. It is not lifted and waved in the air.
Making room is used against balls aimed at the stumps. The batter steps back and towards the leg side as the bowler releases. That turns a straight ball into one they can hit through cover or over extra cover. In the death overs it is a common answer to a yorker on the stumps.
The cost is the stumps. A batter who has moved to leg leaves them open to a straight ball. A yorker that follows them can still hit the stumps or the toes. Moving too early lets the bowler follow you. Moving too late leaves you off balance. Many batters drill these movements against throwdowns until the timing feels automatic. Making room is a choice. Backing away out of fear is a fault.
Tips by skill level
Practise clearing the front leg with soft throwdowns. Land the front foot towards leg, keep your head still and hit straight.
Mix up your movement. If the bowler sees you move to leg every ball, they will follow you with the yorker.
Example
In the final over, the batter sees the bowler aiming at his stumps. He steps to leg as the ball is released, makes room and lofts it over extra cover for six.
Why it matters
Clearing the front leg and making room unlock power hitting. Used at the wrong time, they leave your stumps exposed.
Common mistakes
- Moving to leg too early and letting the bowler follow you
- Lifting the front leg high and losing balance
- Swinging with the arms only after clearing the leg
- Making room against a ball that was already wide
Frequently asked questions
How do I make room to hit through the off side?
Step back and towards the leg side as the bowler releases the ball. Keep your head still and swing through the line towards cover or extra cover. Do not move so early that the bowler can follow you.
What does clearing the front leg mean in cricket?
It means moving your front foot out of the way, usually towards the leg side, to let your arms swing freely. Batters use it to hit full balls with power, straight or to the leg side.
When should I make room to hit in T20?
Use it against balls aimed at the stumps, especially yorkers in the final overs. Move late enough that the bowler cannot follow you. Do not make room against a ball that is already wide.
Related terms
- Power Hitting (Six Hitting)Power hitting comes from a stable base, a still head and fast bat speed through the ball, not from swinging harder with the arms. Read the length early and clear your front leg if you need room. Swing through the line with a full face and full extension.
- Inside-Out ShotAn inside-out shot hits a ball on the stumps or leg side through the off side, usually over or through extra cover. Move inside the line by stepping towards the leg side, then swing out towards the off side with an open face. It is a common way to score against spin turning into you.
- YorkerA yorker is a delivery bowled to pitch right at the batter's feet, under the swinging bat. It is one of the hardest balls to score off and a key death-overs weapon.
- Death OversThe death overs are the final overs of a limited-overs innings, usually overs 17–20 in T20 or 41–50 in one-day cricket. Batters chase runs and bowlers try to limit them.
- Backing Away to LegBacking away to leg means moving away from the line of the ball, towards the leg side, as it is bowled. It is usually a fear response to pace or short bowling. It leaves you reaching for the ball with your weight going away. Well-fitted protective gear, gradual practice with softer balls and a plan for the short ball all help.
- T20 Batting ApproachT20 batting means scoring quickly from the first ball while keeping enough wickets for the end. Attack the gaps in the six-over powerplay, rotate the strike and pick off bad balls in the middle overs, and save the biggest hitting for the death. Know your best scoring areas and which bowlers you want to target.
Cricket analysis is in development
Motion Lab does not analyze this sport yet. Keep exploring the terms in this section.