Drive
In cricket, a drive is an attacking stroke played with a straight, full swing of the bat to a full-length ball, sending it along the ground in front of the wicket. (This differs entirely from a golf drive off the tee.)
The drive is the classical scoring stroke, named by direction — cover drive, straight drive, on drive — according to where the ball is sent. It is played to a full-length ball with the front foot to the pitch and a flowing, vertical bat. "Drive" is a true cross-sport homonym: in golf it is the long tee shot with a driver; in cricket it is this front-foot attacking stroke — so they are separate glossary entries.
Example
To an overpitched ball outside off stump, the batter leans in and drives it through the covers for four.
Across sports
- Cricket
- A front-foot attacking stroke played to a full-length ball.
- Golf
- The long shot played off the tee with a driver.
Related terms
- Cover DriveThe cover drive is an elegant front-foot stroke that sends a full ball outside off stump through the cover region, between point and mid-off.
- 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.
- DrawA draw is a controlled shot that curves gently from right to left for a right-handed golfer (the opposite for a lefty). It is produced by a clubface slightly closed to the swing path but still open to the target line.
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