Driving on the Up
Also known as: playing on the up, hitting on the up, drive on the up, on the up, punching on the up, driving on the rise
Driving on the up means driving a ball while it is still rising after the bounce. It is usually a good-length ball that you cannot reach as a half-volley. Keep your head still and over the ball, move your front foot towards its line and present a full, straight face. Punch through with a short, firm finish to keep the ball on the ground.
A normal drive is played to a full ball. The batter steps to the pitch of the ball and meets it as a half-volley, close to where it lands. Driving on the up is played to a ball a little shorter. The batter cannot reach the pitch of the ball. Instead, they meet it just after the bounce as it climbs. Good batters use it to score off balls that would otherwise be defended. It puts pressure on bowlers who are hitting a good length.
The shot depends on a still head and a straight bat. Pick up the length early. Move the front foot towards the line of the ball, not all the way to the pitch of it. Keep the head over the ball and the front elbow high. Let the top hand lead and present the full face of the bat. Many coaches teach a shorter, punchier finish, often called a check drive. It keeps the bat face controlled and the ball along the ground. Off the back foot, the same idea becomes a punch on the up through the off side.
Driving on the up is a reward shot for true pitches with even bounce. On a slow pitch the ball can stop on the bat and be chipped to cover or mid-off. On a pitch with uneven bounce, or against a new ball that is swinging or seaming, it brings the slips and gully into play. Many batters wait until they are set, and until the ball has stopped moving much, before they start playing it. If the ball is wide of off stump and climbing, the leave or a cut may be a better choice.
Tips by skill level
Master the half-volley drive first. Then ask a partner for throwdowns that land just short of a half-volley. Practise meeting them with a still head and a short, firm finish.
Early in an innings, play on the up mainly through the V between mid-off and mid-on. Add the cover drive on the up once you have judged the pace and bounce of the pitch.
Example
On a true pitch, a seamer lands a ball just short of a half-volley outside off stump. The batter cannot reach the pitch of it. She stays tall, meets it on the up with a high elbow and punches it past mid-off for four.
Why it matters
Driving on the up lets you score off good-length balls instead of only defending them. That stops tidy bowlers settling into a rhythm.
Common mistakes
- Driving on the up on a slow or two-paced pitch, where the ball holds up and is chipped to a fielder
- Reaching for the ball with the hands away from the body instead of moving the front foot towards its line
- Letting the head fall to the off side, which angles the bat and sends edges to the slips
- Swinging hard with a big follow-through instead of a controlled punch that keeps the ball down
Frequently asked questions
How do I hit the ball on the up in cricket?
Pick up the length early and move your front foot towards the line of the ball. Keep your head still and over the ball, lead with the top hand and present a full, straight face. Meet the ball as it climbs and punch through it with a short finish to keep it down.
What does driving on the up mean in cricket?
It means driving a ball while it is still rising after it bounces, rather than at the pitch as a half-volley. It is usually played to a good-length ball on a true pitch.
When should I not drive on the up?
Avoid it on slow or two-paced pitches, where the ball can stop on the bat and be chipped to a fielder. Be careful against a new ball that is swinging or seaming. Any movement brings edges to the slips and gully into play.
Related terms
- DriveIn cricket, a drive is an attacking stroke that sends a full-length ball along the ground in front of the wicket. It uses a straight, full swing of the bat and is unlike a golf drive.
- Cover DriveThe cover drive is an elegant front-foot stroke that sends a full ball outside off stump through cover, between point and mid-off.
- Straight DriveThe straight drive is a front-foot attacking stroke played to a full ball on or just outside off stump. It sends the ball back past the bowler, straight down the ground.
- Good LengthA good-length delivery is one that pitches at the spot that forces the batter to be uncertain whether to play off the front foot or the back foot — often the most testing length a bowler can hit.
- 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.
- Back-Foot PlayBack-foot play is batting in which the batter moves the weight back and onto the rear foot to play short-pitched or rising deliveries. This creates time by moving away from the pitch of the ball.
Cricket analysis is in development
Motion Lab does not analyze this sport yet. Keep exploring the terms in this section.