Edges: Inside, Outside, Thick and Leading
Also known as: inside edge, outside edge, thick edge, thin edge, feather edge, leading edge, edge in cricket
An edge is when the ball hits the side of the bat instead of the face. An outside edge flies towards the keeper and slips. An inside edge deflects towards your pad, stumps or fine leg. A thick edge takes a lot of the edge and a thin or feather edge barely touches it. A leading edge balloons up off the front edge.
Which edge you get tells you what went wrong. An outside edge usually comes from playing at a ball moving away, pushing out with hard hands or reaching away from your body. An inside edge comes from a ball moving in, or from playing across the line. It can deflect onto the stumps, which is called playing on. A leading edge happens when the bat face closes too early, often when working a ball to the leg side that is going the other way. The ball pops up off the front edge, often towards cover or the bowler.
Edges matter for the rules. Under Law 5.6, the bat includes the hand and glove holding it. A ball off the edge or the glove can therefore be caught, and the batter is out caught. For LBW, the ball must not have touched the bat first. An inside edge onto the pad is not out LBW. If bat and pad are hit at the same moment, Law 36.2.2 treats it as hitting the bat first.
The fixes follow the causes. Leave balls you do not need to play, and play late under your eyes with soft hands to cut out outside edges. Playing straight, with the bat coming down the line of the ball, reduces inside edges. Waiting for the ball and letting it come to you, rather than turning the face early, cuts out leading edges.
Tips by skill level
In the nets, ask a teammate to note which edge you find most often. That tells you which fix to work on.
If leading edges keep coming against away movement, delay the turn of the wrists. Play the ball back down the ground until you have read the movement.
Example
A right-hander tries to flick a ball that is swinging away and closes the face too early. The ball takes the leading edge and loops gently to mid-off for a simple catch.
Why it matters
Edges cause many dismissals. Knowing which edge you keep finding points straight to the technical fix.
Common mistakes
- Reaching for balls outside off stump with hard hands
- Playing across the line to a ball moving away
- Closing the bat face too early when working to leg
- Thinking you cannot be caught if the ball came off your glove
Frequently asked questions
What is an inside edge in cricket?
When the ball hits the inner side of the bat, nearest your body, and deflects towards your pad, stumps or fine leg. It often comes from playing across the line or a ball moving in.
What causes a leading edge in cricket?
Closing the bat face too early, usually when working the ball to leg against a ball moving the other way. The ball hits the front edge and loops up towards the off side.
Is it LBW if the ball hits your bat and then your pad?
No. Under Law 36 the ball must not have touched the bat first. If bat and pad are hit at the same moment, it counts as hitting the bat first.
Sources
Related terms
- Nicking Off (Edging Behind)Nicking off is edging a ball outside off stump to the wicket-keeper or slips. It usually comes from playing at balls you could leave, pushing at the ball with hard hands or reaching away from your body. Know your off stump, play late under your eyes with soft hands and leave anything you do not need to play.
- CaughtCaught is a way of being out in cricket. The batter is out when a fielder catches the ball before it touches the ground, after it has come off the bat or a glove on the hand holding the bat (Laws 33.1 and 5.6).
- LBW (Leg Before Wicket)LBW is a mode of dismissal. Under specific conditions, the umpire can rule the batter leg before wicket. That applies if the ball would have hit the stumps but the batter's pad intercepts it first.
- 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.
- Soft Hands in BattingSoft hands means relaxing your grip at contact. The bat gives a little and the ball drops dead near your feet. It helps edges fall short of the slips and stops bat-pad catches against spin. Hard hands, pushing firmly at the ball, send edges flying.
Cricket analysis is in development
Motion Lab does not analyze this sport yet. Keep exploring the terms in this section.