Glance
Also known as: leg glance, glance to leg
The glance (or leg glance) is a wristy deflection played to a ball on the leg side, angling the bat face to direct the ball fine to leg without force.
When the ball is directed at the batter's legs or passes down the leg side, the batter uses soft hands and a subtle rotation of the wrists to angle the ball fine — behind square on the leg side — with minimal bat swing. The stroke demands precise timing and relaxed grip: too much force and it balloons to a fielder; too little and it misses. The leg glance is one of the oldest, most aesthetically admired strokes in batting and works on both the front and back foot.
Example
The ball angles into the pad and the batter flicks the wrists at the last instant, glancing it wide of fine leg for four.
Why it matters
A reliable leg glance turns unpromising leg-stump deliveries into runs. SwingVantage's cricket analysis (in development) will measure wrist angle and contact point to help batters refine this touch stroke.
Related terms
- FlickThe flick is an attacking wrist stroke played to a full ball on the leg side, using a strong wrist roll to whip the ball to the mid-wicket or square-leg area.
- Sweep ShotThe sweep is a cross-bat shot played on one knee to a (usually spinning) good-length ball, sweeping it around to the leg side to counter turn and length.
- FootworkFootwork in cricket batting refers to the movement of the feet to get into the optimal position to play each delivery — moving quickly and correctly to the pitch of the ball is the basis of all good batting.
Put this into your swing
SwingVantage can spot this in your own swing — free to start.