Glide
Also known as: glide, dab, run-down
The glide is a delicate deflection played to a full or good-length ball outside off stump. This uses an open bat face to steer the ball fine on the off side between slip and third man.
The glide (sometimes called a dab or run-down) uses the pace of the delivery rather than generating its own. The batter presents an angled bat and allows the ball to glide off the face towards the third-man boundary. Wrists stay soft and the blade angles late, similar to the late cut but played to a full or good-length delivery rather than a short one. It is a precision stroke against pace bowling, relying on timing and placement. When executed well it takes only the finest edge. This means or no edge at all. This means and travels with the pace of the delivery. This makes it very hard to stop.
Let the ball do the work. This means the less you swing at a glide the finer the ball goes. As a result, resist the urge to give it more power.
Use the glide to manipulate the third-man fielder. This means glide the ball fine when third man is up, and square when they are back, to exploit whichever gap is open.
Example
A full ball angled in at off stump is met with an open blade at the last moment, the batter gliding it fine for four past a diving third slip.
Why it matters
The glide extends scoring range to the third-man area. SwingVantage's cricket analysis (in development) will assess bat-face angle and contact timing so batters can add this precision touch shot to their armoury.
How it shows up on video
Good glide technique shows the batter getting back and across to a short or back-of-length delivery outside off, opening the bat face to a precise angle, and steering the ball behind point without a full swing. This means the bat barely moves and the ball deflects quietly to the third man area. Incorrect execution shows a full cross-bat swing or a failure to open the face. This sends the ball to point or producing a thick edge to slip.
Common mistakes
- Using a full cut swing instead of a minimal deflection, losing the fine angle and hitting it to point
- Failing to get back and across before playing, cramping the shot and edging to slip
- Not opening the bat face enough, sending the ball square rather than fine of third man
- Playing the glide on a ball aimed at the stumps where deflecting fine increases inside-edge LBW risk
In SwingVantage Motion Lab
SwingVantage cricket analysis (currently in development) will measure the degree of bat-face opening and the minimal swing radius that characterise the glide, distinguishing it from a full cut shot.
Related terms
- Late CutThe late cut is a delicate batting stroke played to a short, wide ball outside off stump. This uses soft wrists to deflect the ball very fine to third man after it has almost passed the batter.
- GlanceThe 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.
- 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.
Put this into your swing
SwingVantage can spot this in your own swing — free to start.