Lofted Drive
Also known as: hitting over the top, lofted shot, going over the top, chipping over the infield, hitting over the infield, aerial drive
A lofted drive lifts the ball over the fielders instead of along the ground. Get close to the pitch of the ball, keep your head still and swing through the line with a full face and a high finish. Choose a full ball and check the field first. Decide whether you only need to clear the infield or go all the way.
The lofted drive uses the same base as the ground drive. The difference is in the swing and the finish. Rather than checking the follow-through to keep the ball down, the batter extends the arms through the ball and finishes high. Contact is still made close to the body with the full face of the bat. The loft comes from the bat path and the face, not from leaning back.
Getting to the pitch of the ball is the key. Against spin, many batters use their feet to turn a good length into a half-volley. Against pace, the shot is usually played to a ball that is already full. A ball that is short of driving length is the danger. It cannot be reached. Instead it is hit into the air off the top or the toe of the bat. Keep the head still and the front shoulder pointing at the target through contact.
Decide on the target before you swing. Chipping over the infield aims to land the ball short of the deep fielders. Clearing the boundary needs more distance and a cleaner hit. Hit with the angle of the ball and towards the longer, emptier parts of the field. Hitting across the line, or against the turn, is how lofted drives become catches.
Tips by skill level
Start with straight lofted drives off underarm throwdowns. Aim to land the ball just beyond a cone set at infield distance before trying to hit it further.
Against spin, combine footwork with the lofted drive. Coming down the pitch to a fuller ball takes the turn out of play and lets you hit with the line.
Example
With mid-off inside the circle and long-off empty, the batter skips down the pitch to the spinner. She reaches the pitch of the ball and lofts it straight over mid-off for four.
Why it matters
Once fielders are set to stop the ground shot, the lofted drive is how batters keep scoring. Done well, it is a controlled shot rather than a slog.
Common mistakes
- Leaning back to lift the ball instead of letting the bat path and face provide the loft
- Trying to loft a ball that is too short to reach, so it comes off the top of the bat
- Hitting across the line or against the turn towards the busier side of the field
- Not checking the field, then holing out to a fielder who was there all along
Frequently asked questions
How do I hit the ball over the top in cricket?
Get close to the pitch of the ball, keep your head still and swing through the line with the full face of the bat. Extend your arms through contact and finish high. Choose a full ball and check where the deep fielders are before you play.
How do I hit over the top without getting caught?
Only loft full balls you can reach, and hit towards the open parts of the field. Swing with the line of the ball and finish high instead of leaning back. Often you only need to clear the infield, not the boundary.
What is the difference between a drive and a lofted drive?
A ground drive is checked to keep the ball along the ground. A lofted drive uses a fuller swing and a high finish to lift the ball over the fielders.
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.
- 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.
- On DriveThe on drive is a classical front-foot attacking stroke played to a full ball on middle or leg stump. It sends the ball through the mid-on region on the leg side.
- 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.
- FootworkFootwork in cricket batting is moving the feet into the best position to play each delivery. Moving quickly and correctly to the pitch of the ball is the basis of all good batting.
- PowerplayA powerplay is a set of overs in limited-overs cricket when the fielding side may have only a few fielders outside the 30-yard circle. In T20 internationals the first six overs allow two fielders outside it. In one-day internationals, overs 1 to 10 allow two, overs 11 to 40 allow four and overs 41 to 50 allow five. Other competitions can set their own versions, so check your playing conditions.
Cricket analysis is in development
Motion Lab does not analyze this sport yet. Keep exploring the terms in this section.