Backing Up in Cricket Batting

Backing up is the practice of the non-striker leaving their crease and moving down the pitch before the ball is delivered, in order to gain a head start and make the first run more quickly if the striker plays the ball into the outfield.

How It Works

As the bowler enters the delivery stride, the non-striker begins walking — and later running — down the pitch toward the striker's end. This movement means that if the ball is hit to a gap, the non-striker is already several paces into the run, potentially converting a single into a two or accelerating the first run.

The Non-Striker Run Out Rule

The risk of backing up too early is the run out at the non-striker's end (sometimes called 'Mankading' or, under the updated Laws, simply a 'run out'). If the non-striker leaves the crease before the bowler releases the ball, the bowler is legally entitled to remove the bails at the non-striker's end and appeal for a run out.

When Backing Up Is Correct

• After the ball has been released — the non-striker should then be moving quickly.
• The non-striker must not leave the crease before the bowler's front arm passes the vertical.
• In practice, most non-strikers start moving as the bowler's arm comes over, which is generally accepted.
• On good pitches and flat outfields, aggressive backing up can turn many singles into twos.