Taking Guard: How Batsmen Position Themselves Against the Stumps
Taking guard is the process a new batsman uses to position themselves precisely relative to the stumps — ensuring they know exactly where their stumps are without looking behind them. The guard (middle, middle-and-leg, or leg stump) tells the batsman their bat's position relative to the stumps and allows them to set their stance in the optimal position for their technical approach.
When a new batsman arrives at the crease, they request a guard from the on-field umpire: the batsman holds their bat on the ground in front of the stumps and asks the umpire to signal which stump their bat is covering. The umpire signals: 'middle' (1 finger raised), 'middle and leg' (2 fingers), 'leg' (3 fingers). The batsman then marks the crease (typically scratching the surface with their boot) at the exact position where the bat covers the identified stump. Once marked, the batsman can move to the side and take their stance, confident that they know the precise position of their stumps relative to their feet.
Most Common Guards
The three most common guards: Middle stump (1): the batsman positions their bat over the middle stump. Most common for batsmen who play with the bat close to the body and judge balls primarily by their middle-stump line. Middle-and-leg (2): the batsman positions their bat between middle and leg stump. The most popular guard in modern cricket — it allows the batsman to identify balls that are on the stumps (all balls between middle-and-leg and off stump). Leg stump (3): the batsman positions their bat over the leg stump. Used by batsmen who prefer to play with a more open stance and focus on playing balls pitching on or outside the off stump. Some batsmen have their own preferences based on their specific technique.
Purpose of the Guard
Why taking guard matters: without a guard mark, a batsman cannot accurately judge which deliveries are on the stumps versus outside the off stump or down leg. If the batsman's bat is positioned 20cm outside the line they think it is, they will leave balls that hit the stumps (believing they are going down the off side) and play at balls that are missing the stumps (believing they are on the stumps). The guard mark on the crease eliminates this uncertainty — the batsman can glance down (or recall from muscle memory) where their bat was when on guard and calculate their stump line from there. Top-order Test batsmen take guard very precisely and check it repeatedly across long innings to ensure fatigue has not shifted their positioning.
Guard Across Formats
Guard preferences across formats: Test cricket — most batsmen take middle or middle-and-leg; the precision of the guard matters more when facing 90+ overs of bowling where stump alignment is critical. T20 cricket — some attacking T20 batsmen prefer leg guard, which positions them further toward the off side and gives them more space to hit through the off side. Limited-overs batsmen who prioritise attacking the off side may find the leg guard creates more room for driving. The guard preference also adapts to the opponent's bowling attack: against a predominantly swing-out bowler, a batsman might move toward leg guard to create more room on the off side; against an inswing bowler, they might move toward off-stump guard to cover the stumps more directly.
Frequently asked questions
What is taking guard in cricket?
Taking guard in cricket is the process a new batsman uses to precisely position themselves relative to the stumps by requesting the umpire to indicate which stump their bat is covering. The batsman holds their bat on the ground in front of the stumps and asks for a guard ('middle', 'middle and leg', or 'leg stump'); the umpire signals which stump is being covered; the batsman marks the crease at that exact bat position. The guard mark serves as a reference point so the batsman always knows exactly where their stumps are without looking behind them — essential for judging which deliveries are on the stumps versus outside them.
What guard do most cricket batsmen use?
Middle-and-leg is the most common guard in modern cricket — it positions the bat between the middle and leg stumps, giving the batsman a central reference point that allows them to judge balls on either side of the stumps. Middle stump guard is also common, particularly for batsmen who play very straight (directly down the pitch) and judge line precisely. Leg stump guard (bat over the leg stump) is used by batsmen who prefer more room on the off side. Historical note: players from different eras and regions have preferences; Don Bradman reportedly used middle stump guard consistently throughout his career.
Can a batsman change their guard during an innings?
Yes, a batsman can change their guard at any point during their innings by requesting a new guard from the umpire. Batsmen sometimes adjust their guard during an innings if: they believe their position has drifted (fatigue or distraction has moved them away from their original guard mark); the bowling attack changes (a new left-arm bowler might cause the batsman to want a different alignment); or the batting pitch has deteriorated and they need to move slightly to play a different line. Most experienced Test batsmen will check their guard mark after every 30-40 minutes of batting to ensure they have not inadvertently moved from their starting position.