Driving On the Up: Hitting a Good-Length Ball Through the Off Side
The technique of driving 'on the up' — hitting a good-length delivery that has not fully pitched up before the batsman connects, rather than waiting for the ball to arrive at hitting height. Why the shot is high-risk but high-reward, the trigger movements and weight transfer required to play it safely, the specific pitch conditions and ball types that make the on-the-up drive more viable, and which batsmen have made the shot a cornerstone of their technical arsenal.
Why It Is Called On the Up
A ball pitching at good length continues rising after it leaves the pitch surface — it has pitched and is now climbing ('on the up') rather than being at its peak height or descending. Most drives are played to full-pitched deliveries where the ball arrives at the ideal hitting zone (knee to mid-thigh height) with minimal risk of a nick to the edge. The on-the-up drive instead connects with the ball while it is still climbing — at approximately knee height or below, before it reaches the ideal hitting zone. This creates a much tighter margin for error: the bat must meet the ball at a precise angle or the ball takes an edge (caught at gully, point, or slip) rather than going cleanly through the covers.
Technique Requirements
Playing on the up correctly requires: getting into position early (weight forward, head over the ball's line, left shoulder pointing toward the intended target for a right-hander), a flat bat face (the bat face must be perpendicular to the ground — any angle produces an edge), and a relaxed grip (tension causes the bat face to angle at contact). The shot demands earlier commitment than a normal drive: the batsman must move forward before the ball's final trajectory is fully clear, trusting the read from the bowler's release. This is the shot's core risk — the forward commitment on a ball that turns or seams away dramatically will produce an edge. The batsman who plays on the up is essentially betting their judgment of the delivery against the ball's actual movement.
Conditions That Make It Viable
The on-the-up drive is most viable on: true, flat pitches where the ball's bounce is consistent and predictable (subcontinental batting decks, flat Australian pitches); against pace bowling where seam movement is limited (the ball going straight allows flat-bat connection); and in conditions where the ball is not swinging or seaming (dry conditions, old ball). It is most risky on: pitches with variable bounce (bounces higher or lower than expected at the connection point), in swing conditions (where the ball may deviate late), and against bowlers with significant pace variation (a slower ball that drops short instead of full disrupts the timing completely).
Frequently asked questions
Is the on-the-up drive appropriate for all formats?
The on-the-up drive is most appropriate in longer-format cricket (Tests, first-class) where the risk of dismissal early is most costly and where the batsman has the time and mental bandwidth to be selective about when to use it. In T20 cricket, batsmen sometimes deliberately drive full-pitched balls on the up to get into hitting positions early in the innings, but the shot is riskier in short-format cricket where every ball is under pressure. ODI cricket sits between — experienced ODI batsmen use the on-the-up drive opportunistically but are generally more selective than Test batsmen. The shot's reward (piercing the field on the off-side for boundaries) is the same in all formats; the cost (wicket early) is most severe in Tests.
How does the bowler set a trap for the on-the-up driver?
The classic trap: bowl consistently on a fuller length to encourage the batsman to drive, establishing the pattern of the batsman driving freely on the up. Then introduce a slightly shorter ball or an away-seamer — the batsman, already committed to the drive trigger, plays the same shot to a ball that isn't full enough, producing a nick to gully or slip. Field setting for this trap: slip, gully, and extra cover in catching positions while mid-off and mid-on are left with gaps to encourage the drive. The batsman who is 'set' on a pitch and playing on the up freely may not notice the slightly shorter ball until it takes an edge. Pattern recognition is the bowler's primary weapon against the on-the-up driver.
What is the difference between playing on the front foot and playing on the up?
Playing on the front foot simply means the batsman has moved their weight forward — toward the bowler — and is playing the ball near the pitch of the ball. Playing on the up is a subset: playing on the front foot to a ball that has pitched and is still rising, rather than fully up. Not all front-foot shots are on-the-up shots — a drive to a full-toss or very full delivery connects with the ball at normal driving height and is front-foot play without being on-the-up play. The distinction matters because: all on-the-up drives are front-foot shots, but not all front-foot shots are on the up.