The Glance in Cricket: Playing Full Balls on Leg Stump
What the glance shot is, how to play it through fine leg, and why it is an important scoring option when the ball is full and on the leg stump.
The glance (or leg glance) is a delicate batting stroke played against a full ball on leg stump, deflecting it fine on the leg side past the wicketkeeper toward the fine leg or long leg boundary. It requires minimal power — the bat angle does the work. Ranjitsinhji, the pioneering Indian-born cricketer who played for England in the 1890s, is credited with popularising the leg glance.
When to Play the Glance
The leg glance is most appropriate when the ball is full (up to the batter), on or outside leg stump, and there is no fielder at fine leg or long leg. The batter opens the bat face, angles it toward fine leg, and lets the ball deflect off the face. Minimal backlift is needed — the ball does the work.
Technical Notes
The key is bat angle — the face must be angled correctly toward the fine leg region. The batter's weight can move forward (glancing a full ball) or remain back (glancing a shorter ball through backward square leg). Eyes stay on the ball through contact. The front foot typically moves toward the ball's line but the bat face opens rather than closing through the contact.
Risks
The glance carries edge risk — if the ball is angled slightly away or is faster than anticipated, a glancing contact can catch the keeper's gloves. The 'glance off the inside edge' can go straight to leg slip or bat-pad fielders. Players batting in Tests must be alert to bowlers bowling straight deliveries on leg stump specifically to invite the glance-edge catch to the keeper or short leg.
Frequently asked questions
What is the leg glance in cricket?
The leg glance is a delicate batting shot played against a full delivery on or outside leg stump, deflecting the ball fine on the leg side past the keeper. It requires minimal power — the bat face is angled toward fine leg and the ball glances off it. It was credited to Ranjitsinhji as a revolutionary batting development in the 1890s.
When should I play the glance rather than the sweep?
Play the glance against full deliveries (up to you) on leg stump. The ball is angled off the face without needing to get down into a sweep crouch. Use the sweep for fuller balls that are on middle-and-leg or on the stumps, where a horizontal bat generates more power. The glance is a touch shot; the sweep is a more active stroke.
Can you play a glance against fast bowling?
Yes — the glance is used against pace as well as spin. Against fast bowling on leg stump, the glance (sometimes called a 'flick' at pace) is a valuable scoring option. Many tail-enders and lower-order batters use the glance as their primary scoring option because it doesn't require complex footwork against pace.