Over the Wicket vs Around the Wicket in Cricket — What Does It Mean?
Bowlers can deliver the ball from either side of the stumps. Learn what 'over the wicket' and 'around the wicket' mean in cricket, why bowlers switch angle, and how the change of angle is used as a tactical weapon against specific batters.
Before every delivery, the bowler nominates whether they will bowl 'over the wicket' or 'around the wicket' — this determines which side of the stumps at the non-striker's end they pass as they deliver the ball. It is not a trivial choice: changing angle significantly alters where the ball can land, how it can move, and which parts of the batter's body are exposed.
Over the wicket
Over the wicket means the bowler's bowling arm passes over (on the same side as) the stumps at the non-striker's end. For a right-arm pace bowler, this is the conventional angle: the ball comes from the right side of the crease and angled towards the right-handed batter's off stump. Most right-arm bowlers default to over the wicket.
Around the wicket
Around the wicket means the bowling arm passes around the opposite side of the stumps. For a right-arm bowler going around the wicket to a right-handed batter, the ball comes from much further to the left — an angle that points towards leg stump and beyond. This creates a very different challenge for the batter: the ball now angles INTO the body rather than away from it.
Tactical uses of the angle change
- Around the wicket to a left-hander — a right-arm swing bowler going around the wicket to a left-hander gets the ball to swing away from the bat (outswing for the left-hander), exposing the outside edge.
- Leg-spinner around the wicket — a leg-spinner who bowls around the wicket to a right-hander angles the ball into the rough outside leg stump, getting extra turn from the deteriorating surface.
- To vary the angle — after bowling 6 overs over the wicket, switching around confuses the batter's line of sight and the ball's expected trajectory.
- LBW opportunities — bowling around the wicket to a right-hander angled into the pads increases LBW chances if the ball does not turn or seam away.
Frequently asked questions
What does 'over the wicket' mean in cricket?
Over the wicket means the bowler's bowling arm passes on the same side as the non-striker's stumps. For a right-arm bowler, the ball comes from the right side of the crease, angling towards the off stump.
What does 'around the wicket' mean in cricket?
Around the wicket means the bowler's arm passes on the opposite side of the non-striker's stumps. It creates a different angle — the ball comes from further across the batter's body, useful for specific tactical scenarios.
Why do leg-spinners bowl around the wicket?
Leg-spinners bowl around the wicket to right-handed batters to angle the ball into the pitch's rough (worn area outside leg stump), getting more turn. This is a classic day 4–5 Test tactic when rough has developed.
Must the umpire be told when a bowler changes angle?
Yes. The bowler must inform the umpire before switching from over to around the wicket (or vice versa). The umpire signals the change to the non-striker and the fielding side. Failure to notify results in a no ball.