Foundation
The basics every cricket fan should know. 4,516 guides, page 66 of 95.
The 90s: Why Batsmen Get Out Just Before Their Hundred
The statistical phenomenon of batsmen getting dismissed in the 90s more often than at other scores — the psychological reasons behind the 'nervous nineties', how awareness of a milestone changes decision-making, the difference between positive and negative pre-century batting, the players most renowned for converting nineties into centuries, and strategies coaches use to help batsmen through the nineties.
Read explainerFlight and Drift: How Spinners Use the Air Before the Ball Pitches
The aerial phase of spin bowling — how spinners use flight (looping the ball up to entice the batsman forward) and drift (lateral movement through the air from spin-generated Magnus force), why slower spinners with more loop are sometimes more dangerous than quicker spinners, the relationship between flight and the batsman's footwork decision, and how drifting deliveries create the same confusion as an inswinger at slower speeds.
Read explainerSlip Catching: The Most Specialised Fielding Skill in Cricket
The technique for catching in the slip cordon — the ready position, why slip catching is reaction-based rather than anticipatory, how slip fielders track the ball to the bat rather than the bat to the ball, the role of soft hands in slip catching, why some players are natural slip fielders and others are not, and the physical and mental demands of standing in the slips for extended periods.
Read explainerThe Sweep and Its Variations: How Batsmen Play Spin from the Crease
The complete family of sweep shots in cricket — the conventional sweep (hit across the line to the leg side), the slog sweep (more powerful, aimed for maximum distance), the reverse sweep (played to the off side with hands reversed), the paddle sweep (fine, glanced to fine leg), and the switch hit (full hand reversal becoming the opposite-hand batsman), with the technique, strategic use, and risks of each.
Read explainerThe Bowler's Mental Game: Resilience, Rhythm, and Managing Bad Spells
The psychological demands of bowling in cricket — how bowlers maintain confidence and rhythm when a batsman is hitting them, the concept of 'line and length' as a mental anchor during a bad spell, how elite bowlers reset between deliveries, the difference between a tactical response to being hit versus a panic response, and how captains support bowlers psychologically during difficult periods.
Read explainerWicket-Keeping Gloves and Gear: The Equipment Behind the Stumping
The specialist equipment used by wicket-keepers — how keeping gloves differ from batting gloves, the inner gloves and their role, leg guards vs standard batting pads, the standing-up technique that requires the wicket-keeper to control a fast-rising delivery at close range, how keeping equipment has evolved since the 19th century, and the physical demands on the keeper's hands across a long Test innings.
Read explainerBack-Foot Driving: Playing Attacking Shots Off the Short Ball
The back-foot drive and punch — attacking shots played from the back foot to short-of-a-good-length deliveries — the difference between a back-foot drive (full swing) and a back-foot punch (controlled push), when these shots are preferable to defensive play off the back foot, the technique for generating power from a static back-foot base, and why the back-foot drive is harder to play consistently than the front-foot drive.
Read explainerSaving Fours: How Fielders Prevent Balls Reaching the Boundary
The skills and positioning used by fielders to stop balls reaching the boundary — reading the ball off the bat, backing up to reduce the damage of fielding errors, the decision to dive vs run, how the cut-off position prevents overthrow boundaries, why backing up around the boundary is as important as stopping the ball, and how modern GPS data has quantified fielders' boundary-saving effectiveness.
Read explainerBatting on Fast Pitches: Adapting to Pace and Bounce
How batsmen adjust their technique for genuinely fast, bouncy pitches — the role of back-foot play in reducing the time available for pace and bounce to operate, why the guard position shifts on fast pitches, the mental adjustment required to face sustained pace above 140km/h, how to play the rising ball safely, the difference between Australian and West Indian fast-pitch conditions, and why Asian batsmen historically struggled in South Africa and Australia.
Read explainerThe Leg Glance: Using the Ball's Own Pace to Score Behind Square
The leg glance — a deflection shot that redirects the ball from the leg stump line to fine leg or backward square leg using minimal bat swing — the technique for controlling the angle of deflection, when a leg glance is preferable to a flick or sweep, why the leg glance is one of the most economical shots in cricket, and the fielding positions that specifically aim to stop it.
Read explainerThe Knuckleball: Cricket's Borrowed Slow Delivery
The knuckleball delivery — gripped with the knuckles rather than the fingertips to remove backspin and produce an erratic, wobbling delivery — how it differs from other slower balls, why it is especially effective in T20 cricket, the grip variations (one-knuckle, two-knuckle), why the knuckleball is harder to control than its baseball equivalent, and the bowlers who have most successfully deployed it in international cricket.
Read explainerThe Pre-Catch Routine: Soft Hands, Positioning, and Concentration
The technical and mental preparation required to take catches reliably — what 'soft hands' means and why tension causes drops, the cup grip and the reverse cup for catches below and above the waist, how fielders position their bodies under a skied catch, the pre-catch concentration technique used by elite fielders, and why catches are dropped more often in high-pressure situations than in practice.
Read explainerThe Flick: Playing Through the Leg Side Off the Pads
The flick shot — a wrist-powered stroke that redirects a delivery from the leg stump line toward midwicket or square leg — the difference between a flick and a glance, how the wrist roll generates power from a ball delivered at the body, the footwork required for a front-foot flick versus a back-foot flick, and why the flick is a more aggressive and higher-risk shot than the leg glance.
Read explainerLine and Length: Why Bowling Discipline Is the Foundation of Everything
What 'bowling line and length' means in cricket — the difference between a good length, short of a length, full, and overpitched deliveries, what 'line' means in terms of stump targeting, why bowling a consistently good line and length is harder than it appears, the consequences of poor line and length discipline, and how elite bowlers maintain their line even under physical fatigue.
Read explainerRunning Between Wickets: The Yes, No, and Wait System
How the yes/no/wait calling system works between batting partners, who has the primary responsibility for calling on each side of the wicket, why miscommunication is the most common cause of run-outs, the role of backing up (the non-striker moving before the ball is bowled), the call hierarchy when both batsmen are calling simultaneously, and how elite partnerships develop running between wickets as a skill.
Read explainerThe Half-Volley: Cricket's Most Punished Delivery
The half-volley — a delivery that pitches in the ideal driving zone, allowing the batsman to hit through the line with maximum power — why it is one of the most punishable deliveries in cricket, how bowlers accidentally produce half-volleys (overpitching, slowdown in run-up), the difference between a half-volley and a good-length delivery, and why the half-volley is sometimes bowled deliberately as a surprise variation.
Read explainerHow You Hold the Cricket Bat: Grip and Its Effect on Shot-Making
The mechanics of the cricket bat grip — the 'V' grip standard, the role of the top hand versus the bottom hand, how changing the grip position affects off-side versus leg-side shot-making, common grip faults (too strong a bottom hand, bat face open or closed), and why small grip adjustments are one of the first things a batting coach looks at when a batsman is struggling.
Read explainerRotating the Strike: How Singles Keep the Scoreboard Ticking
The tactical value of rotating the strike in Test cricket — why taking singles to keep the scoreboard moving is as strategically important as scoring boundaries, how strike rotation prevents scoreboard pressure from building, the specific shots used to manufacture singles (on drives to mid-on, pushes to point, clips to midwicket), how the batting side benefits when the stronger batsman faces more deliveries, and why excessive dot balls signal a batting side losing the battle.
Read explainerThe Dive Stop: Fielding Technique for Preventing Boundaries
The technique of the dive stop in fielding — when to dive versus run, how to dive without sustaining injury, the differences between a full diving stop, a half-dive, and a sliding stop, the importance of recovering quickly after a dive, why the ball is sometimes presented better after a dive than a running stop, and how elite fielders like Jonty Rhodes developed the dive stop into an art form.
Read explainerBatting in Wet and Rain-Affected Conditions: Adjusting for a Damp Ball
How wet conditions change the challenges of batting — the wet ball's altered movement (more swing, less spin), how a damp pitch behaves differently to a dry one, the specific batting adjustments required for wet-ball play (tighter footwork, softer hands, more leaving), why England conditions are specifically challenging for visiting batsmen, and how batting collapses in wet conditions often result from batsmen not adjusting their approach.
Read explainerDucking the Bouncer: When Evasion Is Better Than Playing the Shot
The technique and decision-making behind ducking a bouncer — when ducking is the correct response versus playing the hook or pull, the specific body movement required to duck a delivery safely beneath a rising ball, why top-order batsmen in Tests sometimes choose never to hook, the risk of a mistimed duck (the ball following the batsman and hitting the helmet), and how bowlers try to defeat the ducker.
Read explainerThe Inner Ring: What Fielders Inside the 30-Metre Circle Actually Do
The purpose and function of the 30-metre fielding ring in limited-overs cricket — why a minimum number of fielders must be inside the ring, how inner-ring fielders differ in their job from outfielders, the specific positions inside the ring (mid-on, mid-off, midwicket, cover), how inner-ring positioning changes the psychology of the batting side, and why T20 captains treat inner fielder placement as a tactical weapon.
Read explainerThe Hook Shot: Playing the Short Ball at Shoulder and Head Height
The hook shot — an aggressive response to a short-pitched delivery that rises to shoulder or head height — the difference between the hook (pulling the ball around to fine leg, often with a top-hand roll) and the pull (hitting the ball squarely), the physical commitment required, risk factors including top-edges and in-the-air shots, why some top-order Test batsmen never hook, and how fielding sides set the hook trap.
Read explainerThe Delivery Stride: How the Front-Foot Landing Shapes Every Ball
The mechanics of the delivery stride in pace bowling — how the front foot's landing position determines the release point, why the front foot must land behind the popping crease to avoid a no-ball, how the foot position affects the bowling angle and delivery direction, the role of the gather and bound in setting up the delivery stride, and why high-speed biomechanics analysis has transformed coaching of the delivery stride in professional cricket.
Read explainerThe Art of the Run-Out: Direct Hits, Throws, and Backing Up
The techniques and decisions behind run-out attempts — the direct hit (throwing at the stumps without the wicket-keeper), when to attempt a direct hit versus returning to the keeper, the body mechanics of throwing accurately under pressure, why backing up the throw is as important as the throw itself, and the famous run-outs that have decided matches and tournaments.
Read explainerTaking Guard: Why Batsmen Request Leg Stump, Middle, or Off Stump
How and why batsmen take guard at the start of an innings — what leg stump, middle, and off-stump guards mean, how the umpire assists the batsman in finding their guard position, how guard helps the batsman understand their position relative to the stumps, why different batsmen prefer different guards, and how taking guard is also a psychological ritual that prepares the batsman mentally.
Read explainerTarget Areas on the Pitch: The Zones Bowlers Aim For
The specific zones on the cricket pitch that bowlers target for different outcomes — the good length zone, the fuller yorker zone, the short pitch zone, the seamer's corridor (off stump to outside off stump), the spinner's targeting of the crease area, and how match conditions (pitch state, batsman tendency, match situation) change which zone a bowler should attack.
Read explainerThe Night Watchman: Protecting the Top Order at the End of Day's Play
What a night watchman is in Test cricket — a lower-order batsman sent in at the fall of a wicket late in the day to protect the more valuable top-order batsman from having to bat for a short, difficult period in the evening — when night watchmen are used, the skills required of a successful night watchman, why some teams no longer use the tactic, and the famous instances where night watchmen played long, productive innings.
Read explainerMarking the Crease: How Batsmen Use the Crease Line During Play
How batsmen use the crease lines during play — the popping crease as the safe zone for the batsman, how batsmen 'ground' their bat to be safe from run-out, the practice of marking a scratch position with the bat at the start of an innings, why batsmen lift their bat at the bowler's end before being 'in', and the DRS technology that reviews bat/crease position in close run-out decisions.
Read explainerVarying the Line: How Bowlers Attack Batsmen from Different Angles
How bowlers use line variations to create new problems for batsmen — the difference between over the wicket and around the wicket, why changing the angle of delivery matters, the specific tactical uses of around-the-wicket bowling (for left-arm spin against right-handed batsmen, for off-spin targeting leg-side gaps, for pace bowlers seeking reverse swing angles), and why coming around the wicket is sometimes a sign of pressure rather than a tactical choice.
Read explainerBacking Up: The Unglamorous Fielding Skill That Prevents Disasters
The backing-up position in fielding — a fielder positioned behind the primary target to stop overthrows and missed throws — which positions back up which ends of the wicket, why effective backing up is invisible when it works and catastrophic when it doesn't, the difference between backing up a throw to the keeper versus a direct hit at the stumps, and why fielding coaches prioritise backing up in team training as much as catching or throwing.
Read explainerBatting as a Tail-Ender: Survival, Support, and Surprise Runs
How lower-order batsmen (no.8-11) approach their innings differently from top-order batsmen — the primary mission of surviving to support the better batsman, the specific techniques tail-enders use to defend, why tail-enders occasionally play match-defining innings, the coaching challenge of improving tail-ender batting, and how modern teams have tried to turn tail-enders into genuine batting contributors.
Read explainerCricket Fielding Positions: How the Naming System Works
The logic behind cricket's fielding position naming system — what 'fine', 'square', 'deep', 'short', 'leg', and 'off' mean as directional descriptors, how compound position names are built from these elements (deep backward square leg, short extra cover), the origin of some unusual names (silly mid-on, cow corner), and how a fielder or spectator can decode any position name they encounter.
Read explainerLast Wicket Stands: Batting with the Tail to Save or Win a Match
How established batsmen manage partnerships with no.11 batsmen — the tactical challenge of farming the strike to protect the tail, the communication required between batsmen during last-wicket partnerships, famous last-wicket stands that saved or won matches, when it is correct to bat aggressively as a last-wicket pair vs trying to survive, and the psychological pressure on the remaining recognised batsman.
Read explainerFirst Innings Advantage in Test Cricket: Why It Matters So Much
Why the toss and first innings batting order is so important in Test cricket — how the pitch typically deteriorates over five days (offering more help to spin bowlers on days 4-5), what the data shows about first-innings lead and match outcomes, the effect of the pitch surface on toss decisions across different venues and conditions, why captains sometimes choose to bowl first despite the conventional wisdom of batting first, and how first innings total shapes the entire match narrative.
Read explainerBody Language in Batting: What It Signals and Why It Matters
How batsmen's body language affects both their own performance and how opponents respond to them — the signals that indicate a batsman is uncomfortable (shuffling, flinching), how elite batsmen project confidence to reduce bowling aggression and sledging, the role of positive self-talk and deliberate posture in performance psychology, the impact of visible nervous energy on fielding sides, and what coaches look for when assessing a batsman's mental readiness.
Read explainerHow Wind Affects Bowling: Tactics Adjusted for Conditions
How wind conditions affect different types of bowling — how tailwind (bowling with the wind) affects a pace bowler's pace and seam carry, how headwind (bowling into the wind) helps swing, why crosswind creates natural outswing for right-arm bowlers from one end and inswing from the other, how spin bowlers use wind for drift and dip, why smart captains consider wind direction when assigning ends to bowlers, and the practical field-setting adjustments required in windy conditions.
Read explainerOpening Against the New Ball: What It Takes to Start a Cricket Innings
The unique demands of opening the batting — facing the hardest, newest ball that swings, seams, and bounces most reliably; the specific techniques opening batsmen develop to survive the first 20-30 overs; why not all technically good batsmen can open; the importance of setting up the innings for middle-order batsmen; why the opening partnership's length (in runs and overs) is one of cricket's most consequential statistics; and how different conditions (English green tops, subcontinental pitches) change the opening challenge.
Read explainerPositive Aggression: When to Attack and How to Do It Sustainably
What distinguishes positive aggression from recklessness in batting — the mental framework that separates calculated risk from careless attack, how elite batsmen choose which deliveries to target rather than simply swinging at everything, the role of batting position and match situation in determining the right aggression level, why defensive batting is sometimes the most aggressive play available, and how coaches train batsmen to be aggressive without abandoning technique.
Read explainerBowling with the Old Ball: How Tactics Change After 40-50 Overs
How bowling tactics change when the cricket ball ages — the properties of an old ball versus a new ball (less shine, flattened seam, one rough side), why reverse swing becomes available as the ball gets older, how spinners benefit from footmark rough created by bowlers' follow-throughs, the strategic decisions around when to take a second new ball in Test cricket, and how limited-overs bowling plans adapt across the 50-over arc of an ODI innings.
Read explainerCricket Scoring Zones: How Batsmen Target Different Areas of the Field
The different scoring zones on a cricket field and how batsmen deliberately target them — the difference between the 'V' (straight hitting zone), the arc through cover and mid-wicket, the fine-leg and third-man regions, why some batting zones are higher risk than others, how zone-targeting changes with field placements, the concept of batting 'against the field' vs 'with the field', and how T20 batting has changed the way scoring zones are weighted.
Read explainerPositive Mindset for Batsmen: Mental Skills That Improve Performance
The specific mental skills that underpin sustained batting performance — visualisation techniques used by elite batsmen before facing deliveries, the role of process goals vs outcome goals (focusing on shot execution rather than score), how batsmen manage periods of poor form without losing confidence, the use of pre-ball routines as mental reset mechanisms, and the psychological research behind performance under pressure in cricket batting.
Read explainerThe First Over: What Batsmen Think Before Ball One
The tactical and mental approach to the very first over of a cricket innings — how batsmen prepare for specific bowlers before going to the crease, the risk-management decision to leave early deliveries on or outside off stump, the role of the first over in setting the tone of the innings, why the first ball carries disproportionate psychological weight, what 'getting in' means and how batsmen assess when they are settled, and how the first-over approach differs between formats.
Read explainerBowling a Bouncer Strategy: How Teams Target Specific Batsmen
How fielding teams construct a bouncer-based bowling plan to target specific batsmen — the pre-match analysis that identifies batsmen who struggle with short-pitched bowling, how the bouncer is used to set up other deliveries (creating doubt that slows scoring), the ICC's restrictions on bouncers per over (two per over in Tests, one in T20Is), the specific fields set for a bouncer plan, and notable bouncer attacks in cricket history.
Read explainerRight-Handed vs Left-Handed Batsmen: Advantages and Field Differences
How a batsman's handedness affects their batting strengths, the bowler's angles of attack, field placement, and partnership dynamics — why left-handed batsmen are valued for disrupting bowling rhythms, the specific angles that right-arm bowlers present to left-handed batsmen (angling into the body rather than across), how mixed-handedness opening or batting partnerships change field settings, and which global batting combinations are considered most effective.
Read explainerPlaying Left-Arm Spin: How It Differs from Right-Arm Off-Spin
Why left-arm spin (orthodox spin) creates different problems for right-handed batsmen than right-arm off-spin — the direction the ball turns (away from right-handers rather than into them), why left-arm spin is considered harder to play for right-handers despite being slower to turn, the fielding positions used against right-handers facing left-arm spin, how a batsman's footwork approach changes, and the key batsmen who have historically excelled against left-arm spin.
Read explainerCatching in the Outfield: Technique, Judgment, and Completion
The technique for taking outfield catches in cricket — judging the ball's trajectory from the bat strike sound and initial arc, running back or forward to position beneath the ball, the two-handed cupped or reverse-cupped catch technique, why outfield catchers must 'watch the ball all the way' despite natural distraction, the role of communication with nearby fielders, and why high catches in the outfield are more difficult than close-catching despite appearing easier.
Read explainerPre-Match Batting Routines: How Professional Batsmen Prepare
The structured pre-match preparation routines that professional batsmen use before batting — pitch inspection and opponent bowling analysis, the role of throwdown sessions and machine feeds in warming up specific shot types, visualisation and mental preparation sequences, the importance of consistent routines for performance reliability, and how pre-match preparation changes between Test matches (longer preparation window) and T20s (often very short match turnaround).
Read explainerFoundation — Cricket Guides
Cricket is one of the world's great team sports — complex enough that a lifetime of watching reveals new layers, but accessible enough that the basics can be grasped in a single afternoon. This collection covers everything from how the game is set up to the fine details of technique that separate the world's best players.
A cricket match is played on an oval field with a rectangular strip of closely mown grass — the pitch — at its centre. Two teams of eleven take turns to bat and bowl. The batting team tries to score runs; the fielding team tries to take ten wickets and limit the runs conceded. The bowler delivers the ball from one end of the 22-yard pitch to the batter at the other end, who defends a set of three wooden stumps (with two bails on top). A run is scored when the batting pair — two batters on the field at all times — run between the wickets; a boundary four or six is scored by hitting the ball to or over the fence. These fundamentals have been unchanged for over two hundred years.
Batting technique combines footwork, head position, grip, and timing. The basic shots — the defensive block, the drive (on-drive, cover drive, straight drive), the cut, the pull, the sweep, and the hook — each require a different initial movement and bat path. Modern T20 cricket has added the ramp, the switch hit, and the scoop to the batting vocabulary. The difference between a batter succeeding in Tests and struggling in T20Is (or vice versa) is often one of intent and weight distribution, not raw skill: Test batting demands patience and leaving the ball correctly, while T20 batting rewards early positional adjustment and a willingness to play through the line.
Bowling is divided into pace (fast and medium-fast) and spin (off-spin and leg-spin, plus variations like the doosra, googly, carrom ball, and flipper). Pace bowlers use seam movement (the ball moving off the pitch) and swing (movement through the air) to beat the batter's defences; spin bowlers use turn off the pitch and drift through the air. The most challenging bowling is reverse swing — a worn ball moving into or away from the batter at pace — first pioneered by Sarfraz Nawaz and made famous by Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis. The fastest deliveries ever recorded exceed 160 km/h; elite spinners can generate 2,500+ rpm of spin to turn the ball sharply off a dry, used pitch.
Fielding, once cricket's most neglected discipline, is now a match-winning skill. The modern fielding team is expected to stop every ball at the boundary, take acrobatic catches, and execute direct-hit run-outs within fractions of a second. The 12th man (first substitute) can field but cannot bat or bowl. Wicketkeeping — standing up to the stumps for spin or back for pace — is the most technically demanding fielding role: a world-class keeper like Adam Gilchrist or MS Dhoni is worth 50+ extra runs per match through takes, stumpings, and reaction catches. This Foundation category covers all of this and more across 4,500+ guides — from the absolute beginner's first questions to the tactical debates that occupy professional coaching staffs.
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