Guide for Cricket Shots

Cricket is a very popular sport in the United Kingdom, Middle East, and Oceanic regions of the world. The game consists of offensive and defensive teams just like in any ordinary sport. The offensive team must use a paddle-shaped bat to strike a ball and score as many runs as possible by running back and forth between "wickets." Multiple kinds of shots are used to put the ball into play, varying between power shots, position shots, or defensive shots.

  1. Cover Drive Shot

    • The key to the cover drive shot is to locate exactly where the ball bounces on the pitch. A bowler, or a pitcher, must throw the ball in a straight-armed overhead motion and reach the batter on a single bounce to constitute as a legal bowl. The batter must place his foot in front of where the ball comes off of the ground and swing in a upward motion. For this shot, it's more important for the batter to focus on where the ball comes into contact with the bat than how hard he hits it.

    On-Drive Shot

    • For this shot, a batter should start in an open stance, meaning his front foot is pointed towards the outside. The batter then should bring the bat around while keeping his arms straight, which should lead to the ball being hit sharply and remain on or near the ground. It is very effective against the faster bowlers.

    Square Cut

    • In a square cut shot, the batter takes a step towards the ball as it comes in rather than remaining in a stance. The forward step gives the batter extra momentum and power, but decreases his accuracy and his ability to control the direction the ball goes. This shot is best used to add distance to a shot and increase the opportunity for a team to score runs in bulk.

    Off Pad Through On-Side Shot

    • The intention of this shot is to get the ball to the gaps on the outer edges of the playing field. The batter should try to pull the ball by turning his wrists inward as the ball comes into contact with the bat. It is important to not get out in front of the pitch. The angle in which the batter holds the bat and his stance should do most of the work.

    Defensive Style Shot

    • The two main defensive shots are a back foot defense and a forward defense, the difference being which foot the batter should be leaning on when the pitch comes in range. Some keys to a defensive style shot are good footwork and soft hands that can adjust the bat to where the pitch is located and keep the ball on the ground. The point of a defensive shot is just to keep the ball in play.