Learn How to Play the Leg Glance

Throughout the history of cricket, whenever a bowler has strayed onto the pads of a batter, the typical play has been for the batter to use the pace of the delivery and turn the ball into a gap on the leg side for a risk-free single.

However, as with many aspects of the game since the turn of the century, the typical play is now under threat from a more aggressive and positive stroke play. The rise of the IPL has brought big-name batters like Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav (SKY) into the front room of cricket fans across the globe and both of those right-handed batters not only have the ability to flick a ball off their pads all the way into the crowd at the deep backward square-leg boundary but have made a successful international career out of doing so!

Another batter with a fantastic record and a very strong leg-glance is Australia’s Steve Smith who has a technique that many have since tried to replicate. He often walks across his stumps and glances a shot from an off-stump line or even outside of off-stump into the leg-side. Considering he is the fastest cricketer to bring up 8000 Test runs (151 innings), he might just be onto something!

Having a competent leg-glance shot is a very useful part of an opening batter’s armory as it enables them to score off a pace bowler whose line has got too straight and generally without taking too many risks. This is particularly important at the top of the innings when the new ball is most likely to be swinging and runs can be at a premium against top bowlers.

As with many shots in cricket, the timing and placing of the ball can be the difference between offering up a simple catch, playing a dot ball (scoring no runs) or even hitting a boundary.

The leg glance can be played against pace and slow bowlers to a ball of any line but batters must always be wary of being hit on the pad in front of their stumps which could lead them to being given out lbw.

The shot is played to a ball shorter than a half-volley length.

The Leg Glance Technique

One of the most important parts of the leg-glance is the balance of the batter which can ensure that the player does not topple over. In order to do this, the head position, facing forward, and transfer of weight, leaning forward, need to be spot on!

You can see and example of this in the image below

As with any shot, the batter needs to pick the length of the ball. If it is full then they may elect to play an on-drive or dig out a ‘yorker’ delivery.

In order to play this shot, the batter will need to get their pads in line with the ball and turn the ball into the on-side.

The head of the batter should remain in line with the ball and be facing forward into the shot.

Although the batter can play the leg-glance with a flourish to generate extra power or gain elevation, one of the beauties of the shot is that they can use the pace already on the ball.

The batter should bring the bat down straight as if playing a simple pushback to the bowler before turning the bat face towards the leg-side on impact and deflecting the ball into the on-side.

You can see a perfect example of this in the image below, the batters head is over his front foot, in a controlled and balance position, he has turned his head and bat upon impact of the ball, the perfect leg glance

The aim of this demonstration was to keep the ball on the ground, however this shot can be performed by going over the top of the in-field, using the same technique but instead of keeping your head over the ball at point of impact, you can raise your head, similar to when coming down the pitch, which you can read here Learn how to come down the pitch which provides a perfect example of going over the top.

Conclusion

The leg glance can be played to spin bowlers and seam bowlers and you can keep the ball on the ground or go over the top, it's a wonderful shot to keep rotating the strike.

So, get into the nets and start practicing following these guidelines with some throwdowns and perfect the leg glance.

The pro player we have used for the videos and images uses a Trogon Cricket Grade 1+ English willow bat with our black and white sticker range.

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Learn How to Play the Leg Glance

The Leg Glance Technique

Conclusion

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