Front foot defence:
[ Demonstration of front foot defence - Video ]

• The forward defence is played when the ball is bowled at a good length, which is not over-pitched enough for a drive and not short enough to go on to the back foot.

• The front foot should move as close as possible to the pitch of the ball with the left shoulder and left elbow leading the body in the direction of the ball.

• The weight of the body is on the front foot with the knee bent and the head should be over the bat watching the point of contact. The bat is kept angled and very close to the front pad to prevent the ball going through bat and pad.

• The top hand is firm at the top of the handle while the bottom hand is relaxed, with the thumb and index finger loosely holding the bat. The back leg should be fully extended with the heel raised off the ground but remaining parallel to the crease.

• The weight of the back foot should be on the inside of the right toe and care should be taken not to turn it or drag it out of the crease.

• The forward defensive stroke can be played with the bat slightly behind or in front of the pad depending on the nature of the wicket and the proficiency of the bowler.

Gear
Cricket bat
Protective gear
Shoes Basic techniques
Grip
Stance
Backlift
Taking Guard Defensive strokes
Front foot defence
Backfoot Defence Drives
Off Drive
Straight Drive
On Drive
Lofted Drive Horizontal bat shots
Square Cut
The Pull
The Hook