How to Hold a Cricket Bat

The grip is the first thing to get right in batting. It decides how well you control the bat face, and a poor grip will limit every shot you play afterwards.

Finding the grip

Lay the bat on the ground with the face pointing down. Bring both hands together in the middle of the handle and pick it up. That simple action usually produces a workable grip on its own.

Both hands should sit close together. The V shape made by your thumb and index finger on each hand should line up, running down the back of the handle towards the splice.

How firm to hold it

Hold the bat firmly with the top hand and lightly with the bottom hand. The top hand guides the swing. A tight bottom hand pushes the bat across the line of the ball and turns straight drives into edges.

Common mistakes

• Hands far apart on the handle, which splits the control between them.
• The bottom hand rotated round to the front, which closes the bat face.
• Gripping too low, which shortens your reach on full deliveries.

Practising it

Check the grip before every session until it stops needing checking. Shadow bat in front of a mirror and watch whether the face stays straight through the swing. Ten minutes of this is worth more than an hour of hitting with a grip that fights you.