Your Cricket Marking Your Guard

[lewissaffin]

I was reading this month's Wisden Cricketer and in the letters section, they had a letter about the correct way to mark out your guard. Suggestions included, doing it with the toe of your bat, doing it with a bail or doing it with the spikes on your boot. The groundsman whose letter it was suggested the introduction of an option whereby the groundsman marks out the line of the stumps on the popping crease so it is precise and doesn't muck up the pitch.

How do you mark out your guard and what do you think the best way to do it is?

 

[AngryPixel]

Groundsman marking the line is probably the best way to do it. I generally mark with the toe end of the bat, its easy and quick.

 

[harrisb]

I use my spikes, but by the time I get out to the middle, it's already marked out by the better batsmen.

 

[barmyarmy]

^ There's no shortage of lines to choose from normally. Maybe at the top level the pitches are kept in better condition but for us you just stick your bat on the huge groove and go "is that middle?".

 

[chinna_Dhoni]

I use My Spikes...
But When batting i will move from it

 

[lewissaffin]

Yeah, personally, I generally ask for "middle" or "middle and leg" and mark it out with either the spike or the side of my boot/trainer (depending on whether I'm out in the middle or in the nets). As a batsman, the "painted lines on the popping crease" idea would be pretty useful but it would probably feel quite constraining too because I like to move around at the crease.

 

[AngryPixel]

I never trust umpires or anyone else while marking my guard now. Coz once i asked of a leg stump guard which i usually take. But the idiot umpire thought i was asking for middle and leg. So here comes the bowler, he bowled a full ball on legs. I thought i was on leg stump so i walked across to middle stump to clip it fine. What actually happened is that i was on middle and leg, walked on the off stump and then clipped the ball on the middle stump on the leg stump Since then i never ask anyone else to help me while marking my guard.

 

[Ahmad94]

This will probably sound a stupid question, but why do you guys mark your guard. Because I have never done it and I think it makes no difference. I stand in line with leg as soon as I come out to out and usually I open or come one down

 

[AngryPixel]

I guess you don't believe in leaving the good deliveries alone. Coz for that you gotta know your off stump which you remember on the back of you mind after some time practicing with a particular guard. If i know my offstump according to the middle stump guard but i accidentally take a leg stump guard. Then i would leave the ball which may hit the off stump.

Thats what happened with me above. If i knew i was standing on a middle stump guard i would have played the ball traight down the ground instead of glancing it fine

 

[Ahmad94]

I guess you don't believe in leaving the good deliveries alone. Coz for that you gotta know your off stump which you remember on the back of you mind after some time practicing with a particular guard. If i know my offstump according to the middle stump guard but i accidentally take a leg stump guard. Then i would leave the ball which may hit the off stump.

Thats what happened with me above. If i knew i was standing on a middle stump guard i would have played the ball traight down the ground instead of glancing it fine

Thanks for that. I am going to start using that. I don't usually leave a ball so it makes no difference. But I am going to start 40 overs this years. And this will be very useful. Thanks mate

 

[kifty121]

ive got an off stump guard
its wicked
it means that when ibat, i know that my off stump is right under my nose, and also i can clip anything straight square on the leg side.

 

[Manly]

I ask for middle, mark it at either end whenever I complete an odd run (1,3,5) and at the start of every over.

It's my 'thing'.

 

[lewissaffin]

I also have a habit of taking my guard, at either end, and then stepping away from the wicket and stretching my arms out once, before facing the first delivery of an over.

 

[barmyarmy]

I ask for middle, mark it at either end whenever I complete an odd run (1,3,5) and at the start of every over.

It's my 'thing'.

Do you often complete 5s?

 

[Manly]

Twice more than you'd expect.