what is batsman guard - Why Do Cricketers Take Guard?

Have you ever wondered why footballers wait so long before tackling your first balls? What message do they send to umpires using their fingers, and then change their positions? Are they just wasting their time?

The quick answer is that they're protecting themselves! What does this mean, and why should cricketers be on the precaution of being on guard?

Cricketers use guards to mark their location on the crease that is closest to the stumps so that they can alter their stance when playing. The batsman typically seeks the assistance from an umpire when taking guard. The most common guard positions include leg, middle and the leg-middle. One way to easily mark the guard is by using spikes in the shoe.

The act of guarding allows the batsman playing cricket to know the location of his stumps, which increases confidence when batting! While this is among the most basic aspects of cricket, very little is written, said or even made public about it. In this article we will look at the idea of keeping a watchful eye when playing cricket.

What is taking care of for in cricket?

The practice of taking guard when playing cricket can be a procedure through which a player determines his position within the batting crease in general prior to getting ready to play his first ball. But, there are some players who will take guard during breaks or throughout the match.

Being vigilant is among the most crucial aspects of batting, particularly prior to the batsman beginning his game because it gives him the sense of the body's and head's place at the crease that is vital to assess the direction of the delivery. This, it is also crucial to determine whether the ball is to be hit or left unattended.

What is the reason it's important to be vigilant in cricket?

Batsmen are not content with hitting the ball into the nets, they also work on removing deliveries that are not likely to result in many runs, but could result into the dismissal. A majority of those deliveries are in the off stumps. Understanding the location of the off stump is crucial when batting, which is why guards is essential when playing cricket.

A batsman who's equally proficient in the field and putting the ball away is highly regarded, particularly during Test Cricket. This is the reason why batsmen are required to stand in the same spot in practice to ensure that the exact position that the stump is in can be recorded in the mind's eyes.

If a batsman requests an umpire's guard in a game the batsman is trying to achieve the same position to ensure it is where your brain believes it to be. So, the batsman can not be worried about stumps, and instead focus on the delivery in front of him and then decide, with no doubt on whether to take the ball or not.

Certain batsmen would prefer to change the guard according to the style of bowlers. In the case of a guard, it should be used as necessary. We will discuss this further.

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How do you use a Guard in Cricket? How do you ask the umpire to guard the field?

The most important thing to remember when taking guard is knowing in advance where you would like to place it. The umpire on the other end of the spectrum can help you to adjust the position but he's not there to determine it for you. Therefore one of the most important tasks you must do as a batsman to inform the umpire the kind of guard you plan to adopt.

Let's review the easy steps to follow when taking the security measures:

1. Begin by using your Leg Stump Guard

You should wait until you get to the bat's end. Stand close or slightly away from the leg stump and ensure that the bat is upright in the spot you wish in order to identify the security. Make sure to keep the front of your bat in the direction of your boundary opposite side, so that the umpire will only view the side of the bat.

2nd Step - Give the Guard required in the Umpire

It is the next thing to do: indicate or inform the umpire on the guard you'd like to use - typically guards include middle-stump and leg stumps as well as middle and leg stump.

• Adjust the position in accordance with instructions of the umpire until you're to the position you want.
• Mark the guard in a suitable manner. In general, guards are traced using a scratch to mark the location close to the popping crease with stump nails or shoe spikes or other tools.

Step 3. Mark Your Guard on the Crease

When the guard is removed after the guard is taken, it's important to mark the guard's crease, so that you don't constantly ask to know the exact place of the stumps in your crease.

Guards can be marked on the crease of the pop by the toes on the shoes or by scraping the surface with an toe on the ball. Some players such as Shivnarine Chanderpaul from The West Indies had a unique technique of using the bails as a way to identify the guard's location on the field!

If you are at ease with the guard you've taken and feel confident, you are confident enough to take on the next challenge! Do not hesitate to alter the guard if that you aren't getting the perfect marking.

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Which are the different types of Guards and how to Request These?

While nothing can stop batsmen from all over the globe from using bizarre or unusual guards. However, there's generally three kinds of cricket players' guards. Batsmen such as Steven Smith or Shivnarine Chanderpaul may take guards that are unusual, however these are extremely uncommon instances.

Let's review the three principal types of guards and the best way to request them.

1. Leg Stump Guard (call out or use one finger)

The way to take the leg-stump guard is to request the umpire to call out "leg stump" or using a '1' signal using the finger. The majority of batsmen who are mostly off-side players are more likely to use this type of guard.

2. Middle Stump Guard

Batsmen that want middle stump guards call out "middle-stump" or say 'center' to ensure that the an umpire knows that the middle-stump guard is sought.

With middle-stump guards, playing both sides ahead of the wicket - inside the 'V', becomes simpler. However, you could end up playing on the pads , increasing the likelihood that you will be a victim of LBW dismissal.

3. Middle and leg The Stump (call out or indicate with two fingers)

A middle and a leg stump guard was asked to be called out or pointing with two fingers toward the umpire. Like the name suggests, the guard lies exactly between the leg and middle stump.

This guard is used in situations where you don't want to over-commit to the leg-stump , but you want to be able to allow off-side play as well as play in the "V".

What are the various ways to mark the guard? Are there any limitations?

Shoes are the most common and most commonly used method of marking the guard's position at a point where the guard's position is fixed. But, there are players who employ bails or bats to mark the guard on the field. However, while the choice of methods is available for marking the guard, there are some limitations to the method.

In accordance with the Law 41, Play that is unfair, the striker is not permitted to be able to mark the guard's position or take a position within the area of protection or in a position that is so close to the area of protection that frequent encroachment will be inevitable.

Note The Protectioned Area is an imaginary rectangle that is created by a pair of parallel lines approximately 5 feet away from the pop crease on both sides and approximately 2 feet wide in the center of the pitch, as shown below.

Do Batsmen Change Guards according to Bowler?

Yes, the batsmen shift their guards in accordance to the bowler's style of play in cricket. It was observed that right-handed batsmen move their guard slightly toward the leg stump, or take their stance out slightly to take on their left-arm speed bowler who is coming across the wicket.

Additionally, it has been noted that batsmen shift slightly to the off-stump when making contact with spinners who spin the ball to the off-stump in order to make contact outside the off-stump . Or, shift the guard slightly toward the leg side in order to block spinners' attempts to spin them over the legs.

It is however not advised to alter the batting guard as often as it could confuse the concept of what the location of the stumps is that is essential to the batsman.

How does the batsman's guard impact the decision on Wide-Ball?

When the ball's width is concerned, the batsman's first position is just as important as the position of the ball that is moved. Wides are dependent on the interpretation of an umpire. To get declared wide, it needs to be in playability, in per the opinion of an umpire from the position of starting - or moved to a position of the batsman.

Umpires are very strict on the use of wide-balls around leg stumps especially when limited-overs cricket is played. If you are able to take guards that are too far from the leg stump, causing the bowler to throw on the side of the leg, then you jolly shift toward the off stump to try to play it and fail in the process, the umpire is in his right to deny it as an out-of-bounds ball. This is something to consider when trying to be playful.

The Final Words

I hope this article provided you with a thorough understanding of the importance of being vigilant during cricket. I'm sure that some of you have realized that it is more crucial than you believed it to be. Do consider enhancing your stance and posture next time you go to the nets, and then do exactly the same rules in the actual game. I'm certain you'll be a far better player.