Cross Bat Stroke Meaning in Cricket

Cross bat stroke refers to a shot where the bat is held horizontally to the ground. This technique is used for balls that bounce high or wide of the body. Shots like the pull, hook, and square cut fall into this specific category. The batter swings the bat across the line of the ball to gain power. A batter played a cross bat stroke to send a short ball to the fence. This style of hitting carries more risk than playing with a straight vertical bat. If the timing is wrong, the batter might miss the ball or hit an edge. It is a very effective way to score runs against fast short pitched bowling. Modern players use these horizontal swings to find gaps in the deep outfield.