Top Edge Meaning in Cricket

A top edge occurs when the ball strikes the upper side of the bat while the player is attempting a horizontal swing, like a pull or a sweep. This usually causes the ball to fly high and straight up into the air, making it a very easy target for a waiting fielder to catch. Example: The batter went for a big six but only managed a thick top edge that the wicketkeeper caught with ease.

Pro-Tip: Top edges are most common against fast bouncers because the ball rises higher than the batter expects. To avoid this, players try to ‘roll their wrists’ over the ball to keep the hit down toward the grass instead of letting it fly into the sky.