Leg side
Encyclopedia
The leg side, or on side, is defined to be a particular half of the field used to play the sport
of cricket
.
From the point of view of a right-handed batsman facing the bowler, it is the left hand side of the cricket field (being to the bowler's right). With a left-handed batsman the on side is to the batsman's right (and to the bowler's left).
A cricket field is notionally divided into two halves, by an imaginary line running down the long axis of the pitch
. In normal batting stance, the striking batsman stands side on to the bowler. The leg side is the half of the field behind the batsman. The half of the field in front of him or her is called the off side.
In the picture, the bowler is bowling from the bottom half of the image, the right-handed batsman (S), facing him or her sideways on, has their legs more on the right side of the picture, the leg-side. If the ball goes down that side of the pitch it will be "on" the batsman's legs, the on side.
The definition is relative to the batsman. If the batsman were to directly face the bowler, the leg side would be:
The leg side is usually less well defended with fielders
than the off side, because of the typical line of attack of the bowlers, which is frequently on or outside off stump
. This makes it more difficult to hit the ball
to the leg side because it involves swinging the bat across the line of the ball, which can lead to mishits and catches.
While the terms "leg side" and "on side" can refer to an entire half of the field, each term is often used to denote only part of this half. When the batsman plays the ball into this half in front of the wicket
, it is usually said that the ball has been played to the on side. However, when the ball is played into the region level with or behind the wicket, it is said that the ball has been played to the leg side. The names of fielding positions often include the words "leg" or "on", and they reflect this convention. For example fine leg
is located behind the wicket, whereas mid on
is located in front of it. When the batsman steps backwards from his normal batting stance on the crease
as the ball is bowled, he is said to be moving towards the leg side.
Whichever side of the wicket your legs are on is the 'leg' side.
Sport
A Sport is all forms of physical activity which, through casual or organised participation, aim to use, maintain or improve physical fitness and provide entertainment to participants. Sport may be competitive, where a winner or winners can be identified by objective means, and may require a degree...
of cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
.
From the point of view of a right-handed batsman facing the bowler, it is the left hand side of the cricket field (being to the bowler's right). With a left-handed batsman the on side is to the batsman's right (and to the bowler's left).
A cricket field is notionally divided into two halves, by an imaginary line running down the long axis of the pitch
Cricket pitch
In the game of cricket, the cricket pitch consists of the central strip of the cricket field between the wickets - 1 chain or 22 yards long and 10 feet wide. The surface is very flat and normally covered with extremely short grass though this grass is soon removed by wear at the ends of the...
. In normal batting stance, the striking batsman stands side on to the bowler. The leg side is the half of the field behind the batsman. The half of the field in front of him or her is called the off side.
In the picture, the bowler is bowling from the bottom half of the image, the right-handed batsman (S), facing him or her sideways on, has their legs more on the right side of the picture, the leg-side. If the ball goes down that side of the pitch it will be "on" the batsman's legs, the on side.
- on the left side for a right-handed batsman, but
- on the right side for a left-handed batsman.
The leg side is usually less well defended with fielders
Fielding (cricket)
Fielding in the sport of cricket is the action of fielders in collecting the ball after it is struck by the batsman, in such a way as to either limit the number of runs that the batsman scores or get the batsman out by catching the ball in flight or running the batsman out.Cricket fielding position...
than the off side, because of the typical line of attack of the bowlers, which is frequently on or outside off stump
Stump (cricket)
Stump is a term used in the sport of cricket where it has three different meanings:# part of the wicket# a manner of dismissing a batsman# the end of the day's play .-Part of the wicket:...
. This makes it more difficult to hit the ball
Cricket ball
A cricket ball is a hard, solid leather ball used to play cricket. Constructed of cork and leather, a cricket ball is heavily regulated by cricket law at first class level...
to the leg side because it involves swinging the bat across the line of the ball, which can lead to mishits and catches.
While the terms "leg side" and "on side" can refer to an entire half of the field, each term is often used to denote only part of this half. When the batsman plays the ball into this half in front of the wicket
Wicket
In the sport of cricket the word wicket has several distinct meanings:-Definitions of wicket:Most of the time, the wicket is one of the two sets of three stumps and two bails at either end of the pitch...
, it is usually said that the ball has been played to the on side. However, when the ball is played into the region level with or behind the wicket, it is said that the ball has been played to the leg side. The names of fielding positions often include the words "leg" or "on", and they reflect this convention. For example fine leg
Fielding (cricket)
Fielding in the sport of cricket is the action of fielders in collecting the ball after it is struck by the batsman, in such a way as to either limit the number of runs that the batsman scores or get the batsman out by catching the ball in flight or running the batsman out.Cricket fielding position...
is located behind the wicket, whereas mid on
Fielding (cricket)
Fielding in the sport of cricket is the action of fielders in collecting the ball after it is struck by the batsman, in such a way as to either limit the number of runs that the batsman scores or get the batsman out by catching the ball in flight or running the batsman out.Cricket fielding position...
is located in front of it. When the batsman steps backwards from his normal batting stance on the crease
Crease (cricket)
In the sport of cricket, the crease is a certain area demarcated by white lines painted or chalked on the field of play.The term crease also refers to any of the lines themselves, particularly the popping crease. Law 9 of the Laws of Cricket governs the size and position of the crease markings...
as the ball is bowled, he is said to be moving towards the leg side.
Comparison with baseball
Since the leg side comprises the half of the field behind the batsman, with a right-handed batsman it is roughly analogous to the half of the baseball ground that includes the left field and the third base. With a left-handed batsman, the leg side is analogous to the half that includes the right field and the first base. Thus we can say the off side is analogous to the side of the pitch that contains the strike zone, and the leg side is analogous to the side that doesn't. This latter comparison is independent of whether the batter is left or right-handed.Whichever side of the wicket your legs are on is the 'leg' side.