Backlift is the term used in cricket, describing how a batsman lifts his bat in preparation for hitting the ball[1].
While the bat should be raised as vertically as possible, coaching manuals often suggest that correct technique is for the bat to be slightly angled from the perpendicular; a common instruction is to point the face of the bat in the direction of first or second slip [1].
Some players (notably, in recent times, Brian Lara)[2] have employed an exaggerated backlift. Others, who have employed the more unorthodox open stance, such as Peter Willey, had a more abbreviated backlift.