A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z
A
A diamond duck - When a batsman is dismissed without facing any legal balls that generally happen on the non-striking side.
A golden duck - When a batsman is dismissed after the first ball bowled to him in the innings.
A platinum duck (or royal) duck - When a batsman is dismissed on the first ball of the first innings of the whole match.
A regular duck - When a batsman is dismissed without any runs, usually after the first ball.
Across the line - A cricket shot wherein the bat swings across the path of the ball, rather than along it. This is a risky shot, which needs good timing to make good contact.
Action - This term describes the set of movements used by the bowler for delivering the ball. Also called balling action, which consists of the approach, bound, back and front foot contact, release, and follow-through of the bowler. The cricket rule suggests that the ball should be bowled with a completely raised arm action.
Agricultural shot - Refers to a type of bat’s swing across the line of the ball. It is a strong slog shot across the line, played without much technique or footwork that might result in the ball going to cow corner (an area in the field deep on the leg side of the batsman). This shot usually causes damage to the pitch.
Air - When a spinner bowls a delivery on a higher trajectory than usual, usually phrased as 'giving it some air'. The phrase flight is a close synonym. Can be merged with topspin or backspin to mislead the batsman on the length of the delivery, or with off-spin or leg-spin, giving the ball more time to drift.
All out - This term is used when an innings ends because ten out of the eleven players in a team are dismissed or cannot continue to bat due to illness or injury. In this situation, the batting team is said to be all out as the eleventh batsman cannot play without a partner, and is considered as 'not out' in the scorebook.
All-rounder - This refers to a player who is an expert in batting and bowling both. More often players are generally specialists in one discipline, whilst all-rounder can bat and bowl, or seldom, both bat and keep wicket. Depending on whether this player has greater efficacy in one skill than the other, he may be called a batting all-rounder or a bowling all-rounder. Some players with equivalent utility are called a genuine all-rounder. Some of the well-known all-rounders are W. G. Grace, Gary Sobers, and Richard Hadlee.
Amateur - While the term suggests someone who plays for fun in his extra time, for over two-hundred years the amateur in English cricket was a particular type of full-time player who tentatively played only for his out-of-pocket expenses for instance travel and accommodation.
Analysis - It is described as shorthand statistically analyzed details to summarize a bowler’s performance in terms of total over’s bowled, maiden over’s, runs conceded, and taken wickets.
Anchor - Refers to the batsman who stays on the pitch for a long time, scores at a fair strike rate whilst preserve their wicket by avoiding risky shots. He is the one who either plays at numbers 3 or 4 and capable of batting for a long period throughout the innings. If there is a batting collapse, an anchor plays defensively, and become the top scorer in the innings.
Appeal - When a bowler or fielder shouts at the umpire to ask for a decision on any matter concerning play. It is more often expressed in the form of howzat (how-is-that?).
Approach - This term is used to describe either the motion of the bowler before bowling the ball, also called the run-up or the ground a bowler runs on throughout their run-up.
Arm ball - When a spinner bowled a delivery that has no spin on it and stays on a straight line. This delivery simply follows the line of the bowler's arm and doesn't turn, thus called an arm ball.
Around the wicket (or round the wicket) - When a right-handed bowler passing to the right of the non-striker's stump during his bowling run-up or a left-handed bowler passing to the left of the stumps during his bowling action. It is the opposite of over the wicket.
Asking rate - The run-rate required for the team that bats second in order to win the match. The asking rate is calculated on the basis of the number of runs needed per over from the start of the second inning.
Attacking field - A fielding arrangement wherein more fielders is placed close to the batsman for pressurizing him to make errors and wait for batsman’s catch. However, this field arrangement has the possibility of more runs to be scored by the batsman.
Attacking shot - When a batsman hits a shot with full aggression and power to score runs, it is termed out as an attacking shot.
Average - With regards to a batsman, the average is the total number of runs scored divided by the total number of times the player has been out. With regards to a bowler, the average is the number of runs conceded divided by wickets taken.
Away swing - This term is used to describe a bowling delivery, in which the ball curves away from the batsman. Also known as out-swing.
Away swinger - Also termed as out-swinger. In this type of delivery, the ball moves in the air from the leg to offside. Whether the batsman is a right-hander or left-hander an away swinger delivery curves 'away' in the air from the batsman towards the slips (for a right-handed batsman, the ball moves from right to left and for a left-handed batsman, it moves from left to right).
Axe - Another term used to denote a bat also called a Stick or Willow. The oldest existing bats may date back to 1729 but these names are indeed timeless.
B
BBI or Best - An abbreviation that describes the best bowling figures in an innings during the entire career of the bowler. It is calculated on the basis of the most wickets taken in an innings and the fewest runs conceded for that number of wickets. It is useful for comparing different bowlers within a single match, or for highlighting the best performance by an individual in a season or their entire career.
Bad light - During the day match, the "bad light" refers to the decision of umpires taking both teams away from the field as the ambient light has dimmed to the point that the ball becomes difficult to play. It is done for the safety of the batsmen and fielders both.
Back foot - This term is used to denote:
- The foot of the batsman closest to the stumps when batting. For a right-hander, the back foot is the right foot; for a left-hander, the back foot is the left foot.
- The foot of the bowler lies on the ground before the front foot when bowling i.e. the back foot is the second contact prior to the ball release. Often the back foot is considered the bowling foot unless the action of the bowler is off the wrong foot.
Back foot contact - This refers to the position of the bowler at the moment when his back foot makes contact with the ground just before releasing the ball. The bowlers usually take a little leap after his run-up to gain momentum. He has to land correctly on the back foot after the leap to deliver the ball properly and to avoid injury.
Back foot shot - When batsman plays a shot by putting his entire weight on his back foot (the foot, which is far away from the bowler). Batsman usually plays this shot when aiming behind square.
Backspin - A delivery that has backward rotation in such a way that after pitching, it quickly slows down, or bounces lower or skids on to the batsman. Also known as underspin.
Backing up - This term is used to denote:
- During the delivery, the non-striking batsman leaving his crease to cut down the distance to complete one run. A batsman "backing up" too extreme have the possibility of being run out, either by a fielder in a straight run out, or - in a "Mankad" - by the bowler themselves.
- When one of the fielders provides support to another fielder who chases the ball in order to cut down the runs if that fielder miss-fields the ball. It is also done to help a fielder getting a throw from the outfield in case the throw is errant or not caught.
Backlift - This refers to the act of lifting the bat in order to hit the ball and score runs. The backlift differs for a different batsman with some lifting it vertically while others angling it towards the first or second slip.
Badger - This refers to the enthusiastic individual, who is a passionate fan of the game and loves playing cricket. With the increasing number of badgers, cricket lovers claim, it is the next popular sport after soccer.
Baggy green - Since around 1900, Australian Test cricketers worn a cricket cap made of myrtle green color. The cap symbolizes Australian cricket, and the Baggy green word becomes their national cricketing pride.
Bail - Two small wooden pieces placed on top of the stumps to form the wicket. It is cylindrical in shape and tapers towards each end, wherein one of the ends is always longer than the other. The longer end lies on the leg or off wicket while the short end lies on the mid-wicket.
Ball - This term is used to denote:
- The spherical thing that the bowler propel towards the batsman, who may try to hit it with the bat. It is made of leather stitched around a cork core. Colors of the ball vary according to the matches, for instance, a red ball is used in timed matches, pink ball for day/night game, whilst a white ball is used in limited over game.
- Refers to a single delivery. Remember each over in a game contains six (legal) balls to play.
Ball-Tampering - When the condition of the ball is changed by false methods like applying materials other than saliva or sweat, lifting or picking the seam of the ball, or scuffing its surface, then these acts are considered as Ball tampering. The changed condition may provide the fielding side an unfair lead as the ball can swing more and late.
Bang (It) In - When a bowler bowls a delivery on a shorter length with extra speed and force, the bowler is considered to be "bending his back" when banging it in.
Bat - The piece of wood used by the batsman to hit the ball. Generally, bats are made in two pieces, the rectangular-sectioned blade and cylindrical handle that are fixed at the splice.
Bat carry - When one of the opening batsmen stays at the crease, till the innings come to an end, while all other batsmen are out; that batsman referred to have 'carried the bat'.
Bat-Pad - The fielding position close to the batsman that helps the fielder to catch the ball that pops off the bat and pads of a batsman.
Bat-and-Pad Catch - Refers to the position of fielder, very close to the batsman, intended to catch balls that hit the bat and pads of the batsman. Moreover a defense against being given out LBW, that the ball possibly hit the bat first, though imperceptible.
Batsman - Refers to the player whose team is going to bat or a player whose expertise is batting. Also, it can be referred to as one of the two members of the batting side who are present at the crease.
Batter - Another term used for the batsman. It was initially used in 1773 and now used very rarely to acknowledge a batsman.
Batting - The batsman's act and ability to defend wickets and score runs constantly. The batsman must hit the balls without getting out and score maximum runs for the team. He should have good hand-eye coordination along with rapid reflexes, power, speed, stamina, and an ability to grab scoring opportunities.
Batting average - This term describes the ability or performance of a batsman. It is calculated by dividing the total runs scored by the number of times the batsman has been out. Batsman having a batting average of above 50 is considered outstanding, often specialist batsmen have an average between 30 and 50.
Batting collapse - During an innings, when several batsmen are dismissed within a short period of time. The phrase top-order collapse or middle-order collapse may denote batting collapses in a particular part of the batting order.
Batting end - Out of the two ends of the pitch where the wickets are placed, the end nearest to the wicketkeeper where the striker stands is known as the Batting end.
Batting for a draw - This refers to the defensive batting tactic utilized by the team that has less chance of winning a timed match and thus try to get a draw. The batsmen look to survive as many balls as possible before getting out, without scoring more runs and avoiding aggressive shots. Sometimes considered as a boring play to watch, and sometimes considered as tense finishes.
Batting order - The sequential order in which all the eleven players of a team come out to bat. This is often pre-decided as the key batsmen send out first to bat then followed by bowlers. However, depending on the situation, the batting order can be altered at any point of match by the captain of the team.
Beach cricket - Cricket played on beaches is referred to as beach cricket. This is a casual variant of the game, which is particularly played in Australia and Caribbean countries around the beach.
Beamer - Refers to an illegal quick delivery that does not bounce, usually bowled by the fast bowlers.
Beat the bat - When the player closely misses connecting the ball with the edge of the bat because of good luck instead of skill. It is said that the batsman has been beaten and this is a great sign for the bowler.
Beaten - If a player tries to hit the ball with his bat and not successfully make contact with the ball, it is said that the player is “beaten” by the pace or variation of the delivery.
Beehive - This refers to a sketch, which shows where the deliveries from a particular bowler have passed the batsman.
Behind the bowler's arm - Most cricket fields have large, white sightscreens at both ends that give a clear, unhindered background against which the batsman can see the ball. Anything moving ahead or near the screen at the end of the bowler creates a distraction and play will be held up until it is cleared or removed.
Belter - This term attributed to a pitch, which offers an advantage to the batsman. On the contrary, pitches that do not offer any assistance to the bowler. Belter is the phrase used to describe a pitch, which is encouraging to the batsman and helps the team to get big scores.
Bend the back - Usually, fast bowlers bend their back to put more effort to gain more bounce or speed.
Benefit season - Fundraising events series organized to reward a long-serving player, usually those who have played over a decade for one county cricket team, shortly prior to the retirement. Similar in idea to testimonial games played in other sports.
Best bowling - Refers to the analysis of bowler’s performance in terms of the most number of wickets taken during an inning. The best bowling is generally used while comparing different bowlers in a game, such as the best performance of a player, during the season, or their entire career. For the batsman, the best bowling depends on their big score performance.
Biffer - Also known as hitters or big hitters, an attacking batsman who makes big scores in minimum delivery.
Bite - Some pitches are created to help spin bowling as compare to others. Depending on the pitch favorable condition, the spin bowler gets turn on the pitch. The amount of turn, the spin bowler can extract from the pitch is termed as a Bite.
Blob - Represent duck that means a batsman gets out without scoring a single run on the field.
Block - When a player waits for a delivery to be bowled, he takes a specific position called a Block. This term simply refers to a defensive batting stroke.
Block hole - The part of the pitch between the batsman’s toes and the region where his bat is placed is known as Block hole. If a bowler made a delivery in this region it is called a yorker.
Blocker - This phrase is most often used in test cricket for defending batsman. Such batsmen usually play defensively by blocking the balls rather than hitting it to score runs.
Bodyline - A controversial and illegal tactic of bowling wherein the bowler does not aim at the wicket, but towards the batsman. The bowler’s intentions are clear that the batsman must be forced to defend himself and in this process must give a catch. To take such a catch, the bowler usually placed a fielder on the leg side. This is also called leg theory.
Boot Hill - One of the toughest fielding positions of the game. Also known as a short leg. Many fielders don’t like this position as there is always a risk to get hit by the ball. This position is usually given to the youngest member of the fielding team. The fielder has to stand at the batsman’s leg-side, which is only a few yards away. The fielder must wear protective gear such as a shin guard and a helmet and have fast reflexes and a sharp eye to avoid getting hit by the ball.
Bosie or Bosey - The Australian phrase for the googly. The name Bosie was derived from B. J. T. Bosanquet, who invented this delivery around 1900. It is a misleading spinning delivery by a leg spinner, which turns from the offside to the leg side for a right-hander and right-handed bowler.
Bottom hand - Usually, the batsman grips the bat’s handle by both hands, however, the hand that remains closest to the blade of the bat is referred to as the Bottom hand. When batsman uses lots of his bottom hand while making the stroke, the ball goes upward (in the air) and he is at risk to be caught. The bottom hand of the batsman is a natural one, either right or left.
Bouncer - Also known as a bumper, a short-pitched fast delivery that reaches the batsman's chest- or head level. It is a planned delivery by the bowler to discomfit batsman so that he either takes vague action or plays a risky cross-bat shot like the hook and lose out.
Boundary - Refers to the perimeter (edge or end) of the playing field, marked with a rope laid along the ground. When a player made a shot that bounces inside the boundary before crossing it, then 4 runs are awarded to the player and if it crosses the boundary without making contact with the ground, then 6 runs are awarded.
Bowl-out - A tie-break method to decide a winner in limited over matches. A bowl- out is executed by asking five different bowlers of both sides to bowl a ball each at an unguarded wicket. The team that hits the wickets maximum number of times after the bowl- out, is confirmed as the winner. The matchwinner perhaps decided by sudden death if both the teams have similar hits even after a bowl- out.
Bowled - A common way of dismissal; the bowler hit the wicket with the ball at which the batsman is batting, he is declared bowled out. The batman gets clean bowled if the bowler hits the wicket directly, however, he/ she is still declared bowled even if the ball redirects off the bat, gloves, pad or any other part of the body as long as it does not hit another player or the umpire prior hitting the stumps.
Bowled around his legs - The batsmen have been bowled by a delivery, which pitched on the leg side and turned sharply to offside after it has gone behind his legs to strike the wicket. Some famous leg spinners such as Richie Benaud and Shane Warne took many wickets in this way.
Bowled out - When the batting team lost ten out of its eleven batsmen, remaining no more players to have a partnership with the 11th number player, the team is considered as bowled out.
Bowler - Refers to a player who is specialized in bowling.
Bowling - The action to deliver a ball to the batsman. The bowler delivers the ball by releasing it from one end of the pitch towards the other end where a batsman is ready to hit the ball. A bowler has the responsibility to restrict the batsman from scoring big runs and get the batsman out too.
Bowling a maiden over - Bowling an over in which no run is scored off the bat including runs from wide or no-ball.
Bowling action or action - The set of actions for delivering the ball.
Bowling analysis or bowling figures - A statistical outline of a bowler's performance. There are two common formats: first the numbers of overs–maidens–runs conceded–wickets, second the shorter numbers of wickets per runs.
Bowling at the death - The final overs of a limited over match wherein a batting team with wickets in hand bats aggressively, and bowlers are, generally, hit for lots of runs. Bowling at the death needs a great deal of mental strength as this is the part of innings where the most runs are scored, so bowlers must show their ability to save maximum runs in these death overs.
Bowling average - This term is used to describe the performance of a bowler. The bowling average is calculated by dividing the total number of runs given by the bowler with the total number of wickets he took. Below 25 is considered good bowling average while a skilled bowler must have an average between 20 and 40.
Bowling crease - One of the two slanting lines at both ends of the pitch, near the stumps.
Box - A protective thing shaped like a half-shell and inserted into the jockstrap’s front pouch with cup pocket worn under a player's (especially a batsman's) trousers to protect their genitalia from the solid cricket ball. Also called abdominal protector, Hector protector, ball box, protector, athletic cup, protective cup or cup.
Brace - When a bowler strikes two wickets on two consecutive deliveries it is called a brace. This term is not highly used as a bowler is on a Hat Trick when he took off two consecutive wickets on two consecutive deliveries.
Break - A suffix used to denote the ball altering direction after pitching due to the spin or cut by the bowler. For instance, a leg-spin bowler will deliver leg breaks (turning from leg to off).
Broken wicket - The wicket is considered 'broken' or 'down' when one or both bails have been displaced from their grooves by the ball.
Buffet bowling - Also called Cafeteria bowling i.e. poor bowling by the bowler which helps the batsman to score runs easily.
Bump ball - A delivery, which bounces off the pitch straight away after the bat hits it and goes to the air. It is generally used in a possible catches situation. The ball is strike into the ground or the air. A bump ball is caught by a fieldsman after it was right away hit by the bat. It is similar to having a clean catch.
Bumper - This refers to a short-pitched delivery, which rises near to the head or the chest of a batsman, generally called bouncer.
Bunny - This refers to a cricketer who is chosen as an expert wicketkeeper or bowler and allocated the batting position on number eleven as he cannot bat. Also Bunny can be a player who is often dismissed by a particular bowler.
Bunsen - A pitch on which spinners can turn the ball prodigiously. From the poetry jargon: 'Bunsen Burner' meaning 'Turner'.
Bye - When both the batsman and the wicket-keeper miss a legal delivery, extras runs are added in the playing team score, which is termed out as byes.
C
Cafeteria bowling - Many slack deliveries, which invite batsmen to 'help themselves'. The batsman can help himself in the way of a self-service cafeteria due to the mediocre bowling by the bowler. Also known as Buffet bowling, and perhaps set up for Declaration bowling.
Call -
- This refers to an announcement by one fielder to other fieldsmen that he is in a good position to take a catch, generally by shouting the phrase "mine". This is a good practice, as it prevents two fielders from crashing with each other while taking the same catch.
- Also known as the way by which a batsman announces to his teammate whether or not to take a run. Usually, the batsman on the non-striking end takes a call for the striker as he has a better view of the ball. Only one batsman should take a call to evade communication errors that could lead to a run out.
Cameo - An innings typically played by a middle-order or lower-order batsman who scores very quickly. It is a carefree inning with a wish to entertain and to connect putting a bat on every ball.
Cap - This term either refers to a kind of soft hat usually worn by fielders or an appearance for a national team.
Captain or skipper - This refers to the player who is appointed as a leader of his team by the board members. The captain has the power to decide the batting sequence, the bowler’s delivering the overs, the placement of the fielders, the use of a decision review system, and more aspects of the game. The captain's strategic abilities can have a big impact on the result of a match. The captain usually represents the team in the media.
Captain's Innings/Captain's Knock - Refers to the highest score made by the captain individually in the inning. The captain’s inning or captain’s knock individual score completely changed the course of a match.
Carrom ball - A kind of slow delivery in which the bowler releases the ball by flicking it between the thumb and a bent middle finger to impart spin.
Carry - When a ball hit by the batsman is caught by a fielder on the fly, it is said to have carried. If the ball bounces just short of the fielder, it is not considered to have carried.
Carry the bat - An opener is said to have carried the bat when he remains not-out at the end of the batting innings.
Cart-wheeling stump - When a bowler bowls a delivery that hits a stump with enough force, cause it to flip end-over-end before landing and result in the batsman’s dismissal.
Castled - When a batsman is bowled out by a full-length ball or a Yorker, it is said to be castled.
Catch - A fielder getting complete control of the ball, in one or both hands, prior it touches the ground. Except for wicket-keepers, no fielder can use gloves or any other equipment to take the catch. A fair catch might lead to batsman dismissal.
Caught - Refers to a way of dismissal wherein one of the fielders, counting the bowler, catches the ball before it touches the ground when the batsman hits it (with either the bat or a glove). This is considered as the most usual way of batsman dismissal in professional cricket.
Caught and bowled - When a batsman is dismissed by a catch taken by the bowler. The term invented from the way such dismissals are listed on a scorecard (c & b).
Caught behind - When a slight contact takes place between the bat and the ball and further the ball is caught by the wicketkeeper, it is known as Caught Behind.
Centurion - Refers to the batsman who manages to score 100 runs in an innings. Remember not to confuse the term centurion with century. The player who accomplishes this score is called a centurion. The score of 100 is generally considered as a landmark of the batsman career.
Century - Another phrase for 100 runs. When a batsman score at least a hundred runs individually; it is considered a significant personal achievement. Also, it refers to an ironic phrase for a bowler who has conceded over a hundred runs in an innings.
Charge - When a batsman leaves his batting crease to attack the ball powerfully. This often provides the fielding team a chance for a 'stumping'
Charge, giving the - When a batsman uses his feet and comes out of his batting crease to attack the ball, generally against a slow bowler. It is done to convert a good-length ball into a half-volley. Also called stepping down the wicket.
Check upstairs - When the field umpires consult with the third umpire to take an out or not-out decision or one of the teams invoked the DRS.
Cherry - Another term for the new cricket ball, usually Australian. Also, it refers to the red mark made by the ball on the bat.
Chest on (also front on or square on) - If a bowler delivers a bowl in such a manner that his chest faces the batsman instead of sideways on, it is known as a Chest on. It is not similar to being side-on.
Chin music - When a fast bowler aims the ball at the batsman’s chin or throat. The term invented in the Caribbean. It is a bowling strategy where a bowler uses a tremendous pace and a quick bounce that makes the delivery difficult to play and result in a catch if played wrongly. These deliveries are restricted in an over and may result in a warning to the bowler if repeated frequently.
Chinaman - Refers to the left-arm bowler's off-break to the right-handed batsman, similar to a left-arm leg-spinner.
Chinese cut - This term refers to any poorly carried-out shot, results in an inside edge that narrowly misses hitting the stumps. Generally, the batsman gets an inside edge that passes at a distance of some centimeters from the wickets, the shot is called a Chinese cut or a Surrey cut or Staffordshire cut or Harrow drive or French cut.
Chop on - This term refers to a dismissal of a batsman when the ball deflects the bottom edge of the bat, striking the wickets while trying to play a shot. It can even take place when the ball defects the inside part of the bat.
Chuck - During the bowling, if the bowler’s elbow remains straight, it becomes possible for them to throw the ball rather than bowling it. This is called Chuck. Chucking is considered as an illegal bowling action.
Chucker - When a bowler throws the ball instead of bowling proper and legal delivery, he is called chucker.
Circle - A painted circle marked in the middle of the pitch to separates the infield from the outfield. The area within the circle is known as an infield and the area outside the circle, but inside the boundary is called the outfield. It is used to set the fielding position rules in different versions of the game such as limited over cricket, Twenty20, and power play (cricket).
Clean bowled - When a bowler bowls a delivery that completely beats the batsman and dislodges the stumps, it is said to be clean bowled. This delivery does not touch the bat or any other part of the batsman, just directly hit the stumps and remove the bails.
Closing the face - When the batsman turns the face of the bat inwards to hit the ball on the leg side it is assumed that he is closing the face.
Club - This term either denotes a group of cricketers form one or more teams or to hit the ball ungracefully, but with power. Generally, a weaker kind of a slog.
Close infield - This refers to the area, which is a 15 yard (13.7 m) radius circular highlighted by the dotted line and measured from the stumps on each end of the pitch. It is only used in One Day International matches.
Coil - An alternative used to denote back foot contact.
Collapse - This term indicates the failure of the batting team as batsmen are getting out in a bunch quickly without scoring many runs. During a batting inning, if within a short time, the number of wickets falls down then it is said that a Collapse has occurred.
Come to the crease - This term is used to signify a batsman walking onto the playing arena and arriving at the cricket pitch in the center of the ground to start batting.
Competitive Women's Cricket - The official name entitled to the female equivalents to First-class, List A, and T20 cricket.
Contrived circumstances - Unusual tactics that are planned to gain a legitimate outcome, but cause wild statistical abnormalities; for instance, deliberately bowling poorly to support an immediate declaration.
Conventional Swing - When a swing bowler is aligning the seam and the sides of the ball for reinforcing the swing effect, it is termed as conventional swing.
Cordon (or slips cordon) - Refers to fielders fielding in the slips at any time of the game is called the slips cordon. The intention of putting slip fielders on the offside is to ensure that the players managed to catch an edged ball, which is far away from the wicket-keeper.
Corridor of uncertainty - Commentators use this term to highlight the region very near to the off stump of the batsman where the batsman remains unsure whether he should play the ball or leave it.
County cricket - This refers to the highest level of domestic cricket played in England and Wales.
Covers - This term either refers to the position of fielders between point and mid-off or the equipment used for protecting the pitch from rain.
Cow corner - Represent the area of the playing field, generally between deep mid-wicket and wide long-on. As few 'legitimate' shots are aimed at this part of the field, so fielders are rarely placed there, it highlights the thought that cows could happily graze here, thus called cow corner.
Cow shot - A rustic shot played across the line of a full pitched ball, generally hit in the air with the aim of striking the ball over the boundary at cow corner. This is a good robust way of hitting sixes that needs perfect timing to avoid a leading edge for a catch or skiing the ball or getting bowled.
Crease - One of several lines on the cricket playing field located near the wickets. Can be called the popping crease, the return crease, and the bowling crease, however, most often referred to as the popping crease.
Creeper - A ball that shoots along the ground. Also called shooter or sneaker.
Cricket Max - During the 1990s era, Martin Crowe, a New Zealand player, initiated a shortened version of the game with unconventional scoring systems called cricket max.
Cricketer - Refers to someone who plays cricket.
Cross-bat shot - When a batsman played a shot by holding bat horizontal to the ground, such as a cut, pull, or hooks, it is called a cross-bat shot or a horizontal-bat shot.
Crumbling pitch - Refers to the dry and disintegrating pitch. Spinners often favor a crumbling pitch, as it will help the ball more bite and turn.
Cut - When a batsman played a shot on the offside between the wicketkeeper and the covers region, it is called cut. Also, it means the variation in the delivery as the bowler imparted spin to the ball.
Cutter - Refers to a "break delivery" usually bowled by a fast or medium-pace bowler with identical action to a spin bowler, but at a faster speed. It is generally executed to surprise the batsman, although some medium-pacer use the cutter as their stock (main) delivery.
D
D/L or DLS - Known as the Duckworth- Lewis method introduced by Frank Duckworth and Tony Lewis from England to calculate the revised score for the team chasing a target in a condition where a match is interrupted due to rains or other valid reasons. The D/L method generally utilized in One day and Twenty20 formats to calculate what would happen if the match would have followed its normal course.
Daddy hundred - Any century wherein a batsman individually scores more than one hundred, often defined as being over one hundred and fifty.
Daisy cutter - A ball, which bounces multiple times before reaching the batsman is called daisy cutter.
Dancing (down the pitch) - During the delivery, when a batsman approaches the bowler by skipping once or twice down the wicket, to control the momentum in striking the ball toward the boundary.
Day/night cricket - Refers to cricket matches, which are played either totally, or partially, under floodlights in the evening. Also called floodlit cricket. These games generally start late in the day and end in the night to attract more audience.
Dead ball - A state of the ball during which the batsmen may not run for scores and the fielders may not try to get batsmen out. The ball is considered dead when it is collected by the wicketkeeper or the ball is trapped between the cloths or the pads of the batsman.
Dead bat - When batsman holds a bat with a loose grip and after the ball striking it, the bat loses momentum and falls quickly on the ground, it is called a dead bat. Used to lessen the opportunity of being caught off an edge.
Dead rubber - When one team has gained an unassailable lead in a series e.g. already won three matches in a five-match series, however, other remaining matches are played, it is called dead rubber. Furthermore, in a tournament, if both sides have already qualified or failed to qualify for the following rounds, it is termed as a dead rubber. Generally, this term is used to denote the less important matches as one team is already won the series or both the team already qualified or not qualified for the further tournament, but still playing the match.
Death bowler - Refers to a bowler bowling regularly during the death overs of a limited-overs match. Bowlers are also depicted as "bowling at the death". Death bowlers must remain unaffected to sledging and do not take verbal pressure, thus brought on for the final, crucial overs in a tight match.
Death overs - Also called slog overs or the final overs of a limited-overs match, wherein a batting team with wickets in hand try to bat aggressively, and bowlers usually, hit for lots of runs.
Death rattle - This refers to the sound that occurs when the batsman is clean bowled and wickets are broken through bowled.
Debenture - This refers to a financial instrument used by some cricket clubs to increase funding. Usually, investors loan money to the cricket club in terms of some favor like guaranteed free match tickets or lower price tickets.
Decision review system (DRS) - Called Umpire Decision Review System (UDRS or DRS) based on technology to help match officials with their decision-making process during the game. On-field umpires generally consult with the third umpire (called an Umpire Review), and players may request that the third umpire recheck that decision of the on-field umpires (called a Player Review).
Declaration - When a captain voluntarily brings his team’s innings to a close, in the hope that the score is enough to prevent losing. This occurs almost totally in timed forms of a match (such as first-class cricket) where a draw is a possible result. The team declaring the inning gets enough time to bowl out the opposition and win the game.
Declaration bowling - This term describes deliberately poor bowling, generally full tosses and long hops from the bowling side to allow the batsman to score runs rapidly and push the opposing captain to declare. It offers both teams an opportunity to win a timed match that would otherwise have been drawn.
Defensive field - A fielding set up where the fielders are spread across the ground to cut the number of runs scored by the batsman, particularly boundaries, at the risk of fewer chances to take catches and dismiss the batsman.
Delivery - Refers to the act of a ball being bowled by a bowler.
Devil's number (also Dreaded number) - The score of 87 is considered unlucky in Australian cricket, hence, called it devil’s number. This is a superstition in Australian cricket, which originate from the fact that number 87 is 13 run short of a century and batsman have a tendency to be dismissed on this score, thus considered unlucky.
Diamond duck - This term is used for a player who gets out at the score of zero runs (duck) without facing a single delivery in an inning. This usually happens in run-out condition.
Dibbly dobbly (also dibbly dobbler) - This term is used to describe:
- A medium pace delivery, which is not too fast not too slow, without any special variation.
- A bowler executing this type of delivery as their stock ball.
- A delivery, which is easy to hit, but difficult to score rapidly from.
Dilscoop - A stroke pioneered by Sri Lankan batsman Tillakaratne Dilshan during the ICC World Twenty20 in June 2009 where he went on one knee and hits a good length or a little short of length ball straight over the head of the wicketkeeper, usually towards the boundary.
Dink - Refers to a gentle shot played by a batsman.
Dinner - This term is used to refer an interval taken during a full day’s play during the day/night test. Since the match is played over a number of hours or days, intervals are essentials. There are specific rules available regarding intervals for lunch, dinner, tea, and drinks during a match.
Dipper - This refers to a delivery bowled by the bowler that curves into or away from the batsman prior to pitching.
Direct hit - This refers to a throw made by a fielder that directly strikes and puts down stumps (without initially being caught by other fielders standing nearby the stumps). It takes place when fielders attempt a run out.
Dismissal - When the batsman gets out, it is said that he is dismissed. The dismissal takes place by clean bowled, caught, stumped, or run out. Also leg before wicket (LBW), handling the ball, hitting the ball twice, hit wicket, blocking the field, or the batsman retires hurt, the dismissal of batsman occurs. After dismissal batsman cannot continue to bat and must leave the field immediately.
Dobbing - Lancashire and neighboring counties used this term as a synonym for Mankad.
Doctored pitch - Refers to a cricket pitch prepared intentionally in an unusual manner to give a competitive advantage to the home team. The pitch might have a surface that favors the home team's strike bowler, or that worsen weaknesses in the guest team's batting.
Dolly - Refers to an easy catch. It is considered as an exceptionally easy catch taken by a fielder on the field.
Donkey drop - When a bowler bowled a delivery that has very high flight before it bounces is called a Donkey drop. It usually occurs when the ball slips out of the hand of the bowler, which leads it to pop up high in the air and land in front of the batsman.
Doosra - It is comparatively the new offspinner's version of the googly, which turns away from the right-hand batsman as delivered out of the back of the hand by the bowler. Generally turns the "wrong way". Doosra is invented by Pakistani cricketer, Saqlain Mushtaq and it is a Hindi/Urdu word which means "second" or "other".
Dorothy Dix - A rhyming jargon phrase for six, usually shortened just to Dorothy.
Dot ball - Refers to a delivery bowled by bowler that conceded no run. It is called a dot ball because in the scorebook when a batsman did not score any runs, it is denoted with a single dot, thus named the dot ball.
Double - This term is used to describe the achievement of a player in first-class cricket when he scores 1000 or more runs and claim 100 or more wickets in a single season.
Down the pitch (Down the wicket) - When a batsman approaches the bowler before or during the delivery, generally skipping once or twice down the wicket, to gain momentum for hitting the ball toward the boundary. The batsman makes this motion in the expectation of turning a good length ball into a half-volley.
Downtown - A place and an action executed by the batsman to hit the bowler directly over his head for a six. Taking a bowler Downtown refers smashing his delivery straight back over his head for a six.
Drag - Before the recent "front foot rule" was pioneered, bowlers had to release the ball with the back foot behind the bowling crease; there were occasions of bowlers managing to "drag" the back foot forward prior to release and not being no-balled.
Draw - This term either refers to a result in timed matches where the last batting side is not all out, but fails to surpass the total made by an opponent. It is not a tie situation where the team batting last is all out or run out of over with the scores level or an antiquated hit, which has fallen into disuse, it was initially an intentional shot that resembled the French cut – the ball being played between player’s own legs.
Draw stumps - At the ending of a day’s play, the umpire takes out the stumps from the pitch. This physical action of removing stumps is called as drawing the Stumps.
Drift - This refers to the slight cross curved-path movement that a spinner takes out while the ball is in flight. It signifies the good bowling skill shown by the bowler.
Drinks - A short interval in play, usually taken in the middle of a session, where refreshments are given to the players and umpires by the twelfth men of each team. Drinks breaks are common in test matches, especially in hot countries.
Drinks waiter - A jocular phrase for the twelfth man, referring to his work of bringing out drinks for team members.
Drive - When a batsman hit a powerful shot that goes along the ground or in the air, generally in a direction between a cover point on the offside and mid-wicket on the leg side, it is termed as a drive.
Drop - This term refers to:
- The unintentional "dropping" of a ball, which was first caught by a fielder, thus refusing the dismissal of the batsman; when such an incident takes place, the batsman is said to have been "dropped".
- The number of dismissals happens in an innings of batting side before a given batsman goes in to bat; a batsman who bats at 'first drop' generally comes in the third position according to the batting order, i.e. he goes in after one wicket fall.
- The act of not selecting a player in a squad even when he or she was present in the most recent prior selection
Drop-in pitch - Called a temporary pitch, prepared away from the ground or venue wherein it is used, and "dropped" into an area for a match to happen. This helps multi-purpose ground or venues to host other sports and events with more flexibility than a specific cricket ground would allow.
Dropper - Synonymous term to a lob ball. This type of delivery is bowled using the underarm that allows a ball to gain a great spin with a constant pace and variation. During the delivery, the bowler’s hands always remain under the waist level. This type of delivery is considered illegal after the 1980-81 World Series, particularly if there are no previous agreements made before a match.
Duck - This term is used in reference to a batsman who gets out at a score of zero runs. This word came into existence as the figure zero look like an egg of duck..
Duck under delivery - Refers to a short-pitched delivery that looks like a bouncer, making the batsman duck to avoid being hit; but rather than bouncing high, it has a low bounce that makes the batsman to be dismissed LBW, or rarely bowled.
Duckworth-Lewis method (or DLS) - Two mathematicians named Frank Duckworth and Tony Lewis introduces a rain rule, which decides the winner or target score in a limited-over game when it is interrupted due to poor weather. Duckworth-Lewis rule is used in all international and most domestic matches.
Dugout - A sheltered area just outside the boundary ropes where players sit and watch the match. Dugouts are commonly used in Twenty20 matches, players generally used pavilions for any longer forms of the match.
E
Eagle-Eye - It is a ball-tracking system, similar to Hawk-Eye, formed by a competitor company.
Economical - When a bowler conceded very few runs in his over(s), it is said that he is economical or has a low economy rate. The reverse of expensive.
Economy rate - The average number of runs conceded per over by a bowler during the bowling spell.
Edge (or snick or nick) - Refers to the outermost perimeter of the bat. A slight ball’s deviation off the edge of the bat. The four edges of the bat are top, bottom, inside, and outside. The notional four edges are because of the bat being either vertical (inside/outside edge), or horizontal (top/bottom edge).
Eleven - Another term representing one cricket team made of eleven players.
End - A region of the ground directly behind one of the wickets used to assign what end a bowler is bowling from (for example the pavilion end). The bowlers make turns to deliver alternate overs from the two ends of the pitch.
End of an innings - This term either describe the match condition i.e. the batting team lost their top-ten batsman and only one player left, or the team batting last achieves the required score to win the match or the match runs out of time, thus ends as a draw or all the overs have been bowled (in limited-overs cricket) or the captain of the team declares the innings closed or the referee makes a decision that one team has forfeited the game.
Expensive - Refers to a bowler who conceded lots of runs from his over(s), it is said that he has a high economy rate or expensive.
Express pace - When a bowler bowls a fastball with speeds above 150 km/h, it is called an express pace.
Extra (also sundry) - This term is used to indicate a run not made by any batsman with the strike of the ball. This run is not added to the individual batsman score but credited to the total team score. It is generally known as sundry in England and in Australia.
F
Face of the bat - Refer to the front, or flat side, of the bat, specifically where the manufacturer's symbol is highlighted.
Fall - This term or a verb is used to signify the dismissal of a batsman.
Fall of wicket - This term indicates the batting team's total score at the time a particular batsman gets out; shortened FOW. For example, the fourth fall of the wicket was 280 runs.
Farm - When a batsman inspects and taps the pitch lightly with the bat to level out little rough patches and irregularities, it is termed as a farm.
Farm the strike (also shepherd the strike or farm the bowling) - It means a batsman tries to play the majority of the balls bowled by the bowler, as he is considered the more skilled among two batsmen present on the pitch.
Fast bowling - A bowling style in which the ball is delivered at high speeds, generally over 90 mph (145 km/h). Also known as pace bowling. Fast bowlers even use the swing.
Fast leg theory - A deviation of leg theory wherein bowlers bowls a ball at high speed, typically aimed at the batsman's body.
Feather - When a batsman tries to strike the ball powerfully but made a slight contact between the bat and the ball, it is known as a feather or a snick.
Featherbed - Refers to a pitch, which is slow and soft and has an expected bounce. This pitch is easy for batting team perspective while difficult for the bowling team as the bowler does not get any help from the surface.
Ferret - An exceptionally poor batsman, not-competent-at-all, so-called ferret because he goes in after the rabbits.
Fielder - A player on the bowling (fielding) side whose role is just to field the ball, he neither does bowling nor does wicket-keeping in the match.
Fielding - The action of players (called fielders on the pitch) to collect the ball after it is hit by the batsman, to cut down the runs or get the batsman out by catching the ball in flight or by making batsman run out. Fielding positions are generally categorized into the offside and leg side of the field.
Fill-up game - Refers to a game, started after a match that finishes before time, just to fill up the existing time and entertain the audience.
Find the gap(s) - When a batsman is playing a shot or series of shots along the ground, between fielders, it is said that he is finding the gap(s). It is the least risky way to score runs quickly, however, need good technique to maintain consistency.
Fine - Refers to a fielder’s position, close to the line of the pitch and opposite to square.
Finger spin - A kind of spin bowling wherein the ball is rotated by the action of the bowler's fingers (contrast with wrist spin). Right-handed bowler when made this rotation it produces off-spin, whereas the left-handed bowler produces left-arm orthodox spin.
First change - When the bowling team uses the third bowler in an innings, it is called the first change. The first bowler replaces either of the opening bowler pair to take out the wickets for the team.
First eleven - A term, which describes the top eleven players selected in the team. These top players are cautiously selected and get the privilege to play high-profile games. A player positioning in the first eleven is considered as the cleverest in his or her particular position or role.
First innings points - In the first-class cricket with a league table to find outstandings, in addition to points received for winning or tieing a match, a team even received points for taking the first-innings lead, i.e. scoring more than the opposing team in the first innings.
First-class cricket - Match played between known first-class teams over three, four, or five days, with two innings per team. It is the senior type of the game; typically county, state, or international.
Fishing - Being tempted to play with the bat away from the body at a ball outside the off-stump. Such a hit is likely to give up nothing more than an edged catch to the wicketkeeper or slips.
Five-wicket haul - When bowler takes five or more wickets in an innings, it called Five-wicket haul. A phrase five-for is a short form used for writing the bowling statistics, for example, a bowler who takes five wickets and conceded 18 runs is said to have figures of "5 for 18" or "5–18". A five-wicket haul is considered an exceptional performance by the bowler, similar to a century for a batsman.
Flash - To wield the bat forcefully that means a batsman is hitting good line and length deliveries without any particular aim. Often used in a Caribbean context, like in 'a flashing blade'.
Flat hit - When a batsman hit an aerial shot with great power, the ball travels fast enough to form the ballistic trajectory and appear flat; it is termed out as a flat hit.
Flat pitch - This refers to a pitch, which is beneficial for the batsman. This kind of pitch doesn’t provide much help to the bowlers, because of predictable bounce.
Flat throw - When a fielder throws a ball thrown almost parallel to the ground, it is considered as a flat throw. It is a sign of good fielding by a fielder if the throw remains accurate and flat.
Flat-track bully - This refers to a top-order batsman who only performs well when the pitch is not giving the bowlers much help. Australian use ‘Track’ as slang for the pitch. When the 'track' is considered to be 'flat' then it remains favorable for batting perspective and some players only dominate on such flat track, thus called Flat-track bully.
Flick - A gentle wrist movement by the batsman to move the bat and strike the ball on the leg side.
Flight - A delivery that is thrown up at a more arched trajectory by a spinner. It shows a bowler good bowling skills. Also called loop.
Flipper - Refers to the leg spinner’s delivery where the ball is released by gripping it out with the thumb and the first and second fingers to create backspin. The backspin moving against the wind results in the ball dropping slower however traveling more. If a batsman doesn’t judge the flipper properly, it might pitch under the bat and hit the stumps or results in the leg before wicket (LBW) too.
Floater - A delivery bowled by an offspinner that takes a high arched path appearing to be 'float' in the air. This delivery makes a curve away from a right-handed batsman and then carries straight on rather than turning. Also called Drifter.
Fly slip - A fielding position, usually between the slips and third man. It is deeper than the conventional slips.
Follow on - This term is used in the longer form of the game where a match can last up to four days and teams might bat two innings each. If the side batting second in such a match falls short of the target set by the opponent, they might be asked to resume their second innings. This situation in a game is known as follow on.
Follow through - While bowling the delivery the bowler approaches with a run to get good momentum. After releasing the ball the bowler has to stabilize his body by suppressing the motion, which is called the follow-through.
Footmarks - This term describes a rough patch on a grass pitch made by a bowler. It is the area where a bowler’s foot lands frequently while delivering the ball. The uneven or rough nature of footmarks helps a ball to have an enhanced grip if it lands on it, making it an ideal spot for bowlers, particularly spinners. From this patch, the spinner’s ball turns sharply, which creates difficulty for the batsman to hit.
Footwork - The necessary footsteps that a batsman has taken to be at a comfortable position from where the ball has pitched, and he can hit the ball anywhere he desires, opposing any spin or swing that a bowler tries to extract after bouncing.
Forty-Five (on the one) - An unusual fielding position similar to a short third-man. Fielders are generally placed between the boundary and the pitch. A short backward square leg fielder is placed at a 45-degree angle behind a defending square in this position. A fielder technically remains close to the batsman, thus need good practice and skills.
Forward defence - A commonly-executed defensive shot. The main aim of playing this shot is to block the ball than to score runs. But there can be possibilities to score from this shot, if it is well-timed, or if the batsmen run a quick single.
Four - A shot, which crosses the boundary after touching the ground. It added four runs in the batsman and batting team score.
Four wickets (also 4WI) - It is described as four-for four or more wickets taken by a bowler in an innings, which is considered as an excellent performance. Typically used in One Day International matches and it is an odd feat in T20 matches.
Fourth stump - Kind of position or line in cricket, referring to the width of one stump outside the off stump or the third stump. A stump usually means the pitch or line of the delivery. Officially, a fourth stump is identical with the corridor of uncertainty i.e. a good line defined as a notional narrow region set just outside the off-stump of a batsman.
Free hit - A penalty awarded in One day International and Twenty20 cricket matches when a bowler bowls a front-foot no-ball. The bowler has to bowl another delivery, and the batsman cannot be out by the bowler from that delivery. Between the no-ball and the free hit, the positions of fielders cannot change (except the batsmen changed ends on the no-ball).
French Cut - This refers to a poorly executed shot that results in an inside edge hardly misses hitting the stumps. Also called the French cut, the Chinese cut, the Surrey cut, or the Harrow drive. When batsman played a shot the ball touches or clips the edge of the bat pointing in the direction of the leg side of the field.
French cricket - Refers to an informal game. French cricket is usually played socially at picnics and parties or on parks and beaches by children or mixed groups of children and adults. The phrase "playing French Cricket" can be used by commentators to signify that a batsman has not moved his feet and appears clumsy because of due to this.
Fritz - To be dismissed stumped following a bounce back from the wicketkeeper's pads on to the stumps.
Front foot - With reference to batsman the foot closer to the bowler is called a front foot. Whereas with reference to a bowler the last foot that contacts the ground before the ball is released, is called a front foot.
Front foot contact - This refers to the bowler’s position at the moment when his front foot lands on the ground just before delivering the ball. The bowlers generally take a small leap after their run to get momentum; he has to land properly on the back foot and then on the front foot to deliver the ball properly and to avoid injury.
Front-foot shot - A shot played by a batsman by putting his complete weight on the front foot (i.e. the foot closest to the bowler).
Fruit Salad - Refers to every delivery delivered by a bowler differently instead of maintaining a constant speed, length, and angle. Fruit salad bowling is commonly used in Twenty-twenty format to avoid making batsman comfortable on the pitch.
Full length - A delivery, which pitches nearer to the batsman than a ball pitching on a good length, but more away than a half-volley.
Full pint - When a wicket is knocked totally out of the ground by delivery, it is said to be a full pint.
Full toss (also full bunger) - A delivery, which reaches the batsman on the full, means the ball move towards the batsman without any bounce. Typically considered a bad delivery by the bowler as it creates a good scoring opportunity for a batsman. Most full toss deliveries are results of a Yorker gone wrong. Full tosses above batsman’s waist level are declared no balls.
Furniture - Another phrase used to indicate the stumps.
G
Gardening - When the batsman makes an effort with the bat to repair indentations in the pitch, made by the ball or studs, is termed out as Gardening. More likely take place when a ball has just shrill past his nose or scooted by his ankle.
Getting one's eye in - When the batsman takes his time and assesses the condition of the pitch, ball, or weather, before trying to hit more risky shots.
Given man - This term and concept are rarely used nowadays in cricket. It indicates that a skilled guest player is added to a weak team so that the competition becomes more even. This skilled guest player is generally borrowed from the opponent team. Earlier, the use of given men was common and was depicted during the Gentlemen V Players games. The main aim of using a skilled guest player from the opposing team is to make the game less predictable and encouraging betting.
Glance - A shot, which goes fine on the leg side. The batsman plays this shot by flicking a ball, which is heading toward their hips or thigh.
Glove - It is a part of batsman’s kit, generally refers to padded hand protection. The rules regarding the glove to be an element of the bat whenever the two are in contact, so a batsman can score runs or be caught if a ball touches the glove (sometimes called "gloved a catch").
Glovemanship (also glovework) - Refers to the wicketkeeping skills, used for either praising or criticizing a wicketkeeper’s performance.
Golden duck - This term indicates that a batsman is out at a score of zero runs. As it is denoted with figure zero on the scoreboard and resembled as a duck’s egg, therefore termed as Golden duck.
Golden pair (also King pair) - A batsman who gets out for zero runs off the first ball in both the innings of a two-innings match.
Good length - The ideal length, the bowler aims to bowl a delivery. Good length deliveries generally confuse the batsman whether to play forwards or back and create an opportunity for bowlers to take a wicket.
Googly (also wrong'un or bosie) - A deceptive spinning delivery by a leg spinner, which turns from the offside to the leg side for a right-handed batsman and right-handed bowler. Invented by Bosanquet around 1900, thus also called a Bosie or a Bosey.
Gouging - An illegal action, in which the condition of the pitch or ball is intentionally damaged or changed by the individual or by the team.
Gozza - When a batsman gets out on the first ball without scoring a run (also known as Golden duck).
Grafting - This is a kind of defensive batting, typically done under difficult or failing conditions. Players put a strong emphasis on not getting out in difficult situations for their team.
Green top - A pitch having an excessive visible grass that might look helpful for the bowlers.
Grip - This term is used to describe the way the bowler holds the ball for generating pace or spin or pace in the ball. Also, it refers to the rubber casings present on the handle of the bat and how the batsman holds the bat.
Ground - This term refers to:
- The pitch, cricket field, pavilion, and any linked facilities. Big ground with significant viewer facilities is sometimes called a stadium.
- Turning and touching the bat onto the ground face behind the crease after the batsman has left the crease to hit a shot or start a run; running the bat in the path to complete safely.
- The safe region for the batsman on the pitch. The batsmen are 'in their ground' when his body part (generally the foot) or the bat is touching the region behind the batting crease. Batsmen have 'left their ground' if progress down the pitch to take a shot or a run. The batsmen have 'made their ground' when grounded his bat or touch the surface behind the batting crease with a body’s part before a fielder can break the stumps for a run-out.
Groundsman (or curator) - Someone who is responsible for the maintenance of the cricket field and pitch’s preparation.
Grubber - This refers to a delivery, which hardly bounces. It means the ball remains very low after leaving the pitch’s surface.
Guard - The batsman aligning his bat according to a wicket present behind him. Usually, the batsman highlighted the bat’s position with the mark on the pitch. The marking(s) gives an idea to the batsman where to stand, in relation to the wickets.
Gully - It is the area of the field where the slip fielders stand. This term is derived from the slight channel between point and the slips generally called short third man. The third man (or third man up) was the position between slip and point but nowadays become deeper into the field.
Gun - Refers to a highly competent batsman. A batsman playing throughout the game and not dismissed, generally considered to have 'carried the bat' for the team, if we are talking about someone who is playing really well, we say he is a 'gun'.
H
Hack - A low skill batsman following an extremely aggressive approach to batting usually gives preference to a lofted cross bat shots. He has a poor defensive stance and a lack of defensive shots, follow only a particular stroke to hit any ball.
Half-century - Refers to 50 runs or more (but less than 100) scored by an individual. It is considered as a good achievement by a top-order batsman and significant milestone by the lower order or the tail-enders.
Half-tracker - Another phrase used to indicate a long hop, which is delivery too short to be a good length, but without the sharp lift of a bouncer. So-called half-tracker because the ball nearly bounces halfway down the pitch.
Half-volley - A delivery bowled by a bowler, which bounces just short of the block-hole. This delivery is easy to drive or glance away.
Handled the ball - When a batsman touches the ball with his hands while the ball is still live (in play) without the consent of the opponent team, the batsman is said to have handled the ball. The cricket laws suggest that a batsman is considered out if he handles the ball.
Harrow drive - This refers to the inside edge that means a shot played by the batsman touches or clips the edge of the bat pointing on the way to the leg side of the field. Also known as the French cut, the Chinese cut or the Surrey cut.
Hat-trick - When a bowler takes a wicket off each of three consecutive deliveries that he bowls in one match (whether in the same over or split in two consecutive overs, or two overs in two different spells, or also extend across two innings of a test match or first-class match).
Hat-trick ball - Refers to a delivery bowled by a bowler after taking two consecutive wickets in the previous two deliveries. The captain generally set an attacking field for a hat-trick ball, to maximize the opportunity of the bowler to take a hat-trick. The bowler is said to be on a hat-trick before delivering the hat-trick ball.
Hawk-Eye (or Eagle-Eye) - A tracking technology that creates a computer-generating graphic showing the trajectory of delivery between the bowler and batsman along with the possible trajectory of the ball if it were not played by the batsman. The third umpire officially uses this technique to assess lbw decisions under the decision review system. Commentators use this technique as a visual aide to review bowlers' deliveries, and (in the time before the DRS) to review lbw decisions.
Heavy Ball - When a bowler bowls a delivery, which is quicker than it looks and strikes the bat harder or higher than the expectation of the batsman.
Heavy Roller - An extremely heavy metallic cylinder, used by the ground staff to improve a wicket for batting.
Helicopter shot - When batsman flicks the bat toward the leg side while facing a yorker or a fuller-length delivery and the stroke is completed by twisting the bat in a circle overhead, similar to a helicopter’s propeller, it is called helicopter shot. M.S Dhoni invented this shot.
Helmet - Protective headgear, usually worn by batsman while facing fast bowlers delivery. Sometime wicketkeepers or fielders fielding close to the batsman wore the helmet too. The helmets include a hard padded hemisphere, the braincase, a front brim, and a large metal grill that fixed over the face and jaw, with space smaller than the diameter of the ball.
High score - Refers to the most runs scored by any batsman in one inning.
Hip Clip - A trademark stroke of Brian Lara that involves a flick of the wrist to whip a ball, at hip height, at a right angle, passing the fielder present at square leg.
Hit the ball twice - If a batsman intentionally strikes the ball twice to score runs he can be given out. However, the batsman is allowed to knock the ball away from his wickets with the bat.
Hit the deck - The ability of the bowler to deliver the ball from height and gain additional bounce from the pitch.
Hit wicket - When a batsman gets out by dislodging the bails off the stumps behind him either with his bat or body as he attempts to play the ball or set off for a run, it is said to be hit wicket.
Hoick - Similar to a slog, commonly used for on-side shots, generally not included in the cricket coaching manual.
Hold up an end - A batsman who is deliberately restricting his scoring opportunity and concentrating on the defensive play while his batting partner is scoring runs at the other end; or, a bowler who is bowling defensively to control runs at his end while his bowling partner is trying to take wickets at the other end.
Hole out - Batsman dismissal by being caught, typically referring to a catch from a lofted hit in the outfield. Also, it means being caught forward by the wicketkeeper or being bowled and stumped, field barrier and retiring.
Hoodoo - A batsman who has been regularly dismissed by one bowler in their career, it is said that the bowler has a ‘Hoodoo’ on that batsman.
Hook - This term refers to a shot in which a batsman swings the bat around his head and strikes the ball behind "square leg". Only a skilled batsman can hit a hook shot when a bowler bowls a fast short-pitched delivery at head height.
Hoop - This refers to a delivery, which has a large amount of swing.
Hot Spot - A principal application to make decisions regarding where the ball has struck. It is an infrared imaging system placed on two opposite sides to record an image. It can verify the event, particularly when there’s any suspected nick and bat event take place in the game. This technology is helpful for an umpire to make the right decision by clear views.
Howzat or How's that? - This phrase is used by a bowler or fielder when asking the umpire to dismiss the batsman, generally by shouting 'howzat' (how's that?).
Humpty - To bat forcefully and extraordinarily quickly. Also, this term describes one team having a good advantage to win the match. It is even used when the team with earlier glories suffered a great loss against the opponent.
Hutch - Refers to the pavilion or dressing room, particularly one having a home to a large number of rabbits.
I
In - Refers to a batsman, who is presently bating.
In-cutter - A delivery, which moves into the batsman after hitting the surface.
In/out field - A field setting in which five fielders are placed very close to the batsman and three are on the boundary. This field set up is arranged in an expectation that batsmen can’t take singles frequently and saving easy boundaries too.
Incoming batsman - The batsman coming next on the field according to the listed batting order.
Indian spin quartet - The collective name entitled to four Indian spin bowlers i.e. off-spinners Erapalli Prasanna and Srinivas Venkataraghavan, leg spinner Bhagwat Chandrasekhar, and left-arm spinner Bishan Singh Bedi at 1960s and 1970s era
Infield - The part of the field, which lies inside the thirty-yard circle (twenty-seven meter) or, in the days prior to defined circles, the region of the field near to the stumps bordered by an unreal line through square leg, mid-on, mid-off, and cover point.
Innings - One team or one player is going to bat or bowl for a fixed time period in Test and first-class cricket.
Inside edge - When batsman hit a ball that touches or clips the edge of the bat pointing in the direction of the leg side of the field.
Inside-out - Describes the striking of a ball, which pitched outside of leg stump to the offside of the field. While playing this shot a batsman opens the chest and plays a ball, typically forcefully and dancing down the pitch, toward the covers.
In-dipper - A delivery, which curves into the batsman before pitching.
Inswing or in-swinger - A delivery bowled by a bowler, which curves into the batsman in the air from off to leg.
It's (just) not cricket - This phrase is used in English cricket to say that something is unmerited or dishonest.
J
Jack - Refers to player batting on number eleven. This word is derived from the jack playing card that ranks immediately after the number ten in each suit.
Jaffa (also corker) - An exceptionally well-delivered bowl by a fast bowler. It is generally unplayable delivery, bowled with great command of direction and pitch. Also called “corker”.
Jaffer - Commonly called a Beauty or a Peach in Australia, this term is used for those deliveries that make the batsman in awe of means it is almost impossible to play.
Jayadevan's system - An unsuccessful plan for a rain rule, as a substitute to the Duckworth-Lewis system, however, never been used in professional cricket.
Jockstrap (also jock strap) - Underwear for men players, designed to strongly hold a cricket box in place when batting or wicket keeping.
K
Keeper (or 'Keeper) - Short form of Wicket-keeper, refers to a player standing immediately behind the batting end wicket. This is a specialist position, used all through the match.
King pair - A batsman dismissed at zero runs off the first ball he faces in both innings of a two-innings match.
Knock - An inning played by a batsman signifying that he makes a high score in an innings and thus said to have had a "good knock".
Knuckle ball - A delivery bowled by a fast bowler by holding the ball on the knuckles of their index and middle finger. It is usually a type of slower ball.
Kolpak - An unusual phrase to identify an equally odd circumstance where a European Union (EU) decision has left English county cricket flooded with players ineligible for England however not considered as overseas players.
Kwik cricket - It is a high-speed version of cricket, known as Milo Kanga cricket in Australia, and Milo Kiwi cricket in New Zealand generally has an aim to encourage children to take part in the main sport, with stress on participation and enjoyment.
L
LBW - The way to take the wicket of a batsman, by appealing to the umpire that ball would have struck the stumps, if the batsman didn’t stand directly in front of it and the umpires also think so, the batsman is out.
Lappa - The Indian edition of the hoik. Derived from the English word 'lap', an old phrase for a shot somewhere between a pull and a sweep.
Laws - The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) established a set of rules which are applied to cricket worldwide, which are called laws of cricket.
Leading edge - The ball striking the front edge of the bat as opposed to its face when batsman tries to hit a cross-bat shot such as a pull. Often results in simple catch towards the bowler or other fielders.
Leave - This refers to the batsman’s action when he doesn’t try to play the ball. He might hold the bat above his body and doesn’t attempt to hit the ball. However, the LBW clauses make the batsman more susceptible to get out this way. A batsman while leaving the ball can’t claim any leg byes.
Left arm - A bowler bowling with his left hand, by rules, called a 'left-arm' or 'left arm' bowler.
Left hand - This refers to a batsman who is a left-hander.
Left-arm orthodox spin - The spin bowling style produced by left-arm finger spin; the left-arm corresponding of off-spin.
Left-arm unorthodox spin - The spin bowling style produced by left-arm wrist spin; the left-arm corresponding of leg-spin. Previously called Chinaman bowling as Ellis Achong, a West Indian cricketer who introduces this style is of Chinese descent; however, the term is now considered insulting.
Leg before wicket (LBW) - A way to dismiss the batsman. In short, the batsman loses wicket if the delivery bowled by a bowler misses the bat and hits the batsman’s leg and if the ball would have hit the wicket if the leg of the batsman was not there, so the batsman perhaps declared out on the pretext of a leg before wicket, commonly called LBW.
Leg break - A spin bowling delivery bowled by a leg spinner that turns from the leg side to the offside of a right-handed batsman.
Leg bye - Extra runs, which are taken when a delivery hits any part of the batsman’s body rather than the bat or the glove holding the bat. Leg byes generally not scored, if the batsman doesn’t try to play the ball with the bat or avoid the ball that hits him,
Leg cutter - Refers to a "break delivery", generally bowled by a fast or medium-pace bowler with the same action to a spin bowler, but faster. The ball usually breaks from the leg side to the offside of the batsman.
Leg glance - A delicate stroke played at a ball aimed a little on the leg side, using the bat to flick the ball as it passes the batsman, deflecting towards the square leg or fine leg region.
Leg side - The playing area of cricket is divided into two halves via an imaginary line running through the pitch connecting the middle wickets. Also known called on-side as it is the left half for a Right-handed batsman and the right side for a Left-hander batsman.
Leg slip - A fielding spot corresponding to a slip, but on the leg side.
Leg spin - The spin bowling style produced by right-handed wrist spin. As the stock delivery is a leg break, thus called leg-spin. The googly, top spinner and flipper are some of its common variations.
Leg theory - A tactic occasionally used by the fielding side. The bowler intended to a line on leg stump and more fielders than usual is located on the leg side, especially short catching positions. This stops the batsman to play shots on the offside. The aim is to slow down the scoring rate and irritate the batsman so that he makes a mistake and provide catch to the fielder.
Leggie - This term is used to describe a leg-spin bowler or a leg break delivery.
Length - The spot at which a ball delivered by a bowler bounces. Bowlers generally bowl short-pitched, good length, half-volley, and full toss deliveries.
Life - When a batsman is being reprieved due to a mistake by the fielding team, through dropping a catch, missing a run-out opportunity, or the wicket-keeper missing a stumping, it is said that batsman gets a life.
Light - Another term for bad-light. The umpire gives the team a choice to end the day’s play if the playing conditions are not supportive of batting due to bad light.
Limited overs match - Commonly known as one-day cricket, where each side may only face a set number of overs and matches are completed in a day. The matches are played between two teams having international status, faces a fixed number of overs, generally 50 overs.
Line (also see Line and length) - The deviation of the spot on the pitch where a ball bowled by a bowler bounces from the line from wicket-to-wicket (to the leg side or the offside). Simply referred to as the line of attack used by a bowler while bowling a spell.
Line and length bowling - Bowling in such a way that a delivery pitches on a good length and just outside off stump. Good line and length deliveries force the batsman to play a shot or else it will hit the stumps directly.
List A cricket - The domestic edition of One day cricket is known as List a cricket. It is limited over game, played between two teams with 11 players each. List A games include Twenty20 matches, Prominent One day matches, University matches, etc.
Lob bowling - A variation of delivery in underarm bowling, which is discontinued in international cricket. The bowlers generally try hitting the wickets by letting the ball drop from a great height onto the wicket. Often this causes the ball pitch and descends behind the batsman at the crease.
Lolly - A ball that can be easily hit by a batsman, or a ball that can be easily caught by a fielder.
Long hop - A delivery, which is too short to be a good length ball, but without the sharp lift of a bouncer. Typically not a good delivery to bowl as the batsman gets enough time to see the ball and play an attacking shot.
Long on - A fielding position close to the boundary on the leg side placed to sweep up straight drives.
Long stop - Fielding position close to the boundary directly behind the wicket-keeper, however, it is set up rarely by any team. Generally, useful when the captain is in doubt that the wicket-keeper might not be able to cope with an irregular bounce in the wicket.
Look for two - Running first run with urgency, the batsman expresses the sense (to each other, to the crowd, to commentators) that they will try a second run, though no promise is expected until after the turn.
Loop - Refers to the flight of the ball, generally the ball taken a curved path when bowled by a spinner.
Loosener - At the start of a spell, when a bowler bowls a poor delivery, it is said to be loosener.
Lost ball - This refers to a condition wherein a fielding team cannot get back a hit ball as it is being lost or out of reach. The fielding side must call out "lost ball" that allows the umpire to stop play. The batsman is awarded six runs, and a replacement ball (used and in a similar condition to the one lost) is brought in to the play.
Lower order (colloquially the tail) - The batsman who comes to bat between positions 8, 9, 10, and 11 in the batting order is called lower-order batsman. These batsmen have average or poor batting skills as they are the specialist bowlers of the team and sometimes the wicketkeeper, or even debut players if their batting capabilities haven’t proven yet. Commonly called tailenders (tail-enders or tail-ender).
Lunch - The first of the two intervals usually occurs at lunchtime at about 12:30 pm (local time) during a full day's play.
M
Maiden over - An over in which no runs are scored by the bat or a wide or a no-ball. Maiden overs are considered excellent while analyzing the performance of a bowler.
Maker's name - Called defensive batting technique in which player hit the ball with the full face of the bat - 'showing the maker's name to the bowler'. These days, the majority of bats are so brightly decorated that the bowler could perhaps see the maker's name from the end of his run.
Man of the match - An award entitled to the highest-scoring batsman, leading wicket-taker, or best overall performer in a match. He is considered as the most remarkable player who made a maximum impact in a match, awarded with a trophy, cash, or a bottle of champagne.
Manhattan - Also known as the Skyline. Refers to the bar graph of the runs scored off each over in a one-day international match, with dots denoting the overs in which wickets fell. The name is instead applied to a bar graph displaying the number of runs scored in each innings in the whole career of a batsman. As the bars evidently resemble the skyscrapers, which dominate the skyline of Manhattan, thus it is called Manhattan.
Mankad - When the bowler brings his arm round and rather than releasing the ball, runs out the batsman standing on the non-striking end by whipping off the bails. This is a rare dismissal - and typically a warning to the batsman beforehand. This term is derived from Vinoo Mankad's name as he twice dismissed the Australian Bill Brown in this way.
Manufacturer - Typically, the company produces a cricket bat for a batsman. Some popular companies are Kookaburra Sport, Gray-Nicolls, and Sanspareils Greenlands.
Marillier shot - A risky, unconventional, and unusual shot wherein the grip of the bat is reversed and the ball is flicked backward above the batsman’s shoulder for a boundary. This is a contemporary shot in cricket and the single one that sends off the ball exactly behind the wicket-keeper.
Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) - This refers to the cricket club, which holds the Lord’s cricket ground in London NW8. It is the pioneer of the laws of cricket.
Match fixing - When someone bribes players of any team to deliberately play poorly, with the aim of cashing in on bets on the result of the game, it is said to be match-fixing.
Match referee - An official who has the responsibility to ensure that the spirit of the game is upheld. He can put fine on any player or team for unethical play.
Maximum - Refers to a six-run shot played by the batsman. A shot that passes over or touches the boundary without any bounce or rolled on the pitch and scores six runs is called maximum.
Meat of the bat - The thickest spot of the bat, from which the most power is imparted to the ball.
Mecca of cricket - Also called the Home of Cricket generally refers to the Lord's cricket ground.
Medium-pace - Refers to a bowler who bowls slower than a fast bowler, but quicker than a spinner. Speed is significant to the medium-pacer, but they aim to defeat the batsman with the movement of the ball, instead of the speed at which it is bowled. Medium-pacers generally bowl cutters or swing in the air. Their speed lies between 55-70 mph (90-110 km/h).
Michelle - Five or more wickets taken by a bowler in an innings is known as "Michelle".
Mid wicket - A field spot on the leg side, which is a mirror of "extra cover" on the offside.
Middle of the bat - Called the sweet spot of the bat. It is believed that ball hit to the best spot of the bat that imparts maximum power. It helps batsman to deliver the most powerful shots during gameplay.
Middle order - The batsmen batting at a position generally between numbers 5 and 7 in the batting order. Often these batsmen are all-rounders and the wicket-keeper.
Military medium - Medium-pace deliveries lacking the speed to trouble the batsman. Often have critical overtones, signifying the bowling is tedious, innocuous, or no variation. Generally signifies a military regularity and lack of unintentional variation. A good military medium bowler generally pitches the ball on the good line and length in an over that creates difficulties for the batsman to score runs.
Milking (or milk the bowling) - Scoring a stable stream of simple runs at a moderate rate without much risk of getting out, taking advantage of poor bowling or gaps in the field. Generally, it is common while "spin" bowler’s spell in limited-overs matches, due to the circle restrictions.
Mine - Fieldsman generally shouted this term when "calling" a catch. By saying “Mine” one fielder conveys to other fielders that he is in a good position to take the catch. It prevents two fielders from colliding with each other while trying to take the same catch.
Mis-field - When a fielder fails to collect the ball properly, often fumbling a pick-up or dropping a catch, it is termed as Mis-field.
Mullygrubber - Australian generally uses this slang for a poorly executed bowl that bounces twice or more or a ball bowled in such a way that on contact with the ground it does not bounce, but skids along.
N
Negative bowling - A persistent bowling line, generally down the leg-side to stymie the batsman from scoring (especially in Test matches).
Nelson - Refers to 111 runs reached either by a team or an individual batsman. According to superstition, this score is considered unlucky for batsman and team both. It is said that the team or batsman will lose wickets frequently on this score. Similarly, 222 and 333 scores are called Double and Triple Nelson correspondingly.
Nervous nineties - In an innings when batsman reaches the score between 90 and 99, usually get nervous in this period as they are concerned about getting out before reaching a century, it is said to be nervous nineties. The fielding side often positioned an attacking field to raise the psychological pressure on the batsman.
Net run rate (NRR) - A system used to calculate and analyze the team’s performance. It gets the value records to measure the ranking of the team, especially those with similar points in limited-overs. It is the preferred method of breaking ties in multi-team one-day international tournaments. It is calculated by the average run rate scored by one side minus the average run rate scored against them.
Nets - A pitch bounded on three sides by netting, used by batsman and bowler for a practice session.
Nibble - A little movement by the ball off the seam called Nibble.
Nick - Another phrase describes the edge or snick of the bat.
Nightwatchman - In a test match or a first-class match, lower-order player sent in to bat when the light is dimming to play out the remaining overs of the day to keep more valuable batsman for the next day's play.
No - When batsman calls a partner not to run, he screams “no”.
No man's land - The part of the field where a fielder cannot save one run, nor stop a ball to cross a boundary. Seldom used to catch a batsman who mistimed a shot.
No result - The limited over match’s outcome wherein each team does not face the minimum number of overs needed to get a result, usually because of a rain delay. This is typically equivalent to a draw but varies in the recording of some statistics.
No-ball - An illegal ball bowled by a bowler. The batting team is awarded one extra run, the bowler must deliver another ball in the over, and the batsman cannot be out on a no-ball. Generally, a no-ball is given in a condition when the bowler oversteps the crease while delivering the ball, called front-foot no-ball, also bowling a full toss above waist height, or having more than two fielders (not including the wicketkeeper) behind square on the leg side, or breaking the comeback crease in the delivery step.
Non-striker - This refers to the batsman who is standing at the bowling end.
Not out - This term either used to describe a batsman who is playing and has not been out yet, precisely when play has ceased or the umpire calls to turn down an appeal of a fielding side for a wicket.
Nothing shot - An overly-tentative hit by the batsman: neither a dedicated attempt to strike the ball nor a purposeful leave. This often causes an edge, beating the bat, or playing on.
Nurdle - Scoring runs, generally in singles, by making low-risk shots to softly nudge the ball into vacant space of the ground.
O
ODI - A match which is played between two nationalized teams for limited-overs i.e. 50 overs per inning at a single day.
Obstructing the field - An extremely unusual method of dismissal. The batsman is given out by the umpires if they intentionally hinder the fielders by blocking a run-out or stopping a fielder from catching.
Obstruction - When the batsman deliberately blocks or distracts a fielder to stop a catch being made or a run-out being hindered.
Occupying the crease - When batsman stays on a pitch for a long time without scoring many runs, it is said that he “Occupied the crease”. This might frustrate the bowler and the fielders in a timed match, however, the batsman need perfect skills to occupy the crease for long. It is generally prized among opening batsman or when player batting for a draw.
Odds match - A match wherein one team has more players than the other. Generally, the additional players were allowed to ground as well as bat and so the bowling team had more than eleven fielders.
Off break - A type of ball bowled by off-spin bowlers. For a right-handed batsman the off-break ball turn towards the left after bouncing on the pitch. The ball turns from the offside to the leg side of the right-handed batsman.
Off cutter - A kind of ball delivered by fast bowlers in which the bowler makes a small deviation and turns or cuts the ball to the leg side of a right-handed batsman after the ball bounces on the offside. Simply off-break deliveries move into the batsman after hitting the surface.
Off side - For a right-handed batsman who is facing the umpire, the part of the field to his right is known as the offside. For a left-hander who is facing the umpire, the part of the field to his left is known as the offside.
Off spin - A kind of delivery bowled by an off-spin bowler. Off spin balls generally turn from the offside to the leg side for the right-handed batsman. The arm ball and doosra are common variations.
Off the mark - When the batsman played a shot and takes the first run, it is said that he is off the mark. If a batsman dismissed without scoring, it is said that he is failed to get off the mark.
Off theory - A tactic occasionally used by the fielding team. The bowler intends for a line-wide of off stump and most fielders are positioned on the offside. This stops the batsman to play shots on the leg side, whilst most of the offside is covered by fielders. It is done to slow the scoring rate and frustrate the batsmen so that the bowler gets his wicket quickly. It is the antonym of leg theory.
Offer the light - Under the past policy, offering the light was the action of the umpires giving the batsman the option of whether or not to leave the ground during the bad light period. Since 2010, this policy has been canceled and such a decision solely taken by the umpires now.
On a length - This term is used to describe a delivery bowled on a good length.
On side - For a right-handed batsman who is facing the umpire, the area of the field to his left is called the Onside. For a left-handed batsman who is facing the umpire, the area of the field to his right is called the Onside. This phrase is identical to “Leg side”.
On strike - The batsman presently facing the bowling attack is said to be on strike.
On the up - When a batsman plays a shot, generally a drive, to a ball, which is quite short and has already climb to knee height or more as the shot is played, it is said to be On the Up.
One Day International (ODI) - A game in which each side play one innings in a single day. Generally, two teams having international status played with each other in a limited or fixed overs match. Usually, it is a 50 over a game.
One down - A batsman who comes out to bat at number 3 position in the batting order. One of the crucial spots in the team's batting innings.
One short - When a batsman fails to connect with the ground beyond the popping crease and turns back for an extra run.
One-day cricket - An abbreviated form of the game, in which each team bats only one inning, played on a single day; also known as limited-overs cricket.
Opener - A batsman who is specialized in batting at position 1 or 2; These batsmen generally open an innings and have the responsibility to give a good start to the team.
Opening batsman - The batsman who comes out to bat first in the inning. Also known as an opener, an important position in the batting order that can give a good start to the team. The early dismissal of wickets can have a psychosomatic impact on the rest of the team, disturbing their performance with the bat. The opening batsmen are the ones who get the initial experience of the pitch and conditions and must be able to adjust to them quickly.
Opening bowler - One of the two bowlers who start bowling by the new ball in an inning. They are generally the fastest or most aggressive bowlers in the team.
Orthodox - This term either describes shot played in the conventional "textbook" manner and batsman who play in this manner or a left-arm spin bowler spinning the ball with his fingers. This imparts spin in a similar bearing as a right-handed leg-spin bowler.
Out - This term either used to describe the batsman who is dismissed by the bowler, means the batsman lost his wicket or the word occasionally spoken while lifting the index finger by the umpire when answering a call for a wicket in the affirmative.
Out dipper - A dipper, which curves away from the batsman before pitching.
Outfield - The field region lying outside the 30-yard (27 m) circle measured from the middle of the pitch or, less officially, the area of the pitch farthest from the wickets.
Outswing - A delivery, which curves away from the batsman..
Over - The six consecutive legal deliveries bowled by one bowler is defined as completion of one over.
Over rate - It is known as the number of overs bowled in one hour.
Over the wicket - When a right-handed bowler passes to the left of the non-striker's stumps in his run-up and left-handed bowler passes to the right of the non-striker's stumps in his run-up, it is called as over the wicket.
Overarm - This refers to a ball in which the bowler's hand is over shoulder height. When cricket invented all bowlers delivered the ball underarm, where the hand of bowler remain below waist height.
Overpitched delivery - A delivery pitched full but not a yorker, bouncing just before the batsman. Considered a poor ball bowled by any bowler as it becomes easy for the batsman to connect it to the middle of the bat and score maximum. An overpitched ball is generally a half-volley..
Overthrows - The extra runs score because of an errant throw from a fielder. Also called buzzers. Sometimes used mistakenly for any runs scored due to misfielding by the fielder, even the throw itself.
P
Pace bowling (also fast bowling) - A bowling style wherein the delivery is bowled at a high pace, usually over 90 mph (145 km/h). A pace bowler (or paceman) can sometimes provide swing to the ball.
Pad away or pad-play - This term describes hitting the ball away from the wicket by using pads rather than using a bat. This is just possible if the batsman is not at risk of getting out due to leg before wicket, especially when the delivery is pitched on the leg side. At times, batsman uses the pads to strike the ball to eliminate the risk of getting caught by close fielders.
Paddle scoop - A shot in which the batsman scoops the ball over his shoulder to score a boundary either behind the wicketkeeper or in the fine leg area.
Paddle sweep - An extremely fine sweep, nearly just a tickle of the delivery pitched on or outside leg stump.
Pads - Protective equipment wears by batsmen and wicket-keeper to cove the legs.
Pair - If a game has two innings and in both of these, a batsman is dismissed without scoring any run it is said that he has scored a pair.
Part-time bowler (or part-timer) - A player who is generally a skilled batsman (or even a wicketkeeper), not a specialized bowler, but has enough capability to occasionally bowl some overs. Part-timers bowlers are used to providing some variation in the current attack as batsmen are generally not aware of their bowling skills.
Partnership - The number of runs scored between two batsmen before one of them gets out is called a partnership. This also comprises the deliveries faced and the time taken.
Pavilion - The building complex or grandstand where the dressing rooms of players and association’s members or club owning the field are seated. Each pavilion design varies from modest buildings to big imposing infrastructure.
Pea roller - A ball that generally rolls along the ground, generally considered illegal. This delivery confuses the batsman and in some cases, (if pitched inline) will take the batsman wicket.
Peach - A fast bowler bowls a considerably unplayable delivery, generally a good delivery to take batsman wicket or one which is so good that the batsmen cannot even edge.
Pegs - A slang phrase for the stumps.
Perfume ball - This refers to a quick delivery, which passes inches away from the batsman. The ball is so very near to the batsman’s face that it is at times said that they can smell it. These circumstances are only related to bowlers that can bowl hard and fastball.
Pick - In terms of batting, this term describes the batsman’s ability to explicitly understand the mode of delivery which the bowler is about to bowl. In terms of bowling, this term describes that the bowlers lift the seam of the ball to have an excessive advantage.
Pick of the bowlers - The bowler’s performing the best whether throughout an innings or a match is called Pick of the bowlers.
Picket fences - An over in which one run is scored off each ball bowled by a bowler. It looks similar to picket fences 111111, thus the name.
Pie Chucker (or Pie Thrower) - A poor bowler, generally slow to medium pace bowler whose balls are flighted so much that they appear similar like a pie in the air. These deliveries remain easier for the batsman to score maximum runs in the over.
Pinch hitter/Slogger - When a lower-order batsman is promoted up in the batting order to increase the scoring rate, he is said to be pinch hitter or slogger.
Pitch - This term is used to describe:
- Rectangular surface in the middle of the field where most of the actions happen generally made of earth or clay and remain 22 yards in length.
- When a ball bounces before reaching the batsman.
- The place where the delivery pitches.
Pitch (It) Up - When a bowler bowls a delivery on a fuller length.
Pitch map - A diagram displaying, where a number of balls, generally from a particular bowler, have pitched.
Placement - When the ball is hit in such a manner that it bisects or trisects the fielders placed on the field. The ball generally ends up being a four.
Platinum duck - When a player gets out without even facing a ball – most likely run out at the non-striker’s end. Also sometimes said a Diamond Duck.
Play and miss - When a batsman tries to hit the ball but does not make contact is called play and miss.
Playing on - When a batsman manages to strike the ball, but the hit does not take place as desired and the ball moves further on to hit the stumps and the batsman is declared bowled, then it is called as a Play on.
Playing time - This refers to the number of hours or days set for a match to be played between two teams. ODI matches consist of 50 overs and can last for more than six hours. Test cricket is generally played over a duration of 3 to 5 days.
Plumb - When the batsman is noticeably Leg Before Wicket (LBW), even at full speed, he is said to be plumb in front.
Point - A fielding spot square of the batsman's offside.
Point of release - The bowler’s position at the moment when the ball is released.
Pongo - Refers to an extremely high volume of run-making or batting assault. Generally, UK county players use this term.
Popper - A ball, which rises sharply from the pitch when bowled ('pops up').
Popping crease - One of two lines in the pitch defined as being 4 feet in front of and parallel to that end's bowling crease where the stumps are allocated. A batsman needs to have either the bat or some part of his body behind the popping crease or else he is considered out of his ground and is at risk of being dismissed run out or stumped.
Powerplay - This was announced by the ICC in 2005 to try to improve the middle overs of ODI by enforcing the bowling team to take three blocks of overs wherein they need to have extra fielders within the thirty-yard circle. The first Powerplay is mandatory through the initial 10 overs of the innings, the second and third ones, of 5 overs each, can be taken at any time as per the captain’s choice. In rain-hampered games, the duration of the second and third Powerplays is cut down in proportion to the overall reduction.
Pro20 - This term describes the South African form of Twenty20.
Pro40 - Limited overs competition played in England from 1969–2009 by professionals, which had only 40 overs per side.
Projapoti - A ball bowled by a fast bowler in which he minimizes rotation of the ball, causing it to move unevenly in flight. It is based on the identical aerodynamic principles as knuckleball of baseball.
Protected area - The central part of the pitch, generally the rectangular region that runs from the middle of the pitch, two ft. in width and the beginning five ft. from each of the popping creases. According to the rules, running in this region is prohibited for the bowler. The bowler should not cross this region during the follow-through after delivering the ball.
Pull - Refers to the shot, which is played to the leg side to a short-pitched ball bowled by a bowler, generally between mid-wicket and backward square-leg.
Pursuit - This term is used as a synonym of run-chase.
Push - When batsman calling his partner to run fast for two or more runs, it is said to be a push.
Q
Quarter seam - A flush fixed between pieces of leather on the surface of the ball, running at right angles to the core stitched seam.
Quick - Earlier, a quick bowler was one who finished his over in a short time frame. Nowadays, it has been used as a synonym for a fast or pace bowler.
Quick single mean - When both the batsmen run very quickly between the wickets to score a run.
Quota - Refers either to the total number of overs set for a bowler to bowl in any limited-overs match, which is generally 10 overs. In general, total overs in the innings divided by five rounded to next maximum integer.
Quotient (or runs per wicket ratio) - Refers to a way of ranking teams in league tables in professional matches. Competing sides in a tournament are paired on the basis of their level of points and their quotient or Runs per Wicket ratio. It is generally used as a league table tie-breaker in several first-class tournaments. Calculated on the basis of the number of runs scored per wicket lost when batting, divided by the number of runs conceded per wicket taken when bowling. The corresponding term used in the limited-overs game is the net run rate.
R
Rabbit - Also known as Bunny. A player of the team who cannot bat and is picked as a specialist bowler or wicketkeeper, and who almost always bats at number eleven in the batting order. It can even be used to depict a player who often gets dismissed to one bowler.
Rain delay - A halt in match progress because of rain, but not yet a washout.
Rain rule - Any of the different methods to determine which team wins a rain-shortened one-day match. The currently favored method is the Duckworth–Lewis system.
Ramp shot - Called a scoop shot or paddle scoop or Marillier shot or Dilscoop, which has been used by lots of batsmen, however, the first being Dougie Marillier. This shot is played by holding the bat parallel to the pitch with the toe of the bat pointing towards the bowler as the batsman tries to flick the ball over the wicket-keeper's head.
Red cherry - This refers to a brand new ball, which has a bright red cherry color and not been used in the game yet.
Referral - Generally called reviews in cricket. The batting and bowling both can challenge the decision of on-field umpire and get as much as two failed challenges per innings.
Release or point of release - This refers to the instant in the bowling action when the bowler lets go of the ball towards the batsman.
Required run rate - The team batting second needs to score the number of runs per over to beat the opposing team is defined as the required run rate. This phrase is used in limited-overs matches where an exact number of innings are set for the game (also called one-day cricket). To calculate the required run rate, the total number of runs the second batting side requires to win the game is divided by the number of overs remaining in the game.
Reserve day - In a touring schedule, there is a vacant day, which can be used for replaying or reconvening a match, which is washed out. Mostly taking place in the latter stages of main limited-overs tournaments.
Rest day - In the middle of a multiple-day game, there is a non-playing day, usually called rest day. These were previously common, but are rarely seen in the modern era.
Result - The final outcomes of a match, which might be a win/loss, a draw, or a tie. On the other hand, rain delays might lead to an outcome of no result, or a washout might lead to the match being discarded before it starts.
Retire - From batsman point of view taking voluntarily leave from the field during the innings, usually because of injury, is called retire. A batsman who retires through injury/illness ("retired hurt/ill") can be returned in the similar innings at the fall of a wicket, and resume his play where he left off.
Return Crease - Parallel white lines, which points down the pitch, both side of the wickets. A back foot of the bowler must land inside this region or else a no-ball will be called.
Reverse Tang - Also called Reverse Swing or Irish Swing is defined as when the bowler manages to get to the delivery to swing in the air, generally with an older ball as it favors the 'shiny' side.
Reverse sweep - The batsman plays this shot by dropping to one knee and reversing one's hands so that he can swing the ball from leg to off, instead of the more natural off to leg. It is a handy hit to beat conventional fields in a one-day game.
Reverse swing - The art of swinging the ball against how the normal swung ball moves in the air; i.e. "movement away from the rough side". Generally, it might take place with an older ball. Reverse swing can happen due to atmospheric conditions and bowler skills too.
Rib tickler - A ball delivered short of a length, which bounces up higher than expected and hits the batsman in the midriff (generally the side) and strikes several ribs.
Right arm - A bowler bowling the ball with his right hand is, by rules, called a 'right-arm' or 'right arm' bowler.
Right hand - A batsman batting right-handed is a 'right hand' bat.
Ring field - A field that is set mainly to save singles, consisting of fielders in all or most of the main positions forward of the wicket, on or about the fielding circle (or where it would be).
Rip - Refers to the big turn for a spin bowler, particularly a legspinner, using the whole wrist action to impart maximum revolutions on the ball. Shane Warne, often, bowls a lot of "rippers".
Road - Extremely solid and flat pitch, which is good to bat on. Sometimes words like street, highway, etc. are also used in the same context.
Rock - Colloquial phrase for the ball used in cricket.
Rogers - Refers to the second XI of a club or county.
Roll - In cricket, this phrase is used for a heavy rolling device, which flattens the playing surface.
Roller - Kind of cylindrical equipment used to flatten the pitch prior to play or between sessions. Generally, a heavy roller and a light roller are present on the field; usually, the captain of the batting side has the choice to pick one among them.
Rope - Thick strong cord prepared by twisting together strands of hemp, sisal, nylon, or related material, which is used to mark the perimeter of the field. When the ball crosses or hits the rope, a boundary is signaled by an umpire.
Rotate the strike - To look to take singles wherever possible, to make sure that both batsmen are frequently facing deliveries and scoring runs. It is the contrary of farming the strike.
Rough - A part of the pitch which has been scratched and roughened by the bowlers' feet movement as they follow through their runs after delivering the ball, often used as a target by spin bowlers as it provides the ball more random spin and bounces.
Round the wicket - Refers to the bowler’s position relative to the wicket, which means his bowling arm is on the far side of the bowler's body from the wicket - generally to the right of the wicket for a right-arm bowler.
Roundarm bowling - The type of bowling action wherein the bowler's stretched out hand is perpendicular to his body when he releases the ball. Round arm bowling is official in cricket.
Royal Duck - An opening batsman who is out on the first ball he played in an inning is said to be out for royal duck or diamond duck or platinum duck, depending upon the local usage.
Run - This term denotes the unit of scoring and the batsmen’s act to score a run, by running between the wickets.
Run chase - This term either refers to the situation in a game wherein the team batting last has to score a certain number of runs to win, particularly if the time or overs remaining makes the target hard to reach or refers to the effort made by the team batting last to achieve the required runs to win.
Run out - It is generally one of the several ways of dismissal. When the fielder breaks the wicket while the batsman is outside his crease in the process of making a run, the batsman is considered run out.
Run rate - Refers to the total number of runs scored by a batting side in an over. This is even inclusive of all the runs earned from extras.
Run up - Called an approach, which is considered as the bowler’s action before delivering the ball to the batsman. The bowler generally runs up to the pitch to gain momentum and pace before releasing the ball. The approach perhaps differs depending on the type of bowlers.
Runner - A player from the batting team who helps an injured batsman by running between the wickets. Since 2011, runners are not allowed in international cricket, however, can be used at lower grades tournaments.
Runs per wicket ratio - Also known as Quotient, a way of ranking teams in league tables in professional matches. It is calculated as the number of runs scored per wicket lost when batting, divided by the number of runs conceded per wicket taken when bowling. Competing teams in a game are paired on the basis of their level of points with their Run per wicket ratio.
S
Safe - The batsman is safe when in the ground or starting from a position between the popping creases it has made his ground before a fielder can smash the wicket.
Sandshoe crusher - Colloquial phrase for Yorker, a full-pitched delivery generally aimed at the batsman's toes and hits them too.
Sawn off - A batsman who has been mistakenly or unluckily given out by a field umpire.
Scorecard - A tabular arrangement of the most important figures of an innings or match, which includes batsmen's scores, how they were out, extras, number of overs bowled, total score, and bowling statistics.
Scorer - An official person who is responsible to record the score and detailed statistics of the match, typically ball-by-ball.
Scramble seam - Usually bowled by fast bowler where he throws the ball with a different seam position instead of upright.
Seam - This term describes:
- The elevated stitching running around the edges of the ball.
- For a ball to turn off the pitch as it has bounced on its seam.
Seam bowling - A style of bowling which uses the irregular conditions of the ball – especially the elevated seam – to make it turn upon bouncing off the pitch. The cricket ball seam is increased due to its stitching, therefore if the bowler bounces the ball on the seam it perhaps bounces indifferently.
Seamer - This term is used to denote a seam bowler.
Season - The time of each year when cricket is played is called cricket season, which generally varies significantly between countries.
Seed - Refers to quality delivery. Bowling a good Seed down the pitch gives bowlers great confidence.
Selector - Someone who has the responsibility to choose players for a cricket team. Typically, the phrase is used in the context of player selection for national, provincial, and other representative teams at the professional levels of the matches, where a "panel of selectors" acts under the right of the relevant national or provincial cricket organizational body.
Sent in - A team that bats first after losing the toss is said to have been "sent in" by the opposite team’s captain.
Session - A game duration, from start to lunch, lunch to tea, and tea until stumps, is called a session.
Shelled a Dolly - Dropped a very easy catch (Dolly).
Shepherd the strike (also farm the strike) - Strong batsman planned to play the majority of the delivery bowled, generally to prevent a wicket of weaker batting partner. Typically, involves avoiding taking singles early in overs, and trying to get singles late in overs.
Shirtfront - A flat, dead, soul-destroying wicket, which is much-loved of batsmen the world over, and hated by bowlers of all varieties.
Shooter - A delivery, which skids after pitching (i.e. this ball doesn't bounce as high as expected), generally at a faster speed, resulting in a batsman not able to hit the ball cleanly.
Short Stop - A fielder who stands 10-20 meters directly behind the batsman.
Short of a length - This refers to a ball pitching short of the ideal length by the bowler to get a bounce. A short-pitched delivery might blow the batsman because of the bounce.
Short-pitched - A delivery, which bounces relatively close to the bowler. The aim is to make the ball bounce more over waist height (a bouncer). A slow or low-bouncing short-pitched delivery is called a long hop.
Shot - The act of the batsman to hit the ball with his bat.
Shoulder Arms - The term used by the commentator for the method of lifting the bat out of the path of a ball, which the batsman judges to be safely away from his wicket.
Side on - This term is used to describe:
- A side-on bowler has back foot, chest and hips line up towards the batsman at the moment of back foot contact.
- When hip and shoulder of a batsman is facing at ninety degrees to the bowler, a batsman is said to be side-on.
Sightscreen - White-painted board located at the end of the ground at the back of the bowler that offers a clear background to see the ball. Also, the target of a bowler who is having difficulty placing the wicket.
Silly - Prefix added to the name of fielding position to signify that it is very near the bat, e.g. silly mid-on, silly point.
Silly point - A fielding spot, on the offside, square of the batsman's wicket, and very close to the batsman.
Single - One run scored by the batsman by running between the wickets. The batsman needs to run and reach the opposite crease without getting run out to complete a single run.
Single wicket - A one-vs.-one version of cricket, wherein the two contestants bat and bowl against each other, while neutral contestant field for both. Each inning includes a single wicket and a limited number of overs (generally two or three). Now only played casually and not often seen, the format was once extremely popular and played professionally, mainly from 1750-1850.
Sitter - Refers to an easy catch for the fielder, however, if he drops such an easy catch, he is said to have 'dropped a sitter'.
Six (or Sixer) - A shot that passes over or touches the boundary without having bounced or rolled and gives six runs to the batting side.
Skiddy - A fast bowler who usually gets a low-bounce on his delivery is described as skiddy. Its contrary is slingy.
Skier - A mistimed shot, which goes straight up in the air. Playing this shot always has a risk of being caught out. The fielder generally positions himself rightly to take the catch but misses it or drops it. Such a mistake is considered extremely embarrassing for the fielder.
Skipper - An informal phrase for the captain, from the nautical skipper. Occasionally shortened to 'skip', mostly as a nickname.
Skyline - Alternative phrase for Manhattan, which denotes a bar graph of runs scored per over, resembling the Manhattan skyscrapers skyline.
Slash - This refers to a cut, which is played aggressively or maybe recklessly. The cut shot is generally played square on the offside to a short-pitched ball bowled wide of off stump. So-called slash as the batsman makes a "cutting" movement while playing the shot.
Sledging - The act of verbally abusing or disturbing a batsman, in an effort to make him lose focus and give his wicket away. Often offensive, rarely amusing, always a matter of conversation.
Slice - A type of cut shot played by the batsman with the bat making an obtuse angle.
Slider - A wrist spin bowler delivery where backspin is put on the ball.
Slingy - A fast bowler who usually gets a high-bounce on bowling a delivery may be because of their unusual height. Its opposite is skiddy
Slip - A close fielding position behind the batsman, next to the wicket-keeper on the off-side. Commonly two or three fielders are placed in slips for attacking bowling, although there is no restriction and a captain may use more or none. A specialist slip fielder generally called a slipper.
Slip catching cradle - A large part of training equipment, used for practicing the quick-reaction catches required by a fielder in the slips.
Slog - A powerful shot in the air, often hit without showing too much concern for proper technique, generally to score a six.
Slog overs - The final ten overs (especially the last five) in a One-day International match during which batsmen play aggressively to score at a very fast rate.
Slog sweep - A kind of slog wherein a sweep shot hit hard and in the air, over a similar boundary as for a hook. Used solely against spin bowlers.
Slow left armer - Orthodox, left-arm, finger spin bowler; the left-handed alike of an off-spinner.
Slower ball - A medium-pace ball bowled by a fast bowler. Designed to mislead the batsman into playing the ball too early and skiing it to a fielder. Have several deviations.
Snick (also edge) - A slight variation of the ball off the edge of the bat.
Snickometer - A television graphic, used to review on a replay whether or not the batsman has nicked the ball. The graphic put together a slow-motion replay with a sound oscilloscope and is used to review whether a sharp sound was recorded at the same movement as the ball passes the bat. Called snicko as well.
Sniff - A bouncer, which flies very near the nose, looks like the batsman can smell the ball.
Soft hands (batting) (also soft bat) - Batting with soft hands (or playing with a soft bat) signifies holding the bat loosely or with relaxed hands so that it takes up the ball's momentum, which means the ball does not rebound sharply off it when the stroke is played.
Soft hands (fielding) - Catching the ball with soft hands signifies relaxing the hands and follow through the movement of the ball in the air, letting the ball to strike the hands gently instead of bouncing out of the hands.
Specialist - A player picked in the team mainly for a single skill, i.e. not an all-rounder or a wicketkeeper-batsman. Such players can be called specialist batsmen, specialist bowlers, or specialist wicketkeepers.
Spectacles - Alternative term for a pair. From the look of two ducks on the scorecard as 0–0.
Spell - The number of continuous overs a bowler bowls prior to being out of the bowling attack for a while.
Spider Graph (also Wagon Wheel) - A graphical chart which shows the ball’s trajectory from each scoring shot, including its direction, distance traveled, along with elevation and bounces. Each scoring shot is highlighted by a colored line, naturally color-coded by the number of runs from the shot. Some commentators use spider graph or wagon wheel interchangeably, though, the Spider Graph is a more detailed version of the traditional Wagon Wheel graphic.
Spin bowling - A bowling style in which a spin bowler ("spinner") tries to mislead the batsman by imparting spin on the ball using fingers or their wrist both. Spin bowling is quite useful when the ball is moving relatively slow, so most spin bowlers bowl at a speed between 40 and 55 mph.
Spitting Cobra - When a ball bowled by a bowler 'spits' dangerously off a length, generally resulting in the batsman being Badged.
Splice - Refers to the weakest part of the bat i.e. the joint between the handle and the blade of a bat. When the ball hits the splice it is possible to have an easy catch for the fielder.
Square - This term is used to describe:
- On-field position, perpendicular to the pitch’s line; the opposite of fine.
- The region in the center of the ground where the pitches are set.
- An unreal line enlarging the crease to the boundary on the leg side; it is unlawful to have more than two fielders behind square.
Square leg - This term describes:
- A fielding spot on the on-side approximately at right angles to the batsman
- A player fielding at that position
Square-cut - A cut shot played square by the batsman i.e. perpendicular to the bowler's delivery.
Stance (also batting stance) - The batsman’s posture holding his bat when facing a delivery.
Stand (noun) - A synonym that describes partnership.
Standing up - When a Wicket-keeper position himself close to the stumps, when a slow (or, sometimes, medium pace) bowler spell is going on, it is said that the wicket-keeper is standing up.
Start - A batsman gets a start when he successfully prevents being dismissed for very few runs; in Australia, this is usually understood to denote a score of twenty runs. After surviving this initial period and become established, batting usually become easier for the batsman as he gets the rhythm and adapted the playing conditions.
Steaming in - A bowler who is taking a quick run-up to bowl is said to be steaming in.
Sticky dog - A drying wicket, which is very difficult to bat on. Missing in recent years because of the routine covering of pitches.
Sticky wicket - Refers to a difficult wet pitch for batting.
Stock ball - A bowler's expected delivery, minimum risk, little risk of runs, or wickets.
Stock bowler - A bowler whose responsibility is to control the scoring rate of the batting team rather than taking wickets. Usually called ahead to bowl numerous overs at a tight run rate while strike bowlers rest between spells or tries taking wickets from the other end.
Stock delivery or stock ball) - The standard type of delivery by particular bowler; the one he bowls most frequently. Bowlers typically have a single stock delivery and one or more variations in their attack.
Stodger - A batsman playing responsibility to defend the ball and to score at a mediocre rate. This style is prone to offensive comments but gets appreciation for resilience and technique.
Stonewaller - An extreme instance of a blocker.
Straight bat - When batsman held the bat vertically or swung through a vertical arc
Straight up-and-down - Pejorative phrase for a pace- or medium-paced bowler who cannot swing or seam the ball.
Stranded - When batsman hardly misses scoring a century or similar milestone due to the end of the team's innings, instead of getting out, he is said to be stranded on his score.
Strangled - A kind of dismissal whereby a batsman shows a glance that he will play very fine to a leg-side ball, but gets an inside edge and caught by the wicket-keeper.
Street - This refers to a pitch, which is easy for batting and difficult for bowling. Ocassaionaly called a road, highway, etc.
Strike - The position since batsman facing the bowler, as opposite to non-striker. Usually, 'Keep [the] strike', to get runs on the last ball of an over so as to face the initial delivery of the next over.
Strike bowler - This refers to an attacking bowler who has a responsibility to more wickets quickly, rather than restricting the scoring rate of the batting team. Generally, a pace bowler or attacking spinner who bowls in short spells to attacking field settings.
Strike rate -
- In batting perspective, a percentage equivalent to the number of runs scored by a batsman divided by the number of balls faced.
- In the bowling perspective, the average number of balls bowled before a bowler takes a wicket.
Striker - The batsman who is facing the deliveries bowled by a bowler is called a striker.
Stroke - The act of hitting or playing the ball with the bat.
Stump -
- One of the three vertical posts which form the wicket, generally known as an off stump, middle stump, and leg stump.
- A way to dismiss a batsman in which the keeper breaks the wicket with the ball when the batsman is outside the crease but has not attempted a run; or
- In a game lasting more than one day, stumps denotes the end of a day's play when the match is not finished.
Stump-cam - A small TV camera inside the middle stump to offer images of play near the stumps, especially when a batsman is bowled out.
Substitute (cricket) - A player who replaces another player on the fielding side. A substitute fielder follows normal fielding duties but can’t bat, bowl or keep wicket.
Sun ball - A bowling method where the ball is deliberately bowled at a big height and a sluggish speed. This is carried out to interrupt the batsman's field of visualization using the sun's rays, often results in disastrous consequences such as a blunt hit to the head
Sundries - This refers to ‘extra’ runs added to the batting side’s total, which is not the result of the batsman hitting the ball, and so not included in their batting performance. Sundries are generally extra scored by byes, leg byes, wides, and no balls.
Sundry - An extra run scored by or awarded to, a batting side that is not credited to any individual batsman performance. These extra runs are scored other than hitting the ball with the bat. The extras are highlighted discretely on the scorecard and count only on the team's score.
Super Over - A method to break a tie in some limited-overs matches. Each side plays one over more with chosen batsmen (who may previously be dismissed in the main game), or until two wickets have been lost. The team scoring the most runs in their super over wins the match. The rules differ between competitions if the scores are still tied after the super over, then a boundary count is used to decide the result of the match.
Supersub - A cricket phrase for a type of substitute player/player substitution. The supersub was a substitute player who comes on and replaces any player at any point during the match and takes over the substituted player's batting and bowling duties – as distinct from a conventional substitute, who can field but cannot bat, bowl or keep wicket.
Surrey Cut - This term is used to describe any poorly executed shot resulting in an inside edge which narrowly misses hitting the stumps. The shot is also called a Chinese cut, Staffordshire cut, Harrow drive, or French cut.
Sweep - A shot played by the batsman to a good length slow ball bowled by the bowler. The batsman put himself down on one knee and "sweeps" the ball to the leg side.
Sweet spot - The small part on the face of the bat, which generates maximum power for minimum effort when the ball is hit with it. Also called the "middle" or "meat" of the bat. A shot, which is struck with the sweet spot is said to be "well-timed".
Swing - A style of bowling generally used by fast and medium-pace bowlers. The fielding team will polish the ball on one side of the seam only; as the innings carry on, the ball will become worn on one side, but shiny on the other. When the bowler bowls the delivery with the seam upright, the air will travel quickly over the shiny side than the worn side, making the ball swing (curve) in the air. Conventional swing denotes that the ball curves in the air away from the shiny side.
Swish - Quick or sloppy attacking stroke by the batsman.
Switch hit - This shot is played by altering the stance from a right-handed batsman to a left-hander batsman and striking the ball in the "cover area" or changing the stance from a left-hander batsman to a right-handed batsman and striking the ball in the midwicket area. Kevin Pietersen from England first utilized this shot on 17th June 2008 in an ODI match against New Zealand.
T
Tail - Lower order players of the team, who are not known for specialized batting skill. If the tail wags it means the lower order player has performed well to salvage a win
Tail-ender - A player batting at the end of the batting order, generally a skilled bowler or wicket-keeper with relatively poor batting skills.
Tampering - Scratching, scuffing, or else weirdly altering the cricket ball outside of its normal wear and tear. It is usually done by the fielding side to give their bowler an edge so that the ball may get effective spin or seam. This is against the cricketing law.
Take guard - Marking the resting position of the bat on the batting crease with the help of umpire. The batsman usually asks covering leg stump or leg stump and middle stump. This is crucial as it determines the position of the batsman's eyes to play or leave the ball safely.
Tape ball - An ersatz ball for cricket match made by wrapping a tennis ball in electrical tape. Common in unofficial games on the Indian subcontinent.
Target - The score, which the team batting last has to attain to beat the opposing team. The last batting team score must be one run more than what the team batting first scored; or, in limited-overs matches, an adjusted value determined by a rain rule.
Tea - The 2nd of the two intervals during an entire day’s play is called the tea interval, because of its moment at about tea-time. In matches fixed only an afternoon, the tea interval is generally taken between innings.
Teapot - A gesticulation favorite of fast bowlers, mainly the grumpier sort, such as Glenn McGrath and Angus Fraser. Involves having both hands on hips simultaneously, typically in response to a dropped catch, edged boundary, or common misfield.
Teesra - A backspin ball bowled by a finger spin bowler.
Ten-wicket match - A two-innings cricket matches wherein a bowler takes ten or more wickets in total.
Test cricket (also Test match) - The highest level of the cricket matches that last up to five days, with two innings per side. Played between leading international teams, which have been granted Test status.
Testimonial match - The non-competitive game, nowadays commonly in the one-day format, played to raise funds for a player's advantage, or for some other cause. Teams are usually pro-celebrity based or include popular players from overseas or years gone by.
Textbook shot - A shot hit by the batsmen with perfect orthodox technique, accurately as shown in textbooks on batting.
The Ashes - Test series played between two international teams England and Australia.
Third man - Refers to the position behind the wicket-keeper on the off-side, away from the slip and gully region.
Third umpire - Apart from two on-field umpires, there is one off-field umpire called the Third umpire, equipped with a television monitor, who helps the on-field umpires to make the right decision when in doubt.
Through the gate - The gap between bat and pad, which a specialist batsman should keep, closed. Generally, the commentator says “bowled through the gate" which means dismissed with a delivery, which passes between the bat and the pads before striking the wicket.
Throwing - From a bowling perspective, it is an illegal action, in which the bowler’s arm is straightened while releasing the ball. Also called chucking
Tice - An old term for a yorker.
Tickle - When a batsman tries to play a shot, getting an edge that gone to the wicket-keeper or slips is called tickle. Alternatively, a weak shot generally played to third man or fine leg.
Tie - The match result in which both sides' scores are equal and the side batting last is all out; or in a limited-overs match, the allotted overs have been played. This term should not be confused with a draw, wherein neither side wins.
Tied down - A batsman or batting side, which has their run-scoring restricted by the bowling side.
Timber - Refers to stumps made with wood. Get a Bowled out is to have "hit the timber", or just "Timber!"
Time - The call of umpire indicating the end of a session or a day's play. Umpire generally removes the bails from the stumps.
Timed match - A match whose duration depends on fixed time rather than a set number of overs. Timed matches typically have a draw as a potential result, in addition to the win/loss or tie, which can be attained in limited-overs cricket. All first-class matches are now played under a timed format.
Timed out - As per cricket law, an arriving batsman must take guard or his partner must be prepared to face the next delivery, within three minutes after the earlier batsman was declared out. If the arriving batsman does not complete such conditions, then he may be declared out and said that the batsman was timed out.
Timeless match - A match played until both sides have completed their allotted innings or overs, irrespective of how many days are required. Many previously played first-class matches were in a timeless format, but the need for higher scheduling has meant that timeless matches are rarely played today.
Timing - The art of hitting the ball so that it strikes the sweet spot of the bat. A "well-timed" hit imparts a great pace and seems effortless.
Toe-crusher - A yorker delivery bowled with perfect inswing, which aimed at the batsman's toes.
Ton - Refers to a century i.e. 100 runs scored by an individual batsman in one inning.
Tonk - Giving the ball a good wallop, onomatopoeically named after the sound a well-executed hit generates.
Top edge - When a batsman plays a cross-bat shot, the ball generally hit at the top edge of the bat.
Top order - The batsmen who bat in the top four in the batting order. These are usually the most skilled batsmen in the team, having good technique and temperament to continue batting for long periods, generally for hours or a whole day.
Top spin - Forward rotation on the ball that results in a quick pace immediately after pitching.
Topspinner - A wrist-spin bowler delivery bowled to spin 'end-over-end', in the way of travel. Instead of turning, the top spinner picks up pace after pitching.
Toss - The traditional way to flip a coin for deciding which captain will have the right to choose whether to bat or field first.
Tour - An organized journey of matches that needs to travel away from the team's usual base. Used particularly in international cricket to depict the representative team of one country playing a series of matches in another country.
Tour match - Any match played on a tour that does not have complete international status; most usually games played as a warm-up between the traveling international team and a local club or composite team.
Tourist - A cricket team member undertaking a tour.
Track - Another term entitled to the pitch.
Triggerd - When the Umpire gives a Batsman out LBW very quickly without much consideration for any other factor than the ball hitting the pads in front of the wickets than it is said that the batsman is "triggered" or "trig'd" as the Umpire has an inflamed trigger finger, ready to lift it to give the batsman out easily.
Trimmer - Top-notch pace delivery, particularly one that results in a dismissal of a batsman by taking away the bails without hitting the stumps
Trapped - Lazy commentator's or reporters' automatic explanation of a batsman being out lbw that may come into view three or four times in an account of a single inning.
Trundler - Slow, laborious kind of bowler, who thinks he's fast once been fast or is simply aged, fat and unfit and have to be put out to pasture.
Turn - Refers to action in which a batsman grounds the bat at the completion of a run, alter directions, and get ready to take another run. The correct implementation is for the batsman to turn towards the side of the ground the ball was played to so as to judge whether another run is possible. It is also the amount a spin ball alter directions – turns/spins – after striking the pitch. For instance, "That leg-spin turned a lot."
Turn blind - When batsman facing to the side of the field turns away from that to which the ball was played, criticized as it raises the risk of a run-out.
Tweaker - An informal (usually affectionate) phrase for a spin bowler.
Twelfth man - A substitute player (and drinks waiter) for the chosen eleven. If called upon to play, the twelfth man is allowed to field wherever required, but can neither bat nor bowl.
Twenty20 (or T20) - A limited-overs cricket variation in which each side has one innings with a maximum length of twenty overs.
Two - Call of a batsman for a possible two runs, requiring his team-mate to commit to a fast turn.
Two-paced - A wicket, which is starting to break up, generally after three or four days of a Test match, and so produces some balls that leap off a length and others that sneak through at shin-height.
U
Umpire - One of the two officials who manage the on-field matches. They are the ones who make decisions on a cricket field as per the Laws of Cricket, records the ball bowled, and declares when an over is complete.
Umpire Decision Review System (DRS) - A system that allows the fielding captain or the batsmen to ask the third umpire to review the previous decision taken by the standing umpire. The third umpire uses technological aids and checks out all the possibilities before making a last decision. The decision could be in favor of batsman or remain unchanged.
Unbeaten - Refers to Not out
Uncovered pitches - Pitches that were left open to the elements for the period of a match, and so developed a range of characteristics. The weakening of a generation of English batsmen was credited to the decision, in the 1970s, to bring on the covers at the least hint of rain
Under-spin (also back-spin) - A delivery that has a backward rotation in such a manner that after pitching the ball skids on to the batsman or bounces lower or quickly slows down.
Underarm - When a delivery is bowled in such a manner that the hand of the bowler is below the waist level, it is termed as underarm bowling. As per the cricket laws, an underarm ball is not legal unless otherwise acceded before the match.
Unorthodox -
- A shot, which is not in the accepted "textbook" manner, usually with a degree of improvisation.
- A left-arm spinner spinning the ball with his wrist. This imparts turn in the same direction as a right-handed off-spinner.
Unplayable delivery - A ball, which is impossible for the batsman to deal with; used to mean that the batsman was out more through the skill of the bowler than through his own mistake.
Upper Cut - A typical hit played against a short ball or bouncer. The batsman usually makes a cut over his head and the ball goes to the third-man region.
Uppish - A shot, which gains a risky amount of height, opening up the chances of the batsman being caught.
V
V - in the - Between mid-off and mid-on - part of the 'straight bat' from where you can strike the ball without hitting across the line.
Variation - Any ball bowled by the bowler which is not his stock ball (main delivery). It makes the bowling less predictable and generally surprises or deceives the batsman.
Vatta - The term used for a ball bowled with an illegal bowling action in areas of Pakistan and India. Generally, a ball bowled with stone-throwing action as Vatta is derived from Punjabi work “Stone”.
Vee - This term either refers:
- An unmarked, loosely defined V-shaped region on the field at which the batsman stands at the top. The two sides of the "V" go through the mid-off and mid-on areas. Most shots hit this area are straight-batted shots, which don't contain risks with playing across the line.
- Also, it refers to the joint between the lower end of the handle and the blade of the bat, looks like V-shaped.
Village or Village cricket - The level of a game played by the common cricket-watching public. Traditionally applied negatively when the standard of play (mainly from professionals) is very low. For instance, "That shot/dropped catch/bowling was the village".
W
Waft - A loose evasive shot generally played on a delivery that pitched short of a length and well wide of the off stump.
Wag - When the tail-enders (the lower order batsmen) scores more runs than the expectation it is said to have wagged (as an addition of the animal tail metaphor)
Wagon wheel - A graphical chart modeled on the cricket ground, representing favorite scoring regions of a batsman. The term might also be used for the Spider Graph, a similar graphic, which shows similar information in greater detail.
Wait - The call made by one batsman to the other indicating that he should wait before running.
Walk - The batsman’s act of walking off the pitch, knowing or believing that he is out, instead of waiting for an umpire to give him out (avoiding the possibility that the umpire may give him the advantage of the doubt regarding a dismissal if the umpire is not sure about the decision).
Walking in - Fielders will, except fielding close in, usually "walk-in" a few paces just before the delivery in order to be attentive if the ball is hit in their direction.
Walking wicket - Unskilled batsman, particularly tail-enders, who are usually specialist bowlers.
Wash out - A match or a particular day of a match, which is abandoned with either no play or very little play because of rain.
Wearing wicket - The pitch that consists of dry/dead grass on the top (a turf pitch), the soil can be loosened as the players stepping on it during play, and rough, abrasive patches formed. This means the pitch wears or turned outworn, balls landing in these rough regions will grip the surface more and turn more significantly, thereby remain more helpful to spin bowling. Even result in an uneven bounce.
Wicket -
- The three vertical stumps structure that includes two horizontal bails. The batsman's main responsibility is to defend the wicket.
- By getting a batsman dismissed, a bowler is said to take his wicket.
- Term colloquially but wrongly used to refer to the pitch.
Wicket maiden - A maiden over in which the bowler not only offered any run to the batting side but also dismisses their batsman. If two wickets are taken in a maiden over, it is termed a double-wicket maiden, and so on.
Wicket-keeper - A specialized player who stands behind the wicket to catch those balls the batsman does not hit. The wicket-keeper stands immediately behind the wicket ('standing up') to a slow bowler to perform a stumping. To a fast bowler, the wicket-keeper stands 10-20 yards from the wicket ('standing back') to get more time to react. The wicketkeeper carries heavy leather gauntlets to guard his hands and pads like the batsman's on his shins.
Wicket-keeper/batsman - A wicket-keeper who is also a skilled batsman, capable to open the bat or make good scores in the top order.
Wicket-to-wicket (or stump-to-stump) - An imaginary line that connects the two wickets, also a way of straight, un-varied bowling.
Wickets in hand - The number of players left to bat in the inning. For instance, a team, which lost four of its ten wickets is said to 'have six wickets in hand'.
Wide - A delivery, which passes so far from the batsman that he cannot hit it, scores an extra run for the batting team. A wide does not count under the six legal deliveries bowled in each over – an extra ball must be bowled for each wide delivery.
Women's cricket - Cricket played between teams who have only women players. First played in 1745, it was governed separately from men's cricket until 2005. There are nearly no differences in the rules.
Wood - A bowler who consistently takes the wicket of a particular batsman is said to "have the wood" over that player.
Worm - A mounting linear line graph, plotted between the over number (x-axis) vs. runs scored by one side till that particular over or simply the progressive run rate attained by one side (the y-axis) against the over number (x-axis) in a limited-overs match.
Wrist spin - The form of spin bowling in which the revolutions on the ball are imparted via a flick of the wrist, instead of a tweak of the fingers. As a common rule, a right-arm wristspinner's action turns the ball from leg to off, while a left-armer turns the ball from off to leg.
Wrong 'un - This is an Australian term for a googly - a delivery by leg spinner that turns in the opposite direction, i.e. from off to leg.
Wrong foot - When the front foot of the bowler becomes the bowling foot, which makes the delivery bowled off with the wrong foot. The bowler doing this is said to be bowling off with the wrong foot. Though it looks to be an unusual way of bowling, it is not against the cricketing rules. Bowlers utilizing the wrong foot, particularly right-handed bowlers, skip off the right foot before the delivery stride and landing again on the right foot.
Wrong footed - This term is used to describe a player who initially moves either forward or backward to delivery and at the last minute alters the foot being used. This is appropriate for those who do spin bowling. Bowler suddenly changes which foot he uses (back or front) while releasing the ball.
X
XI - Conventional notation representing a cricket team, or 'eleven'.
Xavier Tras - As Extras are not included in a batsman’s individual score, and cricket has a long tradition to provide complete lists of scorer names and initials, the Extras total at times is personified as 'X. Tras' or 'Xavier Tras'. This can signify that 'Xavier Tras' can be the top 'scorer' in an innings.
Y
Yes - Refers to the call from one batsman to his partner, indicating that he should run.
Yips - Mental suffering that affects many sportsmen, mainly "spin" bowlers. It is a mind-block that causes memory loss of player and he generally fails to remember the basics of his game and in the most critical condition, it becomes the reason for the early retirement of players.
Yorker - A full-pitched delivery bowled by the bowler with the aim to hit the batsman's toes and/or the base of the stumps. This delivery can be the most lethal in the match If the ball swings perfectly.
Z
Zooter or Zoota - A flipper ball variation bowled by a leg-break bowler. Usually, 'Zoots' are along the ground without much bounce. This ball is perhaps a myth made up by Shane Warne to make confusion amongst the opposing team.
ZZZZZ's - Floating zzzzz's is what goes on when you look at Bangladesh play Test cricket.
