cricket info

cricket
For the insect, see Cricket (insect). For other uses, see Cricket (disambiguation).

A cricket match in progress. The lighter strip is the cricket pitch. The men wearing black trousers on the far right are the umpires.Cricket is a team sport played between two teams of eleven players on each side. It is a bat-and-ball game played on a roughly elliptical grass field, in the centre of which is a hard, flat strip of ground 22 yards (20.12 m) long, called a pitch. At each end of the pitch is a set of wooden stumps, called a wicket.

A player from one team (the bowler) propels a hard, fist-sized leather ball from one wicket towards the other, where a player from the opposing team (the batsman) defends the wicket from the ball with a wooden cricket bat. Another batsman (the "non-striker") stands in an inactive role near the bowler's wicket.

If the batsman hits the ball with his bat, he may run to the other wicket, exchanging places with his partner. This scores a run. While the batting team scores as many runs as it can, members of the bowling team gather the ball and return it to either wicket. If the ball that is thrown by a fielder strikes a wicket while the nearest batsman has not reached safety then the batsman is out, or "dismissed". Other ways in which a batsman can be out include failing to stop the bowled ball from hitting the wicket, or hitting the ball so that a fielder can catch it before it touches the ground.

Once out, a batsman is replaced by the next batsman in the team. As there must always be two batsmen on the field, if and when the tenth batsman is out, the team's turn to bat (innings) is over, and the other team may bat while the first team takes the field. The innings may be restricted to a certain number of balls; this is determined before the match, as is whether each team has one or two innings. At the end of the match, the winner is the team that has scored the most runs. If the game runs out of time before it is finished then it is a draw, even if one team is overwhelmingly winning. Sometimes surprising to those not familiar with the game, this can add interest to one-sided games by giving the team in the worse position an incentive to play for a draw.

Cricket has been an established team sport for several centuries. It originated in its modern form in England and is popular mainly in the present and former members of the Commonwealth. In some countries in South Asia, including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka, cricket is by far the most popular sport. Cricket is also a major sport in England and Wales, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Zimbabwe and the English-speaking countries of the Caribbean, which are collectively known in cricketing parlance as the West Indies. It is also a prominent minor sport in countries as diverse as the Netherlands, Israel, Nepal, and Argentina (see also: International Cricket Council).

The length of the game — a match can last six or more hours a day for up to five days in one form of the game — the numerous intervals for lunch and tea, and the rich terminology are notable aspects that can often confuse those not familiar with the sport. For its fans, the sport and the intense rivalries between top cricketing nations provide passionate entertainment and outstanding sporting achievements. It has even occasionally given rise to diplomatic outrage, the most infamous being the Bodyline series played between England and Australia.

A cricket ball used in Test matches. The white stitching is known as the seam.
As One-Day games are often played under floodlights, a white ball is used to aid visibility.
A Cricket bat, back and front sides
Children playing cricket on a makeshift pitch in a park. It is common in many countries for people to play cricket on such pitches.Objective and summary
Cricket is a bat and ball sport. The objective of the game is to score more runs than the opposing team. A match is divided into innings (always with a terminal "s" in cricket usage) during which one team bats and one team fields.

If, in a two-innings match, the first team to bat is dismissed in their second innings with a combined first- and second-innings score less than the first-innings score of their opponents (a relatively rare occurrence), the match is concluded and they are said to have lost by an innings and n runs, where n is the difference in score between the teams. If the team batting last is dismissed with the scores exactly equal, i.e., they are one run short of their target (an extremely rare occurrence) the match is a tie.

If the match has only a single innings per side, with a set number of deliveries, and the match is temporarily interrupted by bad weather, then a complex mathematical formula known as the Duckworth-Lewis method is often used to recalculate a new target score. A one-day match can be declared a "No-Result" if fewer than a previously agreed number of overs have been bowled by either team. This can occur if an interruption makes a resumption of play impossible, for example an extended period of bad weather or an unruly crowd.

See also: The result in cricket
Laws of cricket
For more details on this topic, see Laws of cricket.
The game is played in accordance with 42 laws of cricket, which have been developed by the Marylebone Cricket Club in discussion with the main cricketing nations. Teams may agree to alter some of the rules for particular games. Other rules supplement the main laws and change them to deal with different circumstances. In particular, there are a number of modifications to the playing structure and fielding position rules that apply to one innings games that are restricted to a set number of fair deliveries.

Players and officials
Players
For more details on this topic, see Cricketer.
A team consists of eleven players. Depending on his primary skills, a player may be classified as a specialist batsman or bowler. A balanced team usually has five or six specialist batsmen and four or five specialist bowlers. One player of the team that is bowling and fielding takes up the role of a wicket-keeper, which is a highly specialised fielding position. A player who excels in both batting and bowling is known as an all-rounder. One who excels as a batsman and wicketkeeper is known as a wicket-keeper/batsman, which some people regard as a type of all-rounder. Occasionally a wicket-keeper may be chosen for their ability as a batsman over another who is more proficient at wicket-keeping, but not as an adept a batsman.

Umpires
For more details on this topic, see Umpire (cricket).
Two on-field umpires preside over a match. One umpire will stand behind the wicket at the end from which the ball is bowled, and adjudicate on most decisions. The other will stand near the fielding position called square leg, which offers a side view of the batsman, and assist on decisions for which he has a better view. In some professional matches, they may refer a decision to an off-field 'third' umpire, who has the assistance of television replays. In international matches an off-field match referee ensures that play is within the laws of cricket and the spirit of the game.

Scorers
For more details on this topic, see Scorer.
Two scorers are appointed, and most often one scorer is provided by each team. The laws of cricket specify that the official scorers are to record all runs scored, wickets taken and (where appropriate) overs bowled. They are to acknowledge signals from the umpire, and to check the accuracy of the score regularly both with each other and, at playing intervals, with the umpires. In practice scorers also keep track of other matters, such as bowlers' analyses, the rate at which the teams bowl their overs, and team statistics such as averages and records. In international and national cricket competitions the media often require notification of records and statistics, so unofficial scorers often keep tally for the broadcast commentators and newspaper journalists. The official scorers occasionally make mistakes, but unlike umpires' mistakes these can be corrected after the event.

The playing field

A standard cricket ground, showing the cricket pitch (brown), close-infield (light green) within 15 yards (13.7 m) of the striking batsman, infield (medium green) inside the white 30 yard (27.4 m) circle, and outfield (dark green), with sight screens beyond the boundary at either end.

A wicket consists of three stumps, upright wooden stakes that are hammered into the ground, topped with two wooden crosspieces, known as the bails.

The standard fielding positions in cricket for a right-handed batsman; the positions are reflected for a left-handed batsman.

A perspective view of the cricket pitch from the bowler's end. The bowler runs in past one side of the wicket at the bowler's end, either 'over' the wicket or 'round' the wicket.

The Cricket pitch dimensions
The cricket field consists of a large circular or oval-shaped grassy ground. There are no fixed dimensions for the field but its diameter usually varies between 450 feet (137 m) to 500 feet (150 m). On most grounds, a rope demarcates the perimeter of the field and is known as the boundary.

The pitch
For more details on this topic, see Cricket pitch.
Most of the action takes place in the centre of this ground, on a rectangular clay strip usually with short grass called the pitch. The pitch measures 10 × 66 feet (3.05 × 20.12 m).

At each end of the pitch three upright wooden stakes, called the stumps, are hammered into the ground. Two wooden crosspieces, known as the bails, sit in grooves atop the stumps, linking each to its neighbour. Each set of three stumps and two bails is collectively known as a wicket. One end of the pitch is designated the batting end where the batsman stands and the other is designated the bowling end where the bowler runs in to bowl. The area of the field on the side of the line joining the wickets where the batsman holds his bat (the right-hand side for a right-handed batsman, the left for a left-hander) is known as the off side, the other as the leg side or on side.

Lines drawn or painted on the pitch are known as creases. Creases are used to adjudicate the dismissals of batsmen and to determine whether a delivery is fair.

Parts of the field
For a one-innings match played over a set number of fair deliveries, there are two additional field markings. A painted oval is made by drawing a semicircle of 30 yards (27.4 m) radius from the centre of each wicket with respect to the breadth of the pitch and joining them with lines parallel, 30 yards (27.4 m) to the length of the pitch. This line, commonly known as the circle, divides the field into an infield and outfield. Two circles of radius 15 yards (13.7 m), centred on each wicket and often marked by dots, define the close-infield. The infield, outfield, and the close-infield are used to enforce fielding restrictions.

Placements of players
For more details on this topic, see Fielding positions in cricket.
The team batting always has two batsmen on the field. One batsman, known as the striker, faces and plays the balls bowled by the bowler. His partner stands at the bowling end and is known as the non-striker.

The fielding team has all eleven of its players on the ground, and at any particular time, one of these will be the bowler. The player designated as bowler must change after every over. The wicket-keeper, who generally acts in that role for the whole match, stands or crouches behind the wicket at the batting end. The captain of the fielding team spreads his remaining nine players — the fielders — around the ground to cover most of the area. Their placement may vary dramatically depending on strategy. Each position on the field has a unique label.

Match structure
The toss
For more details on this topic, see toss (cricket).
On the day of the match, the captains inspect the pitch to determine the type of bowlers whose bowling would be suited for the offered pitch surface and select their eleven players. The two opposing captains then toss a coin. The captain winning the toss may choose either to bat or bowl first.

Overs
Each innings is subdivided into overs. Each over consists of six consecutive legal (see "Extras" for details) deliveries bowled by the same bowler. No bowler is allowed to bowl consecutive overs. After the completion of an over, the bowler takes up a fielding position, while another player takes over the bowling.

After every over, the batting and bowling ends are swapped, and the field positions are adjusted. The umpires swap so the umpire at the bowler's end moves to square leg, and the umpire at square leg moves to the new bowler's end.

End of an innings
For more details on this topic, see End of an innings (Cricket).
An innings is completed if:

Ten out of eleven batsmen are 'out' (dismissed).
A team chasing a given target number of runs to win manages to do so.
The predetermined number of overs are bowled (in a one-day match only, usually 50 overs).
A captain declares his innings closed (this does not apply to one-day limited over matches).
Playing time
For more details on this topic, see Playing time (cricket).
Typically, two innings matches are played over three to five days with at least six hours of cricket being played each day. One innings matches are usually played over one day for six hours or more. There are formal intervals on each day for lunch and tea, and shorter breaks for drinks, where necessary. There is also a short interval between innings.

The game is only played in dry weather. Additionally, as in professional cricket it is common for balls to be bowled at over 90 mph (144 km/h), the game needs to be played in daylight that is good enough for a batsman to be able to see the ball. Play is therefore halted during rain (but not usually drizzle) and when there is bad light. Some one-day games are now played under floodlights, but, apart from a few experimental games in Australia, floodlights are not used in longer games. Professional cricket is usually played outdoors. These requirements mean that in England, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Zimbabwe the game is usually played in the summer. In the West Indies, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh games are played in the winter. In these countries the hurricane and cyclone season coincides with their summers.

Batting and scoring runs
See also: Scoring

Batting
Main articles: Batsman, Batting

The directions in which a right handed batsman intends to send the ball when playing various cricketing shots.Batsmen stand waiting for the ball at the batting crease. The wooden bat that a batsman uses consists of a long handle and a flat surface on one side. If the batsman hits the ball with his bat, it is called a shot (or stroke). If the ball brushes the side of the bat it is called an edge or snick. Shots are named according to the style of swing and the direction in the field to which the batsman desires to hit the ball. Depending on the team's strategy, he may be required to bat defensively in an effort to not get out, or to bat aggressively to score runs quickly.

Batsmen come in to bat in a batting order, which is decided by the team captain. The first two positions, known as "openers", are generally a specialised position, as they face the most hostile bowling (the opposing team's fast bowlers are at their freshest and the ball is new). After that, the team typically bats in descending order of batting skill, the first five or six batsmen usually being the best in the team. After them the all-rounders follow and finally the bowlers (who are usually not known for their batting abilities). This order may be changed at any time during the course of the game for strategic reasons.

Run scoring
For more details on this topic, see Run (cricket).
To score a run, a striker must hit the ball and run to the opposite end of the pitch, while his non-striking partner runs to his end. Both runners must touch the ground behind the popping crease with either his bat or his body to register a run. If the striker hits the ball well enough, the batsmen may double back to score two or more runs. This is known as running between wickets. However, no rule exists whereby the batmsan has to run upon striking the ball. If the batsmen score an odd number of runs, then they will have swapped ends and their roles as striker and non-striker will be reversed for the next ball, unless the most recent ball marks the end of an over.

If a fielder knocks the bails off the stumps with the ball while no batsman is grounded behind the nearest popping crease, the nearest batsman is run out. If the ball goes over the boundary, then four runs are scored, or six if the ball has not bounced.

Extras
For more details on this topic, see Extra (cricket).
Every run scored by the batsmen contributes to the team's total. A team's total also includes a number of runs which are unaccredited to any batsmen. These runs are known as extras, apart from in Australia where they are also called sundries. Extras consist of byes, leg byes, no balls, wides and penalty runs. The former two are runs that can be scored if the batsman misses making contact with bat and ball, and the latter two are types of fouls committed by the bowler. For serious infractions such as tampering with the ball, deliberate time-wasting, and damaging the pitch, the umpires may award penalty extras to the opposition; in each case five runs. Five penalty runs are also awarded if a fielder uses anything other than his body to field the ball, or if the ball hits a protective helmet left on the field by the fielding team. A team need not be batting in order to receive penalty extras.

Bowling and dismissals
Bowling

Darren Gough bowlingMain articles: Bowlers, Bowling, Bowling strategy
A bowler delivers the ball toward the batsmen, using what is known as a bowling action: the elbow may be held at any angle and may bend further, but may not straighten out during the action. If the elbow straightens, it is an illegal throw and the delivery is called a no-ball. Under new cricketing law, after consultation with health experts, the bowler is allowed to straighten his arm 15 degrees or less, if the bowler straightens his or her arm more than 15 degrees it is called a "no ball". This new law came in to prevent injury to bowlers. Usually, the bowler pitches the ball so that it bounces before reaching the batsman. Some part of the bowler's front foot in the delivery stride (that is, the stride when the ball is released) must be behind the popping crease to avoid a no-ball (although the bowler's front foot does not have to be grounded). The ball must also be delivered so it is within the batsman's reach, otherwise it is termed a wide. A wide cannot be called if the batsman hits the ball. A wide or no-ball results in an extra run being added to the batting team's score, and an extra ball being bowled in the over.

The bowler's primary goal is to take wickets; that is, to get a batsman out or dismissed. If a bowler can dismiss the more accomplished batsmen on the opposing team he reduces the opportunity for them to score, as it exposes the less skilful batsmen. Their next task is to limit the numbers of runs scored per over they bowl. This is known as the Economy rate. If a bowler gets a batsman out, he is credited for this achievement. There are two main kinds of bowlers: pace bowlers and spin bowlers.

Dismissal of a batsman
For more details on this topic, see Dismissal (cricket).
A batsman is allowed to bat as long as he does not get out (also known as being dismissed). There are ten ways of being dismissed, some of which are credited as wickets to the bowler, some of which are not credited to any player. If the batsman is dismissed, another player from the batting team replaces him until ten batsmen are out and the innings is over.

Many modes of dismissal require the wicket to be "put down". The wicket is put down if a bail is dislodged from the top of the stumps or a stump is struck out of the ground either with the ball, or by a fielder with the ball in his hand. Of the following ten modes of dismissal, the first six are common, while the last four are technicalities which rarely occur. Briefly, the ten modes are:

Caught — When a fielder catches the ball before the ball bounces and after the batsman has struck it with the bat or it has come into contact with the batsman's glove while it is in contact with the bat handle. The bowler and catcher are both credited. (Law 32)
Bowled — When a delivered ball hits the stumps at the batsman's end, and dislodges one or both of the bails. This happens regardless of whether the batsman has edged the ball onto the stumps or not. The bowler is credited with the dismissal. (Law 30)
Leg before wicket (LBW) — When a delivered ball misses the bat and strikes the batsman's leg or pad, and the umpire judges that the ball would otherwise have struck the stumps. The laws of cricket stipulate certain exceptions in favour of the batsman; for instance, a batsman should not be given out LBW if the place where the ball bounced on the pitch is to the leg-side of the area strictly between the two wickets. The bowler is credited with the dismissal.
Run out — When a fielder, bowler or wicket-keeper removes one or both of the bails with the ball by hitting the stumps whilst a batsman is still running between the two ends. The ball can either hit the stumps directly or the fielder's hand with the ball inside it can be used to dislodge the bails. Such a dismissal is not officially credited to any player, although the identities of the fielder or fielders involved is often noted in brackets on the scorecard.
Stumped — When the batsman leaves his crease in playing a delivery, voluntarily or involuntarily, but the ball goes to the wicket-keeper who uses it to remove one or both of the bails through hitting the bail(s) or the wicket before the batsman has remade his ground. The bowler and wicket-keeper are both credited. This generally requires the keeper to be standing within arm's length of the wicket, which is done mainly to spin bowling. (Law 39)
Hit wicket — When the batsman accidentally knocks the stumps with either the body or the bat, causing one or both of the bails to be dislodged, either in playing a shot or in taking off for the first run. The bowler is credited with the dismissal. (Law 35)
Handled the ball — When the batsman deliberately handles the ball without the permission of the fielding team. No player is credited with the dismissal. (Law 33)
Hit the ball twice — When the batsman deliberately strikes the ball a second time, except for the sole purpose of guarding his wicket. No player is credited with the dismissal. (Law 34)
Obstructing the field — When a batsman deliberately hinders a fielder from attempting to field the ball. No player is credited with the dismissal. (Law 37)
Timed out — When a new batsman takes more than three minutes to take his position in the field to replace a dismissed batsman. (If the delay is even more protracted, the umpires may cause the match to be forfeited.) No player is credited with the dismissal. (Law 31)
Additionally, a batsman may leave the field without being dismissed. For instance, if he is injured or taken ill, this is known as retired hurt or retired ill. The batsman is not out; he may return to bat later in the same innings if sufficiently recovered. Also, an unimpaired batsman may retire, in which case he is treated as being dismissed retired out; no player is credited with the dismissal.

An individual cannot be out — 'bowled', 'caught', 'leg before wicket', 'stumped', or 'hit wicket' off a no ball. He cannot be out — 'bowled', 'caught', 'leg before wicket', or 'hit the ball twice' off a wide.

Some of these modes of dismissal can take place without the bowler bowling a delivery. The batsman who is not on strike may be run out by the bowler if he leaves his crease before the bowler bowls, and a batsman can be out obstructing the field or retired out at any time. Timed out by its nature is a dismissal without a delivery. With all other modes of dismissal, only one batsman can be dismissed per ball bowled. Obstructing the field, Handled the ball, Timed Out and Hit the ball twice dismissals are extremely rare.

Fielding and wicket-keeping

A pair of Wicket Keeping Gloves. The webbing which helps the Wicket Keeper to catch the ball can be seen between the thumb and index fingers.Main articles: Fielder, Fielding strategy
Fielders assist the bowlers to prevent batsmen from scoring too many runs. They do this in two ways: by taking catches to dismiss a batsman, and by intercepting hit balls and returning them to the pitch to attempt run-outs to restrict the scoring of runs.

For more details on this topic, see Wicket-keeper.
The wicket-keeper is a specialist fielder who stands behind the batsman's wicket throughout the game. His primary job is to gather deliveries that the batsman fails to hit, to prevent them running into the outfield, which would enable batsmen to score byes. To this end, he wears special gloves (he is the only fielder allowed to do so) and pads to cover his lower legs. Due to his position directly behind the striker, the wicket-keeper has a good chance of getting a batsman out caught off a fine edge from the bat; thicker edges are typically handled by the "slips" fieldsmen. The wicket-keeper is also the only person who can get a batsman out stumped.

Other roles
Captain
For more details on this topic, see Role of a cricket captain.
The captain's acumen in deciding the strategy is crucial to the team's success. The captain makes a number of important decisions, including setting field positions, alternating the bowlers and taking the toss. The captain's job on the team is very important but can be rather stressful at times. Much blame is placed on a captain when his team loses. However, it is considered an honour to be in such a privileged position and much praise is given to the captain when his team wins. The burden of the captain's duties can interfere with his quality of play considerably, slightly, or not at all, depending on how well he deals with the stress of his position.

A runner
For more details on this topic, see runner (cricket).
In the event of a batsman being fit to bat but too injured to run, he may ask the umpire and the fielding captain for a runner. The runner chosen must, if possible, be a player who has already been given out. After a batsman hits the ball, the runner's only task is to run between the wickets in place of the injured batsman.

Substitutes
For more details on this topic, see Substitute (cricket).
In all forms of cricket, if a player gets injured or becomes ill during a match, a substitute is allowed to field instead of him; though he cannot bowl, bat, or act as a captain or wicket-keeper. Here the substitute is a temporary role and leaves the field once the injured player is fit to return.

For 9 months from July 2005, the ICC trialled the concept of a Super Sub in one-day international (ODI) cricket and some other limited overs competitions. A single full substitution was allowed, with the replaced player not allowed to return to the game. It was discontinued from March 2006.

History
Main article: History of cricket
A basic form of the sport can be traced back to the 13th century, but it may have existed even earlier than that. The game seems to have originated among shepherds and farm workers in the Weald between Kent and Sussex. Written evidence exists of a sport known as creag being played by Prince Edward, the son of Edward I (Longshanks), at Newenden, Kent in 1300.

In 1598, a court case referred to a sport called Creckett being played at the Royal Grammar School, Guildford around 1550. The Oxford English Dictionary gives this as the first recorded instance of cricket in the English language.

A number of words are thought to be possible sources for the term cricket. The name may derive from a term for the cricket bat: old French criquet (meaning a kind of club) or Flemish krick(e) (meaning a stick) or in Old English crycc (meaning a crutch or staff). (The latter is problematic, since Old English 'cc' was palatal in pronunciation in the south and the west midlands, roughly ch, which is how crycc leads to crych and thence crutch; the 'k' sound would be possible in the north, however.) Alternatively, the French criquet apparently derives from the Flemish word krickstoel, which is a long low stool on which one kneels in church and which resembles the long low wicket with two stumps used in early cricket.

During the 17th century, numerous references indicate the growth of cricket in the south-east of England. By the end of the century, it had become an organised activity being played for high stakes and it is possible that the first professionals appeared about that time. We know that a great cricket match with eleven players a side was played for high stakes in Sussex in 1697 and this is the earliest reference we have to cricket in terms of such importance.

See also: History of cricket to 1696; History of cricket 1697 - 1725
The game underwent major development in the 18th Century and had become the national sport of England by the end of the century. Betting played a major part in that development and rich patrons began forming their own "select XIs". Cricket was prominent in London as early as 1707 and large crowds flocked to matches on the Artillery Ground in Finsbury. The Hambledon Club was founded sometime before 1750 and started playing first-class matches in 1756. For the next 30 years until the formation of MCC and the opening of Lord's in 1787, Hambledon was the game's greatest club and its focal point. MCC quickly became the sport's premier club and the custodian of the Laws of Cricket.

See also: History of cricket 1726 - 1815
The 19th Century saw underarm replaced by first roundarm and then overarm bowling. Both developments were accompanied by major controversy. County clubs appeared from 1836 and ultimately formed a County Championship. In 1859, a team of England players went on the first overseas tour (to North America) and 18 years later another England team took part in the first-ever Test Match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground against Australia.

Cricket appeared at one Olympic Games, at Paris in 1900. Olympic cricket lasted only two days and Great Britain is the current Olympic champion.

Cricket entered an epochal era in 1963, when English counties modified the rules to provide a variant match form that produced an expedited result: games with a restricted number of overs per side. This gained widespread popularity and resulted in the birth of one-day international (ODI) matches in 1971. The governing International Cricket Council quickly adopted the new form and held the first ODI Cricket World Cup in 1975. Since then, ODI matches have gained mass spectatorship, at the expense of the longer form of the game and to the consternation of fans who prefer the longer form of the game. As of the early 2000s, however, the longer form of cricket is experiencing a growing resurgence in popularity.

See also: Stoolball
Forms of cricket
There are different types and levels of cricket, but at the international level these are Test cricket, one-day cricket and Twenty20.

Test cricket
Main article: Test cricket
Test cricket is a form of international cricket started in 1877 during the 1876/77 English cricket team's tour of Australia. The first Test match began on 15 March, 1877 and had a timeless format with four balls per over. It ended on 19 March, 1877 with Australia winning by 45 runs.

The Test Cricket Series between England and Australia is called The Ashes, with the trophy being a tiny fragile urn, reputed to hold the ashes of a bail or cricket ball used during the second Test series between the two countries. The tiny urn was presented to the English Cricket Captain, Ivo Bligh, by a group of Melbourne women, following the Test Series win by the England Cricket Team, during the England Cricket Team's Tour of Australia in 1882/83.

Since then, over 1,700 Test matches have been played and the number of Test playing nations has increased to ten with Bangladesh, the most recent nation elevated to Test status, making its debut in 2000. Test matches are two innings per side, usually played over five consecutive days. Tests that are not finished within the allotted time are drawn.

One-day cricket
Main article: One-day international

Muttiah Muralitharan bowls to Adam Gilchrist. One Day International Final between Australia and Sri Lanka at the Gabba (Brisbane Cricket Ground) on Tuesday 14th February, 2006.Limited overs matches, also known as one day cricket or instant cricket, were introduced in the English domestic season of 1963 due to the growing demands for a shorter and more dramatic form of cricket to stem the decline in attendances. One-day, single-innings, matches often took place before this, but the innovation was the limiting of each side's innings to an agreed number of overs (nowadays usually 50). The idea was taken up in the international arena in 1971, during England's tour of Australia, when a match was played on the scheduled fifth day of the rained-off third Test. The one-day game has since become a crowd-pleaser and TV-audience-generator across the globe, hastened in part by the success of the inaugural World Cup in 1975. The abbreviations ODI (One Day International) or sometimes LOI (Limited Overs International) are used for international matches of this type. Important one-day matches, international and domestic, often have two days set aside, the second day being a "reserve" day to allow more chance of the game being completed if a result is not possible on the first day (for instance if play is prevented or interrupted by rain). Innovations have included the introduction of coloured clothing, distinct tournaments, and "day-night" matches (where play extends into the night under floodlights); together with frequent nail-biting finishes and the impossibility of either side opting to play for a draw, these have seen ODI cricket gain many supporters.

Twenty20 Cricket
Main article: Twenty20
Twenty20 Cricket was first played in English domestic cricket in 2003 to popularise first-class cricket and attract more players to the game. Now it has spread to many other countries. A "Twenty20 Game" consists 20 overs per each side, a free-hit after a no-ball is bowled, short boundaries, batting-friendly pitches, and other rules designed to attract crowds. The first men's Twenty 20 international was between Australia and New Zealand in 2005, the first women's Twenty20 international having been between England and New Zealand in 2004.

First-class matches
Main article: First-class cricket
A first-class match is generally defined as a high-level international or domestic match that takes place over at least three days on natural (as opposed to artificial) turf. First-class games are two innings per side. Like Test matches, if the game is not completed over the allotted time then it is drawn. Games where the teams have only one innings each are not first-class (including one-day internationals).

A two-innings match of at least three days duration is granted first-class status only if both teams have first-class status. For example, Test matches, other games between two Test nations, games between two domestic teams deemed first-class in countries holding full membership of the ICC, and games between a Test nation's national side (or a team drawn from a national touring squad) and a first-class domestic team from a Test nation, are usually deemed to be first class. Matches between Kenya, one of the leading associate members of the ICC, and another team adjudjed first-class are usually granted first-class status, but domestic matches in Kenya are not.

Among cricket statisticians, first class cricket is variously deemed to have started in 1660, 1772, 1801, 1815 or 1864. This ongoing controversy is described in the main article.

Other forms of cricket
Main article: Forms of cricket
At lower levels, club cricket is usually played over one to two days, either as a two innings or one innings limited overs match. The game of cricket has also spawned a set of matches with modified rules to attract more fans.

Other variants of the sport are played in areas as diverse as on sandy beaches or on ice. Families and teenagers may play backyard cricket in suburban yards or driveways, typically with an improvised set of rules and often, improvised equipment. Tennis balls, homemade bats and homemade or improvised wickets are often substituted. Sometimes even the rules change where fielders can catch the ball with one hand after one bounce and claim a wicket. Kwik cricket is a form of the sport where the bowler does not have to wait for the batsman to be ready before a delivery, leading to a faster, more exhausting game which is often used in school PE lessons. Indoor cricket is a variant of the game that can be played in a netted, indoor arena.

International structure
Main article: International structure of cricket

ICC member nations. Orange are Test playing nations; green are the associate member nations; and purple are the affiliate member nations.The International Cricket Council (ICC) is the international governing body for cricket. It is headquartered in Dubai and includes representatives of each of the ten Test-playing nations, as well as an elected panel representing non-Test-playing nations.

Each nation has a national cricket board which regulates cricket matches played in their country. The cricket board also selects the national squad and organises home and away tours for the national team.

Nations playing cricket are separated into three tiers depending on the level of cricket infrastructure in that country. At the highest level are the Test-playing nations. They qualify automatically for the quadrennial World Cup matches. A rung lower are the Associate Member nations. The lowermost rung consists of the Affiliate Member nations.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cricket

cricket statistics
Cricket is a sport that generates a large number of statistics.

Statistics are recorded for each player during a match, and aggregated over a career. At the professional level, statistics for Test cricket, one-day internationals, and first-class cricket are recorded separately. However, since Test matches are a form of first-class cricket, a player's first-class statistics will include his Test match statistics - but not vice versa. Nowadays records are also maintained for List A limited over matches. These matches are normally limited over games played domestically at the national level by leading Test nations. Since one-day internationals are a form of List A limited over matches, a player's List A statistics will include his ODI match statistics - but not vice versa.

General statistics
Matches (Mat): Number of matches played.
Catches (Ct): Number of catches taken.
Stumpings (St): Number of stumpings made (as a wicket-keeper).
Batting statistics
Innings (I): The number of innings in which the batsman actually batted.
Not Outs (NO): The number of times the batsman was not out at the conclusion of an innings they batted in.1
Runs (R): The number of runs scored.
Highest Score (HS): The highest score ever made by the batsman.
Batting Average (Ave): The total number of runs divided by the total number of innings in which the batsman was out. Ave = Runs/[I - NO]
Centuries (100): The number of innings in which the batsman scored one hundred runs or more.
Half-centuries (50): The number of innings in which the batsman scored fifty to ninety-nine runs (centuries do not count as half-centuries as well).
Balls Faced (BF): The total number of balls received, including no balls but not including wides.
Strike Rate (SR): The number of runs scored per 100 balls faced. (SR = [100 * Runs]/BF)
1 Batsmen who are not required to bat in a particular innings (due to victory or declaration) are not considered "Not Out" in that innings. Only the player/s who have taken to the crease and remained there until the completion of an innings are marked "Not Out". Batsmen who retire due to injury or illness are also deemed not out [1], retirement for any other reason [2], except in exceptional circumstances [3] are deemed out.

Bowling statistics
Overs (O): The number of overs bowled.
Balls (B): The number of balls bowled. Overs is more traditional, but balls is a more useful statistic because the number of balls per over has varied historically.
Maiden Overs (M): The number of maiden overs (overs in which the bowler conceded zero runs) bowled.
Runs (R): The number of runs conceded.
Wickets (W): The number of wickets taken.
Bowling analysis: A shorthand notation consisting of a bowler's Overs, Maidens, Runs conceded and Wickets taken (in that order), usually for a single innings but sometimes for other periods. For example, an analysis of 10-3-27-2 would indicate that the player bowled ten overs, of which three were maidens, conceded 27 runs and took two wickets.
No balls (Nb): The number of no balls bowled.
Wides (Wd): The number of wides bowled, plus the number of runs conceded from them.
Bowling Average (Ave): The average number of runs conceded per wicket. (Ave = Runs/W)
Economy Rate (Econ): The average number of runs conceded per over. (Econ = 6 * Runs/Balls)
Best Bowling (BB): The bowler's best bowling performance in an innings, defined as firstly the greatest number of wickets, secondly the fewest runs conceded for that number of wickets. (Thus, a performance of 7 for 102 is considered better than one of 6 for 19.)
Five-wickets in an innings (5w): The number of innings in which the bowler took at least five wickets.
Ten-wickets in a match (10w): The number of matches in which the bowler took at least ten wickets; recorded for Tests and first-class matches only.
Strike Rate (SR): The average number of balls bowled per wicket taken. (SR = Balls/W)
Analysis of cricket statistics
Although cricket statistics have been recorded since the late 1800s, they have mostly been regarded by fans in a traditional manner of simply comparing the numbers between players. This contrasts with baseball, which generates a similar profusion of statistical records. Baseball statistics have been studied in greater detail, leading to the field of sabermetrics, which has produced several new statistics expressly designed to give better indications of the relative strengths and values of players.

This sort of detailed analysis has not yet been generally applied to cricket statistics, although some statisticians are beginning to look at cricket with an eye to providing a similar depth of analysis. Professional cricket coaches are using computer records of ball-by-ball play to obtain more detailed statistical analysis of player performances than ever before. However, these analyses have seen little spread into the public knowledge of the fan community.

One example of a proposed new cricket statistic is a figure to better indicate a batsman's value than his batting average. Since the average is somewhat inflated by the presence of any not out innings, some have argued that a more indicative statistic would be the number of runs scored per innings, regardless of whether the batsman was out or not. This statistic is not used by any major media outlets or commentators, perhaps because it fails to account for successful lower-order batsmen who often run out of batting partners.

Dynamic and graphical statistics
The advent of saturation television coverage of professional cricket has provided an impetus to develop new and interesting forms of presenting statistical data to viewers. Television networks have thus invented several new ways of presenting statistics.

These include displaying two-dimensional plots of shot directions and distances on an overhead view of a cricket field, and graphs of run scoring and wicket taking numbers plotted against time or balls bowled over a career or within a match. These graphics can be changed dynamically by computer as statistics evolve during a game.

List of cricket terms
Cricket is a team sport played between two teams of eleven. It is known for its rich terminology. Some terms are often thought to be arcane and humorous by those not familiar with the game.

This is a general glossary of the terminology used in the sport of cricket. Where words in a sentence are also defined elsewhere in this article, they appear in italics. Certain aspects of cricket terminology are explained in more detail in cricket statistics and fielding (cricket).

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cricket
Contents: Top - 0–9 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
Agricultural shot
a swing across the line of the ball (resembling a scything motion) played without much technique. Often one that results in a chunk of the pitch being dug up by the bat. A type of a slog. This term is thought to have originated in the city-country games in Australia, where the farmers normally had less technique, but more power than their city rivals.
All out
when an innings is ended due to ten of the eleven batsmen on the batting side being either dismissed or unable to bat because of injury or illness.
All-round spin
a player who can bowl both wrist spin and finger spin adeptly.
All-rounder
a player adept at batting and bowling, or batting and wicket-keeping.
Anchor
a top-order batsman capable of batting for a long duration throughout the innings. Usually batsman playing at numbers 3 or 4 play such a role, especially if there is a batting collapse. An anchor plays defensively, and is often the top scorer in the innings.
Appeal
the act of a bowler or fielder shouting at the umpire to ask if his last ball took the batsman's wicket. Usually phrased in the form of howzat (how-was-that?).
Approach (cricket)
The motion of the bowler prior to bowling the ball. It is also known as the run-up.
Arm ball
a deceptive delivery bowled by an off spin bowler that is not spun so; unlike the off break, it travels straight on (with the bowler's arm). A particularly good bowler's arm ball might also swing away from the batsman in the air (or in to him when delivered by a left-armer).
Around the wicket
a right-handed bowler passing to the right of the stumps during his bowling action, and vice-versa for left-handed bowlers.
Ashes, the
the perpetual prize in England v Australia Test match series.
At stumps
end of the day's play in a match longer than one day.
B
Back foot
in a batsman's stance the back foot is the foot that is nearer to the stumps. A bowler's front foot is the last foot to contact the ground before the ball is released. The other foot is the back foot. Unless the bowler is bowling off the wrong foot the bowling foot is the back foot.
Back foot contact
is the position of the bowler at the moment when his back foot lands on the ground just prior to delivering the ball.
Back foot shot
a shot played with the batsman's weight on his back foot (i.e. the foot furthest from the bowler).
Back spin
(also under-spin) a delivery which has a rotation backwards so that after pitching it immediately slows down.
Backing up
after a fielder chases the ball, another fielder placed at a further distance also moves into position so that if the fielder mis-fields the ball, the damage done is minimal. Also done to support a fielder receiving a throw from the outfield in case the throw is errant or not caught.
the non-striking batsman leaving his crease during the delivery in order to shorten the distance to complete one run. A batsman "backing up" too far runs the risk of being run out.
Bail
one of the two small pieces of wood that lie on top of the stumps to form the wicket.
Bat
the wooden implement with which the batsman attempts to strike the ball.
Batsman
(also, particularly in women's cricket, bat or batter) a player on the batting side, or a player whose speciality is batting.
Batting
the act and skill of defending one's wicket and scoring runs.
Batting average
the average number of runs scored per innings by a batsman, calculated by dividing the batsman's total runs scored during those innings in question by the number of times the batsman was out. Compare innings average.
Batting end
the end of the pitch at which the striker stands.
Batting innings
the number of games that a player gets to bat in a match. For one-day matches, this usually is less than the number of matches that a player is selected to play; for first-class and Test matches, this may be up to twice the number of matches played.
Batting order
the order in which the batsmen bat, from the openers, through the top order and middle order to the lower order.
BBI or Best
an abbreviation for the best bowling figures (see this) in an innings throughout the entire career of the bowler. It is defined as, firstly, the greatest number of wickets taken, and secondly the fewest runs conceded for that number of wickets. (Thus, a performance of 7 for 102 is considered better than one of 6 for 19.)
Beach cricket
an informal form of the game, obviously cricket played on beaches. This is a common sight in cricket playing Caribbean countries and Australia.
Beamer
a delivery that reaches the batsman at around head height without bouncing. Due to the risk of injury to the batsman, a beamer is an illegal delivery, punishable by a no ball being called. A deliberate beamer being bowled in a match can cause a minor scandal.
Block
A defensive shot;
To play a defensive shot.
Block hole
the area between where the batsman rests his bat to receive a delivery and his toes. It is the target area for a yorker.
Bodyline
a tactic (now suppressed by law changes restricting fielders on the leg side) involving bowling directly at the batsman's body, particularly with close fielders packed on the leg side. The term "Bodyline" is usually used to describe the contentious 1932-33 Ashes Tour. The tactic is often called "fast leg theory" in other contexts.
Bosie or Bosie
See googly
Bouncer
a fast short pitched delivery that rises up near the batsman's head.
Bound
a jump that allows the bowler to transition from the run-up to the back foot contact position.
Boundary
the perimeter of the ground;
four runs. Also used to mention a four and a six collectively;
the rope that demarcates the perimeter of the ground.
Bowled
a mode of a batsman's dismissal. Occurs when a delivery hits the stumps.
Bowled out
of the batting side, to have lost ten out of its eleven batsmen (thus having no more legal batting partnerships). (It has nothing to do with the particular dismissal bowled.)
Bowler
the player on the fielding side who bowls to the batsman.
Bowling
the act of delivering the cricket ball to the batsman.
Bowling action
the set of movements that result in the bowler releasing the ball in the general direction of the batsman.
Bowling analysis
(also called bowling figures) a shorthand statistical notation summarising a bowler's performance.
Bowling average
the average number of runs scored off a bowler for each wicket he has taken. i.e. total runs conceded divided by number of wickets taken.
Bowling end
the end of the pitch from where the bowler bowls.
Bowling foot
the foot on the same side of the body that a bowler holds the ball. For a right handed bowler the bowling foot is the right foot.
Box
an item of kit shaped like a half-shell and worn down the front of a player's (particularly a batsman's) trousers to protect his or her genitalia.
Brace
two wickets taken off two consecutive deliveries.
Break
a suffix used to describe the ball dramatically changing direction after pitching. Implies more movement than the similarly used cut. For example, a leg spinnner will deliver leg breaks (moving from leg to off).
Breaking
the act of dislodging the bails from the stumps.
Buffet bowling
bowling of a very poor quality, such that the batsmen is able to "help himself" to runs.
Bump ball
a delivery that bounces very close to the batsman's foot, after he has played a shot, such that it appears to have come directly from the bat without ground contact. The result is often a crowd catch.
Bumper
obsolete name for a bouncer.
Bunny
see rabbit.
Bye
extras scored in the same way as normal runs when both the batsman and the wicket-keeper miss a legal delivery.
C
Carry
if a hit ball is caught by a fielder on the fly, it is said to have carried. If it bounces just short of the fielder, it is said not to have carried.
Carry the bat
an opener who bats without getting dismissed after the team innings is closed.
Castled
to get a batsman out clean bowled.
Catch
to dismiss a batsman by a fielder catching the ball after the batsman has hit it with his bat but before it hits the ground.
Century
an individual score of over 100 runs, significant landmark for a batsman. Sometimes used ironically to describe a bowler conceding over 100 runs in an innings.
Cherry
Red spots or marks that appear on cricket bats after a wet ball has hit it. Also used to refer to the red cricket ball.
Chest on (also front on)
A chest on bowler has chest and hips aligned towards the batsman at the instant of back foot contact.
A batsman is said to be chest on if his hips and shoulders face the bowler.
Chin music
When a batsman faces a series of bouncers from pace bowlers. Historically, it has been used as a tactic particularly against sub-continental teams because of their inexperience of bouncers.
Chinaman
a left-handed bowler bowling wrist spin (left arm unorthodox). For a right-handed batsman, the ball will move from the off side to the leg side (left to right on the TV screen). Named after Ellis "Puss" Achong, a West Indian left-arm leg-spin bowler of Chinese descent.
Chinese cut (also French cut or Surrey cut)
an inside edge which misses hitting the stumps by a few centimetres.
Chip shot
a shot played by the batsman on a gentle lob trajectory over infielders, allowing the batsman to get one or two runs. A chip shot usually does not go to the outfield.
Chuck
to throw the ball instead of bowling it (i.e. by straightening the elbow during the delivery); also chucker: a bowler who chucks; and chucking: such an illegal bowling action.
(The) Circle
a painted circle (or ellipse), centred in the middle of the pitch, of radius 30 yard (27 m) marked on the field, separating the infield from the outfield, used in policing the fielding regulations for certain one-day versions of the game.
Clean bowled
bowled, without a delivery first hitting the bat or pad.
Close infield
the area enclosed by a painted dotted circle of 15 yard (13.7 m) radius measured from the wicket on each end of the pitch. Used only in ODI matches.
Coil
alternative term for back foot contact.
Collapse
when a batting side loses a number of wickets in a short space of time.
Corridor of uncertainty
a good line. The corridor of uncertainty is a notional narrow area on and just outside a batsman's off stump. If a delivery is in the corridor, it is difficult for a batsman to decide whether to leave the ball, play defensively or play an attacking shot. The term was popularised by former England batsman, now commentator, Geoffrey Boycott.
County cap
awarded by most counties not on a player's first appearance, but at a later stage when it is felt he has "proved himself" as a member of the team; some players never receive one. Worcestershire have now abolished this system and award "colours" to each player on his debut.
County cricket
first-class cricket played between counties of a country (particularly England).
Cow corner
the area of the field (roughly) between deep mid-wicket and wide long-on. So called because few 'legitimate' shots are aimed to this part of the field, so fielders are rarely placed there - leading to the concept that cows could happily graze in that area.
Cow shot
a hard shot, usually in the air, across the line of a full-pitched ball, aiming to hit the ball over the boundary at cow corner, with very little regard to proper technique. Very powerful and a good way of hitting boundary sixes, but must be timed perfectly to avoid being bowled, or either skying the ball or getting a leading edge and so being caught. A type of slog.
Crease
one of several lines on the pitch near the stumps (the "popping crease", the "return crease" and the "bowling crease").
Cricketer
a person who plays cricket.
Cross-bat shot
a shot played with the bat parallel with the ground, such as a cut or a pull.
Crowd catch
a fielder's stop which leads to a roar from the crowd because at first impression it is a dismissal, but which turns out to be not out (because of a no ball or a bump ball).
Cut
a shot played square on the off side to a short-pitched delivery wide of off stump. So called because the batsman makes a "cutting" motion as he plays the shot.
a suffix used to describe the motion off the pitch of a cutter.
Cutter
a break delivery bowled by a fast or medium-pace bowler with similar action to a spin bowler, but at a faster pace. It is usually used in an effort to surprise the batsman, although some medium-pace bowlers use the cutter as their stock (main) delivery.
D
Dead ball
the state of play in between deliveries, in which batsmen may not score runs or be given out.
called when a delivery bounces twice on the pitch before reaching the batsman.
called when the ball is (or is about to be) bowled when the batsman is not yet ready.
called when a bowler aborts his run up without making a delivery.
Death overs
the final 10 overs in a one-day match, in which most bowlers are hit for lots of runs.
Declaration
the act of a captain voluntarily bringing his side's innings to a close, in the belief that their score is now great enough to prevent defeat. Occurs almost exclusively in timed forms of cricket where a draw is a possible result (such as first class cricket), in order that the side declaring have enough time to bowl the opposition out and therefore win.
Delivery
the act of bowling the ball.
Devil's number (also Dreaded number)
a score of 87, regarded as unlucky in Australian cricket. According to Australian superstition, batsmen have a tendency to be dismissed for 87. The superstition is thought to originate from the fact that 87 is 13 runs short of a century. The English equivalent is Nelson.
Diamond duck
a dismissal (for zero) off the first ball of a team's innings (a dismissal off merely the batman's first ball is a golden duck). Also, less commonly, a dismissal for nought (zero), without having faced a ball (usually by being run out). The latter is sometimes referred to as a glass duck. In New Zealand the term for a diamond duck is a "royal golden duck".
Dipper
a delivery bowled with curves into or away from the batsman before pitching.
Dismiss
to get one of the batsmen out so that he must cease batting.
Dolly
a very easy catch.
Doosra
a relatively new off spin delivery developed by Saqlain Mushtaq; the off spin equivalent of the googly, in that it turns the "wrong way". From the Hindi or Urdu for second or other.
Dot ball
a delivery bowled without any runs scored off it, so called because it is recorded in the score book with a single dot.
Draw
a result in timed matches where the team batting last are not all out, but fail to exceed their opponent's total. Not to be confuses with a tie, in which the side batting last is all out with scores level.
Drift
the slight lateral curved-path movement that a spinner extracts while the ball is in flight. Considered very good bowling.
Drive
a powerful shot hit along the ground in a direction between cover point on the off side and mid-wicket on the leg side.
Drop-in Pitch
a temporary pitch that is cultivated off-site from the field which also allows other sports to share the use of the field with less chance of injury to the players.
Duck
a batsman's score of nought (zero), as in "he was out for a duck" or "she hasn't got off her duck yet". Originally called a "duck's egg" because of the "0" shape in the scorebook.
Duck under delivery
a short pitched delivery that appears to be a bouncer, making the striker duck to avoid from being hit; but instead of bouncing high, it has a low bounce which causes the batsman to get dismissed LBW or even bowled.
Duckworth-Lewis method
a mathematically based rule that derives a target score for the side batting second in a rain-affected one-day match.
E
Economy rate
the average number of runs scored per over in the bowler's spell. An economical bowler is one who gives away few runs per over in the context of the game.
Edge (or snick or nick)
a slight deviation of the ball off the edge of the bat. Top, bottom, inside and outside edges denote the four edges of the bat. The notional four edges are due to the bat being either vertical (inside/outside edge), or horizontal (top/bottom edge). See also leading edge.
Extra (also sundry)
a run not attributed to any batsman, such as a bye, wide or no-ball.
F
Fall of wicket ("FoW")
the batting team's score at which a batsman gets out.
Fast bowling (also pace bowling)
a style of bowling in which the ball is delivered at high speeds, typically over 90 mph (145 km/h). Fast bowlers also use swing.
Fast leg theory
A variant of leg theory in which balls are bowled at high speed, aimed at the batsman's body. See Bodyline.
Ferret
an exceptionally poor batsman, even more so than a rabbit. Named because the ferret goes in after the rabbits. Sometimes referred to as a weasel for the same reason. See also walking wicket.
Fielder
a player on the fielding side who is neither the bowler nor the wicket-keeper, in particular one who has just fielded the ball.
Fifer
five or more wickets taken by a bowler in an innings, considered a very good performance. Abbreviated from the usual form of writing bowling statistics, e.g. a bowler who takes 5 wickets and concedes 117 runs is said to have figures of "5 for 117". Sometimes called a "Michelle", in honour of the actress Michelle Pfeiffer.
Fine
of a position on the field, close to the line of the pitch (wicket-to-wicket); the opposite of square.
First-class cricket
the senior form of the game; usually county, state or international. First-class matches consist of two innings per side and are usually played over three or more days.
Flat throw
a ball thrown by the fielder which is almost parallel to the ground. Considered to be a hallmark of good fielding if the throw is also accurate because flat throws travel at a fast pace.
Flat-track bully
a batsman high in the batting order who is very good only when the pitch is not giving the bowlers much help.
Flick
a gentle movement of the wrist to move the bat, often associated with shots on the leg side.
Flight
a delivery which is thrown up at a more arched trajectory by a spinner. Considered to be good bowling. Also loop.
Flipper
a leg spin delivery with under-spin, so it bounces lower than normal, invented by Clarrie Grimmett.
Floater
a delivery bowled by a spinner that travels in a highly arched path appearing to 'float' in the air.
Follow on
the team batting second continuing for their second innings, having fallen short of the "follow on target". The definition of this target has changed over time, but is currently 200 runs behind the first teams score in a 5 day game, 150 runs in a 4 day game, 100 runs in a 3 day event and 75 in a single day.
Follow through
a bowler's or batsman's body actions after bowling/batting to stabilise their body.
Footwork
the necessary (foot) steps that a batsman has to take so as to be at a comfortable distance from where the ball has pitched, just right to hit the ball anywhere he desires, negating any spin or swing that a bowler attempts to extract after bouncing.
Four
a shot that reaches the boundary after bouncing, so called because it scores four runs to the batting side.
Free hit
a penalty given in some forms of cricket when a bowler bowls a no-ball. The bowler must bowl another delivery, and the batsman cannot be out off that delivery (except by being run out).
French cricket
an informal form of the game.
French Cut (also Chinese Cut or Surrey cut)
an inside edge which misses hitting the stumps by a few centimetres.
Front foot
in a batsman's stance the front foot is the foot that is nearer to the bowler. A bowler's front foot is the last foot to contact the ground before the ball is released.
Front foot contact
is the position of the bowler at the moment when his front foot lands on the ground just prior to delivering the ball.
Front-foot shot
a shot played with the batsman's weight on his front foot (i.e. the foot nearest the bowler).
Full length
a delivery that pitches closer to the batsman than a ball pitching on a good length, but further away than a half-volley.
Full toss
a delivery that reaches the batsman on the full, i.e. without bouncing. Usually considered a bad delivery to bowl as the batsman has a lot of time to see the ball and play an attacking shot. Also, it does not have a chance to change direction off the ground, making it the ultimate crime for a spin or seam bowler.
G
Gardening
a batsman prodding at the pitch with his bat between deliveries, either to flatten a bump in the pitch, to soothe his own frazzled nerves or simply to waste time or upset the rhythm of the bowler. Considered facetious.
Gazunder
a delivery that fails to bounce to the expected height after bouncing, thus beating the batsman. From "goes under"
Glance
the shot played very fine behind the batsman on the leg side. A glance is typically played on a short-pitched ball. See also flick.
Golden duck
a dismissal for nought (zero), from the first ball faced in a batsman's innings.
Glove
part of a batsman's kit worn to protect the hands from accidental injury. When a hand is in contact with the bat it is considered part of the bat and so a player can be given out caught to a ball that came off the glove hence "gloved a catch."
Golden pair (also King pair)
a dismissal for nought (zero) runs off the first ball faced in both innings of a two-innings match (such as a Test match or other first-class match).
Good length
the ideal place for a stock delivery to pitch in its trajectory from the bowler to the batsman. It makes the batsman uncertain whether to play a front-foot or back-foot shot. A good length differs from bowler to bowler, based on the type and speed of the bowler.
Googly
a deceptive spinning delivery by a leg spin bowler, also known (particularly in Australia) as the wrong 'un. For a right-hander bowler and a right-handed batsman, a googly will turn from the off side to the leg side. Developed by Bosanquet around 1900, and formerly called a bosie or bosey.
Gouging
causing intentional damage to the pitch or ball.
Grafting
batting defensively with strong emphasis on not getting out, often under difficult conditions.
Grip
the rubber casings used on the handle of the bat. The term is also used to describe how the bowler holds the ball and how the batsman holds the bat.
Groundsman
a person responsible for maintaining the cricket field and preparing the pitch.
(Taking) Guard
the batsman aligning his bat according with a stump (or between stumps) chosen behind him. Typically, the batter marks the position of the bat on the pitch. The marking(s) give the batter an idea as to where s/he is standing in relation to the stumps. See also LBW
Gully
a close fielder near the slip fielders. A fielder standing in Gully is on the imaginary straight line that extends from the corner of batter's popping crease (on the on-side) to the middle stump.
H
Half Century
an individual score of over 50 runs, reasonably significant landmark for a batsman and more so for the lower order and the tail-enders.
Half-tracker
another term for a long hop.
Half-volley
a delivery that bounces just short of the block hole. Usually easy to drive or glance away.
Hat-trick
a bowler taking a wicket off each of three consecutive deliveries that he bowls (whether in the same over or split up in two consecutive overs, or two overs in two different spells, or indeed in two consecutive matches).
Hat-trick ball
a delivery bowled after taking two wickets with the previous two deliveries. The captain will usually set a very attacking field for a hat-trick ball, to maximise the chances of the bowler taking a hat-trick.
Hawk-Eye
a computer-generated graphic showing the probable trajectory of the ball if it were not hindered by the batsman. Used by commentators to estimate whether an lbw decision was correctly made by an umpire, as well as to assess bowlers' deliveries.
Hit wicket
a batsman getting out by dislodging the bails of the wicket behind him either with his bat or body as he tries to play the ball.
Hoik
an unrefined shot played to the leg side usually across the line of the ball.
Hoodoos
A bowler is said to 'have the hoodoos ' on a batsman when they have got them out many times in their career. (See rabbit II.)
Hook
a shot, similar to a pull, but played so that the ball is struck when it is above the batsman's shoulder.
"How's that?" (or "Howzat?")
the cry of a fielding team when appealing, notable because an umpire is not obliged to give the batsman 'out' unless the question is asked.
I
In
of a batsman, presently batting.
In-dipper
a delivery that curves into the batsman before pitching.
In-swing
a delivery that curves into the batsman after pitching.
Infield
the region of the field that lies inside the 30 yard circle (27 m).
Innings
one player's or one team's turn to bat (or bowl). Unlike in baseball, and perhaps somewhat confusingly, in cricket the term "innings" is both singular and plural.
Innings average
an alternative statistic to the batting average, calculated by dividing the batsman's total score over several innings by the number of innings (irrespective of whether the batsman was out or not).
J
Jaffa (also corker)
an exceptionally well bowled, practically unplayable delivery, usually but not always from a fast bowler.
K
King pair (also Golden pair)
a batsman who gets out for zero runs off the first ball he faces in both innings of a two-innings ma