Cricket glossary
Heard something on commentary or at a cricket ground that made you scratch your head? The Round The Stumps cricket glossary is the perfect tool for everyone, whether you’re a cricket badger or haven’t heard the word ‘cricket’ before in your life (unless in regards to the insect).
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Cricket 101 (The Basics)
Batting Innings
Boundary
When the Batter hits the ball to the edge of the playing area (the Boundary Rope) and the ball is not intercepted by a Fielder.
Depending on how the ball got to the Boundary determines if the Batter scores Four or Six Runs.
A Boundary can also be given off a Bye, Leg Bye, No Ball or Wide if the criteria for scoring a Boundary are met. If a Fielder knocks the ball over the Boundary Rope, the Boundary score is still given.
Fielding
Fielding/Bowling Innings
Four
A Batter automatically scores Four Runs if the Ball makes contact with the Boundary Rope.
Fours can be awarded from Byes, Leg Byes, No Balls and Wides. If a Fielder knocks the Ball into the Boundary Rope, the Batting side will still be awarded Four Runs.
If a Fielder attempts to stop a Four and manages to keep the Ball away from the Boundary Rope, but any part of their body is in contact with the Boundary Rope whilst they are touching the Ball, Four Runs will be given.
Ground
Ground (Batter’s)
The space behind the Popping Crease. So long as a Batsman is behind the Popping Crease they are deemed in their Ground.
Howzat!
Innings
Over
An Over consists of six Legal Deliveries bowled by the same Bowler. It constitutes a period of play, and is the way the length of a Limited Overs match is calculated.
Some Franchises play with the concept of an Over, and an Over that does not consist of six Legal Deliveries is called a Set.
Pitch
Popping Crease
The line running across the Wicket in front of the Stumps. This line is used to determine whether a No Ball has been bowled or whether a Batsman has Made Their Ground.
Return Crease
Run
Six
If the Ball goes over the Boundary Rope without touching the ground inside the Boundary Rope, Six Runs will be awarded.
Sixes can be scored off of Byes, Leg Byes, No Balls and Wides. If a Fielder knocks the Ball over the Boundary Rope and it has not touched the ground within the Boundary Rope, Six Runs will be awarded to the Batting side. This also applies if the Fielder catches the ball on the Boundary Rope, but makes contact with the Boundary Rope whilst taking the Catch.
Wicket (Out)
Wicket (Pitch)
Wicket (Stumps)
What You Need To Play Cricket (Equipment)
Bail
Ball
Bat
Boundary Rope
The white rope or foam pads that surround the circumference of the playing area. The Boundary Rope determines when Boundaries are scored, when the ball is out of play and the edge of the active playing area.
Gloves (Batter)
Gloves (Wicketkeeper)
Pads
Red Ball
Stump
White Ball
The Forms of Cricket
Format
Franchise
Limited Overs
One Day International
Red Ball (Format)
T10
Test
Twenty20
White Ball (Format)
The Who's Who on a Cricket Pitch
Batter
The player with the bat who is responsible for adding Runs to their team’s Innings Total.
There are always two Batters at the Crease at any time the Batting Innings is active: one On Strike and a Non-Striker. The Batters must work together to get Runs for their team. Their Innings comes to an end when they lose their Wicket.
Bowler
The player who bowls the ball at the Batter. A Bowler bowls an Over before they must swap with another Bowler.
Depending on the format, there is a limit to how many Overs a Bowler can bowl. In T20, a Bowler is restricted to 4 Overs, ODI it’s 10 Overs, and in T10 it’s 2 Overs. In Test, there is no limit to how many Overs a Bowler can bowl.
There are two different types of Bowlers: Spin Bowlers and Pace Bowlers (Seamers).
Captain
Fielder
Nightwatchman
Off Strike/Non-Striker
The Batter at the other end of the Crease to the On Strike Batter who is not facing the current Delivery. The Non-Striker stands at the Bowler’s End of the Crease. They cannot score Runs as the Off Strike Batter, but they can still lose their Wicket.
See also: Run Out, Deflected Ball, Mankad and Obstructing the Field.
On Strike
The Batter who is receiving the ball from the Bowler. Any runs accumulated from the Delivery will be attributed to the On Strike Batter unless the Delivery has not come off the Batter‘s bat.
Runs scored off illegal Deliveries (Wides and No Balls) bar the additional Penalty Run are given to the On Strike Batter.
Wicketkeeper
What's That Shot? (The Batting Section)
Bottom Edge
For a Right-Handed Batter, the bottom edge is the left side edge of the bat (the edge that is facing down as the Batter prepares to Strike the ball). For a Left-Handed Batter, the top edge is the right side edge of the bat (the edge that is facing down as the Batter prepares to Strike the ball).
Farming the Strike
Middled
If a Batter has Middled the ball it means the ball has made contact with the centre – the middle – of the bat. This is ideally where the Batter is hitting the ball from, as this allows them to have as much control as they want with where the ball is going and get as much power as they want into the Shot.
Strike Rate
This metric tracks the average number of runs a Batter has scored in an innings. It is a way of determining how aggressively the Batter is hitting the ball. The higher the Strike Rate, the faster scoring the Batter is, therefore the more aggressive the Batting Innings.
The formula to calculate the Strike Rate is: (runs scored/deliveries faced) x 100
Example: if a Batter has scored 37 off 14 deliveries, their Strike Rate is 264 (37/14=2.64, 2.64×100=264).
Toed
When the Batter hits the ball with the bottom of the bat. This part of the bat is also known as the Toe/Toe End. Hitting the ball with the Toe of the bat usually sees the ball pitched higher into the air, and the Batter cannot get as much power through the shot as they would have been aiming for.
Top Edge
For a Right-Handed Batter, the top edge is the right side edge of the bat (the edge that is facing up as the Batter prepares to Strike the ball). For a Left-Handed Batter, the top edge is the left side edge of the bat (the edge that is facing up as the Batter prepares to Strike the ball).
Everything About Bowling
Around the Wicket
Bouncer
Delivery
Dot Ball
Follow Through
Full
Full Toss
Good
Googly
In Swinger
In The Slot
Leg Break
Length
Out Swinger
Over the Wicket
Run Up
Short
Short and Wide
Yorker
Modes of Dismissal
Break the Bails
Deflected Ball
Leg Before Wicket (LBW)
When the ball hits the Batsman without hitting their bat and it is deemed by the Umpire that, had the ball not been obstructed, the ball would have hit the Stumps.
Usually the ball will hit the Front Pad of the Batsman for an LBW decision, but so long as the Batsman has not hit the ball with their bat or glove before it makes contact with the Batsman, LBW can be given.
Three criteria must be met for an LBW decision to be upheld if Reviewed: the pitch point of the ball, the impact point of the ball, and whether it was going on to hit Stumps.
LBW can get a bit complicated, so you can read more about this Dismissal type here.
Mankad
Obstructing the Field
If the Umpire decides that a Batsman‘s actions prevented the Fielding team from getting their Wicket, the Batsman can be given out Obstructing the Field.
Example: a Fielder throws the ball at the Stumps and the Batsman deliberately puts their body between the ball and the Stumps to prevent the Run Out.
Retired
A Batsman whose Wicket was not taken by the opposition team, but who has left the Field and may not return to continue their Batting Innings.
Retired Hurt
If a Batsman has an injury and needs to leave the field to get some medical attention, they must Retire Hurt. A Batsman who has Retired Hurt may continue their Innings at the fall of the next Wicket if they are medically able to do so.
If they do not return at the fall of the next Wicket, they are deemed Retired from the Innings and may not continue their Batting Innings.
Run Out
The Batsman has not made it back behind the Popping Crease before the Bails are taken off the Stumps with the ball. The player can be holding the ball when the Wicket is broken, but if they Break the Wicket without the ball the Run Out is incomplete.
Stumped
The Wicketkeeper takes the Bails off the Stumps whilst the Batsman is out of their Ground.
All In The Field
Clean Catch
Found The Fielder
When a Batsman hits the ball straight into the hands of a Fielder.
This can be in connection with a Soft Dismissal, but also can be used to describe a Batsman being unlucky, because they were looking for a gap but instead Found The Fielder.
Grounded/Grounded Catch
Cricket Slang
Dropped the Dolly
Green
In The Game
Screamer
Also can be used ‘Absolute Screamer’ – this is used to describe a Catch that had no right to be taken. The Fielder has done incredibly well to Dismiss the Batter and deserves all the accolades from their team. An unbelievable Catch that requires multiple replays just to appreciate how good the snatch was.
Sitter
Skipper
Words/Phrases That Fit In None of the Above Sections
Cricket Badger
Someone who is obsessed with the game, knows everything there is to know about cricket from batting techniques to the players with the highest Strike Rate. If you want to know anything that’s worth knowing about cricket, talk to a Cricket Badger; they’ll have all the information you need and be more than happy to talk about it.