A–Z
Cricket Glossary — 100+ Terms Explained
New to cricket? This glossary covers every term you will hear during a match — from appeal to yorker, explained in plain English for beginners.
A
- All-rounder
- A player who is skilled at both batting and bowling. All-rounders are extremely valuable because they contribute in multiple departments of the game.
- Appeal
- A shout by the fielding side (usually "Howzat!") to ask the umpire whether a batter is out. The umpire cannot give a dismissal unless the fielding side appeals first.
- Arm ball
- A delivery by a spin bowler that does not turn but instead continues straight on with the arm. It is used to surprise batters expecting spin.
- Ashes
- The famous Test cricket series played between England and Australia. The name comes from a satirical obituary published in 1882 after Australia beat England on English soil for the first time.
- Average
- For batters, the total runs scored divided by the number of times dismissed. For bowlers, the total runs conceded divided by wickets taken. A higher batting average and a lower bowling average indicate better performance.
B
- Bail
- One of two small wooden pieces that sit on top of the three stumps to form the wicket. A batter is bowled or run out when at least one bail is dislodged from the stumps.
- Batting average
- The total number of runs a batter has scored divided by the number of times they have been dismissed. It is the most common measure of a batter's consistency.
- Beamer
- A full-toss delivery that reaches the batter at head height without bouncing. Beamers are dangerous and are called no-balls. A bowler can be taken out of the attack for bowling them repeatedly.
- Block hole
- The area on the pitch right at the batter's feet, between the bat and the crease. A yorker targets the block hole and is one of the hardest deliveries to score off.
- Bouncer
- A short-pitched delivery that rises sharply towards the batter's chest or head after bouncing. Bouncers are a key weapon for fast bowlers to unsettle batters.
- Boundary
- The rope or line marking the edge of the playing field. A ball that reaches the boundary along the ground scores four runs; a ball that clears it without bouncing scores six.
- Bowled
- A mode of dismissal where the bowler's delivery hits the stumps and dislodges at least one bail. The batter is out regardless of whether the ball touched the bat or body first.
- Box
- A protective cup worn by batters and wicketkeepers to guard against impact injuries. Also called an abdominal guard.
- Bye
- A run scored when the ball passes the batter without touching the bat or the batter's body and the batters complete a run. Byes are credited to extras, not to the batter.
C
- Carry
- When a ball hit by the batter reaches a fielder without bouncing. A catch is valid only if the ball carries to the fielder.
- Caught
- A dismissal where a fielder catches the ball after it has been hit by the batter's bat or glove, before it touches the ground. It is the most common form of dismissal in cricket.
- Caught behind
- A catch taken by the wicketkeeper. The batter edges or gloves the ball and the keeper takes it cleanly behind the stumps.
- Century
- A score of 100 or more runs by a single batter in one innings. Scoring a century is one of the biggest achievements in cricket.
- Chinaman
- A left-arm wrist spin delivery that turns from off to leg for a right-handed batter. It is the left-arm equivalent of a leg-spinner's stock ball.
- Corridor of uncertainty
- An imaginary channel just outside off stump where the batter is unsure whether to play or leave the ball. Bowling in this area consistently is a hallmark of great fast bowlers.
- Cover drive
- An elegant batting stroke played with a vertical bat to a delivery outside off stump, sending the ball through the cover region. It is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful shots in cricket.
- Crease
- The white lines marked on the pitch. The popping crease (batting crease) is the line a batter must stay behind to avoid being stumped or run out. The bowling crease is where the stumps are placed.
- Cross-seam
- A delivery where the seam of the ball is held perpendicular to the direction of travel. This reduces swing but can cause unpredictable bounce off the pitch.
D
- Dead ball
- A delivery after which no runs can be scored and no dismissals can occur. The umpire calls dead ball in various situations, such as when the ball gets lodged in a batter's clothing. Dead ball rules explained →
- Declaration
- A decision by the batting captain in a Test or first-class match to end their team's innings before all ten wickets have fallen, usually to give their bowlers enough time to bowl out the opposition.
- Dibbly-dobbly
- Informal term for gentle medium-pace bowling that lacks real speed or spin. Despite the name, dibbly-dobbly bowlers can be effective in limited-overs cricket by keeping a tight line.
- DLS method
- The Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method is a mathematical formula used to calculate revised targets in rain-affected limited-overs matches. It considers overs lost and wickets in hand. DLS method explained →
- Dolly
- A very easy catch that a fielder should never drop. Dropping a dolly is considered one of the most embarrassing moments on a cricket field.
- Doosra
- An off-spinner's delivery that turns the opposite way, from leg to off for a right-handed batter. The word means "the other one" in Hindi and Urdu.
- Dot ball
- A delivery from which no run is scored. It is called a dot ball because a single dot is entered in the scorebook.
- DRS
- The Decision Review System allows teams to challenge on-field umpiring decisions using technology like ball-tracking and UltraEdge. Each team typically gets two reviews per innings. What is DRS? →
- Duck
- A score of zero by a batter. A golden duck means the batter was out on the first ball faced. A diamond duck means out without facing a ball, usually by being run out.
E
- Economy rate
- The average number of runs conceded by a bowler per over. A lower economy rate means the bowler is harder to score off. In T20 cricket, an economy under 7 is considered excellent.
- Edge
- When the ball makes contact with the edge of the bat rather than the face. An outside edge goes towards the wicketkeeper or slips; an inside edge goes towards the leg side or onto the stumps.
- Extras
- Runs added to the team's total that are not credited to any batter. Extras include wides, no-balls, byes, and leg byes.
F
- Featherbed
- A flat, slow pitch that offers little assistance to bowlers. Batting on a featherbed is relatively easy, and matches on such pitches often produce high scores.
- Flipper
- A leg-spinner's variation that is squeezed out of the front of the hand, skidding through low and fast. Made famous by Shane Warne.
- Follow-on
- In Test cricket, if the team batting second trails by 200 or more runs (150 in shorter matches), the opposing captain can ask them to bat again immediately. This is called enforcing the follow-on. Follow-on rules explained →
- Free hit
- A delivery after a no-ball on which the batter cannot be dismissed by any means except a run-out. Free hits are awarded in limited-overs cricket and, since 2024, in Test matches too. Free hit rule explained →
- Full toss
- A delivery that reaches the batter without bouncing. A full toss at a comfortable height is usually easy to score off, but above waist height it is called a no-ball.
G
- Golden duck
- When a batter is dismissed on the very first ball they face, scoring zero runs.
- Good length
- A delivery that pitches at a spot where the batter is unsure whether to play forward or back. Bowling a consistent good length is the foundation of accurate bowling.
- Googly
- A leg-spinner's delivery that turns from off to leg instead of the usual leg-to-off direction. It is delivered with a flick of the wrist and is designed to deceive the batter.
- Guard
- The position a batter takes at the crease, aligned with one or more stumps. Common guards include middle stump, leg stump, and middle-and-leg (two-leg).
- Gully
- A fielding position between point and the slips, at an angle of roughly 100 to 120 degrees from the batter. Gully catches often come from cut shots.
H
- Half-century
- A score of 50 or more (but fewer than 100) runs by a single batter in one innings.
- Hat-trick
- When a bowler takes three wickets on three consecutive deliveries. The balls do not have to be in the same over or even the same spell.
- Hawk-Eye
- A ball-tracking technology used in DRS to predict the path of the ball after it struck the batter's pads. It is crucial for LBW decisions.
- Hit wicket
- A dismissal where the batter dislodges the bails with their bat or body while playing a shot or setting off for a run.
- Hoick
- An unorthodox, cross-batted slog across the line, usually aimed at the leg side. It is a high-risk shot often seen in T20 cricket.
I
- Impact player
- An IPL rule allowing each team to substitute one player during an innings from a pool of four designated options. It effectively makes the game 12-a-side. Impact player rule explained →
- Inning(s)
- A team's turn to bat. In Tests each team has two innings; in limited-overs cricket each team bats once. Note: "innings" is used for both singular and plural in cricket.
- Inside edge
- When the ball deflects off the inside (leg-side) edge of the bat. An inside edge onto the stumps results in a bowled dismissal.
- Inswinger
- A delivery that swings through the air from off to leg (towards the batter). Inswingers can trap batters LBW or bowl them behind their pads.
J
- Jaffa
- Slang for an unplayable delivery. A jaffa is typically a ball with perfect line, length, and movement that the batter has no chance of playing.
K
- Keeper
- Short for wicketkeeper, the player who stands behind the stumps to collect the ball. The keeper is the only fielder allowed to wear gloves and leg pads.
- Knuckle ball
- A slower delivery gripped with the knuckles instead of the fingertips. The ball comes out with minimal spin and dips unpredictably, making it hard to time.
L
- LBW
- Leg Before Wicket. A dismissal where the ball would have hit the stumps but struck the batter's body (usually the pads) instead. The umpire considers where the ball pitched, the point of impact, and the projected path. LBW rule explained →
- Leg bye
- A run scored when the ball hits the batter's body (not the bat) and the batters complete a run. The batter must have been attempting a shot or trying to avoid the ball for a leg bye to be awarded.
- Leg cutter
- A fast bowler's delivery that cuts off the pitch from leg to off. It is the seam bowler's equivalent of a leg-spin delivery.
- Leg spin
- A type of spin bowling where the ball is spun with a flick of the wrist, turning from leg to off for a right-handed batter. Famous leg-spinners include Shane Warne and Anil Kumble.
- Length
- Where the ball bounces on the pitch. Descriptions include short, short of a length, good length, full, and yorker length.
- Line
- The horizontal direction of a delivery relative to the stumps. Good line means the ball is aimed at or just outside the off stump.
- Long hop
- A short-pitched delivery that does not bounce high enough to trouble the batter. Long hops are easy to pull or cut and are considered bad bowling.
M
- Maiden over
- An over in which no runs are scored off the bat and no wides or no-balls are bowled. Bowling maiden overs builds pressure on the batting side.
- Mankad
- A run-out at the non-striker's end when the bowler removes the bails before delivering the ball because the non-striker has backed up too far. Now officially just called a run-out under MCC laws. Mankad rule explained →
- Mid-off
- A fielding position on the off side, roughly straight down the pitch from the bowler. Mid-off is a common position for preventing easy singles.
- Mid-on
- A fielding position on the leg side, roughly straight down the pitch from the bowler. It mirrors mid-off on the opposite side.
- Middle order
- Batters who bat at positions 4 through 7. They typically come in when early wickets fall and are expected to stabilise or accelerate the innings.
N
- Nelson
- A superstitious score of 111 (or multiples like 222, 333) believed to be unlucky in cricket, particularly in England. Umpire David Shepherd famously stood on one leg whenever the score reached Nelson.
- Net run rate (NRR)
- A tournament ranking metric calculated as the difference between a team's run rate scored and run rate conceded across all matches. A higher NRR is better.
- New ball
- A brand-new cricket ball taken at the start of an innings. In Tests, the fielding captain can take a new ball after 80 overs. The new ball swings more and bounces higher than an old ball. New ball rules explained →
- Nightwatchman
- A lower-order batter sent in late in the day's play to protect a more skilled batter from having to face difficult bowling conditions near stumps.
- No ball
- An illegal delivery, most commonly caused by the bowler overstepping the popping crease. A no-ball awards one extra run and a free hit in limited-overs cricket. No-ball rules explained →
- Non-striker
- The batter standing at the bowler's end. The non-striker must stay behind the crease until the ball is delivered to avoid being Mankaded.
O
- Obstructing the field
- A dismissal where a batter deliberately blocks or distracts a fielder attempting to run them out or take a catch. Obstructing the field rule →
- Off spin
- A type of spin bowling where the ball turns from off to leg for a right-handed batter. The ball is spun primarily with the fingers rather than the wrist.
- Opener
- One of the two batters who start the innings. Openers face the new ball and must have solid technique and good temperament.
- Out
- When a batter is dismissed. There are ten ways to be given out in cricket, including bowled, caught, LBW, run out, and stumped.
- Outswinger
- A delivery that swings through the air from leg to off (away from the batter). Outswingers tempt the batter to drive and can produce edges to the wicketkeeper or slips.
- Over
- A set of six legal deliveries bowled by one bowler from one end of the pitch. After each over, a different bowler bowls from the other end.
- Over rate
- The number of overs bowled per hour. Teams that bowl too slowly face penalties including fines and fielding restrictions. Over rate penalties explained →
P
- Pace bowling
- Bowling at high speed, typically above 130 km/h. Pace bowlers use speed, bounce, swing, and seam movement to dismiss batters.
- Partnership
- The total runs scored between two batters while they are batting together. A strong partnership can rescue or build an innings.
- Pitch
- The 22-yard strip of prepared ground in the centre of the field where the bowler delivers the ball. Pitch conditions significantly affect how the ball behaves.
- Pitch map
- A visual graphic showing where each delivery has landed on the pitch. Pitch maps are commonly used in TV broadcasts and match analysis.
- Powerplay
- A phase of play in limited-overs cricket with fielding restrictions. During the powerplay, only two fielders are allowed outside the 30-yard circle, encouraging aggressive batting. Powerplay rules explained →
- Pull shot
- A cross-batted shot played to a short-pitched delivery, hitting the ball to the leg side between midwicket and square leg.
R
- Required run rate
- The number of runs per over that the chasing team needs to score to win. It is calculated by dividing the remaining runs needed by the remaining overs.
- Reverse swing
- When an old ball swings in the opposite direction to conventional swing. One side of the ball is kept rough and dry while the other is left smooth. The ball moves towards the rough side.
- Run out
- A dismissal where a fielder breaks the wicket with the ball while the batter is outside the crease during an attempted run. Run out vs stumping explained →
- Run rate
- The average number of runs scored per over. In limited-overs cricket, maintaining a healthy run rate is essential for setting or chasing targets.
S
- Seam
- The raised stitching running around the middle of a cricket ball. Seam bowlers use the seam to make the ball deviate off the pitch.
- Shooter
- A delivery that stays very low after pitching, skidding along the ground. Shooters are rare but almost impossible to play.
- Silly point
- A close-in fielding position on the off side, very near the batter. Fielders at silly point typically wear a helmet and shin guards.
- Single
- One run scored by the batters running between the wickets. Quick singles and rotating the strike are essential skills in limited-overs cricket.
- Sixer
- A shot that clears the boundary without bouncing, scoring six runs. In Hindi cricket commentary, a sixer is the most celebrated shot.
- Sledging
- Verbal taunting or trash talk by fielders aimed at distracting or unsettling the batter. Sledging is a controversial part of cricket culture.
- Slip
- A fielding position behind the batter on the off side, next to the wicketkeeper. First slip, second slip, and third slip form the slip cordon for catching edges.
- Spin
- A type of bowling where the ball is given rotation by the fingers or wrist, causing it to turn after pitching. The two main types are off-spin and leg-spin.
- Square leg
- A fielding position on the leg side, at right angles to the pitch. The square leg umpire stands near this position.
- Stock ball
- A bowler's main delivery that they bowl most frequently. A good stock ball is consistent in line and length and difficult to score off.
- Strike rate
- For batters, the number of runs scored per 100 balls faced. For bowlers, the number of balls bowled per wicket taken. Higher batting strike rate and lower bowling strike rate are better.
- Stumped
- A dismissal by the wicketkeeper who removes the bails while the batter is outside the crease and not attempting a run. Stumpings are most common against spin bowlers. Run out vs stumping explained →
- Stumps
- The three vertical wooden posts that form the wicket. The stumps are called off stump, middle stump, and leg stump.
- Super Over
- A tie-breaking method where each team bats one over. The team that scores more runs in the Super Over wins the match. Super Over rules explained →
- Swing
- The lateral movement of the ball through the air before it bounces. Swing bowling is most effective with a new ball and in overcast, humid conditions.
T
- T20
- Twenty20 cricket, the shortest international format where each team bats for 20 overs. T20 matches usually last about three hours and are known for aggressive, high-scoring batting.
- Tail-ender
- A batter who bats in the lower order (positions 8 to 11), typically a specialist bowler with limited batting ability.
- Test match
- The longest format of cricket, played over up to five days with each team batting twice. Test cricket is considered the highest standard and ultimate test of skill and endurance.
- Third umpire
- An off-field umpire who reviews decisions using TV replays and technology. The third umpire checks run-outs, stumpings, catches, and boundaries. Third umpire review process →
- Timed out
- A dismissal where an incoming batter fails to reach the crease within the allotted time (currently two minutes in Tests and 90 seconds in limited-overs cricket). Timed out dismissal explained →
- Ton
- Informal term for a century (100 runs). A double ton is 200 runs, and a triple ton is 300 runs.
- Tonk
- Slang for hitting the ball hard and aggressively, especially in limited-overs cricket.
- Top edge
- When the ball strikes the top edge of the bat and balloons into the air. Top edges off pull shots are a common source of catches.
- Toss
- A coin flip before the match where the winning captain decides whether to bat or field first. Pitch and weather conditions heavily influence the toss decision.
- Twelfth man
- The substitute fielder who carries drinks and can field in place of an injured player but cannot bat or bowl.
U
- Umpire
- The on-field official who enforces the rules, makes decisions on dismissals, and signals runs and extras. Two on-field umpires and one third umpire officiate international matches.
- Umpire's call
- A DRS outcome where ball-tracking shows the ball is only marginally hitting the stumps. In this case, the on-field umpire's original decision stands.
V
- Viper
- Short for Virtual Eye Pitch Report, a broadcast technology that analyses the pitch and predicts how it will play during a match.
W
- Wagon wheel
- A circular graphic showing the direction and distance of every scoring shot played by a batter. It helps analysts understand a batter's strengths and weaknesses.
- Wicket
- Has three meanings in cricket: (1) the set of three stumps and two bails, (2) a dismissal ("taking a wicket"), or (3) the pitch itself ("a good wicket to bat on").
- Wide
- A delivery judged too far from the batter for them to play a normal cricket shot. A wide awards one extra run and the ball must be bowled again. Wide ball rules explained →
Y
- Yorker
- A delivery that pitches right at the batter's feet, in the block hole between bat and crease. Yorkers are extremely difficult to score off and are a death-overs weapon in T20 cricket.
Z
- Zooter
- A leg-spinner's variation that skids through low and fast without much turn, similar to a flipper but with a different grip. Its existence as a distinct delivery is debated among cricket experts.