Teach yourself cricket speak

Teach yourself cricket speak

Do you find yourself on a sticky wicket when it comes to cricketing slang?

Part I:
From Jaffa to Wrong'un

Wonder no more, with Part II of our step-by-step guide to all the jargon.

---

BITE

The amount of turn a spinner is able to extract from a particular wicket. And once Murali gets his teeth into you, it is definitely a case of once bitten, twice shy.

---

PAD

A protective covering for the legs of the batsmen and wicketkeeper. If a cricketer ever suggests "Your pad or mine", check what he's after before uttering your reply.

---

MAIDEN

When an over is bowled and no runs are scored from it. Rumoured to take its name from a beautiful woman, who completely bowled over a young cricketer.

---

PLUMB

The perfect lbw. When the ball hits a batsman on the leg directly in front of the stumps. One might also describe it as a peach of a delivery, although a pair is a different thing altogether.

---

CHINAMAN

A deceptive delivery from a left-arm spinner, which fools the batsman into thinking it will spin from off to leg and does the opposite. May cause him to cry: "Well I'm a Dutchman!" Possibly.

---

BLOCK

Defensive batting stroke expertly demonstrated by Geoff Boycott, whose repetitive blocking tactics often sent fielders to sleep, enabling him to cut loose.

---

FULL TOSS

A bowling delivery that reaches the batsman without bouncing - usually despatched for four. Unlike the beamer, which just takes your head off on its way through.

---

GRUBBER

A delivery that keeps low after leaving the bowler's hand. So called because it inches along the ground - and then turns into a butterfly. OK, we made that last bit up.

---

PIE THROWER

An inferior bowler, one who bowls like a clown throwing a pie. Not to be confused with the likes of Merv Hughes and Mike Gatting, who were, of course, famed pie-eaters.

---

SILLY

Any fielding position where you are extremely close to the batsman and in danger of being injured. When the captain orders you to silly mid-off, you know he's got a new favourite.

---

SESSION

A period of play during a match - eg morning, afternoon, evening sessions. If, however, you are a spectator, you will only experience one period - the all-day session.

---

TAIL

Usually refers to the last four batsmen in the order, who are invariably all bowlers. If they play above themselves, the tail is said to wag. Woof woof!

---