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Cricket Glossary
Learn the language of Cricket — answer-first definitions with real examples, beginner to pro.
227 terms
- Direct Hit Run-OutIntermediateA direct hit run-out is when a fielder's throw hits the stumps directly, not relayed through the wicket-keeper. It dismisses a batter who is short of their crease.
- Diving StopIntermediateA diving stop is a fielding technique where the player launches themselves horizontally through the air to stop a ball that is beyond their standing reach, often preventing a certain boundary.
- DLS Method (Duckworth-Lewis-Stern)IntermediateThe Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method sets a fair revised target when rain shortens a limited-overs match. It treats each side's batting as two resources: overs left and wickets in hand. If the team batting second has fewer resources, its target drops in proportion. If it has more, the target rises.
- Dolly (An Easy Catch)BeginnerA dolly is a very easy catch, often a gentle lob that floats straight to a fielder. Batters give one away with a mistimed shot. Dropping a dolly is one of the most painful moments in cricket, so fielders must still watch the ball all the way into their hands.
- DoosraAdvancedThe doosra is an off-spinner's variation that turns the opposite way to the stock off-break, away from a right-handed batter. To pick it, watch the bowler's hand at release. The back of the hand usually faces the batter more than for the off-break. If you cannot read it in the air, play late and watch it off the pitch.
- Dot Ball PercentageIntermediateA dot ball is a delivery a batter scores no runs from, shown as a dot in the scorebook. Dot ball percentage is dot balls divided by balls faced, times 100. A high figure means you are getting stuck, and cutting dots is often the easiest way to lift your strike rate.
- DriveBeginnerIn cricket, a drive is an attacking stroke that sends a full-length ball along the ground in front of the wicket. It uses a straight, full swing of the bat and is unlike a golf drive.
- Driving on the UpIntermediateDriving on the up means driving a ball while it is still rising after the bounce. It is usually a good-length ball that you cannot reach as a half-volley. Keep your head still and over the ball, move your front foot towards its line and present a full, straight face. Punch through with a short, firm finish to keep the ball on the ground.
- Drop and Run (Soft-Hands Single)IntermediateTo drop the ball and run, play a defensive shot with very soft hands so the ball dies a few metres in front of you. Call early and set off as soon as it lands. The fielders have to run in to it. That gives you time to steal a quick single.
- DRS (Decision Review System)BeginnerDRS lets players ask the third umpire to review an on-field decision on whether a batter is out. Only the batter given out can review an out, and only the fielding captain can review a not out. The request is a 'T' sign within 15 seconds. DRS comes from ICC playing conditions, not the Laws of Cricket.
- Edges: Inside, Outside, Thick and LeadingBeginnerAn edge is when the ball hits the side of the bat instead of the face. An outside edge flies towards the keeper and slips. An inside edge deflects towards your pad, stumps or fine leg. A thick edge takes a lot of the edge and a thin or feather edge barely touches it. A leading edge balloons up off the front edge.
- English Willow GradesIntermediateEnglish willow grades describe how the wood in a bat's blade looks, mainly its grain, colour and marks. Higher grades have straighter, more even grain and fewer blemishes. Lower grades show more coloured wood, knots or specks. Each maker uses its own scale. Compare bats by feel and pickup as well as grade.
- Facing Left-Arm Pace (Over and Round the Wicket)IntermediateA left-arm fast bowler bowling over the wicket angles the ball across a right-handed batter, from the leg side towards the slips. The danger ball is the one that swings or seams back in after that angle. Know your off stump, avoid planting your front foot across the line and play straight back down the ground.
- Falling Over to the Off Side (LBW Trap)IntermediateYou fall over and get LBW when your head and weight drift towards the off side as you play. Your front pad ends up across the stumps and the bat has to come round it. Balls swinging or seaming back in then hit the pad in line. Keep your head still and over your front knee.
- False Shot and Control PercentageAdvancedControl percentage is the share of balls on which a batter is judged to be in control of their shot. The test is whether the ball went where the batter meant it to. A false shot is a ball the batter does not control, such as an edge or a play and miss. False shot percentage is the share of balls where that happens.
- Farming the Strike (Batting With the Tail)IntermediateTo farm the strike with tailenders, try to face most of the balls yourself. Take boundaries or twos early in the over. Look for a single off the last ball or two so you keep the strike for the next over. That shields the weaker batter from the bowling.
- Fast Bowling Workload and Back Stress FracturesIntermediateFast bowlers get stress fractures because every delivery puts a big load through the lower back while it bends and twists. Bowling too many overs in a short spell of days, or returning after a break too quickly, can crack bone faster than it heals. Young bowlers, especially in a growth spurt, are at the highest risk.
- Fear of Getting Hit by the BallBeginnerBeing scared of a hard cricket ball is normal. Confidence comes from kit that fits and step-by-step practice that raises the pace slowly. It also comes from learning to watch the ball and get out of its way safely. After a blow, especially to the head, stop and get checked before batting again.
- Filming Your BattingBeginnerFilm your batting from two angles: side-on, square of the wicket, and front-on, from behind the bowler or behind you. Keep the camera still at about hip height, with your whole body, bat and stumps in frame. Film several balls of the same type, and stand behind the netting, never in the line of the ball.
- Finding Gaps in the FieldIntermediateTo find gaps, look at the field before every ball and pick the space you will aim for. Then use the angle of the bat face and soft or firm hands to place the ball there. Hit along the ground into the space between fielders and run hard for the single.
- First-Class and List A CricketBeginnerFirst-class cricket is a match of two innings per side, scheduled for three or more days, between two teams of eleven on natural turf. Tests are the top level of first-class cricket. List A is the one-day version: one innings per side, with at least 40 overs each, at state, county or provincial level or above.
- Fitness for BattingIntermediateBatting fitness means rotational power from the hips and trunk, strong legs for long strides and low positions, and a firm grip. It also means repeated sprints between the wickets and the stamina to keep going through a long innings. Medicine-ball throws, lunges, carries and short shuttle runs with turns all help.
- FlickIntermediateThe flick is an attacking wrist stroke played to a full ball on the leg side. This uses a strong wrist roll to whip the ball to the mid-wicket or square-leg area.
- Flipper (Leg-Spinner's Skidder)AdvancedA flipper is a leg-spinner's variation squeezed out with backspin, so it stays low and skids through quicker than expected. It is usually a little shorter. Batters go back to cut or pull it, then get beaten by the low skid and bowled or trapped LBW.
- Follow-OnBeginnerThe follow-on lets the side that batted first make its opponents bat again straight away when it leads by enough on first innings. The lead needed is at least 200 runs in a match of five days or more, 150 in a three- or four-day match, 100 in a two-day match and 75 in a one-day, two-innings match. Enforcing it is the leading captain's choice, not a requirement.
- FootworkBeginnerFootwork in cricket batting is moving the feet into the best position to play each delivery. Moving quickly and correctly to the pitch of the ball is the basis of all good batting.
- Forward Press Trigger MovementIntermediateA forward press is a small step or weight shift onto the front foot just before the bowler releases the ball. It gets you moving and into line early, especially against spin and on slow pitches. Keep it small so you can still rock back to a short ball.
- Free HitBeginnerA free hit is the delivery after a no ball in one-day and T20 international cricket. On a free hit the batter can only be out run out, hit the ball twice or obstructing the field. As a result, they cannot be bowled, caught, LBW or stumped. The fielding side may not change the field unless the batter on strike changes. If the free hit is itself a wide or no ball, the next ball is also a free hit.
- Front Shoulder Opening EarlyIntermediateWhen your front shoulder opens early, your chest turns towards the bowler before contact. The bat then comes across the line, and drives get sliced, edged or dragged. It often comes from the head falling away or reaching for the ball. Lead with the front shoulder pointing at the ball and keep it there until after contact.
- Front-Foot DefenceBeginnerThe front-foot defence is a defensive batting stroke where the batter strides forward and blocks a good-length ball with a straight, angled bat to keep it down and safe.
- Front-Foot PullAdvancedA front-foot pull is a pull shot played after your front foot has already moved forward. It is used against a ball short of a length that is not quick, often on slower pitches or against medium pace and spin. Clear your front leg towards the leg side, turn your hips and swing through with your weight still forward.
- Full TossBeginnerA full toss is a delivery that reaches the batter without pitching on the ground. Under Law 41.7, any full toss that passes above the batter's waist height is a no-ball. These high full tosses are often called beamers.
- Getting Out of a Batting SlumpIntermediateTo get out of a batting slump, first look at how you have been getting out. A repeated dismissal points to one technical fix. A mix of good balls and bad luck often just needs patience. Go back to basics, bat for time in the nets and judge yourself on balls faced, not runs, until confidence returns.
- GlanceIntermediateThe glance (or leg glance) is a wristy deflection played to a ball on the leg side, angling the bat face to direct the ball fine to leg without force.
- GlideAdvancedThe glide is a delicate deflection played to a full or good-length ball outside off stump. This uses an open bat face to steer the ball fine on the off side between slip and third man.
- Golden DuckBeginnerA golden duck is when a batter is dismissed for zero runs on the very first ball they face in an innings — the most emphatic possible batting failure.
- Good LengthBeginnerA good-length delivery is one that pitches at the spot that forces the batter to be uncertain whether to play off the front foot or the back foot — often the most testing length a bowler can hit.
- GooglyAdvancedA googly is a leg-spinner's wrist-spin delivery that turns the opposite way to the stock ball, toward a right-hander. An identical action disguises it.
- Ground FieldingBeginnerGround fielding is the skill of intercepting, picking up, and controlling cricket balls rolling or bouncing along the ground, forming the majority of fielding actions during a match.
- Half-Century (Fifty)BeginnerA half-century, or fifty, is an individual score of 50 to 99 runs in one innings. Batters usually raise their bat to the crowd and dressing room when they reach it. Once a batter gets to 100, the score counts as a century instead.
- Hand Position on the Bat HandleBeginnerFor most shots, hold the bat with both hands close together, usually in the upper half of the handle. The V shapes between thumb and first finger line up between the splice and the outside edge. Sliding the hands lower gives more control. Holding higher gives more reach and a bigger swing.
- Head PositionBeginnerHead position in batting refers to where and how still the batter's head is during the stroke — keeping the head level, forward-leaning, and over the ball is a universal marker of quality technique.
- Heat, Hydration and Sun Protection in CricketBeginnerTo stay hydrated in a long innings, drink water before, during and after play, and use every drinks break. Wear a hat or helmet, long sleeves and sunscreen. In hot weather, organisers may add extra drinks breaks. Tell someone at once if you feel dizzy, cramp up or feel unusually tired.
- Helicopter ShotAdvancedThe helicopter shot is a power stroke to a full ball or yorker, usually hit through or over the leg side. The bat swings hard through the ball with a strong flick of the bottom hand. It finishes with a big circular follow-through above the head, like a helicopter's blades.
- Hit the Ball TwiceBeginnerYou can hit the ball a second time only to stop it hitting your stumps. If you strike it again on purpose for any other reason, before a fielder touches it. You are out hit the ball twice under Law 34. Even when the second hit is allowed, no runs can be scored from it.
- Hit WicketBeginnerA batter is out hit wicket if they break their own stumps with their bat or body while preparing to play, or playing, the ball. It also applies when they knock the stumps while regaining balance after the shot, or while setting off for their first run. You cannot be out hit wicket off a no ball, but you can be off a wide.
- Holding the Bat Raised (Bat Up at Address)IntermediateSome batters stand with the bat already raised so they do not have to lift it as the ball is bowled. The bat starts near the top of the backlift. That leaves less to do in the short time against fast bowling. It can also cut out a late, jerky pickup and keep the head still.
- Hook ShotIntermediateThe hook shot is an attacking batting stroke played to a short-pitched, rising ball aimed at the body or head — the batter pivots and whips the ball to the leg side, often in front of square.
- How to Score a Cricket Match (Scorebook Basics)BeginnerTo score a cricket match, record every ball in three places: the batter's line, the bowler's analysis and the team total. Use a dot for no runs, a number for runs off the bat, and symbols for wides, no-balls, byes, leg byes and wickets. Acknowledge every umpire signal and check totals with the other scorer often.
- Illegal Bowling Action (Chucking and the 15-Degree Rule)IntermediateThe 15-degree rule is the ICC's limit on elbow straightening for international bowlers. A bowler's elbow may not extend more than 15 degrees from the moment the bowling arm reaches horizontal until the ball is released. The MCC Laws word it differently: the elbow must not straighten once the arm reaches shoulder height.
- In-SwingIntermediateIn-swing is conventional swing bowling where the ball curves in the air from off to leg (in towards the body of a right-handed batter), often targeting the stumps or pads.
- Inside Edge Past the Stumps (French Cut)BeginnerA Chinese cut, also called a French cut or Harrow drive, is an accidental inside edge that sneaks past the stumps. The batter aims a drive or cut through the off side. Instead, the ball clips the inside of the bat, misses the stumps and runs away towards fine leg.
- Inside-Out ShotAdvancedAn inside-out shot hits a ball on the stumps or leg side through the off side, usually over or through extra cover. Move inside the line by stepping towards the leg side, then swing out towards the off side with an open face. It is a common way to score against spin turning into you.
- Jaffa (Unplayable Delivery)BeginnerA jaffa is an outstanding delivery that is almost impossible to play. It might swing late, seam sharply off the pitch or spin a long way and still hit the top of off stump. It usually comes from a fast bowler, but a spinner can bowl one too.
- JudgmentIntermediateJudgment in cricket batting is the ability to quickly decide which deliveries to play and which to leave, choosing the right shot for each ball bowled.
- Junior Cricket Kit: What a Child NeedsBeginnerFor introductory and soft-ball cricket a child needs little more than trainers, sports clothes, a sun hat and a water bottle. For hard-ball cricket they need a bat of the right size, a helmet with a grille, pads, batting gloves and a box. A thigh pad and neck guard are strongly advised. Many clubs lend kit to new juniors.
- Junior Cricket PathwayBeginnerIn England and Wales, young children usually start with All Stars Cricket (ages 5 to 8), then Dynamos Cricket (8 to 11). Junior club cricket for 11 to 16 offers soft-ball and hard-ball options. The age a child moves to a hard ball varies by club and region, and by how ready the child is.
- Junior Fast Bowling Limits (ECB Overs per Spell and Day)BeginnerIn England and Wales, a fast bowler aged 12 or 13 may bowl at most 5 overs per spell and 10 overs per day in hard-ball cricket. Bowlers aged 11 and under may bowl 4 overs per spell and 8 per day. The limits go by the bowler's age, not the age group of the match.
- Kashmir WillowBeginnerKashmir willow is willow grown in the Kashmir region and used for many entry-level and junior bats. It is naturally denser and more durable than English willow but lacks some of its 'ping'. It suits beginners, juniors and soft-ball cricket. English willow is the usual choice for regular hard-ball play.
- Knocking In a Cricket BatBeginnerKnocking in compresses the fibres in a new willow bat so it is less likely to crack against a hard ball. Tap the face and edges with a bat mallet or an old ball in a sock, starting gently and building up. Allow several hours. One major bat maker advises at least 4 to 6 hours.
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