Cricket Terms and Grammar Explained

Despite cricket being one of the world’s most popular sports, many of its 2.5 billion fans watch the game without fully understanding all the unique terms and phrases associated with it.

If you’re new to the sport or watch it but are still grasping to comprehend all the vocabulary, we’ve compiled this handy guide to the most commonly used terms and grammar. Learn these and you’ll be speaking fluent Cricketese in no time!

Common Cricket Terms

Bails – The two sticks that lie horizontally across the three wickets. The batsman is declared out if one of these is knocked off when being bowled or run out.

Ball Tampering – The act of changing the physical condition of the ball being bowled by scuffing it, applying something other than sweat or saliva, or pulling at its seams. Such an act is illegal.

Bouncer – A ball that, when bowled, reaches the height of the chest or head of a batsman when reaching the opposite end of the pitch.

Boundary – The edge of the playing field, commonly marked with a rope. The area where the ball must be hit to score a four or six.

Bye – A ball bowled that is missed by both the batsman and the wicketkeeper. This results in a single run given to the score of the batsman.

Catch – When a batter hits the ball and a fielder catches it. This results in a dismissal.

Century – When a batter achieves a score of more than 100 runs.

Crease – The demarcated play area marked by painted white lines at each end of the field.

Cricket Betting – An online resource website to find the best sites that allow users to place bets on cricket.

Declaration – A term used to describe the scenario of a batting team ending their innings before all overs have been bowled or before their last batsman has been dismissed.

Delivery – A term used for the action of bowling the ball.

Duck – When a batsman is dismissed without scoring any runs.

Extra – A single additional run added to the batting team’s score due to a bye or no-ball.

Four – An occurrence where a ball hit by a batsman enters the field before reaching the boundary. When this happens, four runs are scored.

Full Toss – A ball that is bowled and does not strike the pitch before arriving at the batsman.

Golden Duck – When a batsman is dismissed without achieving any runs on the first ball bowled to him.

Half-Century – When a batsman achieves a score of 50 runs or more.

Hat-Trick – A term used when three consecutive wickets are bowled.

Hawk-Eye – The DRS (decision review system) used by third umpires to assist in resolving queried decisions by the umpire or to assist in making a decision.

Infield – A group of fielders placed on the inner circle of the field, usually a short distance from the pitch.

Innings – The period during which a team or individual bats.

LBW (Leg Before Wicket) – A scenario where a batsman’s leg is situated in such a way that the ball would have hit the stumps had the leg not been there. This commonly results in a wicket.

Leg-Side – The side of the playing field that is opposite to the dominant hand of the batsman when facing the opposite side of the pitch (e.g. the left side of the playing field in relation to a right-handed batsman).

Maiden Over – An over in which no runs were scored from the balls bowled.

No-Ball – A bowled ball declared illegal due to the bowler’s foot passing the wide crease or the ball being bowled skew or wide.

ODI (One-Day International) – A format of cricket that takes place in a single day and consists of no more than 50 overs per side.

Off the Mark – Refers to when a batter scores his first run for the match.

Off-Side – The side of the playing field that corresponds to the batsman’s dominant hand when facing the pitch’s opposite side (e.g. the left side of the playing field in relation to a left-handed batsman).

Out for a Duck – Said whenever a batsman is dismissed without scoring any runs.

Over – A period of time during which the bowler delivers six balls to the batsman.

Pitch – The hardened rectangular section in the middle of the field upon which bowling and batting occur.

Run Out – When a batsman is running back to the wicket but a fielder manages to hit the stumps with the ball before the batsman is within his crease. This results in a dismissal.

Runs – The scoring method used for batters when they hit the ball.

Run-Up – The strides a bowler takes before he reaches the crease when bowling a ball.

Shot – When the ball strikes the cricket bat.

Six – When the batsman’s ball passes the boundary without touching the field. When this happens, six runs are scored.

Strike Rate – The number of runs a batsman achieves after facing 100 balls.

Stumps – Three short timber sticks planted vertically at each end of the pitch.

T20 (Twenty20) – The most recent format of cricket that features no more than 20 overs per side and typically concludes in several hours.

Taking a Wicket – Refers to any time a batsman is taken out or dismissed.

Test – The original format of cricket that is commonly played over a number of days—usually between two competing nations.

Umpire – The official who stands at the bowling end of a pitch and enforces game rules.

Wicket (Area) – The area where a batsman stands when playing and the area in which the bowler is required to release the ball when bowling.

Wicket (Item) – The stumps at each end of the pitch upon which the bails sit.

Wicket Keeper – The player situated directly behind the batsman who catches any balls missed by the batsman.

Conclusion

There you have it—the most common terms used in cricket. Whether you’re a casual fan, a hardcore devotee, or perhaps even someone who likes to play the sport, becoming familiar with all the terms above will make it that much more enjoyable.

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