Key Cricket Terms Explained

The game of cricket has existed for hundreds of years, yet the terminology used in the game is constantly changing and evolving. For somebody less familiar with cricket, it can be difficult to navigate the language of the sport, with plenty of alien terms being thrown around regularly.

Discover some of the weird and wacky cricket terms you might hear while watching the sport - whether you’re a cricket whiz or have never seen a match in your life, we are sure you will learn something new.

General Cricket Terms:

Bails – These are the two small sticks that are placed horizontally across the stumps to form a wicket. At least one of the bails must be knocked off the stumps to dismiss a batter when a batsman is run or bowled out.

Wicket – Wicket can refer to several different things in cricket:
• The set of stumps with bails on top is referred to as a wicket.
• The batting and bowling area is referred to as the wicket.
• When a batsman is dismissed, this is referred to as taking a wicket.

Stumps – The three upright timber sticks at each end of the pitch. Sitting atop each set of stumps are two bails. A term also used to describe the end of a day’s play.

Leg-Side – The side of the field that corresponds to the batsman’s non-dominant hand. E.g. The part of the field to the left hand side of a right handed batsman as he is facing the bowler.

Off-Side – The side of the field that corresponds to the batsman’s dominant hand. E.g. The part of the field to the right had side of a right handed batsman as he faces the bowler

Formats of Cricket:

Test Cricket - the traditional format of the game originated in 1877 and is seen to be the pinnacle form of the sport due to its nature of testing the teams technique, endurance and temperament over a longer duration of time.  

ODI Cricket - this faster format of cricket consists of one-innings matches of 50 overs per side and began in 1971. As a faster format of the sport, speed, technique and skill are put to the test.

T20 Cricket - Twenty20 International cricket is the newest, fastest and shortest form of the game that features big hitting, skilful bowling and incredible fielding. There are 20 overs per side and matches are typically completed within three hours, and is a very popular format among fans over the world, growing largely since its inception in 2005.

Batting Terminology:

Batsman / Batter – The player who is hitting the ball.

Boundary – The edge of the playing field, marked by a rope or fence, where the ball can be hit to score four or six runs respectively.

LBW (Leg Before Wicket) – This is a method of dismissal where the ball when having been bowled would normally strike the stumps if not for the fact it strikes the batsman's leg first.

Middle Order - Refers to the batting positions or batsmen numbered between 4 and 7.

Innings - The period of time spent batting by a team or individual.

Non-striker – A term used to describe the batsman waiting at the bowler’s end.

Scoring Terminology:

Runs – The number of points the batsman scores by hitting the ball. When a batsman hits a ball to the boundary of the field they can score a 4 or 6. A 4 is scored when the ball this the boundary, and a 6 is scored when a ball goes over the boundary on the full.  

Duck – When a batter gets out for zero runs.

Golden Duck – When a batter gets out for zero runs on the first ball.

Century – A score of 100 runs by a batsman.

Strike Rate – The number of runs scored by a batsman per 100 balls faced.

Not Out – Pretty much does what it says on the tin, this term is used when a batter has not been dismissed during an innings.

Leg Bye – Runs scored off the batsman's leg or body.

Read our full guide to how scoring in cricket works here.

What is Strike Rate?

As mentioned above, strike rate is the number of runs scored by a batsman per 100 balls they face. Batting strike rate is a measure of how fast the batter achieves the goal of batting - scoring runs - and it's the case of the higher the better. Bowling strike rate measures how quickly a bowler takes wickets (gets batters out) measured in balls per wicket. The lower the better for this strike rate.

Bowling Terminology:

Bowler – The player who delivers the ball to the batsman.

Overs - An over is when a fielding player bowls six deliveries to the batsmen. An over begins when the bowler begins a run up. When an over is complete after the final ball has been delivered, the umpire signals to both teams by calling out 'over'. 

Maiden – An over in which no runs are scored by the batsman.

Wicket Maiden – An over in which the bowler has taken a wicket without conceding any runs.

Yorker – A delivery that pitches on or near the batsman's feet.

Hat-trick – Three wickets taken by a bowler in three consecutive deliveries.

Bouncer – A short-pitched delivery that rises to the batsman's chest or head.

Inswing – A delivery from a bowler which moves in the air from the off-side to the leg side.

Outswing – A delivery from a bowler which moves in the air from the leg side to the off-side.

Full Toss – A bowling delivery which reaches the batsman without first having struck the ground.

Quickie – A term used to describe a bowler of fast pace.

Seamer – Refers to a bowler who can cause a ball to strike the pitch on the seam of the ball, thereby causing it to deviate in its delivery path prior to reaching the batsman.

No-Ball - a no-ball is an illegal delivery to a batter by the bowler. The delivery of a no-ball results in the batting team gaining one run. This also occurs when the bowler's back foot lands touching the wide of the return crease.

What is a Googly in Cricket?

A googly occurs when the ball is bowled by a leg break or 'leg-spin' bowler, which spins the ball away from the batsman's stumps after its been pitched, making it hard for the batter to predict the return and hit.

A googly is one of the mot deceptive balls in which a better can be presented with due to it being unpredictable. It's usually kept back by the bowler to produce to the batter during the perfect moment to catch them out.

Fielding Terminology:

Fielder – A player who is positioned on the field to stop the ball and prevent runs.

Catch – When a fielder catches the ball after it has been hit by the batsman, resulting in the dismissal of the batsman.

Run out – When a fielder throws the ball to hit the stumps, resulting in the dismissal of the batsman.

Boundary Rider – A fielder positioned on the boundary who prevents the ball from crossing the boundary rope.

Infield – The grouping of fielders normally placed within 30-40 metres of the batsman.

Sitter – Refers to a catch that, under normal circumstances, would be very easy.

Silly – Refers to any fielding position that is located very close to the batsman.

Walking In – Refers to the fielding team taking a few steps forward as the bowler is about to bowl to keep their momentum going forward.

Sightscreen – A (usually white) screen placed near the boundary behind the line of the bowler’s arm in order to aid the batsman’s sighting of the ball when bowled.

Sledge - To use either abusive or offensive words against an opponent. The Aussies refer to this practice as "Mental Disintegration." The term sledge was a shortened term taken from the Australian saying "as subtle as a sledgehammer".

Twelfth Man – An extra player chosen for a team to act as a substitute fielder in the event one is called for. The twelfth man is generally not permitted to bat or bowl.

Where can cricketers stand on the field?

The positions of fielders within the boundary are very important and will often change based on either the batsman or the bowlers’ dominant hand or style of play. Whilst there are only 11 players fielding at one time, there are many different positions they can take. The Bowler and Wicket Keeper are the only two fielding positions that are compulsory, the other 9 fielders can position themselves around the wicket in various positions. Have a look at the image below to see some of the common fielding positions we have identified.

What is a power play in cricket?

Powerplay is a term referring to a period of a set of overs of an ODI or T20 innings governed by a rule dictating how the fielders are positioned. It allows a certain number of fielders outside the 30-yeard circle for a specific duration of time. The restrictions last for a set number of overs per innings and depend on the format of cricket being played. ODI power play is in place for the first 10 overs and the first six overs in T20. Test cricket does not allow for this due to it the format having no specific overs per innings.

Umpire Terminology and Signals:

No-ball - the umpire will call then when an illegal delivery has been made by the bowler.

Free-Hit - this occurs and is called out by an umpire when the bowler oversteps the crease or bowls above the waist of of the batsman, and is then penalised by the next delivery as a free hit. The umpire will signal by circling their finger horizontally over their head. 

Wide - when a bowler delivers an illegal ball wide from the batter, the umpire will signal this by extending both their arms out horizontally.

Dead-Ball - this occurs when the bowl is no longer considered in play, signalled by crossing and uncrossing their wrists below the waist.

Four - is a four is scored by the batter, the umpire will wave their arm back and forth across the front of their chest.

Six - this is signalled by the umpire raising both of their hands above their head. 

Bye - one open palm is held above the head when runs are scored as byes.

Leg Bye - signalled by the umpire touching their raised knee.

Short Run - umpires will tap their shoulder with their fingers. This happens when a batsmen turns to complete runs after the first without grounding their person or equipment behind the crease.

Cricket Stadia:

Pavilion - a building or area in a cricket ground which contains a dressing room for players to change in and store equipment.

Cricket Oval - the grass field where cricket is played, usually in the shape of an oval (this is where The Kia Oval gets its name from!)

The Pitch - a rectangular shaped area of clay with short grass measuring 22 years long, 

Edgbaston Stadium - Home to Warwickshire Country Cricket Club and one of the UK's greatest cricket grounds. Edgbaston hosts a number of domestic and international fixtures including The Hundred for the Birmingham Bears fixtures, IT20s, ODIs and Test Matches for England. 

The Kia Oval - Another world-renowned cricket stadium, The Oval hosts a variety of fixtures including Oval Invincibles in The Hundred, IT20s, ODIs and Test match cricket formats. It's the home of Surrey County Cricket Club and it's centrally located position in London makes it a highly demanded venue to attend.

Lord's Cricket Ground - Lord's is located in St John's Wood in London and is home to Middlesex County Cricket Club, owned by Marylebone Cricket Club. It's regarded as the Home of Cricket, and has a long history dating back to 1787 when Thomas Lord founded the club. Today, the ground still hosts some of the best fixtures in cricket, including domestic and internationals. 

Now you're all clued up and ready to go, why not find out more about how you can enjoy a day at the cricket with our hospitality experiences at one of these incredible cricket grounds?