| Cricker's Name | Nick Name | Country | Reason/By |
| Abbas Zaheer | Asian Bradman | Pakistan | By his Pakistani fans for his ability to score runs just like a run making machine. |
| Adams Paul | "A frog in a Blender" | South Africa | Because he use to replicate his peculiar bowling action ball after ball. |
| Afridi Saheed | Boom Boom Afridi | Pakistan | By his fans for scoring sixers and boundaries on his day at will. |
| Agarkar Ajit | Bombay Duck, 007 | India | For scoring seven consecutive ducks for India |
| Akhtar Shoaib | Rawalpindi Express | Pakistan | For the express pace he generates in his bowling. |
| Akram Wasim | Sultan of Swing | Pakistan | For his expertise in swinging the ball both ways and reverse swinging the old ball. |
| Bailey Trevor | The Boil | England | Commentotor Brian Johnston nick named his as " The Boil" based on the supposed Australian barrackers' pronunciation of his name as "Boiley." |
| Bell Ian | The Shermanator | England | Sledged by Shane Warne |
| Benaud Richie | The Voice of Cricket | Australia | By the Cricketing Community for his longest stint as a Cricket Commentator |
| Botham Ian | Beefy | England | By his team mates |
| Bradman Don | The Don | Australia | By the Cricketing Community for his total command over batting agaist any bolwer in his days. |
| Clarke Stuart | Sarfraj | Pakistan | Due tis similarity in bowling action with Sarfaraj of Pakistan |
| Collins Herbie | Horse Shoes | Australia | For his facination for horse racing. |
| Cook Alastair | Chef | England | For his surname by his team mates. |
| Darling Joe | Paddy | Australia | By his team mates due to resemplance with Australian Boxer Frank "Paddy" Slavin. |
| De silva Aravinda | Mad Max | Srilanka | Got this nick name from the media for his usual mad ways at the crease. |
| Dev Kapil | Hariyna Hurricane | India | By his fans with his increasing popularity in India as he is from the State of Haryana. |
| Dhoni Mahindra Singh | Mahi, Ranchi Rambo | India | For the first four letters of his name by the entire Cricketing fraternity more particularly the Bollywood actresses for his growing popularity as a complete crickter and his good look. For his long hair and named so by the indian media. |
| Donald Allan | White Lightning | South Africa | After his autobiography "White Lightning". |
| Douglas Johnny | Johnny Won't Hit Today | England | He was an boxer and belonged to a boxing family. Australia heclers use to call him with a play on his initials. |
| Dravid Rahul | The Wall | India | By the cricket fraternity for his ability to defend any ball and remain in the crease for a long time. |
| Fletcher Keith | Gnome of Essex | England | For his long stint as a player and later as a coach of Essex. |
| Flintoff Andrew | Freddie | England | Due to similarity in his surname with Fred Flintsone the fictional character who originated in the animated sitcom "The Flintstones" on ABC. |
| Fulton Peter | Two meter Peter | New Zealand | Because of his height of 6.8 ft. |
| Ganguly Sourav | Dada, Dadi, Prince of Calcutta, | India | One of the finest Indian Cricketer earned nick names of Dada, Dadi by his teammates which means elder brother in Belgali. Geoff Boycott nick named his as "Prince of Calcutta". |
| Gaekwad Ansuman | Charlie | India | During a tour to New Zealand, one old lady in the bar called him and asked, 'What shall I bring for you, 'Charlie' ? And since then, he is known by that name," explains Anshuman 'Charlie ' Gaekwad. |
| Garner Joel | Big Bird | West Indies | A ferocious fast bolwer in his days and earned this nick name for his height. |
| Gavaskar Sunil | Little master | India | One of the finest opening test batsman India has ever produced and known so for his short height. |
| Gibbs Herschelle | Scooter | South Africa | For his extraordinary feilding abilities. |
| Gilchrist Adam | Churchy | Australia | By his team mates for his surname. |
| Gillespie Jason | Dizzy | Australia | H was namd after Dizzy Gillespie the famous Jazz Singer. |
| Gough Darren | Dancing Darren | England | H took part in the BBC Telvision Show "Strictly Come Dancing". |
| Gupte Subhash | Fergie | India | He was nick named after the Wilfred Ferguson |
| Harmison Stephen | Gummy | England | Due to absense of wisdom teeth. |
| Hayden Mathew | Big Fish | Australia | He is called 'Big Fish', due to his huge physical stature and his massive presence on the international stage. |
| Headly George | Black Bradman, Atlas | West Indies | He had an exceptional Test Avg. Of 60.83 just behind Don Bradman in those days. He scored 29% of his sides' runs in his career - the highest ever percentage, even more than Bradman's 27% and was also nicknamed 'Atlas' for he way he carried his team. |
| Hobbs Jack | The Master | England | The Title was bestowed on him by Douglas Jardine in the book "A portrait as an Artiste as a Great Batsman,1960". |
| Hodge Brad | Bunkie | Australia | He was called Bunkie for the fact that he shared a bunked with his brother at the time of his debut. |
| Hogg Brad | Postman | Australia | He works as a potman in Australian Post. |
| Holding Michael | The Whispering Death | West Indies | Michael Holding of West Indies was said so because he rarely made any sound while on the run up and the speed he used to generate is well known. Umpires use to say that they had to look back to see whether he had started his run up. |
| Holland Bob | Dutchy | Australia | By his teammates because of his surname. |
| Hornby A.N. | Monkey | England | His lack of stature and excess of energy earned him the nick name monkey. |
| Hussain Nasser | Poppadum Fingers | England | Due to the amount of briken digits. |
| Hussey Michael | Mr. Cricket | Australia | Because of his love for the game. |
Thursday, December 18
Labels: Cricket at its Best 0 comments
A fair deal
The topic that has stormed the current cricketing world is the domination of batsmen in one-day cricket. Not only the cricketing rules favor them, even the pitches are laid down keeping the batsmen in mind. This helps the batsmen to score big innings thereby minimizing the options for the poor bowlers.
If you look at it closely then you would find that except for the LBW rule there is nothing that goes for the bowlers and in that too there are various complications. So, in order to balance the game a bit, some of the senior players and commentators have raised a few questions about the way the rules have been worked out and how there should be a more serious look taken at them. The rule in question is the one where the bowler should be allowed to bowl a bouncer an over. Australian captain Steve Waugh has been the most vocal of all, as he thinks that the 15 overs rule is totally for the batsmen. They have no hesitancy in walking on the pitch even to the best bowlers because they know that the bowler would not bowl a bouncer as it would concede a run and secondly he can’t get out.
The point raised thus sounds fully justified as it would not only give a weapon to the bowlers to work with but would also play on the batsmen’s mind. At the end of the day one does feel for the bowlers as they too work as hard as the batsmen but only a few get the limelight, infact the skilled one’s too have to face the tough times. The authorities are still quiet about their decision on the said subject, but this point has quite a few supporters and it would not be long before something would be done. Lets hope it happens soon enough to bring some sanity to the game called ‘Cricket’.
Labels: Other side of Cricket 0 comments
Was BCCI's verdict correctly given?
By S. Zeyaur Rahman
By S. Zeyaur Rahman
There was hardly an element of surprise in the Board’s decision to award varying degrees of punishment to the tainted players. Remarkably accurate stories were already floating and had kicked up quite a furor. By the time the verdict was handed out the public reacted in away as it does at the end of the film, whose script is too well known. If there was a surprise then that was in the lack of a surprising element. Our Board is in the habit of providing a rider along with the lot. A decision, which leaves us wondering, emotions ranging from disgust to disappointment.
Still one has a feeling that it is not the end of the affair, rather the unfolding of another plot in a long drama, nay epic because of the magnitude of the affair. The stage has been set for a spate of counter allegations, appeals in the courts and some more damning allegations on possibly anybody under the sun. If one reads the Board President’s statement a little deeply, it only strengthens the doubt or the fear of the saga going on endlessly. It says that the Board has decided to act on the basis of the report in order to ‘end its criticism’. If that is the top priority in the scheme of things, I wonder what ends are we going to achieve from it.
Let us examine the individual cases. Nayan Mongia has been exonerated. This is a respite for the Baroda Wicketkeeper, which would remain confined to the symbolic realm. Sure we do not have a substitute for him but logic would dictate to keep him away from the team.
The life ban on Ajay Sharma is another symbolic act and like all symbolic things, will remain inconsequential. Neither the Delhi team nor the DDCA will miss him much and he can go back to operating lockers of the people he knows.
The 5-year ban on Manoj Prabhakar will act as a deterrent to the whistle blowers, which is both good and bad. Bad because not many people would come up with genuine information on malpractices and good because it is a lesson to those, who garb the cloak of morality, in order to protect their own failings. Holier than thou appears to be Manoj’s favorite guiding principle and that explains his disappointment on being equated with Jadeja, a person who had committed ‘more’ crimes than him.
If an exonerated player stands little chance of playing again, then a player with a 5-year ban has no chance at all. Jadeja’s career is effectively over and he appears to be little bothered with it. India does lose a valuable player and a prospective captain, but in either case the need will not be felt much because of the abundance of emerging talent.
The rise and fall of Azharuddin is the most pathetic and almost ‘cathartic’. The icon that, he was makes sure that the consequences would be of titanic proportions. It is a tragedy for the game itself. It is the falling of a giant tree and the ground below is bound to shake. One can write Azhar’s epitaph as a player but not otherwise. He had shown his ability of getting back to the centre stage each time after being written off. His studied silence keeps everyone guessing and could be a lull before the storm.
With the verdict, a scene has ended. A totally avoidable one at that. An aberration in the game of cricket. It is the faith and the trust of the people that has been jolted. The guilty players are definitely responsible for the mess, but the inept handling of the issue by the Board has left a lot to be desired. The Board’s decision has apparently cleared the stall. There may still be a lit of malice left. But for the time being we can hope to see a genuine game. That is our gain. The spectators will return, like a sobered up suitor in a ‘mehfil’ with the love of the game, but without the innocence of the love. That is our loss.
Labels: Other side of Cricket 0 comments
Aussie Hostility To The Fore
By S Zeyaur Rahman
The match fixing controversy is assuming enormous proportions with every passing day. From something that was considered to be unavoidable but insignificant, it has come a long way. As the matter stands of now, the match fixing episode is right in the centre stage of all cricketing activities and threatens to decimate the entire structure.
We are getting more and more proofs of the player-punter nexus. That is not surprising but the dates that are being supplied are indeed shocking. The matter is much older than anybody could have guessed. Even more bizarre are the means applied to fix matches. The sex-for-underperformance deal has blown everyone's wits off. One wonders what more lies in store for us.
Does one remember the episode, which made the hidden malady an official secret? It was after Australia's tour to Pakistan in 1995 that two gentlemen called Mark Waugh and Shane Warne accused the rival captain Salim Malik of approaching them and offering a substantial sum in lieu of underperformance. I would like to emphasise on 'Australian Gentlemen' because later on two of them accepted taking bribe from a punter for 'some information on pitch and weather'. A rather decent way of making money.
One of these gentlemen was Mark Waugh, one of the frontline batsmen of his times. Incidentally he happens to be representing Australia, unarguably the strongest team under present circumstances. But quality performance on the field is no guarantee for infallibility outside the field - and should be no excuse either.
Australian Cricket Board has always been synonymous with arrogance. It invariably gets carried away with its hugely successful financial exploits, the reputation of its grounds. The splendid performance of its players and ends up believing that there can be possibly no wrong associated with it. And when somebody tries to show the other side of the coin, he is dealt in a typical Aussie way - with contemptuous ruthlessness.
The match fixing drama has been of an international character. It has spared no country, not even the superpower Australia. Quite a few of the 'chosen ones' feature in the list of the accused. It is significant that till date the Australian cricket establishment has not taken any action against any of the accused. On the contrary it has questioned the integrity of the accusers and has done everything it could to protect its players.
What stops Australia from setting up an inquiry committee looking into the accusations? The fear that something ugly would come up and embarrass it. Something damning enough to throw mud on the face of Australian cricket and tarnish the image of the breed that could no wrong.
Mark Waugh's refusal to appear before the ICC investigator has to be seen in this light. Why is he hiding? The logical corollary is that he has got something to hide. The ego and the superiority complex of being an Australian cricketer comes in the way of exposing himself. The Board has overtly expressed its disappointment over the lack of cooperation on the part of Waugh. But one can rest assured that the ACB
Will do nothing to help Paul Condon in arranging an interview with Waugh.
This is sheer hypocrisy. Even before losing the case, Australian cricket has lost its face. It has lost the right to point a finger at anyone else (if at all it ever had one). This is a very sad state of affair that ACB as a pillar of the institution that is ICC, is not helping in tracing the evil that is destroying its foundations. Not only is the step partisan and narrow minded but absolutely fatal.
By S Zeyaur Rahman
The match fixing controversy is assuming enormous proportions with every passing day. From something that was considered to be unavoidable but insignificant, it has come a long way. As the matter stands of now, the match fixing episode is right in the centre stage of all cricketing activities and threatens to decimate the entire structure.
We are getting more and more proofs of the player-punter nexus. That is not surprising but the dates that are being supplied are indeed shocking. The matter is much older than anybody could have guessed. Even more bizarre are the means applied to fix matches. The sex-for-underperformance deal has blown everyone's wits off. One wonders what more lies in store for us.
Does one remember the episode, which made the hidden malady an official secret? It was after Australia's tour to Pakistan in 1995 that two gentlemen called Mark Waugh and Shane Warne accused the rival captain Salim Malik of approaching them and offering a substantial sum in lieu of underperformance. I would like to emphasise on 'Australian Gentlemen' because later on two of them accepted taking bribe from a punter for 'some information on pitch and weather'. A rather decent way of making money.
One of these gentlemen was Mark Waugh, one of the frontline batsmen of his times. Incidentally he happens to be representing Australia, unarguably the strongest team under present circumstances. But quality performance on the field is no guarantee for infallibility outside the field - and should be no excuse either.
Australian Cricket Board has always been synonymous with arrogance. It invariably gets carried away with its hugely successful financial exploits, the reputation of its grounds. The splendid performance of its players and ends up believing that there can be possibly no wrong associated with it. And when somebody tries to show the other side of the coin, he is dealt in a typical Aussie way - with contemptuous ruthlessness.
The match fixing drama has been of an international character. It has spared no country, not even the superpower Australia. Quite a few of the 'chosen ones' feature in the list of the accused. It is significant that till date the Australian cricket establishment has not taken any action against any of the accused. On the contrary it has questioned the integrity of the accusers and has done everything it could to protect its players.
What stops Australia from setting up an inquiry committee looking into the accusations? The fear that something ugly would come up and embarrass it. Something damning enough to throw mud on the face of Australian cricket and tarnish the image of the breed that could no wrong.
Mark Waugh's refusal to appear before the ICC investigator has to be seen in this light. Why is he hiding? The logical corollary is that he has got something to hide. The ego and the superiority complex of being an Australian cricketer comes in the way of exposing himself. The Board has overtly expressed its disappointment over the lack of cooperation on the part of Waugh. But one can rest assured that the ACB
Will do nothing to help Paul Condon in arranging an interview with Waugh.
This is sheer hypocrisy. Even before losing the case, Australian cricket has lost its face. It has lost the right to point a finger at anyone else (if at all it ever had one). This is a very sad state of affair that ACB as a pillar of the institution that is ICC, is not helping in tracing the evil that is destroying its foundations. Not only is the step partisan and narrow minded but absolutely fatal.
Labels: Other side of Cricket 0 comments
Appeal
A claim that a batter has been put out, made by the person making the play. (Umpires will not signal some "outs" unless appealed to, by the appropriate player).
Bat-and-pad catch
A hit that hits a batter's leg (pad) and is caught by a fielder BEFORE it touches the ground. A clear "out".
Batting Average
The average number of earned runs scored by a batter, defined as total runs scored divided by number of times the batter was "out".
Bowled [see pic above]
An "out" which is achieved by a pitch that hits the batter's sticks, whether or not touched by the bat. Rather like baseball's "strike-out".
Bowling average
The (average) number of earned runs scored off a pitcher/bowler per every "out" he takes.
Break
A change in direction of a pitch, after it is bounced by the pitcher.
Bumper [see pic above]
A ball that is bounced high enough to hit a batter's head or shoulders; cricket's equivalent of the "beanball".
Bye(s)
Run(s) scored on "wild pitches". I.e. When the ball goes past the wicket-keeper/catcher without having been touched by the batter, and runs can be scored (much like "stolen bases on wild piches" in baseball). The runs are added to the team total as "extras", but not credited to batters... Nor charged to bowlers.
Caught (out)
An "out" resulting from a hit caught by a fielder in the air, i.e. Before touching the ground, like baseball's "pop fly".
Chinaman
A left-hander's googly ( see definition of 'googly', below)....i.e., a pitch that looks as if it could break INTO a right-handed batter on the bounce, but breaks AWAY instead. So called because the first person to have delivered such a pitch was of Chinese extraction, in the West Indies !
Country
Old name for the outfield, in cricket.
Cover drive
A drive (see definition) that is hit away from the batter's body, in baseball's "first-base" direction.
Cutter , leg- or off-
A fast pitch where a slashing arm action rather than wrist or finger spin is used to get a slight break off the bounce....depending on the direction of the break, it can be called a leg-cutter or off-cutter.
Declaration
In unlimited-over games, a decision by the captain of a batting side to stop batting and put the other side in to bat...usually done to allow enough time to win a game.
Double century
An individual score of 200 runs or more by a batter.
Draw
In an unlimited-overs game of one OR two innings, a situation where neither side wins....the first team's total is not surpassed, but the innings are not completed. (No draws are allowed in limited-over games).
Drive
A hit executed by the batter in which he swings the bat in a long arc, much like teeing off at golf, and sends the ball in one of several possible directions.
Duck
A zero individual score, "awarded" to a batter who is "out" without scoring a single earned run.
Economy rate
The average number of earned runs scored off a pitcher/bowler per over that he bowls/pitches....a measure of pitching efficiency.
Follow on
In a full two-innings game, where the team batting second is asked to bat again because its first innings total is far behind that of the other team.
Fourer, or boundary
A line drive that reaches the fence, counting as four runs.
Full toss
A pitch that reaches the batter without a bounce, like a baseball pitch.
Glide
A hit which is executed like a drive (see definition) but is angled to go behind the batter on his off side (see definition).
Good length, or good-length delivery
A pitch which bounces just outside the batter's maximum forward reach (i.e. 3 to 5 yards from the wickets, depending upon batter's height)....these pitches are the hardest for a batter to hit, because he cannot decide whether to step forward anyway, or if he should step back and give himself the maximum distance from the "bounce", to see what the ball might be doing.
Googly
A pitch which is thrown with baseball's "screwball" grip but reverse finger spin... To look like a leg-break (see definition) that should move across and AWAY from the batter, but actually moves in the OPPOSITE direction, i.e. INTO the batter like an off-break (see definition), after it bounces. (also see definition of "chinaman").
Half century
An individual score of 50 runs or more by a batter.
Hat trick
Getting three batters "out" in three successive pitches...so called because in the 17th century, a pitcher/bowler who accomplished the feat was rewarded by an immediate bonus, collected by passing a hat among gathered spectators.
Hook
A hit that is executed by the batter swinging his bat around his body, and following up with a complete body turn, usually pivoting on one foot...works best on a pitch that is moving away from the batter on his "leg" side (see definition).
Innings
The total number of runs scored by a team during its time at bat.
Innings victory
In a full two-innings game, a victory where one team scores more runs in a single innings than its opponent does in two.
Inswing see pic above
A pitch that moves into a batter in the air, like baseball's "curve ball".
"It is not cricket"
An expression meaning, any action that is deceptive, unfair or underhanded...i.e. Contrary to the spirit in which cricket is supposed to be played.
Late cut
A hit that is executed by a batter by deflecting the pitch in a slicing motion, just before it reaches the wicket keeper or catcher.
Lbw (leg before wicket)
A pitch which is intercepted by a batter's body before it hits the sticks...an umpire will rule the batter "out" if he is sure that the sticks would have been hit.
Leg break
A pitch that is thrown almost like baseball's "screwball", and breaks into a batter's body off the bounce, from the batter's "leg" side.
Leg bye
Run(s) scored when the ball hits the batter's legs, and goes off into the field . The runs are added to the team total as "extras", but not credited to batters... Nor charged to bowlers. NOTE: leg-byes are not allowed when there is an lbw "out" (see definition), or if the ball has been intentionally kicked or deflected by the batter.
Leg glance
A hit consisiting of a deflection around the batter's legs, of a pitch past the wicket keeper (catcher) and behind him.
Leg side
That half of the field, as bisected by a line joining the wickets and extended both ways, where the batter's legs are placed. Also called "on side".(see definition of "off and on side" and pic, below).
Limited and Unlimited Over games
"Limited Over" games are those where each team is allowed to bat only for a designated number of overs. Typically, 30, 40, 45 or 50 overs are set as the limit for each team's innings. "Unlimited Over Games" are those where no over restriction is placed on a team's innings.
Lofted drive
A drive (see definition) where the ball is lofted (hit in the air) to clear infield or midfield positions.
Long hop or short pitch
A pitch that is bounced far away from the batter ( at least 7 to 10 yards away) , so it reaches the batter after a long hop, or bounce.
Maiden over
A set of six pitches delivered by a bowler in which no earned runs are scored.
Night watchman
In matches/games lasting 2 or more days, a lower order batter who is sent in to "stall for time" late in the evening, so the more experienced batters can bat the following day.
No-ball
A pitch delivered by a pitcher who has "crossed the line" he is supposed to pitch from, or violated some other rule. When an umpire calls "no ball", the batter cannot be out except when running and gets tagged.
ODI
A One-Day International, an official limited-over cricket game (typically 50 overs per team) where the contenders are accredited national teams.
Off-break
A pitch which, after bouncing, "breaks" into the batter's body from his off side (see definition below for "off side").
Off drive
A drive (see definition) which is executed at about a 45-degree angle to the line of the wickets, on the batter's off side (see definition).
Off side
That half of the field, as bisected by a line joining the wickets and extended both ways, which is in front of and away from the batter, i.e. The other half of the field (as opposed to his "leg" or "on" side).
On drive
A drive (see definition) which is executed at about a 45-degree angle to the line of the wickets, on the batter's on or leg side (see definition)
Opening batsman
One of the first two batters sent in to start a team's innings.
Outswing
A pitch which moves down and away from the batter in the air, like baseball's "slider".
Over
The set of six pitches delivered from one wicket to the other by a pitcher.
Overpitch(ed delivery)
A pitch which is pitched so far forward that the batter can reach the point where it bounced by a forward step.
Partnership, stand
Used to indicate the number of runs scored by both batters on base, between one "out" and the next one... For example, a "partnership of 100 runs for the third wicket" would mean that 100 runs were scored by both batters between the second and third "out".
Pull
A hit executed by a batter "pulling" an off-side pitch (see definition) around his body towards his other (i.e.on, or leg) side (see definition).
Run(s)
Safe crossing(s) from wicket to wicket, by a batter (and his partner) after hitting (earned runs), or off a fielding error (like stolen bases) (extras). Each crossing scores one run to the batting team.
Run out see pic above
Like baseball's "tag"....an "out" which consists of the fielder striking the wickets towards which a runner is headed, before he gets to it.
Run rate
The rate at which runs are being scored per over, in an innings.
Seamer
A faster pitch delivered with the seam straight, and which can "slide" in the air or "break" unexpectedly.
Sixer, or over-boundary
A hit that flies over the fence without a bounce, scoring six runs.
"Spectacles"
A double "duck", i.e. A batter who is out for zero runs in both innings of a two-inning cricket game.
Spin (bowler)
A kind of pitch, usually delivered at slow speed, where fingers or/and wrist are used to impart spin to the ball to achieve "breaks" (see definition); so, spin bowler = a pitcher who uses spin.
Square cut
A hit that looks like a slash across the body, used by batter to hit the ball "square" to his batting position...in baseball terms, like a hit towards first base by a right-handed batter, or third base by a left-hander.
"Sticky Wicket"
A field which is partly dry and partly wet, creating a treacherous and uncertain bounce which makes the batter's life difficult...by extrapolation, any life situation which is full of hazardous uncertainty!
Stonewall
To bat only to stop the pitcher from hitting the sticks, without attempting to score. A defensive tactic, like basketball's "stall".
Stop the rot
Bat in a partnership (see definition) that lasts long enough and scores enough runs to make up for a succession of quick "outs" and a low score total, earlier in the innings.
Strike rate
The number of earned runs scored by a batter per pitches actually faced by him.
Stumped
An "out" which is made by the catcher/wicket-keeper, catching the batter out of his ground when he is trying to hit...and misses..
Sweep
A hit executed towards his leg or on side, by "sweeping" his bat around his body.
Tail-ender
The last to or three batters in a team's batting order. The "tail wags" if these batters manage to score a significant amount of runs!
Take guard see pic above
What a batter does when he first goes in to bat, i.e. He asks the umpire for guidance, and marks his position where he wishes to stand when batting.
Test Match
An official two-inning match between two accredited national teams, usually spread over 5 playing days (30 hours).
Ton or century
An individual score of 100 runs or more by a batter.
Triple century
An individual score of 300 runs or more by a batter.
Wicket(s)
The terms "wicket", and "wickets", are used in different and important ways. "THE wicket" is the strip of field between the two sets of sticks marking the bases, as in "sticky wicket" (see definition). "A wicket", used as singular or plural, is a count of the number of "outs" in an inning, so "85 for 6 wickets" means 85 runs scored, for 6 "outs". "THE wickets", always used in plural, are the set of three sticks or "stumps" marking the base, as in "He stood in front of the wickets". It helps to know the context in which the word is being used !
Wicket keeper
The position equivalent to baseball's "catcher".
Wicket maiden
A "maiden over" (see definition) where one or more "outs" such as "bowled" or "caught out" (see definitions) also occur.
Wide ball
A pitch that travels too far from the batter for him to have a reasonable chance of hitting it. The pitcher has to throw the pitch again, and a penalty run is scored for the batting team.
Win by x wickets
The number of wickets, or "outs", that the team batting second has in hand when it passed the first team's total score. A "win by 10 wickets", meaning no member of the second batting team was out, is an overwhelming victory: a "win by ONE wicket", meaning only the last out was left to the second team, a very narrow one !
Win by x runs
The number of runs by which the team batting second falls short of the mark set by the first team, either because it has had 10 batters out or because (in a limited overs game) time ran out.
Yorker
An "overpitch" delivery (see definition) which is thrown so far forward as to bounce right under the batter's bat, and beat him.
Labels: Cricket at its Best 0 comments
Cricket is a team sport for two teams of eleven players each. A formal game of cricket can last anything from an afternoon to several days.
Although the game play and rules are very different, the basic concept of cricket is similar to that of baseball. Teams bat in successive innings and attempt to score runs, while the opposing team fields and attempts to bring an end to the batting team's innings. After each team has batted an equal number of innings (either one or two, depending on conditions chosen before the game), the team with the most runs wins.
Cricket is played in two very distinct forms. The first is limited duration, in which a specific number of hours of playing time are allocated and each team plays two innings.
The second is limited overs, in which each team plays one innings of a pre-determined number of overs.
First class cricket matches are the most prestigious games, played at a professional level. The top level games are international Test matches, played betwen countries. There are also domestic first class cricket competitions. First class matches are of limited duration. Test matches will be described first, then any differences for other first class matches will be described.
Test matches are played over five days, with six hours play each day. Each day's play is divided into three sessions of two hours each, with a 40 minute break between the first two session for lunch, and a 20 minute tea break between the last two sessions. A short drinks break is taken once an hour, or more often in very hot weather. Play usually goes from 11:00 local time to 18:00, although this may be varied if sunset occurs early. The scheduled close of play time is called stumps. Test matches are never played under artificial lighting.
Each team has two innings, usually played in alternating order. Each innings is over when either ten batsmen are out, or the captain of the batting side declares the innings closed (for strategic reasons, more later). When all the innings are completed, the team with the most runs wins. If there is a tie, the result stands (this is rare - it has only ever happened twice).
If by the end of the final day's play all the innings are not completed, the game is a draw, no matter who appeared to be ``winning''. Thus the strategic importance of sometimes declaring an innings closed, in order to have enough time to dismiss the other team and so win the game.
The order of the innings alternates except when the follow-on is enforced. This can occur if the second team to bat in the first innings scores 200 or more runs fewer than the first team. The captain of the first team may then ask the second team to follow on, i.e. to bat its second innings immediately, and defer his own team's second innings until afterwards.
Whenever a change of innings occurs during a session, a ten minute break is taken. If the end of an innings occurs within ten minutes of the end of the first or second sessions, the ten minute break is lost and the scheduled interval is shifted to begin immediately. If the end of an innings occurs within ten minutes of stumps, the day's play ends early.
Test matches are played with a red cricket ball. A new ball is used for the beginning of each innings. The same ball must be used throughout the innings, being replaced only in the following cases:
- The captain of the bowling team may elect to take a new ball at any time after 80 overs have been bowled with the previous ball.
- If the ball is lost, it is replaced.
- If the ball is damaged, either by the stitching coming undone or the ball becoming clearly non-spherical, it is replaced.
In cases 2 and 3, the ball must be replaced by a previously used ball of similarly worn condition to the old ball, as chosen by the umpires. If the ball is ever hit so that a spectator gathers it, the spectator must return it so that play can continue.
On each day of play in a Test match, a minimum of 90 overs must be bowled. If the bowling team has not bowled the required minimum by the scheduled stumps time, play is extended until the required number of overs have been bowled. Whenever an innings ends, the number of overs to be bowled is recalculated, disregarding the number of overs bowled so far during the same day. The required minimum is calculated to be the number of minutes of play remaining, divided by 4 and rounded up. On the last day of play, this formula is used up until one hour before stumps, then fifteen overs are added to the result. If extra overs are bowled before the time one hour before stumps on the final day, then there still must be a minimum of fifteen overs bowled after the time one hour before stumps. All of these conditions are recalculated for time lost due to poor weather, at a rate of one over per 4 minutes of lost time. If a day's play ends early because of poor weather conditions, all calculations are reset for the next day.
If there is heavy cloud cover, the umpires may decide that the ambient light level is too low and that the batsmen may be in danger because of difficulty in sighting the ball. If so, they offer the light to the batsmen, who may agree to leave the field or may decide to play on. If the light deteriorates further, the umpires will offer again. If the batsmen decide to leave the field and the light improves, the umpires make the decision to resume play.
If a fielder leave the field for any reason and then returns during the same innings, he may not bowl until he has been on the field again for as much time as he spent off the field.
Test matches are played in Series between two of the official Test nations. A Test Series consists of a set number of matches, from one to six, all of which are played to completion, even if one team gains an unassailable lead in the Series. Series of three or five matches are most common. Some pairs of nations compete against one another for a perpetual trophy. If a Series between two such nations is drawn, the holder of the trophy retains it.
Non-Test first class cricket differs from Test cricket in only a few respects. A non-Test first class match is usually four days long, not five. In a four-day game, the cut-off figure for enforcing the follow-on is 150 or more runs behind the first team. The formula used to determine the minimum number of overs bowled in a non-Test first class match may be different to that used for a Test match; there is no standard regulation.
Non-Test first class competitions are usually round-robins amongst several domestic teams. Other first class matches include single games between visiting international sides and domestic first class teams.
One-day cricket differs significantly from first class cricket. A one- day match is played on a single day. Either a red or a white cricket ball may be used, and play under artificial lighting is allowed.
Each team gets only one innings, and that innings is restricted to a maximum number of overs. Usual choices for the number of overs are 50, 55, or 60. Each innings is complete at the end of the stipulated number of overs, no matter how many batsmen are out. If ten batsmen are out before the full number of overs are bowled, the innings is also over. If the first team's innings ends in this manner, the second team still has its full number of overs to score the required runs. The timing of the innings and the break between them are not regulated.
Whichever team scores the most runs wins. A tied score stands. There is no draw result. If the match is washed out, so that the innings are not played, the game is declared a no-result.
In each innings, each bowler is restricted to bowling a maximum number of overs equal to one fifth of the total number of overs in the innings. Either a single new ball is used for each innings, or two new balls which are alternated between overs. (This is often done with white balls because they wear much faster than red balls.) New balls are never taken during an innings, but replacements for lost or damaged balls are taken as in first class matches.
In case of rain interruption to the first innings, the number of overs for each innings is recalculated so that they will be the same. If rain interrupts the second innings, making it impossible for an equal number of overs to be bowled, the number of runs scored by the first team is adjusted to compensate. There is no standard adjustment formula - one is decided beforehand for any given competition. There is also a predetermined number of overs which must be bowled in each innings for any result to be considered valid; if this limit is not reached the game is a no-result.
Because of the emphasis on scoring runs quickly, wide balls are enforced much more strictly in one-day cricket.
One-day competitions are played either as Series between pairs of international teams, round-robin competitions between groups of international teams, or round-robins between domestic teams. A World Cup one-day competition is played between all the Test nations each four years.
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LG ICC TEST TEAM RANKING
| Rank | Team | Matches | Points | Rating |
| 1 | Australia | 31 | 3992 | 129 |
| 2 | India | 40 | 4659 | 116 |
| 3 | South Africa | 34 | 3953 | 116 |
| 4 | Sri Lanka | 28 | 3032 | 108 |
| 5 | England | 38 | 3965 | 104 |
| 6 | Pakistan | 19 | 1895 | 100 |
| 7 | New Zealand | 24 | 1967 | 82 |
| 8 | West Indies | 22 | 1791 | 81 |
| 9 | Bangladesh | 17 | 20 | 1 |
LG ICC ODI TEAM RANKING
| Rank | Team | Matches | Points | Rating |
| 1 | Australia | 28 | 3658 | 131 |
| 2 | South Africa | 29 | 3451 | 119 |
| 3 | India | 40 | 4705 | 118 |
| 4 | Pakistan | 28 | 3182 | 114 |
| 5 | New Zealand | 24 | 2714 | 113 |
| 6 | England | 31 | 3401 | 110 |
| 7 | Sri Lanka | 30 | 3184 | 106 |
| 8 | West Indies | 24 | 2178 | 91 |
| 9 | Bangladesh | 32 | 1494 | 47 |
| 10 | Ireland | 10 | 190 | 19 |
| 11 | Zimbabwe | 20 | 273 | 14 |
| 12 | Kenya | 7 | 75 | 11 |
LG ICC TEST BATSMAN RANKING
| Rank | Player | Team | Rating |
| 1 | S. Chanderpaul | WI | 890 |
| 2 | K.C. Sangakkara | SL | 886 |
| 3 | Mohammad Yousuf | PAK | 880 |
| 4 | M.E.K. Hussey | AUS | 846 |
| 5 | D.P.M.D. Jayawardena | SL | 837 |
| 6 | K.P. Pietersen | ENG | 829 |
| 7 | Younis Khan | PAK | 799 |
| 8 | R.T. Ponting | AUS | 793 |
| 9 | G.C. Smith | SA | 783 |
| 10 | V.Sehwag | IND | 765 |
LG ICC ODI BATSMAN RANKING
| Rank | Player | Team | Rating |
| 1 | M.S. Dhoni | IND | 784 |
| 2 | M.E.K. Hussey | AUS | 776 |
| 3 | G.C. Smith | SA | 760 |
| 4 | S. Chanderpaul | WI | 752 |
| 5 | C.H. Gayle | WI | 747 |
| 6 | Yuvraj Singh | IND | 745 |
| 7 | R.T. Ponting | AUS | 740 |
| 8 | K.P. Pietersen | ENG | 729 |
| 9 | Mohammad Yousuf | PAK | 727 |
| 10 | A. Symonds | AUS | 719 |
LG ICC TEST BOWLERS RANKING
| Rank | Player | Team | Rating |
| 1 | M. Muralidaran | SL | 895 |
| 2 | D.W. Steyn | SA | 853 |
| 3 | S.R. Clark | AUS | 827 |
| 4 | M. Ntini | SA | 782 |
| 5 | R.J. Sidebottom | ENG | 738 |
| 6 | B. Lee | AUS | 726 |
| 7 | Harbhajan Singh | IND | 688 |
| 7 | Shoaib Akhtar | PAK | 684 |
| 9 | W.P.U.J.C. Vaas | SL | 684 |
| 10 | M.S. Panesar | ENG | 653 |
LG ICC ODI BOWLERS RANKING
| Rank | Player | Team | Rating |
| 1 | N.W. Bracken | AUS | 755 |
| 2 | D.L. Vettori | NZ | 733 |
| 3 | M.G. Johnson | AUS | 707 |
| 4 | K.D. Mills | NZ | 697 |
| 5 | S.C.J. Broad | ENG | 692 |
| 5 | M. Muralidaran | SL | 674 |
| 7 | Sohail Tanvir | PAK | 673 |
| 8 | W.P.U.J.C. Vaas | SL | 672 |
| 8 | J.D.P. Oram | NZ | 664 |
| 10 | J.E. Taylor | WI | 664 |
| Rank | Player | Team | Rating |
| 1 | J.H. Kallis | SA | 462 |
| 2 | D.L. Vettori | NZ | 350 |
| 3 | A. Flintoff | ENG | 302 |
| 4 | D.J.J.Bravo | WI | 295 |
| 5 | W.P.U.J.C. Vaas | SL | 281 |
| 6 | J.D.P. Oram | NZ | 250 |
| 7 | I.K. Pathan | IND | 228 |
| 8 | V. Sehwag | IND | 227 |
| 9 | C.H. Gayle | WI | 224 |
| 10 | B. Lee | AUS | 206 |
LG ICC ODI ALL-ROUNDER RANKING
| Rank | Player | Team | Rating |
| 1 | J.D.P. Oram | NZ | 383 |
| 2 | A. Flintoff | ENG | 364 |
| 3 | Shoaib Malik | PAK | 342 |
| 4 | C.H. Gayle | WI | 342 |
| 4 | J.H.Kallis | SA | 327 |
| 6 | Shahid Afridi | PAK | 323 |
| 7 | S.T. Jayasuriya | SL | 313 |
| 8 | Yuvraj Singh | IND | 304 |
| 9 | Shakib Al Hasan | BAN | 301 |
| 10 | P.D. Collingwood | ENG | 293 |
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