by Ron Elliott
Follow-on The option by the fielding captain for the batting team to immediately bat again if a team is dismissed during its first innings for two hundred runs less than the opposition. To put this complicated matter in a different way, should the team batting first amass a sufficiently high score, and the team batting second manage a sufficiently low score, the first team can demand (enforce) the second team bat again, taking advantage of the possibility that the second team may again achieve a low enough score such that the sum of both scores will still not be enough to force the first team to have to bat twice, or that, even if the first team has to bat again, and if there is a sufficiently low score to overtake, then any deteriorating pitch conditions will still give the first team sufficient numerical advantage to win the game more easily.
Footmarks During the course of a game the bowlers wear footmarks into the pitch where their feet repeatedly land on their ‘follow through’ after releasing the ball in the bowling action. There are laws governing running on the pitch, but footmarks inevitably develop and deepen as a match goes on. They offer significant aid to a spin bowler.
French cut Mis-hit shot in which the ball takes the inside edge of the bat and changes direction such that it passes behind the batsman, but in front of the stumps (and often away to the boundary, which only deepens the irony of the ball missing the wickets).
Front foot Refers to the movement of the batsman who has placed his centre of gravity onto the front foot. The movement forward, rather than back, can be used for defensive shots, but is usually used to play such attacking shots as the drive(s), the sweep shot and the leg-glance. Getting to the pitch of the ball is often a key to this shot, as well as timing.
Full-blooded A batting stroke played with the full physical power of the batsman.
Full toss A bowling delivery that reaches the batsman without first having struck or bounced off the pitch. On the full.
Gardening The act of a batsman patting down, with the
tip of his bat, either loose areas of pitch or pieces of the playing surface that have come apart.
Good eye The ability of a batsman to assess and sight a delivery much quicker than would normally occur.
Good length A bowling delivery that pitches in such a position, it will confuse the batsman as to whether the ball should be played off the front or back foot. A good length is usually about one to two yards in front of the batsman. Advancing batsmen try to alter the length of the ball, as do batsmen who play back.
Googly This is a delivery by a right-arm leg-spin bowler which, to a right-handed batsman, appears as if it will spin from leg to off, however, spins towards the wicket. A leg-spinner’s ‘wrong-un.’ Like most spin deliveries, this is easier to show via a diagram, but suffice it to say, this spins the opposite way to the bowler’s ‘stock’ or usually spinning deliveries.
Groundsman The person who prepares and maintains the pitch and playing field.
Guard The batsmen ‘takes guard’ when in his prepared neutral stance as he waits for the ball to be bowled. He is guarding his wicket, but also in a position where he can move onto the front foot or the back or move sideways in order to score runs.
Half-volley A bowling delivery which pitches in such a position that the batsman is able to strike the ball almost immediately it leaves the surface of the pitch. In terms of a good length, this ball may be slightly over-pitched or the batsman might have moved his own position such that it favours the bat.
Hat-trick When a bowler is able to achieve three dismissals from three consecutive deliveries in the same match.
Hit wicket To strike and subsequently ‘break’ the stumps with the bat during the execution of a shot. This results in the batsman’s dismissal.
Hook (shot) A batting stroke played to the on side where the ball is hit over the batsman’s shoulder, often as a result of a short-pitched delivery from the bowler.
Innings The period of time spent batting by a team or individual. Each team has a maximum of two innings each in a Test match. A batsman’s innings takes place until he is out or retires. If a batsman has not been dismissed, Not Out is listed before his score.
Inswinger A bowling delivery that deviates in the air, to a right-handed batsmen, from the off side to the leg side (or in towards the batsman and stumps).
Knock A term used to describe the batting innings of an individual player, but most often when the batsman has scored some runs. For instance, a batsman might have a good knock, or a patchy knock or a tough knock, but never a knock of nil runs.
Lbw, leg before wicket This is a method of dismissal where the batsmen is adjudged out should the ball have hit the wickets if not for the pads being in the way. Only the bat can be used to stop the ball hitting the wickets.
Leg, leg side The part of the field that is to the left of the batsman when he faces the bowler when batting. Also known as the on side.
Leg break A delivery from a spin bowler which turns off the surface of the wicket from the leg side to the off side, away from the right-handed batsman (and towards slips).
Leg cutter A delivery from a pace bowler which deviates from the leg side to the off side after leaving the surface of the pitch.
Leggie Spin bowler whose ‘stock’ or usual ball is a leg break.
Length Used to describe the part of the pitch where the ball either struck or would have struck prior to reaching the batsman.
Lofted, lofted shot A delivery struck in such a way it travels high in the air for some distance.
Loopy Looping. See Top spin and Overspin.
Maiden When applied to a bowler, describes an over where no runs have been scored by the batsman from any delivery. For a batsman, it refers to a maiden innings or maiden century, both being the very first occasion of each.
Men A great deal of the terminology of cricket involves batsmen and fieldsmen. Many of these terms have evolved along with the rest of society to become more gender neutral, such as batter, bowler and fielder. Maids are recorded playing a game of cricket in Surrey in 1745 (according to Bronwyn) and it must be clearly recognised that women’s cricket continues to flourish around the world and is played by the same rules.
Middle order Refers to the batting positions or batsmen numbered between five and seven.
Nets Generally applied to any area where cricket is practised. Netting, therefore leading to the term nets, normally surrounds these areas.
New ball Simply, a completely new ball yet to be used in play, or one that has not been used for many overs.
Non-striker A term used to describe the batsman waiting at the bowler’s end.
Off (side) The area immediately to the front right of the batsman when waiting for the bowler to deliver a ball.
Off spin Spin bowling in which the ball is ‘turned’ so it spins towards the stumps of a right-handed batsman. The ball is turned the opposite way to a leg spinner.
Offie Bowling off spin or an off-spin bowler.
On(side) The area immediately to the front left of the batsman when waiting for the bowler to bowl.
Outfield The part of the playing surface of the arena closest to the boundary.
Over The set number of balls bowled by a bowler. An over now consists of six balls. The term ‘over’ is also called by the umpire when the bowler has completed his six balls. The six-ball over was adopted around the world after 1976. Prior to this there were eight-ball overs. In the 1800s there were four-ball overs.
Overspin, top spin The ball rotates forwards. David Donald used a variety of these sharply rising deliveries, calling it a ‘loopy.’
Over the wicket Used to describe the bowling action of the bowler when the delivery arm follows through on the side closest to the stumps. The opposite term is ‘around the wicket,’ which describes the bowling action of a bowler when the delivery arm follows through on the side furthest from the stumps.
Overthrow Describes the extra runs scored when a ball is missed by the fieldsman or wicketkeeper when returned to the stumps by a
fieldsman.
Pace bowling, bowler Describes all types of bowling other than spin bowling. Can vary from medium to fast pace.
Pad A protective device used to protect the legs of both batsmen and wicketkeepers from being struck by the ball. Can also describe the manner in which a batsman may deflect the ball away from the stumps by thrusting the leg and striking the ball, sometimes called ‘padding up or padding away.’
Partnership Refers to the batting performance by two particular batsmen whilst batting together during any particular innings. Or to the cumulative score made by two partnering batsmen.
Pick In batting, refers to the ability of the batsman to visually observe the type of delivery about to be bowled by a bowler. In confronting spin bowlers, this also refers to the batsman’s ability to know which way the ball is going to spin. In confronting exceptionally good spin bowlers, picking which way it will spin is no small thing and picking how far it will spin is even more problematic.
Pitch A term also used to describe the wicket where the batting and bowling is performed. Wickets must be twenty-two yards in length to comply with the Laws of Cricket. Sometimes called ‘the wicket.’
Plumb When a batsman is standing directly in the line of the stumps and the ball hits his pads. The batsman should be given out, leg before wicket. This matter is decided by the umpire standing at the bowler’s end.
Quickie A term used to describe a bowler of fast pace, and nothing to do with floozies.
Raised finger The umpire raises one index finger on the right hand to signal that the batsman is out. The umpires adjudge whether the bowler is caught, lbw, run out, hit wicket, stumped or bowled. Being bowled is usually self-evident as the wickets are disturbed or a bail is dislodged. However, there are many factors in deciding whether a batsman is out in other circumstances, including whether they have ‘made their ground,’ that is, are behind the crease. Judging if the ball would have hit the wickets if it had not struck the pads first (lbw) can be particularly difficult.
Retired hurt When a batsman is injured or ill they may temporarily leave the ground. They are not out, and therefore, if well enough, may return to resume their batting innings if they can do so before the end of that team’s innings.
Return The throw by a fieldsman of the ball to either the wicketkeeper or the non-striker’s end.
Run The method of scoring during a game of cricket. Also a single unit of score. Runs are scored by hitting the bowled delivery. Batsmen may then run as many times up and down the wicket as they judge possible before the ball is thrown back at the stumps (if they are short of their ground they are run out). They may also receive automatic runs if the ball crosses the boundary on the full—six runs, or crosses the boundary, but not on the full—four runs.
Run-out A method of dismissing the batsman by disturbing the stumps before the batsman has made his ground and is within the batting crease.
Seam bowler, bowling 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.
Selectors A group of officials appointed for the purpose of picking the players to represent a cricket team.
Session Refers to a period of play during a cricket match. There is a morning session until lunch. And two afternoon sessions: from lunch until tea and then from tea until close of play.
Shooter A variant of leg spin, the ball is most like a flipper or skidder except that it speeds up off the pitch rather than holding up. Hurries onto the batsman, but does not climb high like a topspinner (or David Donald loopy).
Sightscreen A 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.
Silly Refers to any fielding position that is located very close to the batsman, which consequently holds extra danger. The fact that the word silly is enshrined at all levels of the game is a testament to cricket’s forefathers.
Sitter Refers to a very easy catch.
Skidder Delivery using backspin such that the ball slows and keeps low. See Flipper.
Skipper The captain of a cricket team.
Slips Fielding position behind the facing batter and next to the wicketkeeper. Position is designed to catch the ball knicked or edged by the batsmen. A fast bowler, bowling the new ball will often have ‘a number of slips’ waiting for a slips catch. See fielding diagram.
Slow wicket Describes the attributes of a pitch that offers little advantage to a pace bowler, however, a considerable advantage to a spin bowler. Usually a pitch is at its hardest and fastest on the first day when it is well grassed and rolled. It then usually settles down to give some advantage to the batsmen before starting to wear such that it finally offers advantages to spin on the last day. There is, of course, infinite variation within the norm.
Sticky wicket Describes a pitch which, although dry on the surface, has underlying soft patches. This type of wicket is generally a difficult playing surface for batsmen as it can cause a ball to behave unpredictably.
Strike, striker The name given to the batsman who is facing the bowler. The batsman is said to be ‘on strike.’
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.
Sundries Refers to any run scored by any means other than from the bat.
Sweep shot A sweep is a cross-batted front-foot shot played to a low bouncing ball, usually from a slow bowler, by kneeling on one knee, bringing the head down in line with the ball and swinging the bat around in a horizonal arc near the pitch as the ball arrives, sweeping it around to the leg side, typically towards square leg or fine leg.
Tail Generally refers to the last four batsman on the batting side who are usually in the side for their bowling ability, and thus not expected to be very good batsmen. When the ‘tail enders’ do score some runs, then the tail is said to have ‘wagged.’
Test A cricket match of international standard of two innings for each side. While Tests are now scheduled for five days, they were once ‘timeless,’ lasting as long as it took for a result.
Tie A tie is a much rarer event than a draw (see also Draw), in which the last batsman is out when both teams aggregate scores are exactly the same.
Top spin Spin ball in which the seam rotates in a clockwise direction and towards the batsman. Sometimes known as ‘overspin.’
Toss The toss of a coin is used to determine whether a particular team will initially bat or bowl to open a match. The winner of the toss can decide whether to send the opposition in, or bat first.
Twelfth man An extra player chosen for a team to act as a substitute fieldsman in the event one is called for. The twelfth man is not permitted to bat or bowl.
Walk Generally used by a batsman to indicate his acceptance of a dismissal without waiting for the decision of an umpire. The physical act of walking away from the stumps. It was once usual practice, but is now very uncommon.
Wicket This term has many different uses. It can refer to the batting and bowling area, a dismissal by a bowler, or the stumps.
Wicket, maiden An over in which the bowler has taken a wicket without a batsman scoring runs. When a bowler bowls a whole over with no runs being scored, it is said, rather jauntily, that he has bowled a maiden over, which is the desire of many a young cricketer.
Wrist spinner Wrist spin is bowled by releasing the ball from the back of the hand, so that it passes over the little finger (causing spin). This imparts an anticlockwise rotation on the ball (from the bowler’s perspective).
Yorker A bowling delivery that generally passes under the bat near to a batsman’s toes. Presumably an invention claimed by a Yorkshireman.
Adapted from www.action8cricket.com.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
All of the characters depicted in this novel are fictitious, even the real ones. The novel is set at a time of my choosing tra
versing and conflating the late 1920s and early 1930s. If David were to do the things he does, he would likely have met some of the kinds of known and unknown folk constructed for this story. I researched the time, the war and the cricket, then used what suited me, changing what did not. As much is drawn from Australian fiction and film as from non-fiction sources. The history, like the cricket, is not to be fully trusted. I hope it feels real.
I would like to thank the people who read my early drafts and provided extremely important feedback. Thank you Michelle, Jill, Les, Samantha, Leonie, Callum and Jeff Z.
I’d also like to thank Driftwood Manuscripts for their invaluable reader service. Special thanks to my editor, Georgia Richter, for a wonderful working relationship, to the Fremantle Press team, and to the proofreader, Deb Fitzpatrick.