Cricket is a well-loved sport in countries like England, where it is the national sport, and India and Pakistan, where it is the most popular sport. It has a complex set of rules governed by the International Cricket Council, and one of the largest vocabularies of any sport. If you want to play the game, or even if you just want to understand it, brush up on some of cricket's common terms.
Beamer
A beamer is a ball thrown by the bowler, or pitcher, that passes the batsman, or batter, near head height without bouncing first.
Bump Ball
A bump ball is a ball hit by the batsmen directly to the ground, which then bounces up and is caught by a fielder.
Roll
To roll means to flatten the field with a heavy rolling device. The field is rolled between innings, and the side about to lead the inning is given the choice of whether they would like a heavy for light rolling.
Over
An over is the set number of six balls bowled by a bowler. The umpire calls the word "over" after the bowler bowls his sixth ball.
Run-rate
Run-rate is the average number of runs achieved in a single over. It is used to assess a team's progress.
Silly
Silly is any position that is situated near the batsman.
Sledging
Sledging is verbal heckling of the batsman to cause him to lose concentration.
Twelfth Man
Although cricket teams consist of 11 players, the twelfth man is a substitute fieldsman in case one is needed. The twelfth man generally does not bat or bowl.
Finger Spin
Finger spin is a method used by a bowler to put spin on a ball to make it difficult for the batsman to hit. The bowler does so using his first and second fingers.
Half Volley
A half volley is a bowl bowled in such a way that the batsman is able to hit it immediately as it bounces off the pitch, or surface, of the batting area.
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