Glossary of Uncommon Cricketing Terms

This glossary provides a handy reference for some of cricket's more obscure terms and phrases:

• Backseat driver: a non-striker who continually tells the other batsman how to hit the ball straight.
• Ballpark figure: the attractive scantily clad spectator that the cameras follow all day.
• Broken record: someone who continually goes on about Tendulkar’s run scoring feats.
• Double Entendre: when the bowler wants a fielder at mid-wicket and the captain gives him one.
• Easy come, easy go: The New Zealand top order.
• Fence Sitter: An undecided streaker.
• Freudian slip: a fielder who spends the game closely watching the balls. I meant ‘ball’. Obviously, I meant ‘ball’.
• Go Dutch: the arrangement whereby The Netherlands and Australia share Dirk Nannes equally.
• Heavenly bodies: see ‘Ballpark figure’.
• Jack-of-all-trades: a common, but indefensible, misspelling of ‘Jacques-of-all-trades’ which is used to describe someone who is a fantastic all-rounder.
• Lame duck: See ‘Easy come, easy go’.
• Lesser of two evils: The dilemma faced by neutrals when deciding who to support during the Ashes.
• Off the hook: A batsman who has got away with not having to face any short deliveries.
• Out of hand: description of Pakistan’s fielding.
• Saved by the Bell: something that most people thought England would never be able to say.
• Slip of the tongue: fielder who accidently reveals bowling plans whilst sledging.
• Sod’s Law: if a match can be ruined by Duckworth-Lewis, it will.
• Test drive: the textbook practice shot played when trying out a new bat in the shop.
• Thick and fast: Mohammad Asif.
• Weak at the knees: Reaction from watching a perfect cover-drive played by Michael Vaughan, Martin Crowe or Andrew Flintoff.