Having been making cricket bats for 150 years, at Gray-Nicolls we see ourselves as cricket experts. And we’ll be the first to admit, some of cricket’s jargon and terminology can be a little…confusing.
Terms like “yorker”, “silly mid-off” or “short leg” might be common parlance for aficionados of the sport, but for beginners, kids or the uninitiated, it’s a minefield.
To help, we’ve put together this hand guide of jargon busting tips to take your cricket knowledge to another level.
Batting Terms
Cover Drive
The ultimate sign of class. A graceful front-foot shot played through the cover region (45 degrees in front of the batter). It’s a favourite of technically strong players like Ollie Pope.
Want to play it like Pope? The Gray-Nicolls Stratos 1.0 offers exceptional balance, helping time this shot perfectly.
The Sweet Spot
The area on a cricket bat where the most wood is housed, and ultimately where the ball feels best when struck. Hitting the ball in the sweet spot creates maximum power with minimal vibration.
Our Concierge Service lets players choose the weight of the bat they want to help performance — choose bats from our Concierge Collection.
Out for a Duck
Not a day out at the park, but the ultimate indignity for a cricket. A batter is out without scoring a single run — called a "duck" because the zero looks like an egg.
It’s a tough moment, but it happens to the very best. The important part is bouncing back with the right mindset (the right cricket bat in hand will help!)
Bowling Terms
Yorker
A delivery aimed at the batter’s toes, usually landing right at the base of the stumps. It’s hard to play and a great weapon for the end of a batting innings.
Practising your yorker at home? Grab a Gray-Nicolls two tone Wonderball to get your in-swinging toe crusher up to scratch.
Swing Bowling
When the ball moves sideways in the air before or after bouncing. Often seen under cloudy skies with a newer ball. The iconic exponent of this skill is James Anderson who is England’s all time leading wicket taker.
Gray-Nicolls match balls are of the highest quality and can help bowlers create great amounts of swing for long periods.
General Terms
Stumping
When the wicketkeeper removes the bails while the batter is out of their crease and not attempting a run.
The lightning-fast hands of a wicketkeeper like Kyle Verreynne relies on lightweight, high performance wicketkeeping gloves.
Silly Mid-Off
No, it’s not a playground insult. It’s a very close fielding position — a short distance from the batter on the off-side. Position to catch misjudged defensive shots or even a mistimed drive, sometimes just the mere presence of a fielder there is enough to put a batter off.
With the ball flying in fast, the right protection is key. Explore Gray-Nicolls Super Lite Pads which are ideal for close fielding.
Knocking-In
The process of preparing a bat by gradually, compressing the fibres and conditioning the wood to get it ready for match play. Knocking-in is done by hitting a bat with a mallet or a cricket ball in a sock for up to four hours!
Get our bat mallet and bat conditioning set to keep your cricket bat in tip top shape.
Final Word: Cricket, Made Simple(r)
Learning the language of cricket makes the game more enjoyable whether you’re watching or playing,
At Gray-Nicolls, we’ve been part of the game for over 150 years — from backyard beginners to World Cup winners. Explore our gear, follow our player tips, and fall in love with the game at every level.
Explore our full range of beginner to elite cricket gear → Shop Now
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