Glossary of Cricket Terms


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Lap 1. n. sweep (1).
2. v.t. sweep (3).

Late Cut 1. n. a cut (1) shot played well after the ball has passed the batsman's body, sending the ball finer than a normal cut. The batsman played a late cut at the ball.
2. adj. describing the type of shot used to play a late cut.
3. v.i. to play a late cut shot. The batsman late cut ferociously.
4. v.t. to hit the ball with a late cut. The batsman late cut the ball ferociously.

Law 1. n. one of the official rules of cricket, as codified by the Marylebone Cricket Club in London.

Laws, The 1. n. the official rules of cricket, as codified by the Marylebone Cricket Club in London.

LBW 1. adj. abbreviation for "leg before wicket".
2. n. a wicket that fell by the method of LBW.

Leading Edge 1. n. the edge of a cricket bat closest to the bowler's end of the pitch, as the bat is held with its face turned away from the bowler.
2. n. a deflection of the cricket ball off the leading edge of the striker's bat, sometimes lobbing gently in the air to the bowler, mid off, or mid on fielders for a catch. cf. outside edge, inside edge, top edge, bottom edge.

Leave 1. v.i. (of a batsman) to deliberately not attempt to hit a ball. The bowler bowled outside off stump and the batsman decided to leave.
2. v.t. to leave a ball. The batsman left the last ball.

Left Arm Orthodox 1. n. a style of bowling in which the (left-handed) bowler used finger spin to spin the ball so that when it bounces on the pitch it moves from the leg to the off to a right-handed batsman. cf. left arm unorthodox.

Left Arm Orthodox Spinner 1. n. a (left-handed) bowler who specialises in bowling left arm orthodox spin. cf. left arm unorthodox spinner.

Left Arm Unrthodox 1. n. a style of bowling in which the (left-handed) bowler used wrist spin to spin the ball so that when it bounces on the pitch it moves from the off to the leg to a right-handed batsman. cf. left arm orthodox.

Left Arm Unrthodox Spinner 1. n. a (left-handed) bowler who specialises in bowling left arm unorthodox spin. cf. left arm orthodox spinner.

Leg 1. n. on or towards the half of the field on the same side as the batsman's legs as he stands in the batting stance; synonym for on.
2. n. the leg stump.

Leg Before Wicket 1. adj. describing the method of getting out in which the bowler bowls a ball that would hits the striker's wicket, but it hits the striker instead without first hitting his bat; abbreviated LBW.
2. n. a wicket that fell by the method of LBW.

Leg Break 1. n. the standard type of ball bowled by a leg spin bowler, which spins from the leg to the off to a right-handed batsman. cf. off break.

Leg Bye 1. n. an extra run scored by the batting side when the batsmen take runs after the ball hits the striker on the body without hitting his bat.

Leg Cutter 1. n. a type of ball bowled by a fast bowler, using a finger action similar to a leg spin bowler, so that it moves off the pitch from the leg to the off to a right-handed batsman. cf. off cutter.

Leg Glance 1. n. a type of batsman's shot played by holding the bat vertically, and deflecting the ball off the line of the pads in the direction behind square leg.
2. v.i. to play a leg glance shot.
3. v.t. to hit the ball with a leg glance.

Leg Gully 1. n. fielding position on the leg side, about 30 degrees behind square, a static catching position designed to catch the ball after it hits the edge of the bat and deflects a long way, or for misplaced pull or sweep shots; fielding position between leg slip and square leg.
2. n. a fielder fielding in the leg gully position.

Leg Side 1. n. the half of the field on the same side as the batsman's legs as he stands in the batting stance; synonym for on side.

Leg Slip 1. n. fielding position just to the leg side of the wicket-keeper's position, a static catching position designed to catch the ball after it hits the edge of the bat and deflects only a small amount.
2. n. a fielder fielding in the leg slip position.

Leg Spin 1. n. a style of bowling in which the (right-handed) bowler spins the ball so that when it bounces on the pitch it moves from the leg to the off to a right-handed batsman. cf. off spin.

Leg Spinner 1. n. a (right-handed) bowler who specialises in bowling leg spin. cf. off spinner.

Leg Stump 1. n. the stump on the leg side of the striker's wicket.

Leg Theory 1. n. archaic name for a bowling tactic involving aiming at the batsman's leg stump. cf. off theory, fast leg theory.

Leggie 1. n. a leg spin bowler.
2. n. a leg break.

Length 1. n. the distance down the pitch that the ball bounces on its way to the batsman. The length of that ball was very short. The bowler bowled a good length to the batsman. cf. line.

Light Roller 1. n. the lighter of the rollers available for rolling the pitch to flatten it.

Limited Overs Cricket 1. n. alternative term for one-day cricket.

Line 1. n. the path of the ball towards the batsman, in the horizontal dimension running from the off to the leg side. The line of that ball was on off stump. The bowler bowled a good line to the batsman. cf. length.

Line And Length 1. n. the line and the length of the ball considered as a whole.

List-A One-Day Match 1. adj. a one-day match played between sides recognised by an official governing body of cricket.

Live 1. adj. the state (of the ball) in which play is occurring, such that batsmen may score runs and get out.

Live Ball 1. n. the ball when it is live.

Lofted Drive 1. n. a drive played with the bat angled upwards rather than downwards when it hits the ball, sending the ball flying through the air rather than along the ground.

Long 1. adj. describing a location on the field or a fielding position close to the boundary, or closer to the boundary than a position being compared to. cf. short.

Long Hop 1. n. a ball that bounces on the pitch well short of the batsman and rises in the air relatively slowly, allowing the batsman to hit it easily.

Long Off 1. n. fielding position on the off side, about 60-75 degrees forward of square and near the boundary, a position designed to prevent runs from off drives or catch long, lofted off drives.

Long On 1. n. fielding position on the leg side, about 60-75 degrees forward of square, a position designed to prevent runs from on drives or catch long, lofted on drives.

Lunch 1. n. the 40-minute break between the first and second sessions of play during a first-class cricket match.


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