Cricket Terminology & Officiating Glossary
Codified reference glossary covering technical statutory terms, officiating jargon, and tactical phrases.
Bouncer
A short-pitched delivery intended to rise above the batter's chest or shoulder height; limited under modern limited-overs playing conditions.
Boundary (Four / Six)
Scored when the ball crosses the perimeter rope along the ground (4 runs) or cleared over the rope on the full (6 runs).
Byes
Runs scored when a legal delivery passes the batter and wicketkeeper without touching the bat or the batter's person (Law 23).
Decision Review System (DRS)
A technology protocol allowing teams to challenge on-field umpiring decisions using Ball-Tracking (Hawk-Eye), UltraEdge sound sensors, and HotSpot.
Declaration
Under MCC Law 15, the batting team captain's statutory right to close an innings at any time during a multi-day match.
Doosra
An off-spin bowling delivery that spins in the opposite direction (from leg to off for a right-hander) while maintaining a standard off-break bowling action.
Googly
A leg-break bowler's variation that spins from off to leg into the right-handed batter without an apparent change in bowling action.
Gully
A close catching fielding position located behind the wicket on the off-side, between the slips and point.
LBW (Leg Before Wicket)
Dismissal under MCC Law 36 when a legally delivered ball strikes the batter's pad in line with the stumps and is projected to hit the wicket.
Leg Bye
Runs scored when the ball strikes the batter's body/pad (having made a genuine attempt to play the ball or evade injury) and rolls into the outfield.
Maiden Over
A completed set of 6 legal deliveries by a bowler from which zero runs are scored from the bat and no wides or no-balls occur.
Mankad (Non-Striker Run Out)
Running out the non-striking batter who leaves their crease before the bowler releases the ball; codified as a standard run-out under MCC Law 38.3.
Yorker
A full-length delivery pitched right at the base of the batter's stumps or onto their toes, making defensive backlift difficult.