T20 GLOSSARY

Cricket’s shortest form (for now) has introduced a new way of playing the game – and words needed to describe it. Here’s a list of terms that T20 has brought into common cricket usage:

A guide to the language of cricket’s shortest form.

ACTIVITY RATE

Stat that measures percentage of balls a batter scores off. “He’s effective at rotating the strike and has a high activity rate.”

AUCTION

Annual Indian Premier League observance that makes instant millionaires of certain cricketers, and has the rest of the non-Indian audience looking up what a crore is.

BAT SPEED

Baseball-esque term that describes how fast a batter can swing the willow, and is an essential quality for power hitters. “Warner didn’t hit that cleanly, but with his bat speed, it was enough to clear the rope.”

COW CORNER

The outfield position between deep mid-wicket and long-on, so named for an areaon the Dulwich College pitch in England where actual livestock roamed. Newly relevant in T20 because so many hitters aim for this area.

DEATH OVERS

Last of three phases of a T20 innings (after the Powerplay and middle), from the 16th to the 20th. Generally regarded as the most critical phase for scoring, and bowlers effective at limiting runs in this period are referred to as “death bowlers”.

FREE HIT

Alteration to traditional no-ball rule in which the batter can’t get out (except run out, hit twice or obstructing the field) on the next delivery, encouraging more daring shotmaking.

FURNACE, THE

Moniker applied to the WACA Ground in Perth, owing to its status as home ground of the BBL’s Scorchers, or that “WACA” somehow wasn’t the best-suited name for a Big Bash venue.

HUNDRED, THE

English innovation of the short format because, apparently, 20 extra balls are just too many.

MAXIMUM

Unnecessary alternative term for six. Why use three syllables when one will do?

RAMP SHOT

See “Scoop shot”.

RASHID KHAN

Afghanistan and Adelaide Strikers’ leg-spinner who is the top-ranked T20 bowler in the world. “A century from now, when T20 is the dominant form of cricket, Rashid Khan will be regarded as a true great.”

SCOOP SHOT

Emblem of batting creativity spurred by T20, in which batters play the ball directly over their head – and the wicket-keeper’s – with a scoop, paddle or ramp-type action (hence the names). Sri Lanka’s Tillakaratne Dilshan was so proficient at it, his version became known as the Dilscoop.

SLOW BOUNCER

Variant on the head-hunting pace ball which arrives some 20km/h slower, and can disrupt a batter’s timing.

SUPER OVER

Tie-break regulation that became widely loathed after England’s victory in the 50-over World Cup. The Big Bash League and the ICC subsequently changed the related rule about boundary countbacks – finals will play super overs until a result.

TRUE ECONOMY

Curiously, not the opposite of false economy. A measure of a bowler’s net runs allowed per over taking into account what stage of the game it is. “Malinga’s true economy is better than his raw runs per over because he bowls at the death so often.”

WIDE YORKER

Variant on the traditional ball aimed at the batter’s feet. A defensive delivery as it reduces the chance of a shot on the on-side – but like any Yorker, is at risk of becoming just a wide full toss.