Simon Hughes
Sandshoe crusher - an Australian term for a ball pitching on the batsman's toes. See yorker.
Seam - the ridge of stitching that holds the two halves of the ball together. To 'seam' the ball means to make it deviate or change direction by landing it on the seam. A 'seamer' is a bowler who relies mainly on movement off the pitch (e.g. Angus Fraser or Glenn McGrath) rather than through the air.
Short leg - a very close fielding position on the leg-side, almost in the batsman's hip pocket.
Sledging - verbal abuse of the batsman, attempting to break down his resistance as if with a sledgehammer. Some sledges are humorous and some plain abusive. Typical examples would be 'D'you want a bell in it mate?' or 'I'll bowl you a piano, see if you can play that', from a bowler to a batsman who keeps missing the ball. Originating in Australia, sledging is not a recent habit. Back in 1933, Harold Larwood said 'A cricket tour in Australia would be a most delightful period in one's life if one were deaf'.
Slip - a fielder close to the wicket-keeper, hoping to catch a 'slip' (i.e. an edge) by the batsman. Using two or three slips is common, more is rare.
Slog - a hefty, cross-batted shot to leg, like a 'cow shot'.
Slower ball - it has become very much in vogue for fast bowlers to develop a delivery which, with little apparent change of action, arrives much slower and makes the batsman play too early. There are various forms.
Square - the area at right angles to the pitch on either side. Also used for the collection of pitches in the middle of the playing field.
Standing back/standing up - the two wicket-keeper's positions: the former used for fast bowlers, the latter, right up to the stumps for spinners.
Stock ball - a bowler's normal ball, the one they bowl most regularly.
Strike rate - for a batsman, this indicates how many runs they score per 100 balls received (10 runs off 20 balls equals a strike rate of 50). For a bowler, the figure tells you how many balls they bowled per wicket taken (so a strike rate of 48 means a bowler takes a wicket every 8 overs).
Sweep - a shot played to leg, usually down on one knee so the edge of the bat brushes the ground.
Swing - the curve of the ball in the air (see away-swing and
inswing). Well known current swing bowlers include Wasim Akram and Darren Gough.
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Copyright © Simon Hughes 2001
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