West Indian term for a friendly, low stakes game in which the food to be consumed off field, is more important than the result on it. A curry goat match is the Windies’ equivalent to the English Beer match (qv)
Nickname for a batsman who favours the on side when scoring, with strokes like the on drive, pull, and leg glance most prominent. His mirror opposite is the Off Side Ollie (qv)
Nickname for a batsman who favours scoring through the off side, with strokes like the off-drive, square cut and cover drive, prominent amongst his repertoire. His mirror opposite is the Leg Side Lenny (qv)
A telling batting contribution from a skipper, when all around him have perished, leading from the front to contribute a substantial portion of his side’s total. Strangely, there seems no bowling equivalent, perhaps reflecting the greater number of captain-batsman.
Intangible pressure created by a team’s formidable total or in the shorter forms of the game, its monstrous run rate.
The quality of a batsman who lacks the certain delicacy of touch which would allow them to cushion, manoeuvre or persuade a ball, rather than the characteristic lunging at it they often display.
A subtle dainty stroke which guides and persuades the ball rather than biffs it. May originate from the practice of tickling for trout where a certain delicacy of touch is required to land the fish. Frequently used with the qualifier, “tickled around the corner” meaning to induce a ball to travel between square and fine leg toward the boundary.
Preliminary indication of a Test umpire’s intuitive decision before he refers it upstairs to the video umpire for confirmation.
This can lead to some curious anomalies, for example, no conclusive evidence of a catch being taken may exist on video replay, but a player will still be given out on the umpire’s soft signal or intuitive take on the decision (Alex Hales, 4th Test vs Pakistan). It stands in stark contrast to lower levels of the game whereby batsmen are given the benefit of the doubt when any uncertainy exists.
Having a direct interest in the result of a cricket match, usually as part of one of the teams involved. This phrase is used to describe backseat captaincy from beyond the boundary which always advocates more swashbuckling and radical decisions and tactics than if one were actually playing oneself.
Usage: “With a 250-lead I’d declare now and dangle a carrot. Easy for me to say though, I’ve no actual skin in the game.”
Optimistic, self-bestowed title of a natural number 11 promoted to the giddy heights of number nine in the batting order.
Usage: “At last, residing in my natural batting position. Oh yes, I’m part of the upper lower order now.”
