International Safe-Haven Glossary:
- 40-40 Club: Players who hit 40 home runs and steal 40 bases in the same season.
- 4 Wide Ones (AKA "Base on Balls"): Four bowls that are wide of the strike zone per at-bat.
- Ace: The best starting bowler on a team.
- Advance a Runner: To move a runner ahead safely to another base, often the conscious strategy of a team that plays small ball. Even if a batter makes an out, he may be regarded as having a less negative outcome to his plate appearance if he advances a runner into scoring position or from second to third, thereby increasing the chances of that runner scoring a run later in that inning compared to those chances had that runner not advanced while that out is made. In certain situations, batters deliberately bunt for an out and thereby sacrifice themselves in order to advance a runner to second or third base.
- Agricultural Shot: This is a swing across the line of the ball (resembling a scything motion) played without much technique. Often one that results in a chunk of the pitch being dug up by the bat.
- Approach: The motion of the bowler prior to bowling the ball. It is also known as the run-up. Also the ground a bowler runs on during his run up.
- Arm Ball: A deceptive delivery bowled by an off spin bowler that is not spun, so, unlike the off break, it travels straight on (with the bowler's arm). A particularly good bowler's arm ball might also swing away from the batsman in the air (or in to him when delivered by a left-hander).
- Asking Rate: The run rate at which the team batting second needs to score to catch the opponents score in a limited overs game.
- At-Bat: A plate appearance in which the batter a) hits safely, b) is retired except on a sacrifice fly or sacrifice bunt, c) reaches on an error other than catcher's interference by a fielder except on a sacrifice fly or bunt, d) reaches base on a fielder's choice, e) is called out due to batter's interference, or f) reaches base after striking out on a passed ball or wild pitch.
- Attack the Strike Zone: Slang for bowling aggressively by throwing strikes, not by trying to trick hitters into swinging at pitches out of the strike zone or trying to nibble at the corners of the plate.
- Back Foot: The foot that is closest to the catcher. A bowler's front foot is the last foot to contact the ground before the ball is released; the other foot is the back foot. Unless the bowler is bowling off the wrong foot the bowling foot is the back foot.
- Back Foot Contact: The position of the bowler at the moment when his back foot lands on the ground just prior to delivering the ball.
- Back Foot Shot: A shot played with the batsman's weight on his back foot (i.e. the foot further from the bowler).
- Back Spin - A delivery which has a rotation backwards so that after pitching it immediately slows down, or bounces lower and skids on to the batsman.
- Bad-Ball Hitter - A batsman who excels at hitting pitches that are outside the strike zone.
- Bad Hop: A ball that bounces in front of an infielder in an unexpected way, often as a result of imperfections in the field or the spin on the ball.
- Bag: A base. Also, a two-bagger is a double or two-base hit; a three-bagger is a triple or three-base hit; a four-bagger is a quadruple or four base hit; five-bagger is a home run
- A Ball: A legal bowl that doesn't travel through the strike zone but still travels within the pitch.
- Baserunner: A player on the offensive team (i.e., the team at bat) who has safely reached base.
- Bat: The wooden implement with which the batsman attempts to strike the ball.
- Batsman: The player who is at bat and tries to hit the ball with the bat. Also referred to as the "hitter."
- Batting Average: The average number of hits per at-bat (BA=H/AB).
- Batting Practice (BP): The period, often before a game, when players warm up or practice their hitting technique. Sometimes refers to a period within a game when one team's hitters have so totally dominated a given pitcher that the game resembles a batting practice session. Referred to colloquially as well as abbreviated as BP.
- Beanball: A bowl intentionally thrown to hit the batsman if he does not move out of the way, especially when directed at the head (or the "bean" in old-fashioned slang).
- Bench - "The bench" is where the players sit when they are not at bat, in the on-deck circle, or in the field.
- Blast - A home run, normally one that is well hit.
- Blowout - A game in which one team gets a large lead, perhaps early in the game, and it appears that the other team has no chance at all of catching up. With nothing to worry about, the manager and team can relax.
- Bonus baby - A young player who received a signing bonus.
- Bowl count - The total number of pitches a pitcher has thrown in a given game.
- Bowler - The fielder responsible for bowling the ball.
- Bowler of record - The bowlers who receive the win (W) and the loss (L) are the "pitchers of record." When used during a game, "bowler of record" refers to a bowler who would be the winning or losing pitcher if the game were to end at that point. The pitchers of record are designated by the official scorer in accordance with the scoring rules.
- Bowling - The act of delivering the cricket ball to the batsman.
- Bowling Map: A diagram showing where a number of balls, usually from a particular bowler, have been bowled.
- Browsing - A batsman who strikes out looking, especially if the batter did not move his bat at all. This term is mainly used by sports commentators.
- Bullpen - The area used by bowlers and catchers to warm up before taking the pitch when play has already begun.
- Bunt - To deliberately bat the ball weakly to a particular spot on the infield by holding the bat nearly still and letting the ball hit it. Typically, a bunt is used to advance other runners and is then referred to as a sacrifice or a sacrifice hit or a sacrifice bunt. When done correctly, fielders have no play except, at best, to throw the batter-runner out at first base.
- Carrom ball - A style of slow bowling delivery in which the ball is released by flicking the ball between the thumb and a bent middle finger in order to impart spin.
- Caught and bowled - When a player is dismissed by a catch taken by the bowler. The term originates from the way dismissals are recorded on a scorecard; the alternative "bowled and caught", referring to the sequence of events in the chronological order, is almost never used.
- Caught behind - A catch by the wicket-keeper.
- Cellar - Last place, bottom of the standings.
- Chinaman - A left-handed bowler bowling wrist spin (left arm unorthodox). For a right-handed batsman, the ball will move from the off side to the leg side. Some commentators alternatively refer to googlies bowled by such bowlers as Chinamen.
- Clean inning - When a team bowls and plays defense without mental or physical errors or allowing the other team to score runs or advance runners easily.
- Clear the bases - A batter who drives home all the runners on base is said to "clear the bases."
- Come to the crease - A phrase used to indicate a batsman walking onto the playing arena and arriving at the cricket pitch in the middle of the ground to begin batting.
- Cookie - A pitch that's easy to hit.
- Cousin - A bowler who is easy for a particular batsman to hit.
- Crack of the bat - The sound of the bat hitting the ball.
- Cross-bat shot - A shot played with the bat parallel with the ground, such as a cut or a pull. Also known as a horizontal-bat shot.
- Cut - A shot played square on the off side to a short-pitched delivery wide of off stump. So called because the batsman makes a "cutting" motion as he plays the shot.
- Cutter - A break delivery bowled by a fast or medium-pace bowler with similar action to a spin bowler, but at a faster pace. It is usually used in an effort to surprise the batsman, although some medium-pace bowlers use the cutter as their stock (main) delivery.
- Daisy cutter - When a ball rolls along the pitch or bounces more than 2 times.
- Death overs - The final ten overs in a one-day match, in which a batting side with wickets in hand can bat aggressively, and in which bowlers are, usually, hit for lots of runs. Bowlers who bowl during the death overs are said to "bowl at the death."
- Delivery - The act of bowling the ball.
- Designated hitter - A player who permanently hits in the place of a defensive player (usually the pitcher) and whose only role in the game is to hit.
- Doctoring the ball - Applying a foreign substance to the ball or otherwise altering it in order to put an unnatural spin on a pitch.
- Donkey drop - A ball with a very high trajectory prior to bouncing.
- Doosra - A relatively new off spin delivery developed by Saqlain Mushtaq; the finger spin equivalent of the googly, in that it turns the "wrong way". From the Hindi or Urdu for second or other.
- Doubleheader - When two games are played by the same two teams on the same day.
- Double play - A play by the defense where two offensive players are put out as a result of continuous action resulting in two outs.
- Earned run - Any run for which the pitcher is held accountable (i.e., the run did not score as a result of a fielding error or a passed ball).
- Earned run average - The average number of earned runs allowed by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. Abbreviated as ERA.
- Economy rate - The average number of runs scored per over in the bowler's spell.
- Ejected - A player or coach who is disqualified from the game by an umpire for unsportsmanlike conduct.
- Error - An error is an act, in the judgment of the official scorer, of a fielder misplaying a ball in a manner that allows a batter or baserunner to reach one or more additional bases, when that advance could have been prevented by ordinary effort by the fielder. An error is also charged when a fielder fails to catch a foul fly ball that could have been caught with ordinary effort. The term error can also refer to the play in which an error was committed. Because the bowler and catcher handle the ball so much, some misplays by them are called "wild bowl" and "passed ball", and are not counted as errors.
- Expensive - A bowler who concedes a large number of runs from his over(s), i.e. has a high economy rate.
- Fast bowling - A style of bowling in which the ball is delivered at high speeds, typically over 90 mph (145 km/h)
- Fielder - Any defensive player, as opposed to a batter. Often, defensive players are distinguished as either pitchers or position players. Position players are further divided into infielders and outfielders.
- Find a hole - To get a base hit by hitting the ball between infielders
- First-bowl hitter - A hitter who likes to hit the first pitch in an at bat, especially if the hitter often gets a hit on the first pitch.
- Five o'clock hitter - A hitter who hits really well during batting practice, but not so well during games.
- Five-tool player - A position player who has great skill in all of the tools or basic skills: hitting for average, hitting for power, base running and speed, throwing, and fielding.
- Flag down - To catch or knock down a line drive, as if flagging down a speeding train.
- Flat hit - An aerial shot hit with significant power by the batsman which travels fast enough to make the ballistic trajectory of the ball appear flat
- Flat pitch - A pitch which is advantageous to the batsmen and offers little or no help to the bowlers, due to predictable bounce.
- Flipper - A leg spin delivery with under-spin, so it bounces lower than normal, invented by Clarrie Grimmett.
- Floater - A delivery bowled by a spinner that travels in a highly arched path appearing to 'float' in the air.
- Fly ball - A ball hit high in the air. See also pop fly, infield fly, and ground ball.
- Fly ball bowler - A pitcher who tends to induce more fly balls than ground balls from the hitters.
- Force play - When a runner must advance to another base because the batter becomes a runner and, as such, must advance to first base. In this situation, the base the runner is being forced to needs to be touched by the fielder with the ball and is considered a "force out." A play when a fly ball is caught and a fielder touches a base prior to the runner tagging up is not a force play, but an appeal play.
- Four-fingered salute - An intentional walk.
- Freeze the hitter - To throw a strike that is so unexpected or in such a location that the batter doesn't swing at it.
- Front foot - In a batsman's stance the front foot is the foot that is nearer to the bowler. A bowler's front foot is the last foot to contact the ground before the ball is released.
- Front foot contact - Is the position of the bowler at the moment when his front foot lands on the ground just prior to delivering the ball.
- Front-foot shot - A shot played with the batsman's weight on his front foot (i.e. the foot nearest the bowler).
- Full count - A count of 3 balls and 2 strikes; another strike will result in a strikeout, while another ball will result in a walk. At that point, only a foul ball, passed ball or wild pitch will extend the at-bat.
- Full Length - A delivery that pitches closer to the batsman than a ball pitching on a good length, but further away than a half-volley.
- Fungo - A fly ball hit for fielders to practice catching. It is not part of the game, but is accomplished by a batter tossing the ball a short distance up in the air and then batting it himself.
- Gamer - A player who plays particularly hard (especially with a willingness to sacrifice his body for the play) and is prone to making the right play at the right time, often in big games. Also used to refer to an excellent piece of equipment, such as a glove or mitt.
- Gap (also Alley) - The space between outfielders.
- Gazunder - A delivery that fails to bounce to the expected height after bouncing, thus beating the batsman and "goes under" the bat.
- Gem - A very well bowled game, almost always a win, in which the pitcher allows few if any hits and at most a run or two.
- General manager - The general manager (GM) runs the organization of a baseball team (personnel, finance, and operations). Normally distinct from the field manager and the club owner.
- Googly (also Wrong'un or Bosie) - A deceptive spinning delivery by a leg spin bowler which spins the opposite direction to the stock delivery. For a right-hander bowler and a right-handed batsman, a googly will turn from the off side to the leg side.
- Gopher bowl - A gopher bowl (or gopher ball) is a pitch that leads to a home run, one that the batter will "go for".
- Got him - An expression from a player or a broadcaster that's short for "got him out." This may be used when a pitcher gets a batter to strike out or when a defender throws out a runner who's trying to get safely on first or advance to another base.
- Grand slam - Home run hit with the bases loaded.
- Great seats - A sarcastic term for seats high in the bleachers, a long way from the playing field.
- Green top -- A pitch with an unusually high amount of visible grass, that might be expected to assist the pace bowlers.
- Grubber - A delivery that barely bounces.
- Guess hitter - A hitter who may not be the best at reading what kind of pitch is coming toward him so he guesses what the next pitch is going to be.
- Gun down - To throw out a runner.
- Hack - A batsman of generally low skill with an excessively aggressive approach to batting, commonly with a preference towards lofted cross bat shots. A poor defensive stance and lack of defensive strokes are also features of a hack. Can also be used for one particular stroke.
- Hammer - To hit the ball hard, typically for extra bases.
- Handled the ball - Occurs when a batsman touches the ball with his/her hands (when they are not gripping the bat) while the ball is still legal. Can result in the batsman being given out.
- Hard hands - A tendency to mishandle fielded balls. Also stone fingers.
- Hoick - An unrefined shot played to the leg side usually across the line of the ball.
- Home stand - A series of home games.
- Home team - The "home team" is the one in whose stadium the game is played against the "visiting team."
- Hopper - A batted ball that takes several bounces in the infield or perhaps just a single "high hop" after it hits the ground just in front of home plate.
- Incoming batsman - the batsman next to come in in the listed batting order. The incoming batsman is the one who is out when a "timed out" occurs.
- Inning - An inning consists of two halves. In each half, one team bats until ten outs are made or ten overs are completed. A regulation game consists of two innings. The first half-inning is called the top half of the inning; the second half-inning, the bottom half. The break between the top and bottom halves is called the middle of the inning.
- Inside-the-park home run - A play where a hitter scores a home run without hitting the ball out of play.
- Inswing or in-swinger - a delivery that curves into the batsman in the air from off to leg.
- In-cutter - a delivery that moves into the batsman after hitting the surface.
- Intentional walk - A walk given by the bowler throwing (normally) four straight balls well outside of the strike zone (though occasionally a bowler will start an at-bat by bowling around the hitter, and if he gets into a hitter's count he will "give in" and intentionally walk the hitter). The catcher will usually extend a hand away from the batter as an obvious sign. (Although the bowler's "intention" is to walk the batter, if he does not take care to pitch far enough outside, the batter may still be able to hit the ball safely, which would be rare but legal.) Often an "intentional walk" will occur with first base open since then the walk doesn't dramatically benefit the offense, and opens the possibility of a double play. An "intentional walk" is seen as both a compliment to the batter being walked, and an insult to the batter on deck, who is considered to be an easy out.
- Interference - Interference is an infraction where a person illegally changes the course of play from what is expected. Interference might be committed by players on the offense, players not currently in the game, catchers, umpires, or fans; each type of interference is covered differently by the rules.
- Keep the hitter honest - A bowler needs to mix up his bowls and thereby "keep the hitter honest" by making it difficult for the hitter to anticipate the type, speed, and location of the next pitch.
- Keep the line moving - A reference to a series of batsman getting on base safely and advancing runners on base, alluding to an assembly line.
- Lace - To hit the ball very hard.
- Laser show - A batting performance with a high number of base hits.
- Launch - To hit a long fly ball, as if launching a rocket.
- Launch pad - A term for a ballpark in which many home runs are hit.
- Lay off - If a batsman decides not to swing at a bowl, especially if he deliberately avoids swinging at certain types of bowls, he may be said to "lay off" a pitch. bowlers tempt hitters to swing at pitches that they cannot hit; batters try to lay off such bowls.Lead - When a baserunner steps off a base before a pitch is thrown in order to reduce the distance to the next base he takes a lead. The player who is first in the batting order for a given team in any given inning is said to lead off the inning.
- Left arm - A bowler who bowls the ball with his or her left hand is, by convention, called a 'left-arm' or 'left arm' bowler (rather than 'left hand' or 'left-handed').
- Left-arm orthodox spin - A left arm who bowls finger spin; the left-handed version of an off spinner.
- Left-arm unorthodox spin - A left arm who bowls wrist spin; the left-handed version of a leg spinner; also known as a Chinaman.
- Left hand - A batsman who bats left handed is said to be a 'left hand' bat. (Contrast "left arm bowler".)
- Left on base - A baserunner is said to be left on base (abbreviated LOB) or stranded when the half-inning ends and he is still on base.Leg break - A leg spin delivery which, for a right-hander bowler and a right-handed batsman, will turn from the leg side to the off side (usually away from the batsman).
- Leg cutter - A break delivery bowled by a fast or medium-pace bowler with similar action to a spin bowler, but at a faster pace. The ball breaks from the leg side to the off side of the batsman.
- Leg side - the half of the field to the rear of the batsman as he takes strike (also known as the on side).
- Leg spin - a form of bowling in which the bowler imparts spin on the ball by turning the wrist as the ball is delivered, and for that reason also known as "wrist spin". The stock delivery for a leg spinner is a leg break; other leg spin deliveries include the googly, the top spinner, and the flipper. The term leg spinner is usually reserved for right handed bowlers who bowl in this manner. Left handers who bowl with wrist spin are known as unorthodox spinners. This is also known as the Chinaman.
- Lift - To remove a player from the lineup in the middle of a game. "Casey was lifted for a pinch runner."
- "Lights-out" - A bowler who so dominates the hitters that the game is effectively over once he takes the pitch — so they can turn out the lights and go home. The pitcher retires the batters in order without allowing a single run. "Putz pitched lights-out baseball once he took over the job for good from Guardado."
- Lineup - The batting order, which also lists each player's defensive position. An announcer reading the starting lineup for a game will typically begin something like this: "Batting first, playing second base. . . ."
- Long hop - a delivery that is much too short to be a good length delivery, but without the sharp lift of a bouncer. Usually considered a bad delivery to bowl as the batsman has a lot of time to see the ball and play an attacking shot.
- Lost ball - A condition in which a fielding team cannot retrieve a hit ball due to it being lost or otherwise out of reach. The fielding team must call out "lost ball" which allows the umpire to stop play. The batsman is credited with having scored at least a six, and a replacement ball is brought in: used and in similar condition to the one lost.
- Maiden over - An over in which no runs are scored off the bat, and no wides or no balls are bowled. Considered a good performance for a bowler, maiden overs are tracked as part of a bowling analysis.
- Make-up match - When a match is canceled because of a rainout or for some other reason, a make-up match is usually scheduled later in the season. Late in the regular season if the outcome of that match would not affect which teams would reach the play-offs, then the match might not be made up.
- Man of the match - An award which may be given to the best overall performer in a match. Man of the series is the same over a whole series.
- Manufacturing runs - Producing runs one at a time, piece by piece, component by component by means of patience at the plate, contact hitting, advancing runners, taking advantage of errors, alert baserunning including stealing a base or advancing on an out or a mistake by a fielder.
- Match fixing - Bribing players of one of the teams to deliberately play poorly, with the intention of cashing in on bets on the result of the game.
- Match referee - An official whose role is to ensure that the spirit of the game is upheld. He has the power to fine players and/or teams for unethical play.
- Meat of the bat - The thickest part of the bat, from which the most energy is imparted to the ball.
- Meatball - An easy pitch to hit
- Medium-pace - A bowler who bowls slower than a pace bowler, but faster than a spin bowler. Speed is important to the medium-pacer, but they try and defeat the batsman with the movement of the ball, rather than the pace at which it is bowled. Medium-pacers either bowl cutters or rely on the ball to swing in the air. They usually bowl at about 55–70 mph (90–110 km/h).
- Middle of the bat - The area of the face of the bat that imparts maximum power to a shot if that part of the bat hits the ball. Also known as the "meat" of the bat. Effectively the same as the sweet spot; however, a shot that has been "middled" usually means one that is hit with great power as well as timing.
- Middle order - The batsmen who bat at between roughly number 5 and 7 in the batting order. Often includes all-rounders and the catcher.
- Mistake hitter - A batter who isn't adept at hitting good pitches that are located well but can take advantage of a pitcher's mistakes.
- Moonshot - A home run hit so high and deep that it is said to travel toward the moon.
- Mow them down - A bowler who dominates the opposing hitters, allowing few if any to get on base.
- muff - To make an error, typically on an easy play.
- Mullygrubber - A ball that doesn't bounce after pitching.
- Nail-biter - A close game.
- Net run rate (NRR) - In a match, the average run rate scored by a team minus the average run rate scored against them. In a series, a team's NRR is (total runs scored) / (total overs received) – (total runs conceded) / (total overs bowled).
- New rock - A new (unused) cricket ball.
- Nightcap - The second game of a doubleheader.
- Nintendo - To strike out a batter on three pitches. Alternatively, to strike out on three pitches.
- No ball - An illegal delivery; the batting side is awarded one extra, the bowler must deliver another ball in the over, and the batsman cannot be dismissed by the bowler on a no-ball. Most usually a front-foot no ball, in which the bowler oversteps the popping crease; other reasons include bowling a full toss above waist height (seebeamer), throwing, having more than two fielders (excluding the wicketkeeper) behind square on the leg side, or breaking the return crease in the delivery stride.
- No-hitter - A game in which one team does not get any hits.Northpaw - A right-handed bowler.
- Off break - An off spin delivery which, for a right-handed bowler and a right-handed batsman, will turn from the off side to the leg side (usually into the batsman).
- Off cutter - An off break delivery bowled by a fast or medium-pace bowler which moves into the batsman after hitting the surface. (The ball breaks from the off-side to the leg side of the batsman.) (see In-Cutter).
- Off side - The half of the pitch in front of the batsman's body as he takes strike. For the right handed batsman this is the right half of the pitch, looking up the wicket towards the bowler, and the left half for the left handed batsman.
- Off spin - A form of bowling in which the bowler imparts spin on the ball with the fingers as the ball is delivered, and for that reason also known as "finger spin". The usual stock delivery for an off spinner is an off break, but other off spin deliveries includes the arm ball and the doosra. The term off spinner is usually reserved for right handed bowlers who bowl in this manner. Left handers who bowl with finger spin are known as orthodox spinners.
- On-base percentage (OBP) - Percentage of at-bats where a batsman reaches base for any reason other than an error or a fielder's choice or being hit by a pitch.
- On the board - A team is "on the board" (i.e., the scoreboard) when it has scored one or more runs.
- On-deck - The next batsman due to bat after the current batter.
- On side - The half of the pitch behind the batsman's body as he takes strike i.e. the left half for a right-handed batsman and the right for a left-hander (also known as the leg side).
- On a length - A delivery bowled on a good length.
- One-hitter - A game in which one team was limited to one hit.
- Opener - 1) A batsman skilled at batting at the beginning of an innings, when the ball is new or 2) One of the bowlers who open the innings, usually the fastest bowlers in the side.
- Out dipper - A dipper that curves away from the batsman before pitching.
- Outswing - A delivery that curves away from the batsman.
- Outfield - The part of the field lying outside the 30-yard (27 m) square measured from the centre of the pitch.
- Outfielder - A player whose position is either left field, center field, or right field.
- Over - The delivery of six consecutive legal balls by one bowler.
- Overpower the hitter - To throw a pitch that is so fast the batsman cannot catch up to it with his swing.
- Over rate - The number of overs bowled per hour.
- Pace bowling (also fast bowling) - A style of bowling in which the ball is delivered at high speeds, typically over 90 mph (145 km/h). A pace bowler (or paceman) often will also use swing.
- Pads - protective equipment for batsmen and catchers, covering the legs.
- To paint - To throw pitches at the edges of the strike zone.
- Patient hitter - A batsman who doesn't do a lot of first-pitch swinging, swinging at pitches out of the strike zone, or even swinging at strikes that he can't hit because of their location and/or type.
- Payoff bowl - A bowl thrown with a full count. The implication is that much effort has gone into reaching this point (this is at least the sixth bowl of the at-bat), and the pitch will either pay off for the pitcher (a strikeout) or the batsman (a hit or a walk). However, a foul ball can extend the at-bat.
- Perfume ball - A bouncer that passes within inches of the batsman's face. So called because the ball is supposedly close enough to the batsman's face that he can smell it.
- Peg - To throw the ball to one of the bases.
- Perfect inning - An inning in which a bowler allows no runners to reach base.
- Pickoff - A quick throw from the bowler (or sometimes the catcher) to a fielder covering a base when the ball has not been hit into play. Normally done to catch a runner off-base, it may also keep the runner's lead in check.
- Pinch hitter - A substitute batsman. Often brought in during a critical situation (a "pinch") to replace a weak batter (usually the bowler). In other circumstances it may be a situational substitute.
- Pinch runner - A substitute baserunner. Often brought in during a critical situation (as with a pinch hitter), typically to replace a slower runner in hopes of stealing a base.
- Pitch - The rectangular surface near the foul zone of the field where most of the action takes place.
- Pitch (It) Up - To bowl a delivery on a fuller length.
- Place Hitter: A batsman who has skill in controlling where he hits the ball.
- Point of Release - The position of the bowler at the moment when the ball is released.
- Popping Crease: One of two lines in the field defined as being four feet in front of and parallel to that end's bowling crease where the wickets are positioned.
- Quick: Traditionally, a quick bowler was one who completed his over in a short space of time. In more recent years, it has been used as a synonym for a fast or pacebowler. (Paradoxically, a quick bowler in the traditional sense was often also a slow bowler, that is, a bowler who delivered slow deliveries. A fast or pace bowler was rarely also a quick bowler in the traditional sense, because he took a longer time to complete an over.)
- Quota: The total number of overs (maximum 10) allotted to a bowler in any match. Typically total overs in the innings divided by 5, rounded to next highest integer.
- Rain Delay: A situation when a game starts late due to rain or is temporarily suspended due to rain. A game that is suspended after it has begun may be resumed either the same day or at a later date. A game that never begins, or that is canceled after it begins due to rainy weather is a rainout and in most cases will be rescheduled for a later date – a make-up date
- Throwout: A defensive tactic used to pick off a baserunner, typically employed when the defense thinks that a stolen base play is planned. The bowl is thrown outside and the catcher catches it while standing, and can quickly throw to a base.