Overview

An absolute beauty of a book: a delightfully illustrated A-to-Z collection of over 400 eccentric and hilarious words and phrases used by international players, village and club cricketers, the perfect handbook for the cricket fan, the wordsmith and the humourist. Beer snake, Barnes Wallace, Bunsen and Buzzers ... Featherbed, Ferret, Flamingo, Footler ... Pickpocket, Pie Chucker, Pongo and Pudding ... Teapot, Toe-smasher, Tonto and Twiddler ... The language of cricket is as rich as its history. The lexicon of cricket jargon has ballooned in recent years, thanks to round-the-clock global television coverage, the expansion of competitions, new in-match technological devices and live online reporting of Tests, One-Day Internationals and T20s. This charming glossary of terms brings together in one handy volume all the modern buzzwords and time-seasoned banter of the players, fans and commentators, and delivers it to the cricket lover's armchair, loo and bedside table. From Lord's to Lahore, Delhi to Durham, Melbourne to Manchester, Cape Town to the Caribbean, cricket is a universal language. Packed with curious words and expressions, new and old, laugh-out-loud funny and downright ill-mannered, this compilation will delight cricket fans the world over. Sample entries: Banter - Euph. Word casting a light veil over the bitter exchange of insults taking place between the batsman and assorted fielders. See also Niggle, Exchange of Pleasantries, Verbals Camel - Graceless and unathletic fielder, often an ageing fast bowler, dispatched to a distant backwater of the outfield in which he is least likely to make a fool of himself. See also Cart Horse Nighthawk - A Nightwatchman on crack cocaine who comes to the wicket looking to slog 30 runs from 12 balls rather than block 30 for one. Term said to be coined by England quick Stuart Broad in the Bazball era of Brendon McCullum.  

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9781738452200

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Reviews

'Every sport is a language, and cricket more than most. In Niall Edworthy, it has found a very entertaining translator.' Tim de Lisle, former editor of Wisden 'Fabulous! Very, very entertaining ... a brilliant collection of knowledge and humour, an education for any budding cricketer, and a must-read for all cricket anoraks.' Chris Adams, ex-England, Derbyshire and Sussex 'In a game proud of its literature, this book stands out for bringing out the marvellous eccentricity of this unique game. Meticulously researched, this is a gift every cricket lover will savour as it will both educate and amuse them. An ideal book to illustrate a game that has always been willing to laugh at itself.' Mihir Bose, Author and Broadcaster

Author Information

Niall Edworthy is one of the UK's most prolific authors and successful ghostwriters.  A former News and Sports reporter for broadsheet newspapers and international wire agencies AFP and Reuters, Niall wrote his first book in 1997.  He is the author or ghost of almost 50 titles, most for the big publishing houses, many of them for well-known names (actors, soldiers, musicians, sportsmen and television personalities), others for 'ordinary' people with extraordinary stories. He has written in a wide range of genres, mainly Biography, History and Sport, Humour and Natural History, and recently, in Fiction. His first novel, Otto Eckhart's Ordeal, was shortlisted for the Wilbur Smith Best Published Novel Award 2021. He will soon be publishing his second novel. He lives in West Sussex, UK.

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