Have you played street cricket !

For those of you who have played street cricket or have

watched somebody playing .......... this might inspire some nostalgia

The Glossary of Terms :

Street Cricket, or 'theru krikayt' as it is popularly known, is also known for its amusing usage of terms, a few of which are given below.

Trials

Etymology English

This is the first ball bowled in the match and it is called trials. It is used to gauge the pace and bounce of the pitch and the ball by both batsman and the bowler.

Note: The batsman is not supposed to hit this ball, else the fielding will demand him to go and fetch the ball. It's a kind of tactic by the fielding team to not allow the batsman to free his arms.

All-reals.. first ball

Etymology English

This indicates the start of the match. Usually the batsman prefer to play "dokku".

Mattai

Etymology Tamil

he piece of wood to be used as the cricket bat. Need not confirm to geometrical trivialities.

Gaaji

Etymology Unkown

The indian reference for an 'inning'. It is a well known fact that captains of street cricket teams always prefer to bat first irrespective of conditions.

Double Gaaji

Etymology Unkown

An excpetional scenario wherein a batsman can bat twice if there are a shortage of players in the side.

Osi Gaaji

Etymology Unkown

A scenario where some stranger wants to bat for a couple of balls just for fun and then carry on with his work.

Over Gaaji

Etymology Unkown

The act of a selfish batsman who purposely retains strike by taking a single of the last ball of the over to enjoy more "Gaaji"ing

Last Man Gaaji

Etymology partly English

A scenario where the last man who is not out with all wickets down gets to play "Gaaji" with no runner. It must be noted that, the fielding team can effect run outs on both the stumps when there is Last Man Gaaji

Current

Etymology English

The unique and distinctive way of getting a batsman run out. When a batsman attempts a dangerous run, He could be run out by any of the fielders who just need to land their

feet on the stone at the bowlers end.

Adetail

Etymology English

The most funny reference to a batsman being 'Retired Hurt'. [Derived from: A corruption of 'Hurt Retired']

Return Declare

Etymology Unkown

Same as 'Adetail'. But sometimes used, when a batsman crosses a stipulated number of runs say 20 or bats for stipulated number of balls so that others can get a share of

"gaaji"ing

Bongu

Etymology Tamil

The slang word used if a team unfairly cheats the other team while playing.

Full Cover

Etymology English

A situation where in a batsmen is taking a half stump guard thereby covering the complete stumps from the view of the bowler. Since street cricket typically do not have a LBW it

is very difficult to get a batsman out, if he covers the stump fully.

One pitch catch

Etymology English

A rule where a batsman gets out when a fielder catches it even after the ball pitches once. Typically street cricket batsmen do not go for lofted shots fearing to get out

One pitch one hand

Etymology English

A slight modification of the above rule where a fielder can use both hands if catching the ball full toss, but has to use only one hand, if the catch is one-pitch". Typically used to increase the chances of survival of batsman.

Sundu

Etymology Tamil

A great forefather of the now popular "super-sub" rule, this rule can be used if a Sothai (poor or bad) batsman's innings has to be played by a good batsman

La Ball

Etymology English

Last ball of an over.

Full fast

Etymology English

Since street cricket pitches are a few yards long, a ball, which is thrown with full pace and energy, is considered a no ball as it will be impossible to handle such pace with

short distance.

Thuchees

Etymology Unknown

When batsman/any fielder gets distracted from the game due to highly technical reasons like a vehicle crossing

the road when a ball is bowled (mostly happens when the pitch is perpendicular to the road)

Waiteees

Etymology Unknown- Same as 'Thuchees'

Common Fielding

Etymology English

Due to lack of number of fielders, it is possible that people from batting team who are not actually doing batting have to field or do wicket keeping or for that matter even umpiring

Ball Right

Etymology English

When a umpire/batsman declares a wide ball, bowler uses this term to say that the ball was not a wide. Typically happens because umpires are from the batting teams.

Dokku

Etymology Unknown

A derogatory term for a defensive shot. Typically a batsman is discouraged from playing such shots because of the constraints of less number of overs and because everyone in the team needs to have a fair amount of gaaji

Baby Over

Etymology English

When a bowler has no hopes of completing his over with lots of wides and no balls he is substituted by a better bowler and the over is called a Baby over, Baby because the first bowler was very amateur

Chain Over

Etymology English

When a bowler bowls two continuous overs. Typically happens when captains fail to calculate correctly the number of overs in the absence of electronic score cards

Uruturadhu

Etymology Tamil

When the bowler is unable to extract any meaningful bounce from the pitch. Sometimes used as a defensive tactic towards the deck.

Thadavuradhu

Etymology Tamil

(In the context of cricket) When a batsman is not able to make any contact with the ball using his bat.

Suthuradhu

Etymology Tamil

Same as slogging in cricket towards the deck.

Avishot

Etymology English

Appeal to Umpire for out(run out, catch, etc)

One Side Runs

Etymology English

When teams decide before hand that there are runs only on one side of the wicket due to lack of sufficient number of fielders

Granted

Etymology English

When a batsman hits a reasonable distance from which fetching the ball back is slightly difficult due to technical

difficulties already mentioned (like vehicle crossing a road, presence of a thorny bush etc), teams agree that a fixed number of runs are GRANTED (with a suffix "ji" - like one-ji, two-ji etc)