A new ball is generally harder and shinier than an old ball, moves faster through the air (favouring pace bowling) and may swing after a few overs of polishing. In contrast, an old ball will be softer, rougher, and will typically have been polished on one side but not the other, favouring reverse swing and spin bowling. Nibble
A small amount of movement by the ball off the seam. Nick
Another term for edge or snick. Nightwatchman
(in a first-class game) a lower order batsman sent in when the light is dimming to play out the remaining overs of the day in order to protect more valuable batsmen for the next days play. No
batsmans call not to run. See Push, Yes, Two, Wait. 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 (see beamer), 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 mans land
an area of the field where a fielder cannot save a single, nor stop a boundary. Occasionally used to catch a batsman who mistimes a shot.
The Ashes originated as a result of a satirical obituary published in a British newspaper, The Sporting Times, in 1882 after a match at The Oval in which Australia beat England on an English ground for the first time. The obituary stated that English cricket had died, and the body would be cremated and the ashes taken to Australia. The English press dubbed the next English tour to Australia (1882–83) as the quest to regain The Ashes. During that tour a small terracotta urn was presented to England captain Ivo Bligh by a group of Melbourne women. The urn is reputed to contain the ashes of one or two bails. Asking rate
see required run rate

Attacking field
A fielding configuration in which more fielders are close in to the pitch so as to take catches more readily, at the risk of allowing more runs to be scored. Attacking shot
An aggressive or strong hit by the batsman designed to score runs. Audi
Two consecutive pairs, or four consecutive ducks. The term alludes to Audi, a German car manufacturer, whose logo is four linked rings. Average
1.  see batting average
2.  see bowling average

Away swing
see outswing

B
Back foot
1. When batting, the foot that is closest to the stumps. For a right-hand batsmans stance, the back foot is the right foot; for a left-hand batsman it is the left foot. 2. When bowling, the foot which contacts the ground before the front foot i.e. the back foot is the second contact before the ball is released.