L
- Lappa
- The Indian version of the hoik. Comes from the English 'lap', an old term for a stroke somewhere between a pull and a sweep. In Indian sub-continent, it has its origin to Hindi word 'lapet' meaning 'wind' (verb) owing to the un-skilled circular course of bat.
- Leading edge
- the ball hitting the front edge of the bat as opposed to its face, when playing a cross-bat shot such as a pull. Often results in an easy catch for the bowler or a skier for someone else.
- Leave
- the action of the batsman not attempting to play at the ball. He may do this by holding the bat above his body. However, there is a clause in the LBW rules making him more susceptible to getting out this way. A batsman leaving the ball may also not claim any leg byes.
- 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'). (Contrast "left hand batsman".)
- Left-arm orthodox spin
- Left-arm unorthodox spin
- Left hand
- a batsman who bats left handed is said to be a 'left hand' bat. (Contrast "left arm bowler".)
- Leg before wicket (LBW)
- a way of dismissing the batsman. In brief, the batsman is out if, in the opinion of the umpire, the ball hits any part of the batsman's body (usually the leg) before hitting the bat and would have gone on to hit the stumps.
- 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 bye
- extras taken after a delivery hits any part of the body of the batsman other than the bat or the gloved hand that holds the bat. If the batsman makes no attempt to play the ball with the bat, leg byes may not be scored.
- 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 glance
- a delicate shot played at a ball aimed slightly on the leg side, using the bat to flick the ball as it passes the batsman, deflecting towards the square leg or fine leg area.
- Leg side
- the half of the field to the rear of the batsman as he takes strike (also known as the on side).
- Leg slip
- a fielding position equivalent to a slip, but on the leg 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.
- Leg theory
- a style of bowling attack where balls are aimed towards the leg side, utilizing several close-in, leg side fielders. The aim of leg theory is to cramp the batsman so that he has little room to play a shot and will hopefully make a mistake, allowing the close fielders to prevent runs from being scored or to catch him out. Leg theory is considered boring play by spectators and commentators since it forces batsmen to play conservatively, resulting in few runs being scored. See also fast leg theory and Bodyline.
- Leggie
- 1. another term for a leg spinner (see leg spin);
- 2. another term for a leg break.
- Length
- the place along the pitch where a delivery bounces (see short pitched, good length, half-volley, full toss).
- Life
- a batsman being reprieved because of a mistake by the fielding team, through dropping a catch, missing a run-out chance or the wicket-keeper missing a stumping.
- Light
- short for "bad light." Umpires offer the batsmen the option to cease play if conditions become too dark to be safe for batting.
- Limited overs match
- a one-innings match where each side may only face a set number of overs. Another name for one-day cricket.
- Line (also see Line and length)
- the deviation of the point along the pitch where a delivery bounces from the line from wicket-to-wicket (to the leg side or the off side).
- Line and length bowling
- bowling so that a delivery pitches on a good length and just outside off stump. This forces the batsman to play a shot as the ball may hit the stumps.
- List A cricket
- the limited-overs equivalent of first-class cricket.
- Lob bowling
- 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.
- Long on
- A field position near the boundary on the leg side kept to sweep up straight drives.
- Loop
- the curved path of the ball bowled by a spinner.
- Loosener
- a poor delivery bowled at the start of a bowler's spell.
- Lost ball
- Lower order (colloquially the tail)
- the batsmen who bat at between roughly number 8 and 11 in the batting order and who may have some skill at batting, but are generally either specialist bowlers or wicket-keepers with limited batting ability. Such batsmen are known as lower order batsmen or tail-enders.
- Luncheon
- the first of the two intervals taken during a full day's play, which usually occurs at lunchtime at about 12:30 p.m. (local time).
Read more about this topic: Glossary Of Cricket Terms