Fantasy cricket glossary
A working glossary of the terms the desk uses across its reporting. Match terminology for cricket, fantasy terminology for selection, and desk terminology for editorial conventions.
Match terminology
| Term | Definition | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Powerplay | First 6 overs of the innings | Field restrictions drive ceiling scoring |
| Middle overs | Overs 7-15 | Spin-dominated phase; wicket-share ceiling |
| Death overs | Overs 16-20 | Quotas matter; dew flips the matchup |
| Powerplay wickets | Wickets that fall in the first 6 overs | Anchor the chase window |
| Dew window | Period in evening when dew forms on the outfield | Dew makes the second-innings chase easier |
| Chase win % | % of matches won by the chasing side at the venue | Anchors the toss decision logic |
These are the cricket terms the desk uses most often. Generic cricket terminology (cover drive, yorker, etc.) is not in the glossary because it is widely available elsewhere.
Fantasy terminology
| Term | Definition | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Captain multiplier | 2x (typically) on the captain's score | Captain pick is the most-used decision |
| Credit allocation | How the credit budget is spent across the side | Compounds through the team shape |
| Role stability | Consistency of role across matches | Better predictor than recent form |
| Ownership use | Gap between your pick and the field | High use only if role is settled |
| Floor | Expected score at low variance | Anchored to role and conditions read |
| Ceiling | Expected score at high variance | Anchored to role and conditions read |
Fantasy terminology is the desk's working vocabulary. Readers who use the desk's prediction and player pages should be familiar with these terms.
Desk terminology
| Term | Definition | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-match briefing | Conditions read + captain-case table published 4-12 hours before toss | Working surface for the live desk |
| Toss update | Brief revision after the toss confirms XI and bat/bowl | Revises the captain-case table |
| Confirmed-XI post | Names the actual team sheet within 10 minutes of landing | Most time-sensitive piece on the desk |
| Prediction audit | Post-match review of the pre-match call | Names what was right and what was wrong |
| Conditions read | Anchored to a defined sample and date range | The basis for the captain-case logic |
| Captain-case table | Conservative + aggressive cases with conditions | Replaces single-pick captain calls |
Desk terminology is the editorial conventions the desk uses. Readers who follow the desk across multiple fixtures should be familiar with these terms.
How the glossary updates
The glossary is updated when a new term appears in the desk's reporting with enough frequency to warrant a glossary entry. The desk's working rule is that any term used in a guide or a hub page should also appear in the glossary, so the reader does not have to context-switch to a different page to understand the publication.
Readers who want to suggest a glossary entry can route the suggestion via the contact page. The desk reviews each suggestion against the frequency criterion and adds the entry when the criterion is met.
What the glossary does not cover
The glossary covers terms the desk uses across its reporting. It does not cover generic cricket terminology that is widely available elsewhere — terms like 'cover drive' or 'yorker' are not in the glossary because they are not fantasy-specific. The glossary is for fantasy-relevant terminology — role stability, ownership use, ceiling framework, and the like.
Where a cricket term has a fantasy-specific meaning (for example, 'death overs' as both a cricket phase and a fantasy slot), the glossary entry covers the fantasy-specific meaning and links out to the cricket definition.
Common terminology that the desk avoids
The desk avoids terminology that exposes the website's internal organisation to readers. We do not use terms like 'this page', 'this section', 'this article', 'our hub', 'our category', or 'on this page you will learn' because those phrases remind readers that they are reading a website. Instead, the desk begins each piece with valuable information that matches the page topic.
The glossary covers the desk's positive vocabulary — the terms the desk uses — but not the negative vocabulary the desk avoids. Readers who want to verify that a piece meets the desk's voice standard can route the inquiry via the contact page.
How the glossary fits with the rest of the guides
The glossary is the entry point for readers who are new to the publication. Readers who want a deeper understanding of a term can follow the link in the glossary entry to the relevant guide. The glossary is interconnected with the rest of the guides hub — every term in the glossary has a corresponding guide, and every guide has a corresponding glossary block at the end.
The desk's working rule is that the glossary is the entry point and the guides are the depth. Readers who read the glossary first and follow the links into the guides will have a complete picture of the desk's framework; readers who read the guides first can use the glossary as a reference.
How the glossary is published
The glossary is published as a single page on the strategy guides hub. The page is structured by category — match terminology, fantasy terminology, desk terminology — and each entry has a definition and a note on why it matters. Readers who want a deeper understanding of a term can follow the link in the entry to the relevant guide.
The glossary is updated when a new term appears in the desk's reporting with enough frequency to warrant a glossary entry. Readers who want to suggest a term can route the suggestion via the contact page.
Common questions about the glossary
Readers often ask whether the glossary is a static reference or a working document. The glossary is a working document — it is updated when a new term appears in the desk's reporting. Readers who want to track the updates should bookmark the glossary page and check it after each fixture week.
Readers also ask whether the glossary covers cricket terminology that is not fantasy-specific. The glossary does not cover generic cricket terminology; it covers fantasy-relevant terminology only. Generic cricket terms are widely available elsewhere and are not in scope for this glossary.
How this glossary differs from a cricket almanac
This glossary differs from a cricket almanac in two ways. First, it covers fantasy-relevant terminology, not generic cricket terminology. A cricket almanac covers every term in the game; this glossary covers the terms the desk uses in its reporting, which is a much narrower scope. Second, it is a working document — it is updated when a new term appears in the desk's reporting. A cricket almanac is a static reference; this glossary is a living surface.
For readers who want a comprehensive cricket reference, the desk recommends the official ICC playing handbook. For readers who want the desk's working vocabulary, this glossary is the right surface.
Why is the glossary split into three sections?
Because the terms serve different audiences. Match terminology is for cricket readers; fantasy terminology is for fantasy selectors; desk terminology is for readers who follow the publication across multiple fixtures.
What if a term I want is not in the glossary?
Route the suggestion via the contact page. We add terms when they appear in our reporting with enough frequency to warrant a glossary entry.