Lappa:

The Indian version of the hoik, derived from the English term ‘lap,’ an old term for a stroke somewhere between a pull and a sweep.

Lap Sweep:

Also known as a paddle sweep or run sweep, a sweep shot tickled down to fine leg.

Laws:

The laws of cricket are a set of rules established by the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) and apply to cricket worldwide. Cricket is one of the few sports for which the governing principles are referred to as ‘Laws’ rather than as ‘Rules’ or ‘Regulations’. Note that regulations to supplement and/or vary the laws may be agreed for particular competitions.

LBW (Leg Before Wicket):

A way of dismissing the batter. The batter is out if, in the opinion of the umpire, the ball hits any part of the batter’s body (usually the leg) before hitting or missing the bat and would have gone on to hit the stumps.

Leading Edge:

The ball hitting the front edge of the bat as opposed to its face when playing a straight-bat shot. Often results in an easy catch for the bowler or a skier for someone else.

Leave:

The action of the batter not attempting to play at the ball. A batter leaving the ball may not claim any leg byes.

Left Arm:

A bowler who bowls with their left hand is called a ‘left-arm’ or ‘left-arm’ bowler.

Left-Arm Orthodox Spin:

The style of spin bowling produced by left-arm finger spin; the left-arm equivalent of off-spin.

Left-Arm Unorthodox Spin:

The style of spin bowling produced by left-arm wrist spin; the left-arm equivalent of leg spin.

Left Hand:

A batter who bats left-handed is said to be a ‘left-hand’ bat.

Leg Break:

A spin bowling delivery that turns from the leg side to the off side of a right-handed batter, the stock delivery of a leg spin bowler.

Leg Bye:

Extras taken after a delivery hits any part of the batter’s body other than the bat or the gloved hand that holds the bat.

Leg Cutter:

A break delivery bowled by a fast or medium-pace bowler that breaks from the leg side to the off side of the batter.

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 batter, deflecting towards the square leg or fine leg area.

Leg Side:

The half of the field to the rear of the batter as they take strike; also known as the on side.

Leg Slip:

A fielding position equivalent to a slip but on the leg side.

Leg Spin:

The style of spin bowling produced by right-handed wrist spin, so called because the stock delivery is a leg break. Common variations include the googly, top spinner, and flipper.

Leg Theory:

A tactic sometimes used by the fielding side. The bowler aims for a line on leg stump, and more fielders than usual are placed on the leg side, particularly short catching positions. The goal is to slow the scoring and frustrate the batter into an opportunity for a catch.

Leggie:

A leg spin bowler.

A leg break delivery.

Length:

The place along the pitch where a delivery bounces. (See short pitched, good length, half-volley, full toss.)

Life:

A batter 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:

See bad light.

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, forcing the batter to play a shot as the ball may hit the stumps.

List A Cricket:

The limited-overs equivalent of first-class cricket.

Lob Bowling:

An obsolete form of underarm bowling, in which the ball was lobbed high in the air, falling back to the pitch on a steep trajectory. A common variation aimed to drop the ball directly onto the stumps, without bouncing. Lob bowling was popular in the 19th century but is now illegal.

Loft(ed Shot):

A type of shot where the ball is hit in the air.

Lolly:

A ball that a batter is easily able to hit, or a ball that a fielder is easily able to catch.

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 batter has a lot of time to see the ball and play an attacking shot.

Long Off:

A fielding position close to the boundary on the off side, located in front of, and relatively close to, the line of the wicket.

Long On:

A fielding position close to the boundary on the leg side, located in front of, and relatively close to, the line of the wicket.

Long Stop (or Very Fine Leg):

A fielding position on the boundary directly behind the wicket-keeper, to recover any byes or wides that evade the keeper. Occasionally seen at village cricket level but obsolete in professional cricket.

Look for Two:

Running a single with urgency, the batters convey the sense that they will attempt a second run, though no commitment is expected until after the turn. See push, two.

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:

A ball which cannot be retrieved, due to being lost or otherwise out of reach (e.g. hit into a river or over a fence). The umpire calls dead ball to stop play, and the batter is credited with any runs completed (generally a boundary) or in progress at the time dead ball is called. A replacement ball is selected, preferably a used one in similar condition to the lost ball.

Lower Order (Colloquially the Tail):

The batters who bat 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 batters are known as lower order batters or tail-enders.

Lunch:

The first of the two intervals is taken during a full day’s play, which usually occurs at lunchtime at about 12:30 pm (local time).