Wagon Wheel 1. n. a graphic representing a top view of the cricket field with lines showing the trajectories of balls hit by one or more batsmen, so called because it frequently resembles a wheel with many spokes.
Walk 1. v.i. (of a batsman) to walk off the field as if given out, when the fielding team appeals but before the umpire rules the batsman out, usually done as a matter of sportsmanship when the batsman knows he is out.
2. v.i. (of a batsman) to walk off the field after being ruled out by an umpire.
Warm-Up Match 1. n. a match played between a touring side and a local first class or other side to allow the touring side match practice before playing Tests or one-day internationals.
Wicket 1. n. one of the two wooden structures erected at either end of the pitch, made of three vertical stumps topped by two bails.
2. n. the event of a batsman getting out; synonym of dismissal. The next wicket fell at 200 runs.
3. n. a single batsman's innings. He gave up his wicket dearly.
4. n. the period during which two batsmen bat together. The third wicket added 120 runs.
5. n. the pitch(1).
6. n. one end of the pitch(1), particularly the area around the stumps where the batsmen stand. The batsmen ran between the wickets.
Wicket-Keeper 1. n. a player who wears fielding gloves and stands behind the batsman's wicket ready to catch the ball if the batsman misses it.
2. n. a player selected for a cricket side mostly or solely for his wicket-keeping ability.
3. n. any cricket player in the context of keeping wicket.
Wicket-Keeping Gloves 1. n. protective gloves worn by a wicket-keeper, to cushion the hands when repeatedly catching balls.
Wicket Maiden 1. n. a maiden over in which the bowler takes a wicket.
Wickets In Hand 1. n. the number of wickets the bowling side must still get to dismiss the batting side. The batting side still had three wickets in hand.
Wide 1. n. a ball delivered by the bowler that passes so far from the batsman that the umpire deems the batsman was prevented from hitting it.
2. n. an extra run credited to the batting side when a bowler bowls a wide(1).
3. n. the arm signal of an umpire used to signal a wide(1), with both arms outstretched horizontally.
4. adj. describing a ball that passes the batsmen a long way to either side, not necessarily called a wide(1) by the umpire.
5. adj. describing a location on the field away from the line running through the length of the pitch through both wickets, or farther from this line than another location being compared to.
Width 1. n. the horizontal distance of the ball from the batsman as it passes him. The batsman stepped back to give the ball extra width. cf. line.
Willow 1. n. colloquial term for a cricket bat. He wielded the willow effectively.
With The Spin 1. adj. describing the act of hitting a ball in the same direction as that in which it is spinning off the pitch, such as hitting an off break to the leg side or a leg break to the off side. cf. against the spin.
World Cup 1. n. a cricket tournament held once every four years, involving all the Test nations and certain other invited teams, consisting of several one-day international matches and a final.
Worm 1. n. a graphic representing the run rate plotted for each over of an innings in a line graph, so named because it resembles the slightly wiggly path of a worm.
2. n. a graphic representing the cumulative number of runs scored in an innings plotted against over number in a line graph.
Wrist Spin 1. n. a style of bowling in which the bowler spins the ball by releasing it from the back of his hand, running the third and fourth fingers down the side of the ball as it is released; leg spin for a right-handed bowler, left arm unorthodox spin for a left-handed bowler. cf. finger spin.
Wrist Spinner 1. n. a bowler who specialises in wrist spin. cf. finger spinner.