The Spin | Strapple, greeble, slog and kiss: how cricket’s language turns a game of numbers into poetry

There are more than 100 ways to describe hitting a ball, and that is just the start of an ever-expanding lexiconJoe Root shifts his weight forward, rising with the lifting ball from back of a good length. As it nears his body he moves his hands and bat towards the ball. In one seamless motion, with the ball under his eyes, he adjusts his weight back a touch, twisting his wrists to open the face of the blade. He lets the ball come to him before directing it through the gap between third slip and gully.That is a lot of words to say that Joe Root has yet again steered one behind square for four.This is an extract from the Guardian’s weekly cricket email, The Spin. To subscribe, just visit this page and follow the instructions. Continue reading...

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