Corridor of uncertainty

The corridor of uncertainty is a phrase originating from the sport of cricket. It describes an area where a cricket ball can pitch during a delivery: a narrow line on and just outside a batsman's off stump. The name is derived from the opinion that this is the area in which a batsman struggles most to determine whether to play forward or back, or whether to leave the delivery.

The first recorded use of the phrase is commonly credited to former Yorkshire and England batsman, now commentator, Geoffrey Boycott whilst commentating on England's 1990 tour of the West Indies ^[1] . There are other earlier claims to coinage, however, including a televised interview with Merv Hughes who says Allan Border instructed him to bowl in the "corridor of uncertainty" at one point in the 1988-1989 West Indies tour of Australia ^[2].

The phrase has also been used in other sports commentary. In football it is commonly used to describe a cross or pass which is delivered into the area in front of the goalkeeper and behind the last line of defence. The "uncertainty" in this case comes from the decision which both the last defender and the goalkeeper must make: whether to defend the ball, or leave it to the other player.

"Corridor of uncertainty" is also the name, or part of the name, of several online cricket forums and at least two fanzine-type cricket publications.

See also

• Line and length

References

1. ^ Greenslade, Nick (July 4, 2004), "First and last: Geoffrey Boycott", The Observer, http://observer.guardian.co.uk/osm/story/0,,1250944,00.html 
2. ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D21anTJi8ck The relevant comment is at 1.24

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