Sticky wicket

Sticky wicket

Sticky wicket (or sticky dog, or glue pot) is a metaphor used to describe a difficult circumstance, particularly in cricket.

Origins

The phrase comes from the game of cricket, where it describes a cricket pitch that is in the process of drying after being affected by overnight rain during a multiple day game. A hard crust forms over soft, wet soil. This helps the ball to bite, turn and lift variably." [" [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/sports_talk/stump_bearders/4066353.stm Stump the Bearded Wonder No.88] ", 2004-12-03, BBC Sport. Retrieved on 2007-06-04] On a sticky wicket, batting is awkward and sometimes hazardous, as the ball will spin, seam and bounce sharply and unpredictably.

In recent decades it has become common practice to cover the cricket pitch overnight and thus the phrase is seldom used in its original meaning.

Examples of use

An early example of the term can be seen in "Bell's Life in London", July 1882: "The ground... was suffering from the effects of recent rain, and once more the Australians found themselves on a sticky wicket."Martin, Gary. " [http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/334550.htmlhttp://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/334550.html A sticky wicket] ", phrases.org.uk. Retrieved on 2007-06-04.]

The Independent used the phrase in a story about the Bank of England " [http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/comment/michael-harrisons-outlook-on-a-sticky-wicket-the-governor-opts-for-the-forward-defensive-prod-502312.html On a sticky wicket, the Governor opts for the forward defensive] ". The Melbourne Age used the phrase in a headline "WTO on a sticky wicket against Japan's rice bowlers". [ [http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/09/11/1063268512176.html WTO on a sticky wicket against Japan's rice bowlers] , 2003-09-12, Melbourne Age. Retrieved on 2007-06-04] .

The phrase has some currency in North America, despite the relatively low popularity of cricket there.The San Francisco Chronicle used the phrase in a headline "For father and son in "The Match," life's a sticky wicket". [ [http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/01/13/RVEGU13MU.DTL For father and son in "The Match," life's a sticky wicket] , 2008-01-13, San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved on 2008-02-08] . The phrase has made inroads into American popular culture, including in Take out the Trash Day, the 13th episode of the first season of the television drama The West Wing.

Croquet

In the game of croquet, the phrase "sticky wicket" may refer to a shot that is difficult to make. This usage is confined to the United States. [cite book
title=The New Partridge Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English
pages=p. 1869
isbn=041525938X
first=Eric
last=Partridge
coauthors=Tom Dalzell; Terry Victor
location=London ; New York
publisher= Routledge
year=2006
url=http://books.google.com/books?id=mAdUqLrKw4YC]

Notes

External sources

* [http://www.nakedwhiz.com/crickgl.htm#ltrs Definition at cricket terminology site]
* [http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/england/content/story/216473.html A list of famous innings played on Sticky dogs in Test cricket (Cricinfo)]


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