In the dictionary of cricket, the term duck is used when a batter gets out on a score of zero. The term duck is quite common, but not everyone knows what is a golden duck in cricket. Golden duck refers to the batter who gets out straight away on the first legal delivery he faces in his innings.
The golden duck represents a failure of a batter to even survive on the pitch.
Besides the golden duck, there are other types of ducks in cricket with different meanings. Whether an experienced batter or a tail-ender, no one likes to get out on a duck, especially a golden duck.
Read on to learn more about different types of ducks and some interesting facts about golden ducks.
Golden Duck Meaning In Cricket
Golden duck is a term that has become synonymous with failure in cricket. A batter who fails to survive on the pitch even for one ball and gets out on the first legal delivery he faces is called a golden duck.
The batter is remembered as a golden duck rather than a failure. Generally, batters look to avoid ducks of any type by playing safely during the early stages of their innings.
This is why even master class batters like Virat Kohli and Steve Smith start their innings slowly to get past the golden duck threat. Facing a golden duck has no direct impact; however, it largely affects the batter’s confidence for the next innings.
The effect of golden ducks is commonly seen in test matches where a batter has to bat again in the second innings after getting out on a golden duck in the first innings.
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What Are The Types Of Ducks In Cricket?
From the infamous golden duck to diamond and bronze ducks, there are different types of ducks in cricket. While all these ducks have different meanings, they have one thing in common: the batter getting out without scoring a single run. Take a look at different types of ducks in cricketing terms:
1. Golden Duck- The first type is a golden duck, where a batter is out on the score of zero on his first delivery. If a batter faces a no-ball/wide ball and then gets out on the next ball, it will still be referred to as a golden duck.
2. Silver Duck- When a batter survives the first ball of innings and gets out on the second legal delivery he faces, it’s referred to as the Silver duck.
3. Bronze Duck- Bronze duck comes when a batter survives the first two balls and gets out on the third delivery of his innings.
4. Royal Duck- This is the case when a batter gets out on the first legal delivery of the innings. Royal ducks are reserved for openers only as they are the ones who face the first ball of the innings.
5. Laughing Duck– Laughing duck comes when the batter gets out at the end of the innings. These ducks are commonly seen during death overs in T20Is.
6. Pair- If a batter scores two consecutive ducks, he is said to have scored what is called a pair of ducks.
7. King Pair- This is a rare case where a batter is dismissed for zero in both innings, too, on the first ball of his innings.
8. Diamond Duck- Diamond duck is the most frustrating duck for a batter among all options out there. When a batter gets out without facing a single ball, it is referred to as a Diamond duck. This situation happens when a new batter comes on the non-strike end and gets run out without having the chance to face a single ball.
Who Has The Most Golden Ducks In Cricket?
The most golden ducks belong to Sri Lankan legends Lasith Malinga and his teammate Muttiah Muralitharan. L. Malinga was the death-over specialist known for his slower dipping Yorkers.
On the other hand, Muralitharan also had a fantastic career as a right-arm off-break bowler. Unfortunately, these two renowned bowling legends from Sri Lanka are known to hold the record for most golden ducks in cricket.
What Is Diamond Duck In Cricket
Diamond duck is referred to as the batter who comes in to bat after the first wicket has fallen, and then he gets out without having to face a single delivery. A batter can get out without even taking the strike for once.
The batsman on the non-striker’s end gets run-out immediately after his partner gets out, then he will be referred to as the Diamond duck.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Why is it called a golden duck in cricket?
A golden duck is a cricketing term that refers to a batter who gets out on zero on the first legal delivery he faces in a match.
2. What’s the golden duck in cricket?
A golden duck in cricket is the batter who failed to score even a single run and was dismissed on the first ball of his inning.
3. Who has the most golden duck in cricket?
Lasith Malinga from Sri Lanka is known to have the thirteen golden ducks in cricket history.
4. What does gold duck mean?
Gold duck in cricket represents a failure of a batter to score even a single run and the failure to remain on strike to face the second ball of his inning.
5. Is there a diamond duck in cricket?
Yes, the diamond duck is a batter who is dismissed on zero without getting a chance to face any ball. This happens mostly due to the results of run-outs and time-outs.
6. Who is the king of Golden duck?
The Sri Lankan fast bowler Lasith Malinga is known as the king of the Golden Ducks, as he was dismissed thirteen times for golden ducks in his career.
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