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stranger
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I learned this phrase from the American tv show "Night Court" in the early '80's. Dan the loathsome lawyer (played by the wonderful John Larroquette) hung out in a bar known as The Stickey Wicket. Once explained by my dad, I found the *multiple* entendre.... delicious!
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Carpal Tunnel
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Dear Maj.K:I have heard "sticky wicket" used to mean a problem, derived from cricket term meaning playing surface sodden after rain. Can't think of any extra entendres. Not without inventing a bit of ribaldry. Incidentally I found a site for phrases: http://phrases.shu.ac.uk/meanings/334550.html
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And if Dr. Bill can't find any entendres...
I, an iggerunt USn, had always assumed that sticky wicket referred to the thang the bowler was trying to knock over to get the batsman out; the ball would hit the wicket but it wouldn't fall because it was sticky. Imagine my surprise, when reading The Don's excellent Farewell to Cricket, to discover that a sticky wicket was deemed an advantage for the bowler.
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Carpal Tunnel
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Dear Faldage: you must be aware that other playing fields may be made less attractive if inundated by moisture of any one of several different types.
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You guys read today's WAD? It's all there.
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What's all there? I din't see no entendres.
And, Dr. Bill. Knowing that a wet playing field can cause problems is one thing, knowing that the word for the pile of sticks that the bowler is trying to knock down is also the word for the ground off of which he bounces the ball is a whole nother. It's like saying that the infield is the home plate.
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It is also like saying there is a marvelous cul-de-sac below the Venusian eminence.
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Boy howdy, Dr. Bill. You an the major's dad. Cain't say nuthin to y'all without setting off the English school boy.
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What was it the Duke of Wellingon said about battles having been won on the playing fields of Eton?
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Yeah, maybe if they'd taken up chorale singing instead we wouldn't have had so many wars.
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old hand
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I think it possible that the meaning of "sticky wicket" is slightly different to those proposed thus far - including that in the URL supplied.
It's possible that "sticky" could refer to the cricket ball's interaction with the pitch/wicket. What I'm driving at is that a completely dry pitch could, if its surface was cracked and uneven (say after a couple of day's play), be regarded as sticky. The ball sticks briefly to it at the time of bouncing - thus giving the unpredictable change in flight so desired by spin and seam bowlers.
It could also refer to the situation a batsman finds himself in when batting on a seaming and turning wicket.
Either way, water on the pitch is irrelevant.
I'd never thought of the phallic connotations - but will do so for ever more!!
stales
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Dear Major K: Please forgive me if I have introduced entendres not welcome to you. I am in agony trying to guess what entendres your Dad was willing to share with you.
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veteran
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Faldage's notion of the Brits taking up chorale singing instead of cricket is a fascinating idea to ruminate on. If they had started chorale competitions (sort of like the Welsh with their eisteddfods [sp.??]) and ran them like cricket games, you would have them maybe starting out at 10:00 a.m. with something like the famous Byrd motet that has 40 real parts, going on with Palestrina and Lassus, breaking for lunch and tea, and going until dark, at which time, the auditory would be in even worse condition than an American crowd at a cricket game.
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Or, as the Duke of Ellington said, "It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that certain je ne sais quoi. Or something like that.
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addict
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Ok folks, here's the truth®. A sticky wicket refers to how much moisture is IN the pitch, not ON the pitch. A true sticky wicket is uncommon these days due to better pitch preparation and tarpaulin etc coverings. It is a very literal description – the ball actually sticks, albeit temporarily, to the wicket when it is being bowled. But only sometimes, which is what makes a sticky wicket such a nightmare to bat on. The ball usually slows down, and bounces less, but occasionally bounces perfectly normally. It turns a lot more (ie moves sideways after bouncing) as it grips the pitch (aka wicket, but trying to avoid confusion) much more. Suits medium pace bowlers, and spinners to a lesser degree. A dry cracked pitch, while giving the same turn, bounces much more and is usually truer and more predictable. Any questions?
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Pooh-Bah
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Just for your further enlightenment, the three sticks at each end of the wicket, which the bowler tries to knock down and the batsman defends, are known as "stumps." Here endeth my knowledge of cricket! 
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The stumps are the three uprights. The two cross pieces are the bails. The whole is the wicket. This does not preclude the term wicket from being used with other meanings.
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Just for your further enlightenment, .... Here endeth my knowledge of cricket! TMI. More than I ever wanted to know about the subject.
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Come to think of it, the Duke of Wellington didn't specify whether the playing fields he mentioned were for cricket or rugby. Let's hear it for rugby. Or maybe what we provincials call soccer.
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Dear Max:What do you believe was the Iron Duke's basis for paying tribute to manly sport?
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The ole duke would have required some pretty phenomenal temporal tricks
Well, there you go. Maybe it was the Duke of Ellington. I like his quote better anyway.
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old hand
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Just to confuse the non-cricketers further, a bowler's tally of victims is referred to as their number of wickets - ie "Smith took three wickets for a total of 47 runs".
In a similar way, a winning team may be said to have won by a certain number of wickets - ie the winning team still had a number of players that weren't out at the conclusion of the match.
Whilst the game is in progress, the batting team is said to have "n wickets in hand" - ie n batters have yet to get out.
Confused? That's cricket!
Just thought I'd mention that the Aussies beat the South Africans in the last two test matches by 9 wickets and ten wickets!!
stales
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As our "hostess with the mostest" is busy ketching up Hi, Jackie, let me extend a hearty Welcome to majorkathleen who did attempt to *reference the meaning of certain words, and not necessarily the 'sporting value' in them NTTAWWT.
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But I am sure it never comes to a complete stop. after all, it's been said many times that there's no arrest for the wicket.
TEd
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They have something in the water in Floridy, don't them? Not bad, not bad.
The idiot also known as Capfka ...
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...there's no arrest for the wicket
...but you can lose your wicket if you are caught and you'd be caught red-handed in a Test Match.
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old hand
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> and you'd be caught red-handed in a Test Match
Oh - very good Doc!! That one's sure to clean bowl a few! I bet heaps won't get it! (It's good to be able to pay them US'ns back every now and then!!)
stales
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old hand
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Max - you knew I'd bite didn't you!
Relax - it's in the bag. Any close follower of the one day series would know that the Aussies always throw the first few games, just manage to scrape into the finals - and then kick ass.
I'm surprised at your short sightedness and lack of commercial acumen! C'mon, the boys are on a percentage of the gate! Who'd pay to see just another whitewash? If they were anything but confident would they rotate team members? I don't think so!!
Now, where's Mum's recipe for cooking crow and humble pie? Not that I'm worried mind....but just in case....
stales
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I think I'm posting this under the wrong heading, but just read through all this sports talk and my head is reeling.
On Duke Ellington's song: Good to have that tune swinging in my rafters.
On the bail's being the crosspiece: And (tangent) a bail is also the handle that holds the bucket or pail. Whales' tails; pails' bails. And the Duke could swing anything -- from bails to tails with his cool wails.
Just in case you didn't know,
WW
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Yus, and the Kiwis will probably rotate Lance Cairns and Richard Hadlee back into the side, too... Even in their wheelchairs, mate, even in their wheelchairs.
The idiot also known as Capfka ...
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The stumps are the three uprights. The two cross pieces are the bails. The whole is the wicket. This does not preclude the term wicket from being used with other meanings.
And just to further confuse the matter, the length of ground between the wickets is also called the wicket. Got it??
A Sticky wicket, as has been quite well described already, is caused by moisture in the dried, rolled ground of the wicket which accumulates overnight or through rain or mist. The ground then warps slightly in any heat producing unpredictable bowling results and great difficulties for the batsman. The conditions suit the medium to fast bowlers but can hinder spin bowlers more than they do the batsmen so I prefer to play on hot, dry days (when I take most of my wickets).
It is a little documented but true fact that, in Victorian times, the team which was bowling the following day would visit the wicket at the dead of night and urinate on the crease (batting patch) to create the sticky wicket effect.
Read George MacDonald Fraser's Flashman's Lady for a hilarious example of this unsporting behaviour!!
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