Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Showing results for dot ball. Search instead for dot map.

dot ball

British  

noun

  1. cricket a ball from which a run is not scored

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of dot ball

when no run is scored, the scorer places a dot in his or her record book

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

A wide and a dot ball followed after which Cox, who was left out of England's white-ball squads on Friday, played an audacious reverse scoop over third man to the seamer's final ball.

From BBC Aug. 16, 2025

Gibson was clapped in to bowl like an Olympic long jumper at the start of their mark, each dot ball cheered like a wicket and every run saved greeted with raucous appreciation.

From BBC Jul. 1, 2023

“He was always trying to bowl dot balls. A dot ball is a good ball, he’d say. Last ball of every over had to be a dot ball.”

From Reuters Jun. 7, 2020

The charging cut shot is brought out from the last ball, but Bailey at cover makes a sensational diving save to make a four into a dot ball.

From The Guardian Feb. 5, 2016

Another six was followed by a four, before Fuller produced a dot ball.

From The Guardian Jul. 24, 2012

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Dictionary.com's Learning Companion

Go beyond just looking up words.
Remember them forever with VocabTrainer.

Start training