What is Bazball, Brumbella, Nighthawk - Three new cricket terms explained

The game of cricket is evolving with each passing day. The formats of the game have changed since the early days. We have seen the newest forms of the game and we can guarantee there will be more to the current versions in future.

And along with the changing formats, we are seeing the evolution of new terms. In the cricketing world these days, especially in the Test format, we are witnessing some new terms being used.

In the glossary of cricket, along with the traditional words which are generally used to depict the game and its situations, we can expect to add a few in the coming months or years. The application of the game in a de novo style has brought on new terms and today, we shall know about three new words which are captivating the cricketing world.

In the ongoing Ashes Test series, we have seen a certain kind of field placing, which has been termed as Brumbella. We have also heard about Nighthawk and perhaps we all know about Bazball. So let's have a look at the etymology of these terms in this article-

Bazball

Bazball has become a frequently used term in cricket in recent months. It is related to Test cricket and a certain approach of batting in the longest format of the game, which involves aggression and scoring runs quickly.

Where did Bazball originate from?

The term Bazball originates from the name of England's coach Brendon McCullum. The former Kiwi player is known as Bazz, and after he was appointed as England captain, they started to play a different brand of Test cricket.

The typical Bazball formula consists of scoring runs quickly and scoring runs with aggression in Test cricket, which often involves unconventional methods of scoring. It has been criticized by traditional Test lovers who sees it as a blasphemy, but the move has gained popularity among the new generation.

Effect of Bazball

In this world of T20 cricket, Bazball has brought entertainment in Test matches as well. The approach brings enthusiasm among spectators who get the incentive to go to stadiums or watch in front of TV. The age-old version of 'boring' Test cricket can be eradicated with this approach, which promises far more action in the game.

But is Bazball the solution to give Test cricket a new direction? We highly doubt so.

Nighthawk

Nighthawk is a subsidiary of Night Watchman, and fair to say it is the more aggressive version. Earlier, the night watchman was sent to see out a day's play in Test cricket. The watchman was generally a lower order batter, whose role was to see out the final few overs of the day.

It was a defensive method to preserve the wicket of a top-order batter at the flag end of the day in a Test match.

What is Nighthawk?

Well, the Nighthawk is anything but watch. It is a lower-order batter who is sent out to dismantle the opposition by hitting boundaries and playing aggressive shots. England used Stuart Broad in that role recently.

The arrival of nighthawk is solely to up the run rate and release the pressure on the batting team by playing some shots and getting quick boundaries. It has brought success for teams in the red ball game. Although the Nighthawk plan can often backfire, but it is worth trying when the chips are down.

Brumbella

The word Brumbella is being used in this Ashes series. On the 3rd day of the 1st Test, England coined the term after a unique bit of field placing.

Ollie Robinson picked up Usman Khawaja's wicket with a new field setting and since then, the term Brumbella is taking rounds.

What is Brumbella?

Brumbella is generally known as a big cover which protects the entire pitch from rain, like an umbrella. But England's field placing in the 1st Test is being compared to that. Brumbella field placing is having six or seven fielders just in front of the wicket which forms a half-circle like structure, like an umbrella.

Six fielders were used in the method, which had fielders from short square-leg to short mid-on in the leg side, and continued on the off side with a short mid-off to short point. Robinson used the ploy to confuse Khawaja and then yorked the batter to get his wicket.