Chinaman

Time to demystify another term. What exactly is a chinaman? I’m not quite sure, but my guess would a left-arm off-spinner’s doosra? Any of you know?

Jaffa?

Not too long ago, I asked my readership about the term cow corner. Now, I’ve got another one: jaffa. I know what it means: a very good, often unplayable, delivery that beats or dismisses a batsman. Just don’t know where or how the term originated. The word is not in the English dictionary either. The only Jaffa outside of the cricket world is a city in Israel, apparently.

What dost thou say?

Cow corner?

This might be a little embarrassing for me (and shocking for you, seeing as how it comes from a cricket aficionado), what exactly is cow corner? Deep mid-wicket? Or extra cover perhaps? Maybe third man?

I’ve come across that term a couple of times, the latest being in Rahul Bhattacharya’s Pundits from Pakistan.