Explainer: What is Daisy Cutter in Cricket?

Cricket often surprises players and fans alike with unexpected deliveries. Among such deliveries, the "Daisy Cutter" stands out for its unpredictable nature.

A Daisy Cutter is a term used in cricket to describe a delivery that stays exceptionally low after pitching, often skimming just above the ground. This behavior can catch even the most experienced batter off guard, leading to their dismissal.

Recently during the first Test match between England and Sri Lanka at Manchester. On Day 1 of the match, Sri Lankan wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Chandimal was dismissed by a delivery from England’s Shoaib Bashir in a similar fashion.

It was a back-of-a-length ball that pitched outside the off stump and turned sharply in. However, what made the delivery remarkable was how low it stayed after pitching. The ball barely bounced, striking Chandimal near his ankle, leaving him with little chance to adjust his shot. Despite a review, Chandimal had to walk back to the pavilion, as the delivery had all the makings of a classic Daisy Cutter.

Also read: Dinesh Chandimal's unlucky dismissal as ṇball keeps too low on Day 1 at Old Trafford

The primary reason Daisy Cutters are so challenging is their unpredictability. Batters mostly anticipate the bounce of the ball based on the pitch and the bowler’s action. However, when a delivery unexpectedly stays low, it hampers the batter's timing and footwork. Even the best of the players can find themselves in a difficult position, as the ball often ends up hitting them on the lower part of the pads, leading to LBW decisions or clean-bowled dismissals.

Meanwhile, the tourists won the toss and elected to bat first. Skipper Dhananjaya de Silva's 74 and Milan Rathnayake's 72 knocks helped the side put up 236 on the board, with Bashir and Chris Woakes picking three wickets a piece. Replying to that, the hosts came back hard, courtesy of Jamie Smith's ton, making him the youngest English wicketkeeper batter to score a century.

The Three Lions were dismantled on 358 and took a first innings lead of 122 runs. Sri Lanka's Asitha Fernando scalped four wickets. Coming into bat for the second time in the Test match, the island nation are on 107/4 and trail by 15 runs with Angelo Mathews and Kamindu Mendis still on the crease.