Origin of term ‘Duck’ in Cricket and Types of Ducks

When a batsman is out on the score of Zero is termed as out on Duck in the cricket.  For example, if a player “X” does not score and gets out, then you may often hear the commentator saying “X” is gone for a duck…

But many of us don’t know what the relation between Duck and Zero is?  Where this term resulting from?  

The name is assumed to come from the shape of the number “0” being similar to that of a duck’s egg. The genuine term used was “duck’s egg out” which has been abbreviated to duck over a period of time.

The term has been in use since way before test cricket began. When referring to the Prince of Wales’ (the future Edward VII) score of nought on 17 July 1866, a contemporary newspaper wrote that the Prince “retired to the royal pavilion on a ‘duck’s egg’.

Different types of Duck named for different situation in cricket. Following is the List of Types of Ducks in Cricket:

• If a batsman is out on the very first ball he faced then it is called dismissed for a golden duck.
• In addition to the golden duck, a silver duck and bronze duck can refer to being dismissed for zero on the second ball and third ball respectively. There are no alternative names for these ducks, but these terms are not nearly as common as golden duck.
• If a batsman is out without facing any ball (run out from the non-striker’s end, or stumped off a wide delivery) then it is called being dismissed for a diamond duck.
• If a batsman is dismissed for a duck on the very first ball of the innings, or the team’s first match of the season then it is called being dismissed for a Palladium duck.
• A pair in cricketrefers to when a batsman is dismissed for a duck (without scoring) in both innings. It is called a ‘king pair‘ if the batsman gets out for a golden duck [getting out on the first ball he faced] in both innings.
• If the batsman falls in the first delivery, which is also the first ball of the innings than the batsman is said to out on Royal Duck. This term is reserved for the openers.
• The batsman who departs for a duck, thereby ending the team’s innings is said to have earned a Laughing Duck.
• The last one is not said duck in actually. A batsman who has been dismissed for a duck on the first ball of the team’s first match of the season is said to be out for a Golden Goose.

Top Five Players with most Duck’s in ODIs:

Related: 

Most Ducks in ODIs