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I have been reading the cricket commentary today and came across an unfamiliar word: jaffer.

Anderson continues, surely figuring that someone is going to get Morkel out soon and it bloody well better be him. Bumper, then a jaffer. Morne still there though.

I looked up jaffer and found a definition in the Urban Dictionary:-

A professional gaffe or lapse in judgement by a well-known public figure ( especially a politician). A mistake of epic proportions.

But that doesn't seem to be what the commentator meant. So, does anyone know what a jaffer is, in the cricketing sense?

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Is jaffer=gaffe a UKism? I've never heard the word. (I've never heard the cricket term either, but that's not surprising as I don't follow cricket. I do follow politics.) – Jay Aug 17 '12 at 14:18
@Jay, I've never heard of it. – Brian Hooper Aug 17 '12 at 14:25

2 Answers

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It's spelled Jaffa, as in Jaffa Oranges. A practically-unplayable delivery.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glossary_of_cricket_terms#J
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/skills/6100344.stm

It's probably reverse humour, like calling a tall person "Shorty" — a delivery like a Jaffa is nothing like bowling an orange.

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I found it spelled jaffer here, but what can I say? Tho I failed to comprehend it, it was a delightful read nonetheless: No ball from Siddle, but it was a jaffer, coming in on the angle then moving away off the pitch. There was this, too: He gets one off the last ball of the over, a lifter that he turns to midwicket. Is that 7-4 still available at Squilliam Shill? Let's all have a lump-on. Don't know what lump-on is but it could be fun. – J.R. Aug 17 '12 at 12:00
up vote 4 down vote

In cricket terminology a Jaffa is

an exceptionally well bowled, practically unplayable delivery, usually but not always from a fast bowler. Taken from the idea that a 'Jaffa' is the best type of Orange.

(That's from Wikipedia)

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