Cricket Superstitions and Rituals: From 111 to Pre-Match Routines

Cricket has a longer history than almost any other organised sport, and with that history comes a rich tradition of superstitions and rituals. From the 'Nelson' (111) to lucky bat stickers, cricketers are among the most superstitious athletes in the sporting world.

The Nelson: 111 and Its Multiples

The number 111 is considered unlucky in English cricket and is known as 'Nelson.' The name supposedly references Admiral Lord Nelson's alleged one eye, one arm, and one leg, though historically Nelson had both legs. The superstition holds that batters are particularly vulnerable to dismissal when on 111. Former umpire David Shepherd famously performed a little hop with both feet off the ground whenever the score reached 111 or its multiples (222, 333, etc.) to ward off the bad luck. Multiples include 222 ('Double Nelson'), 333 ('Triple Nelson'), and so on.

Batting Routines: Steve Waugh's Red Rag

Steve Waugh carried a small red rag in his pocket throughout his Test career — a piece of cloth given to him by a child in Calcutta. He touched it before each innings. Mark Taylor always wore the same socks during a run of good form. Sachin Tendulkar always put his left pad on first. Ricky Ponting wore the same golf shirt on the morning of days he made big scores. Cricket's long preparation periods allow players to develop elaborate pre-innings rituals that form part of their mental preparation.

Team Superstitions

Teams develop collective superstitions too. The Australian team has a tradition of having the twelfth man player listed last in the batting order — no one wants to be batting at 12. Many dressing rooms have 'unlucky' seats that players avoid if they're in poor form. West Indian teams of the 1980s reportedly observed a strict dressing room hierarchy: junior players never sat in senior players' regular places. The England dressing room reportedly had specific hooks and pegs with unofficial ownership.

Bowling and Fielding Rituals

Bowlers are particularly prone to rituals. Glenn McGrath's pre-delivery routine was famously exact — the same steps, the same marker, the same grip adjustment for each delivery. Shane Warne had a ritual involving his chest, marking out his run-up, and the tossing of the ball from hand to hand. Some bowlers refuse to bowl from the end they perceive as unlucky in a given match. Fielders often set up at specific angles or distances that feel comfortable regardless of the captain's instruction.

The 99 Curse

Getting out on 99 — one short of a century — is one of cricket's cruellest fates. Several cricketers have been dismissed for 99 more than once: Steve Waugh himself was famously dropped on 99 in a Test before going on to his century. Sachin Tendulkar was dismissed for 99 five times in ODI cricket. The '99 curse' is often discussed as a psychological phenomenon — the awareness of being one run short of a milestone causes subtle changes in batting behaviour.