Finisher

A finisher is a batter, usually at five, six or seven, whose job is to close out an innings: to accelerate at the death, or to bring a chase home.

The role barely existed before one-day cricket. A finisher must be able to hit boundaries from the first ball faced, because there is no time to settle, and must be able to read a required run rate and decide which bowler to attack and which to see off. The very best finishers, of whom MS Dhoni is the archetype, are known for taking a chase deep and trusting themselves to win it in the final over. Their batting averages tend to be inflated by not-outs, and their true value shows up in the win column rather than the scorecard.

For a manager the finisher is a specialist worth paying for. A side with a good one can afford a slower start, because it knows the death overs will be cashed in; a side without one must score early and hope. In a super over, the finisher is the first name on the list.

In Masterstroke: a batter told to swing in the last three overs will slog, and whether he gets away with it depends on whether you bought a striker or a grafter at the auction.