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Glite Dictionary
to open the batting

to open the batting

9.5
To start a cricket team's batting as one of the first two batters
  • phrasal verb
  • Jargon
translation icon : abrir el bateo
  • He was chosen to open the batting for his country in the final match.

Examples

  • Whenever she opens the batting, the team usually gets off to a strong start.

  • In tomorrow's game, it will be risky to open the batting on a damp pitch.

  • He will open the batting in the next match.

  • Does she usually open the batting for her team?

  • He was chosen to open the batting for his country in the final match.

  • In tomorrow's game, it will be risky to open the batting on a damp pitch.

  • Whenever she opens the batting, the team usually gets off to a strong start.

How Early

to open the batting
  • Jargon
9.5
batting order
  • US
4 2.9

Surface Forms

open the batting infinitive
opened the batting past
opened the batting past participle
opening the batting present participle
opens the batting third person singular

Morphology

open + the + batting

The meaning ‘to begin batting’ is directly derivable from combining 'open' (to start) with 'batting' (the act of batting), so a learner who knows both words can infer that someone will start batting. Although the phrase is cricket-specific (one of the opening batsmen), it follows a common 'open the X' compositional pattern, making it transparently understandable to B1 learners.

Etymology

The phrase open the batting comes from cricket: the first two players go out at the start and literally open the team's batting by facing the bowlers first, so to open the batting means 'to begin' the team's innings.