Night Watchman Meaning in Cricket

A night watchman is a lower-order batter sent into the game near the end of a day’s play to protect more talented teammates. This tactic prevents a star batter from having to face difficult deliveries in failing light or during the final few minutes of a session.

Example: The team sent in a night watchman at five o’clock to ensure their best player didn’t have to bat until the next morning.

Pro-Tip: The primary goal of this player is simply to survive and stay at the crease until the stumps are pulled for the day. If they manage to stay in until the next morning, they have successfully done their job and saved the team’s best hitters for better conditions.