Gardening -- The laws allow a batsman to make minor repairs with his bat to the surface of the pitch, for example to pitch-marks made by the ball or scratches from fielders' studs. There's an element of psychology at work here too: a batsman beaten by a ball that whistled past his chin might prod the spot where it pitched to spare the bowler from giving himself too much credit for the delivery.

Gate -- The gap between bat and pad, that a good batsman should keep closed. Hence 'Gated' or bowled through the gate.

Get one's eye in -- (of batsman) get accustomed to the batting conditions.

Given out -- Declared out by the umpire.

Glance -- Batting shot, a faint touch applied to ball, to deflect it beyond the wicket-keeper's reach. It is often made over the leg stump. Elegant and extremely difficult to play.

Glove -- Gloves are worn by the batsmen to protect their hands from the ball as well as to give the batsmen a firm grip on the handles of their bats. See also protective equipment.

Golden Duck -- When a player is dismissed on his first ball.

Good Length -- A ball which is neither shortpitched nor overpitched, thus making an attacking shot more difficult and risky. Against a slow bowler, a good length ball might pitch 6-8 feet in front of the batsman. A good length ball from a fast bowler might pitch slightly further in front of the batsman.

Googly -- A wrist-spinner's off-break, bowled with an action similar to that for the leg-break.

Governing bodies -- Each cricketing country has its own governing body (e.g. the Board of Control for Cricket in India, the Australian Cricket Board, the England and Wales Cricket Board), responsible for running the domestic game in that country, especially the first-class game. Each country's board is answerable to the International Cricket Council (ICC), which fixes the schedules and conditions for all international cricket, and co-operates with the MCC in updating the laws of the game.

Greentop -- Grassy, often damp pitch that gives assistance to seam bowlers.

Ground, Grounded -- To touch either bat or body on the ground behind the popping crease.

Ground, out of his -- Either batsman is said to be 'out of his ground' when he has neither his bat nor his body grounded behind the popping crease, and is therefore at risk of being run out or, in the case of the striker, stumped.

Grubber -- see Shooter

Guard (position) -- The batsman always likes to know where his bat is in relation to the wicket. When he first comes to the wicket (and when he bats from the opposite end for the first time) he will ask the umpire to guide him to his preferred position -- known as the "guard". The umpire will line up the position by looking down the pitch over the bowler's wickets. The batsman will request that his bat is lined up with, say, the middle stump, and so on. Once lined up, the batsman will make his block.

Gully -- Fielder in catching position, slightly behind square on the off side. See also Fielding Position.

Gunn and Moore -- Proper cricket bats are made by Messrs Gunn and Moore of Nottingham, whose classic Autograph or meatier Cannon ought to be all a batsman needs. Passable imitations are made where in England by Slazenger (once the choice of Geoff Boycott) and Gray Nicolls, and in Australia by Kookaburra.