Rabbit -- Not-very-competent batsman, usually a tail-ender. eg He is a rabbit with the bat.

Retired hurt -- Entry in the scorebook against a batsman who was incapacitated during his innings. Such a batsman is considered not out, and may resume his innings, if fit, at the fall of a wicket.

Return crease -- Longitudinal line, four feet either side of the middle stump. The bowler must keep all of his back foot inside this line if he is not to bowl a no-ball.

Reverse sweep -- An unorthodox batting shot, popular in the one-day game, played by a right-handed batsman as if left-handed, or vice-versa.

Reverse swing -- A recent innovation in fast bowling technique, by which an old ball can be made to swing sharply, and in the opposite direction to that achieved by conventional swing. The cause of much speculation about ball tampering, reverse swing can be achieved by perfectly legal means.

Rope -- See Boundary.

Rough -- Bowler's footmarks, usually outside a right-handed batsman's leg stump, from which spin bowlers, especially wrist-spinners, can obtain more turn than from smooth areas of the pitch.

Round the wicket -- The position of the bowler relative to the wicket, such that his bowling arm is on the far side of the bowler's body from the wicket - i.e. to the right of the wicket for a right-arm bowler. See also Over the wicket.

Run -- The basic unit of scoring. To complete a run, each batsman must run from the position he stands in as the bowler bowls to make his ground at the other end, without being run out. Having completed the first run, they may turn and run more runs, as long as it is safe to do so without being run out. (see also One short)

Runner -- Where a player has sustained an injury during the game that leaves him fit to bat but unable to run, another member of his team (not a substitute), wearing the same protective equipment, may do his running for him.

Running on -- Commentator's shorthand for a bowler's offence in following through too close to the line of the stumps. The restriction was introduced to prevent bowlers roughening the pitch on the line of the wicket, thus providing an unfair advantage to spin bowlers from the other end. A bowler who infringes this law receives a caution from the umpire, followed by a final warning and removal if he persists.

Run out -- If the fielding side can dislodge a bail from the wicket with the ball before the batsman nearer that wicket has made his ground, that batsman is out, run out, and the run he was attempting does not count. The bowler is not credited with the batsman's wicket. See also Out.