nineteenth man
LowSporting (specialist)
Definition
Meaning
The reserve player in a cricket team who is not part of the final eleven but is available as a substitute.
A designated substitute or reserve player in a sports team, originally from cricket, now sometimes used metaphorically to describe anyone who is a backup or second choice.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The term is specific to cricket but understood in other sporting contexts. It originates from the practice of naming 12 players, with the 12th being the reserve. The 'nineteenth man' is a later, more colloquial extension, implying a wider pool of reserves. Metaphorical use is rare and journalistic.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Common and well-understood in UK, Commonwealth, and cricketing nations. Virtually unknown and not used in American English due to cricket's low profile.
Connotations
In UK: neutral sporting term, can imply being on standby or unlucky to miss selection. In US: no connotations, term is unfamiliar.
Frequency
High frequency in UK sports media during cricket season; zero frequency in general American usage.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Player] was [verb] as the nineteenth man.The [Team] has named [Player] nineteenth man for the [Match].Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “He's the nineteenth man in this project. (metaphorical, rare)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Not used.
Academic
Only in historical or sociological studies of sport.
Everyday
Extremely rare outside cricket discussions.
Technical
Precise term in cricket regulations and team announcements.
Examples
By Part of Speech
adjective
British English
- He had a nineteenth-man role for the final.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The young bowler was the nineteenth man for the match.
- Despite strong performances in training, he was only named as the nineteenth man for the Ashes series.
- The selectors opted for experience in the squad, leaving the promising all-rounder to fulfil the frustrating role of nineteenth man throughout the tournament.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a cricket team of 11 players on the field. The 'nineteenth man' is so far back in the queue (8 extra players behind the 11) that he's unlikely to get a game.
Conceptual Metaphor
SPORTING RESERVE IS A DISTANT POSITION (the higher the number, the less likely to participate).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid literal translation as 'девятнадцатый человек' which is meaningless. Use 'запасной игрок' (reserve player) or 'двенадцатый игрок' (twelfth man) if context is cricket.
Common Mistakes
- Using it for any substitute (it's specifically for the *named* reserve).
- Confusing it with 'twelfth man' (which is the first reserve).
- Using it in non-sporting contexts where 'understudy' or 'backup' would be better.
Practice
Quiz
In which sport is the term 'nineteenth man' primarily used?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. The 'twelfth man' is the first-choice substitute who fields if needed. The 'nineteenth man' is a more distant reserve, often from a wider squad.
No, it is not recognised. Use 'backup player' or 'substitute' instead.
Very rarely. They only play if multiple players from the starting eleven and the twelfth man become unavailable.
Very occasionally in journalism to describe someone in a organisation who is a distant backup option, but this usage is niche and stylised.