A "laughing duck" in cricket refers to a batsman getting dismissed for a duck (scoring zero runs) on the very last ball of an innings.
This is often considered somewhat humorous (hence "laughing") because the batsman has no opportunity to redeem themselves during that innings. It signifies the end of the innings and the batsman's contribution is zero at the very last moment.
Here's a breakdown:
- Duck: A score of zero runs by a batsman.
- End of Innings: The conclusion of either the batting side's allotted overs or when 10 batsmen are out (excluding instances where a batsman retires).
- Laughing Element: The "laughing" aspect comes from the unfortunate timing of the dismissal. The batsman is out on the last ball, leaving no chance to rectify the score in that innings.
In essence, a laughing duck is simply a duck, but achieved in the most inconvenient and slightly amusing way possible - on the last ball of the innings.
