What Is a Michelle in Cricket? A Funny Term, Big Feat
First things first: what does "Michelle" even mean?
Okay, so picture this: I’m watching an old Ashes match with my mate Liam, and suddenly the commentator goes, “And that’s a Michelle for Shane Warne!” I swear I blinked like five times. Michelle?? Who’s Michelle? There was no woman on the field.
Then Liam just laughed and said, “You seriously don’t know that one?”
So here's the deal: a "Michelle" in cricket means taking five wickets in a single innings. Simple as that. It's basically cricket slang, and yeah—it’s a play on the name Michelle Pfeiffer. As in... “five for” = Pfeiffer = Michelle Pfeiffer = Michelle. British humour at its weirdest and best.
Why is it such a big deal?
Five wickets ain't easy, mate
Look, taking one wicket feels great. Two is solid. Three and people start paying attention. But five in one innings? That’s elite stuff. It means the bowler basically wrecked half the batting lineup.
And honestly? It doesn’t matter if it's a gritty Test match or a flashy T20—getting a Michelle is a moment of glory.
I remember playing club cricket and once, purely by accident and probably a lot of luck, I got five wickets in a single innings. The umpire—who was probably older than cricket itself—just smirked and said, “There’s your Michelle, son.” I’ll never forget it. I even called my dad right after.
Not just for spinners or pacers
It’s one of those achievements that unites bowlers. Whether you're a tearaway fast bowler like Mitchell Starc or a subtle magician like Ravi Ashwin, getting five is five. Doesn’t matter how you do it—clean bowled, LBW, caught behind—just rack ‘em up.
Where did this term even come from?
A bit of cricket + pop culture
Honestly, it’s so gloriously random that it could only come from cricket. The whole “Michelle Pfeiffer = five-for” pun reportedly started in the 1990s among English commentators or fans (no one seems to know exactly who said it first).
And yes—it's been said on live commentary. In Test matches. On international broadcasts. It’s that common.
But don’t expect it in formal match summaries. You won’t read “Stokes picked up a Michelle” in Wisden or anything. It’s more a pub-and-pitch term, used in banter, chats, or cheeky commentary.
Other quirky cricket slang you might hear
Because cricket is wonderfully weird
Nelson: 111 runs. Supposedly unlucky. Superstitions everywhere.
Golden duck: Out on the first ball. Brutal.
Jaffa: A ball so good, the batter had no chance. Absolute peach.
King pair: Out for zero in both innings—on the first ball each time. Painful.
The sport is full of these phrases that make zero sense until someone explains them. And honestly? That’s part of the charm.
Final over: So what do you do with a Michelle?
You celebrate it. You brag (a little). You buy the first round at the pub. And if you’re lucky, someone says “Nice Michelle, mate,” and suddenly you feel like you just bowled at Lord’s.
So next time you're watching cricket and hear the name “Michelle” out of nowhere—don’t panic. No Hollywood cameos. Just someone doing something amazing with a cricket ball.
And now you know.
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Is 172 cm good for a man?
Yes it is. Average height of male in India is 166.3 cm (i.e. 5 ft 5.5 inches) while for female it is 152.6 cm (i.e. 5 ft) approximately. So, as far as your question is concerned, aforesaid height is above average in both cases.
Is 165 cm normal for a 15 year old?
The predicted height for a female, based on your parents heights, is 155 to 165cm. Most 15 year old girls are nearly done growing. I was too. It's a very normal height for a girl.
Is 160 cm too tall for a 12 year old?
How Tall Should a 12 Year Old Be? We can only speak to national average heights here in North America, whereby, a 12 year old girl would be between 137 cm to 162 cm tall (4-1/2 to 5-1/3 feet). A 12 year old boy should be between 137 cm to 160 cm tall (4-1/2 to 5-1/4 feet).
How tall is a average 15 year old?
Average Height to Weight for Teenage Boys - 13 to 20 Years
| Male Teens: 13 - 20 Years) | ||
|---|---|---|
| 14 Years | 112.0 lb. (50.8 kg) | 64.5" (163.8 cm) |
| 15 Years | 123.5 lb. (56.02 kg) | 67.0" (170.1 cm) |
| 16 Years | 134.0 lb. (60.78 kg) | 68.3" (173.4 cm) |
| 17 Years | 142.0 lb. (64.41 kg) | 69.0" (175.2 cm) |
How to get taller at 18?
Staying physically active is even more essential from childhood to grow and improve overall health. But taking it up even in adulthood can help you add a few inches to your height. Strength-building exercises, yoga, jumping rope, and biking all can help to increase your flexibility and grow a few inches taller.
Is 5.7 a good height for a 15 year old boy?
Generally speaking, the average height for 15 year olds girls is 62.9 inches (or 159.7 cm). On the other hand, teen boys at the age of 15 have a much higher average height, which is 67.0 inches (or 170.1 cm).
Can you grow between 16 and 18?
Most girls stop growing taller by age 14 or 15. However, after their early teenage growth spurt, boys continue gaining height at a gradual pace until around 18. Note that some kids will stop growing earlier and others may keep growing a year or two more.
Can you grow 1 cm after 17?
Even with a healthy diet, most people's height won't increase after age 18 to 20. The graph below shows the rate of growth from birth to age 20. As you can see, the growth lines fall to zero between ages 18 and 20 ( 7 , 8 ). The reason why your height stops increasing is your bones, specifically your growth plates.