wicket
n. countablen. one of the two sets of three wooden sticks that a player tries to hit with a ball in the game of cricket. It can also mean the grass area where the game is played.
n. one of the two structures consisting of three stumps and two bails at which the bowler aims the ball; by extension, the rectangular strip of grass between these structures.
The bowler knocked over the middle stump of the wicket.
After a heavy rain, the wicket became soft and difficult for the batsmen to play on.
The captain decided to bat first, noting that the wicket appeared dry and likely to favour spin bowlers as the match progressed into the final afternoon.
From Anglo-Norman, Old Northern French wiket, from Old Norse (specifically, Old East Norse) víkjas, diminutive of vík. Compare modern French guichet, ultimately from the same Old Norse source.
Commonly used in the singular to refer to the pitch itself or in the plural to refer to the sets of stumps.