what is the meaning of nightwatchman in cricket
a lower - order batsman who comes in to bat higher up the order than usual near the end of the day 's play . The nightwatchman 's job is to maintain most of the strike until the close of play ( remaining in overnight , hence the name ) and so protect other , more capable batsmen from being out cheaply in what may be a period of tiredness or in poor light at the end of the day , and then again the following morning when the batsmen have not yet ` got their eye in , ' or when the early - morning conditions may favour the bowlers