“niggle” is often used to describe a situation where there is a minor or persistent form of verbal or psychological intimidation between players on opposing teams.
This can involve players engaging in banter, taunts or sledging in an attempt to disrupt the concentration and focus of their opponents.
Niggles are typically not considered as serious as more aggressive forms of sledging or misconduct, but they can still be used to create a mental distraction for the batsman or bowler.
example sentence using the term “niggle” in the context of cricket:
“As the tension between the two teams grew during the match, the fast bowler resorted to a bit of friendly niggle by commenting on the batsman’s technique, trying to break his concentration.”
