For your USA readers though it might help to explain that “XI” is roman numerals for eleven, being the number of players who make up a cricket team.

Well, actually there’s 12 in a team but the twelth man is called…”the twelth man”! (what a surprise).

The twelth man isn’t allowed to bat or bowl but he is allowed to substitute as a fielder. However his main duty is to carry “the drinks” onto the field whenever the XI get thirsty.

He’s sort of a flanelled waiter for the rest of the team.

For USA readers:
A “bowl” is like a pitch in baseball, except we don’t throw the ball, we “bowl” it in a round overarm action (although Australians sometimes bowl it underarm to the New Zealanders, who we don’t like a lot).