close of play

close of play

1. In cricket or a tennis tournament, the end of play for a given day. Primarily heard in UK. At the close of play, England leads India by 140 runs, with only one wicket lost.
2. In business, a working day's end. Often used in the construction "by the close of play." Primarily heard in UK. I'm under a lot of pressure to finish this report by the close of play.
See also: close, of, play
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
See also:
  • walk on stage and off again
  • end of play
  • play off
  • double play
  • fair play to someone
  • play as
  • state of play
  • the state of play
  • slice of life
  • a slice of life
References in periodicals archive
Derbyshire reached the close of play on 64 for two with opener Wayne Madsen top scoring on 25 not out as David Masters took two crucial wickets to give Essex a fighting chance.
Watson has taken the most of his chance - finishing the day unbeaten on 62 as Australia reached 126 for one at the close of play having chosen to bat.
Near close of play, Windies skipper Carl Hooper fell to leg-spinner Anil Kumble for 46.
Slow left-armer Mohammad Asghar snared four wickets for 64 runs in 24 overs before Karachi reached 59-1 in reply by close of play.
BULAWAYO -- Scoreboard at the close of play on the second day of the second Test between Zimbabwe and New Zealand on Sunday:
However, the rain persisted leading to an early close of play with Rashid set to resume on 60 not out - compiled from 85 deliveries with 11 fours - on the final day with Liam Plunkett, currently on four, alongside him in the middle.
The pair shared an unbroken partnership of 92 for the third wicket as West Indies reached 147 for two at the close of play in reply to South Africa's 417 for eight declared Braithwaite (65 not out) and Samuels (60 not out) were both in sparkling form and West Indies will resume on day four 270 runs in arrears with eight first-innings wickets in tact.
11 ( ANI ): New Zealand cricketer Ross Taylor has scored his 10th Test century and surpassed 4,000 career runs to anchor New Zealand's 307 for 6 at the close of play on the first day of the second Test against the West Indies at the Basin Reserve.
Rogers, who is set to join up with the Australia squad for the Ashes this summer, was still at the crease at the close of play at Lord's on 161 after being dropped twice.
Woakes then struck twice before the close of play and, along with wickets from Rankin, Rikki Clarke and Andrew Miller, Durham were pegged by the close of play on day two to 230 for five.
His knock was the key in England's commanding score of 331 for four at the close of play with Paul Collingwood chipping in with a steady 81 not out in a fifthwicket stand.
Until close of play on Bank Holiday Monday, Kwik-Fit is offering Bridgestone tyres at knockdown prices, with up to 35% off.
On the 1936-7 Ashes tour, when England were pipped by an innings and 200 runs in Melbourne, they were 165-8 at close of play on the fourth day.
That gave England a first-innings advantage of 103, which had been extended to 159 by the close of play as Stephen Moore and Robert Key shared an unbroken opening stand of 56.
Scott Newman and Mark Ramprakash (92no) put on 196 for the second wicket as Surrey reached 237 for five at close of play.