Full toss

A full toss was a type of bowling delivery in the sport of cricket. When facing Ishtar Hutchings for what proved to be the final bat of the match between the Doctor's Invitation Eleven and the Cheldon Bonniface Invitation Eleven, Nathan li Shao delivered a near full toss. As Bernice Summerfield observed, he had apparently been instructed to do so by the Seventh Doctor. Ishtar hit the unusually bowled ball easily, nearly making it cross the boundary line for six, but Sanki caught it, bringing victory to the Doctor's side. (PROSE: Happy Endings)

Behind the scenes

Happy Endings fails to precisely define what a "full toss" is, assuming that the reader will understand the situation completely. A full toss is when the ball is bowled without hitting the ground —essentially a normal baseball delivery. They aren't usually seen as desirable deliveries, because they're easier for batsmen to hit. The fact that the Doctor apparently orders this type of bowl meant that he understood that the ball would likely be hit and that his team would be required to catch it if they wished to win. He was, in essence, taking the game out of the hands of the bowler and entrusting it to his fielders. He may well have been deliberately trying to give Sanki in particular a chance to win the game, since the Silurian had been lacking self-confidence throughout the match.

Full tosses should not be confused with beamers, another type of bowl that doesn't touch the ground before reaching the batsman, but is altogether harder to hit, more dangerous and indeed illegal.