leather hunt

[user_gary]

Equalling the world record of 18 sixes in an ODI, the Indian batsmen also hit 30 fours as the hapless Bermudan fielders were sent on a leather hunt first by Sehwag and then by Yuvraj Singh and Sachin Tendulkar.

What does `sent on a leather hunt' mean in this sentence?

Please explain it.

[keith t]

This is a cricketing expression.

A cricket ball is made of leather on the outside. If the fielding team is on a "leather hunt", I think it means that they are always looking for (or hunting for) the ball, because the batsmen are scoring so many runs.

Of course they are not literally looking for the ball, because it is usually easy to find even if it hit into the crowd, but that is the idea!

Keith