line-ball

The term line ball is used in various sports to describe a situation where a ball touches a boundary line, often requiring a difficult decision by an official to determine whether the ball is in or out. See Line call on WikipediaWikipedia .

line-ball (comparative more line-ball, superlative most line-ball)

1. Of a decision, result, etc.: Very close or finely balanced; having the potential to go either way.

   a line-ball decision

   • 1999, Ray Wyatt, Computer Aided Policy Making, page 172:

     Hence when it comes to the best package for identifying policies comprehensively but efficiently, it seems to be a line ball decision between Strad and Strategizer.

   • 2010, John Birmingham, After America, page 192:

     ‘D'you think I made a mistake, letting those diplomats into Texas?’ he asked Culver […] ‘It was a line-ball call, Mr President. […] ’

   • 2011 August 3, Peter Martin, “RBA makes line-ball decision to hold rates”, in Sydney Morning Herald‎:

     The Reserve Bank has taken the highly unusual step of revealing it considered pushing up interest rates at its board meeting yesterday, saying it held off primarily because of "acute uncertainty" over debt problems in Europe and the US.

   • 2016, Francis Keany, “Election day: Brisbane”, in Follow the Leaders: How to Survive a Modern-day Election Campaign:

     Bill Glasson […] has run a solid campaign against the Labor leader, with some robo-polls predicting a win for the LNP. He confides that he thinks it will be a ‘line ball call’ tonight and he'll have to rely on preferences to get over the line.

• line call