sticky wicket

noun
1.
Cricket. the area of ground around a wicket when it is tacky because of recent rain and therefore does not allow the ball to bounce well.
2.
Chiefly British. a situation requiring delicate treatment; an awkward situation:
In telling his wife that he has to be away for a month in Cannes, he'll be batting on a sticky wicket.
Origin
1925-30
Examples from the web for sticky wicket
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  • The problem-it is obvious that this is a pretty sticky wicket.
British Dictionary definitions for sticky wicket

sticky wicket

noun
1.
a cricket pitch that is rapidly being dried by the sun after rain and is particularly conducive to spin
2.
(informal) a difficult or awkward situation (esp in the phrase on a sticky wicket)
Slang definitions & phrases for sticky wicket

sticky wicket

noun phrase

A very difficult or awkward situation; a nasty affair: ''It's a sticky wicket,'' he said, but he left open the possibility that it could be orchestrated in a few cases/ It's the original sticky wicket

[1952+; fr the British phrase bat on (or at) a sticky wicket, ''contend with great difficulties,'' fr the game of cricket]