Cricket is a game a celebrated game, but many of the few people have no idea how the game is played. It looks like baseball but it has different rules altogether.
Cricket is played with two teams of 11 players each. Each team takes turns batting and playing the field, as in baseball. In cricket, the batter is a batsman and the pitcher is a bowler. The bowler tries to knock down the bail of the wicket. A batsman tries to prevent the bowler from hitting the wicket by hitting the ball. Two batsmen are on the pitch at the same time.
SCORING
The batters can run after the ball is hit. A run is scored each time they change places on the pitch. The team with the highest number of runs (typically in the hundreds) wins the match.
- 6 runs: A ball hit out of the field on a fly.
- 4 runs: A ball hit out of the field on a bounce.
OUTS (DISMISSALS)
- Bowled out: Bowler knocks over (breaks) the wicket with a bowl.
- Caught out: Fielder catches a batted ball on the fly
- Run out: Fielder catches
ground ball and throws it at the wicket, knocking it down before the batsman gets there. - Leg before wicket: Batsman’s body interferes with a bowled ball that would hit the wicket.
THE FIELD
Circular, natural or artificial turf
Sizes vary from ground to ground. There are 11 players per team positioned around the oval.
THE BALL
- Construction: Core of cork built up with string, has raised seams.
- Size: Circumference around 9 inches (slightly smaller, harder and heavier than a baseball).
THE BAT
- Construction: Made of willow wood, with a maximum width of 4.25 inches, and a maximum length of 38 inches.
THE GAME IS OVER WHEN
Sides take turns batting and fielding. Each at-bat, called an “over,” comprises no more than six bowls per batsman. The fielding team must retire or dismiss 10 batsmen to end the innings (always plural). World Cup matches are limited to one inning per team and a limit of 50 overs per inning. Non-elimination games are limited to a single day. Elimination games are allowed a second day if needed.
SOME CRICKET JARGON
- Bumper or bouncer: A short pitched ball targeted at head height.
- Bunny: Lower order batsman who is easy to dismiss.
- Dibbly-dobbly: A medium to slow-moving bowler.
- Googly or Wrong’un: A ball from the leg spinner which spins the other way.
- Howzat: What fielders yell when they are appealing for a wicket.
- Jaffa: Unplayable ball.
- No Ball: Illegal delivery which adds 1 run to the batting team’s total.
- Quack or Duck: When a batsman is dismissed without scoring.
- Ramp: When the ball is intentionally guided over the top of the wicket keeper and slips from fast-paced bowling.
- Village: Mindless or mediocre play.
- Waft: An unconvincing shot where the batsman waves the bat at the ball without making contact.
- Yorker: A full pitched ball aimed at the batsman’s toes or on the crease line.
- Zooter: A leg spin delivery which skids through low and quick.