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The Rules of Cricket
An Overview
Each team consists of eleven players. The object of the game, not surprisingly, is to
outscore the opposing team.
The two teams take turns to bat and bowl. When a team is batting, the idea is to score as
many runs as they can by hitting the ball around an oval field. The other team must get
them out by bowling the ball overarm at the stumps, which are at both ends of a 22-yard
area known as a wicket. The bowling team can get the batting team out in more than one
way. They can either hit the stumps or catch the ball. Also, once the batting team is all out
(everyone has batted) the teams swap over and they then become the bowling side. Each
time a team bats, it is known as their innings. Teams can have one or two innings
depending on how much time there is to play.
Scoring in Cricket
The fielding team (or bowling team) have all eleven of their players on the field. Nine of
them are positioned strategically around the field, whereas the other two are the bowler and
the wicketkeeper. The bowler delivers the ball, overarm, at one of the batsmen who will try
and hit the ball to score runs.
One run is scored each time the batsmen cross and reach the set of stumps at the other
end of the pitch.
Four runs can be scored if the ball reaches the perimeter of the field or six runs if crosses
the perimeter without bouncing. Although all 11 players have the chance to bat, the team
are "all out" when 10 wickets have fallen as the "not out" batsman is left without a
team-mate at the other end of the wicket. A team doesn't have to be all out for an innings
to close. If a captain feels their team has scored enough runs, they can bring the innings to
a close by making a "declaration". Teams also have a "12th man" who acts as a substitute
fielder if one of the first 11 are injured. However, the 12th man is not allowed to bat or bowl.
What's that ball made of anyway? Good question! The inside of a cricket ball is actually made of cork, the outside consisting of red leather. The leather is then stitched together around the centre area and is known as the "seam". The "seam" on the ball is slightly raised and it is the area that fast bowlers will try to hit when the ball bounces. The unevenness of the ball makes it less predictable as to where it will go, thus causing more problems for the batsman. The Umpires
Every other game has got 'em, why not cricket? Two umpires officiate the game on the field. In international tournaments, a third umpire (used on the sidelines) and a match referee. One umpire stands behind the stumps at the bowler's end of the pitch, while the other umpire stands at square leg. The umpire at the bowler's end is responsible for making decisions on lbw decisions, no-balls, wides and leg byes. The square leg umpire will judge stumpings and run-outs. The batsmen should be given any benefit of doubt. Meaning that if an umpire is unsure about a decision, then the batsman should be given not out. The umpires change position at the end of each over. After an appeal from the fielding side, only an umpire can give a batter out. If a batsman stands their ground and no appeal is made by the fielding side, then they shouldn't be given out by an umpire. The umpires indicate no-balls, byes, leg-byes, wides, boundaries and sixes to the scorers, who keep a running total of the runs scored. The third umpire uses replays to rule on run-outs, stumpings, whether a ball has hit the ground before being caught or when it's unclear if the ball has crossed the boundary or not. However, the third umpire can only rule if the decision is referred to them by the umpires out on the pitch. The match referee rules on disciplinary matters.
The two captains toss a coin for the right to choose whether to bat or bowl first. The captain who wins takes a number of factors into consideration such as the pitch, weather, and the form of his side. Play changes end after each over. An over is six deliveries bowled by one bowler. When an over is completed play switches to the other end and continues like this throughout the game.
How Long do These Things Go?
The duration of a cricket game consists of each side having one innings in a limited overs game or both sides batting twice in a game that is played over a couple of days.
The Pitch and the Weather.
On a humid, cloudy day, the cricket ball is more likely to move or "swing" in the air. These types of conditions are more prevalent in areas such as New Zealand and England."Greener" wickets with more grass on and a more damper surface are found in these countries and they help the quicker bowlers as they help movement off the seam. The bowler tries to keep the seam of the ball in as upright a position as possible, so that it makes good contact with the wicket when it pitches. When the ball hits the pitch, the seam will react with the ground and create "movement off the seam". "Spin Bowlers" excel in drier pitches such as those found in Pakistan and India. Why? The pace of these pitches are quite a bit slower which in turn gives the ball more time to grip and "turn off the pitch", however the bounce on these pitches are far more unreliable. Play stops if there is rain or bad lighting conditions that make batting conditions too dangerous.