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Cricket

(Redirected from Cricket (sport))
A cricket match in progress. The beige strip is the cricket pitch. The people wearing black trousers on the far right are the umpires.
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A cricket match in progress. The beige strip is the cricket pitch. The people wearing black trousers on the far right are the umpires.

Cricket is a team sport. Sometimes referred to as the "gentleman's game", cricket originated in its formal form in England, and is popular mainly in the countries of the Commonwealth. In the countries of South Asia, including India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, cricket is by far the most popular participatory and spectator sport, while it is a major summer sport in places such as the United Kingdom, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand.

The rich jargon of cricket can often leave those unfamiliar with the game confused; the rules are of similar complexity to those of its cousin baseball. Cricket fosters die-hard aficionados, for whom matches provide passionate entertainment. Occasionally, rival nations have lampooned each other over cricket matches, provoking diplomatic outrage.

Contents

Objective and summary

Cricket is a bat and ball sport played between two teams of eleven players. The object of the game is to score more runs (points) than the opposing team.

A match is divided into innings. During an innings, one team bats while the other team bowls and fields. (Note: when referring to "a team's innings," one usually means that team's turn to bat, i.e. batting innings.) There are two types of cricket played at the international level: Test cricket, consisting of two innings per team, played over five days, and One day internationals (ODI), consisting of a single innings per team.

The team which is batting aims to score runs, either to set a total or chase a target set by the opposition. The bowling team tries to limit the runs scored by the batting team and at the same time to get the opposition players out – dismiss them, so that they cannot bat further in the innings.

In an ODI match, the team which has scored the most runs, after the completion of both innings, is the declared winner. In Test cricket, the winner is declared after totalling the scores of each team's two batting innings. If both teams have scored the same number of runs, the match is a tie. If the innings cannot be completed before the allotted time for the match expires, the result is a draw in Test cricket, or no-result (N/R) in an ODI.

Players and officials

Each team consists of eleven players. Depending on his primary skills, a player can be classified as a specialist batsman or bowler. A balanced team usually has five or six specialist batsmen and four or five specialist bowlers. A player who excels equally in both fields is known as an all-rounder. One player of the team that is currently bowling takes up the role of a wicket-keeper — a highly specialised fielding position.

The batsmen are entrusted the task of scoring runs with the bat. Bowlers bowl (hurl) the ball to the batsmen and have to try and reduce the runs scored by the batsmen, with the aid of the fielders.

Two on-field umpires preside over a match. One umpire will stand behind the stumps at the end from which the ball is bowled, and adjudicate on most decisions. The other will stand near the fielding position called square leg, which offers a side view of the batsman, and assist on decisions for which he has a better view. In some professional matches, they may refer a decision to an off-field 'third' umpire, who has the assistance of television replays. An off-field match referee ensures that play is within the Laws of Cricket and the spirit of the game. Match referees may use their ex-cathedra powers to reprimand players who breach the ICC Cricket Code of Conduct. In some matches, a reserve umpire is kept on hand if something untoward happens to one of the other umpires.

The playing field

The cricket field consists of a large circular or oval-shaped grassy ground. There are no fixed dimensions for the field but its radius usually varies between 450 feet (137 m) to 500 feet (150 m). In most stadiums, a rope demarcates the perimeter of the field and is known as the boundary.

The pitch

Main article: Cricket pitch

Most of the action takes place in the centre of this ground, on a rectangular clay strip usually with short grass called the pitch. The pitch measures 10 × 66 feet (3.05 × 20.12 m)

At each end of the pitch three upright wooden poles, called the stumps, are hammered into the ground. Two wooden crosspieces, known as the bails, sit in grooves atop the stumps, linking each to its neighbour. Each set of three stumps and two bails is collectively known as a wicket. One end of the pitch is designated the batting end where the batsman stands and the other is designated the bowling end where the bowler runs in to bowl.

Lines drawn or painted on the pitch are known as creases. Creases are used to adjudicate the dismissals of batsmen and extras.

The stumps are aligned on a crease drawn across the width of the pitch. This line is known as the bowling crease and is 8 feet 8 inches (2.64 m) in length. The two bowling creases are separated by a distance of 22 yards (20.12 m). Inwards of each bowling crease and parallel to it, at a distance of 4 feet (1.22 m), is another crease. These are the popping creases, though the one at the batting end is also commonly known as the batting crease. The length of these creases is considered infinite, but is drawn for at least 30 yards (27 m) on either side of the pitch.

Perpendicular to these creases are drawn two parallel lines centred on the wicket and 8 feet 8 inches (2.64 m) apart, which extend backwards from the popping creases to a length of 8 feet (2.44 m), known as the return creases.

Parts of the field

For a match under one-day rules, there are two additional field markings. A painted oval is made by drawing a semicircle of 30 yards (27.4 m) radius from the centre of each wicket with respect to the breadth of the pitch and joining them with lines parallel, 30 yards (27.4 m) to the length of the pitch. This line, commonly known as the circle, divides the field into an infield and outfield. Two circles of radius 15 yards (13.7 m), centred on each wicket and often marked by dots, define the close-infield. The infield, outfield, and the close-infield are used to enforce fielding restrictions.

Placements of players

Main article: Fielding positions

The team batting always has two batsmen on the field. One batsman stands at the batting end of the pitch. He is known as the striker, as he faces and plays the balls bowled by the bowler. His partner stands at the bowling end and is known as the non-striker. The wicket-keeper stands behind the wicket at the batting end. (The terms striker and batsman are used interchangeably in this article.)

The captain of the fielding team spreads his remaining nine players — the fielders — around the ground to cover most of the area. Their placement may vary dramatically depending on strategy. Each position on the field has a unique label.

The bowler's end umpire stands directly behind the wicket at the bowler's end, facing the batsman. The striker's end umpire, more commonly known as the square-leg umpire, stands in line with the batsman as indicated in the diagram at a distance of about 20 yards (18 m). The bowler's end umpire is often referred to simply as the umpire, as he is responsible for most decisions. (This article will follow this practice.)

When a bowler bowls, he must run to one side of the umpire. If a right-handed bowler runs in to bowl to the left of the umpire, it is called over the wicket. Bowling to the umpire's right is known as around the wicket. The terminology is reversed for left-handed bowlers.

An imaginary line divides the field in half down the long axis of the pitch. The half to the right of a right-handed batsman is the off side while the half to his left is the on side (or leg-side). This terminology is reversed for a left-handed batsman.

See also: Cricket clothing and equipment

Match structure

The toss

Main article: The toss

On the day of the match, the captains inspect the pitch to determine the type of bowlers whose bowling would be suited for the offered pitch surface. Before the match starts, the captains select their eleven players. The two opposing captains then toss a coin. The captain winning the toss may choose either to bat or bowl first.

Overs

Each innings is subdivided into overs — each over consists of six consecutive balls delivered by the same bowler. In Test cricket, an unlimited number of overs may be bowled in an innings. In one-day cricket, an innings consists of 50 overs. No bowler is allowed to bowl consecutive overs. After the completion of an over, the bowler takes up a fielding position, while a fielder takes the bowling task.

After every over, the batting and bowling ends are swapped, and correspondingly the field positions are adjusted. The umpires too interchange their field positions. However, the striker and non-striker do not swap ends and the non-striker now becomes the striking batsman.

End of an innings

An innings is completed if:

  1. Ten out of eleven batsmen are 'out' (dismissed).
  2. A team chasing a given target number of runs to win manages to do so.
  3. The predetermined number overs are bowled (in a one-day match only, usually 50 overs).
  4. A captain declares his innings closed (this does not apply to one-day limited over matches).

See also: End of an innings for more details.

If the team batting last completes its innings and fails to equal or overtake the opposition's score, the winning team is said to have won the match by m runs, where m is the difference in scores between the teams.

If the team batting last wins the match, they are said to have won the match by n wickets, where n is the number of batsmen who are not-out (including the batsmen who are batting at that time, the batsmen who have not yet batted and any batsmen who may have earlier retired "not-out").

Batting and scoring runs

Batting

Main articles: Batsman, batting

Batsmen stand waiting for the ball at the batting crease. They will usually have some part of their body inside the batting crease, else they may get out – 'stumped'. The wooden bat that a batsman uses consists of a long handle and a flat surface on one side. If the batsman hits the ball with his bat, it is called a shot (or stroke). If the ball brushes the side of the bat it is called an edge or snick. Shots are named for the style of swing and the direction in the field to which the batsman desires to hit the ball. Depending on the team's strategy, he may be required to bat defensively in an effort to not get out, or to bat aggressively to score runs quickly. During an innings, all eleven players of the batting team are expected to bat.

Batsmen come in to bat in a batting order, which is determined by the team captain. Usually, the team bats in descending order of batting skill, the top four or five batsmen usually being the best in the team. After them the all-rounders follow and finally the bowlers (who are usually not known for their batting abilities). This order may be changed at any time during the course of the game for strategic reasons.

Run scoring

To score a run, a striker must hit the ball and run to the opposite end of the pitch, while his non-striking partner runs to his end. Both runners must touch the ground behind the popping crease with either his bat or his body to register a run. If the striker hits the ball well enough, the batsmen may double back to score two or more runs. At times, up to four runs may be scored off a single delivery in this fashion (more are possible, but rare). This is known as running between wickets. However, if a fielder knocks the bails off the stumps with the ball while no batsman is grounded behind the nearest popping crease, the nearest batsman is run-out. (See: Dismissal of a Batsman for more details.)

The batsmen will elect to run only when they believe they have a good chance of scoring runs without getting out in this fashion. If the striker hits the ball to a nearby fielder, the batsmen may simply choose not to run. Runs are credited to a batsman only if he hits the ball with his bat, or with a gloved hand holding the bat.

If the fielders fail to stop the hit ball from reaching the boundary of the field, four runs are credited to the batsman instantaneously, irrespective of the number of times he ran between the wickets. If the ball flies directly over the boundary without touching the ground inside the field, then the batsman scores six runs instead of four.

Extras

Main article: Extras

Every run scored by the batsmen contributes to the team's total. A team's total also includes a number of runs which are unaccredited to any batsmen. These runs are known as extras, or sometimes sundries. Extras consists of byes, leg byes, no balls, and wides. The former two are runs that can be scored if the batsman misses making contact with bat and ball, and the latter two are types of fouls committed by the bowler.

For serious infractions such as tampering with the ball, deliberate time-wasting, and damaging the pitch, the umpires may award penalty extras to the opposition; in each case five runs. A team need not be batting in order to receive penalty extras.

Bowling and dismissals

Bowling

Main articles: Bowlers, Bowling, Bowling strategy

A bowler delivers the ball toward the batsmen, using what is known as a bowling action, i.e. his arm must not straighten during the delivery at the elbow. If he straightens his arm in any manner, it is an illegal throw and the delivery is called a no-ball. A bowler has to try and bounce the ball before the batsman. Depending on the type of cricket played, the ball is allowed bounce up to shoulder or head height of the batsman. A bowler may also choose not to bounce the ball; this is limited to waist height.

The bowler's primary goal is to take wickets; that is, to get a batsman out or dismissed. If a bowler can dismiss the more accomplished batsmen on the opposing team he reduces the opportunity for them to score, as it exposes the less skillful batsmen. Their next task is to limit the numbers of runs scored per over they bowl. This is known as the Economy rate. Bowlers usually strive for low economy rates in most matches. If a bowler gets a batsman out, he may be credited for this achievement depending on the mode of dismissal. There are two main kinds of bowlers : pace bowlers and spin bowlers.

The fielding team may use as many bowlers as it deems strategically useful, but the number of overs that a player may bowl is limited in a one-day match so that no player may bowl more than 1/5 of the total overs. Thus, a minimum of five players must bowl. A captain usually employs two specialist bowlers, bowling in tandem for a "spell" of several consecutive overs, before replacing them. When bowling, bowlers must release the ball with their entire back foot inside the area bounded by the popping, bowling and return creases, and so too some part of the front foot inside this area, to prevent it from being called a no-ball.

Dismissal of a batsman

Main article: Dismissal

A batsman is allowed to bat as long as he doesn't get out (also known as being dismissed). There are eleven ways of getting a batsman out, of which the first five in the following list are most common. If the batsman is dismissed, another player from the batting team replaces him. After ten batsmen are out, the innings is over. Only one batsman can be dismissed per ball bowled.

Many modes of dismissal require the wicket to be "put down." The wicket is down if a bail is dislodged from the top of the stumps or a stump is struck out of the ground either with the ball, or by a fielder with the ball in his hand. Briefly, the eleven modes of dismissal are:

  • Caught – if a fielder catches the ball after the batsman strikes it, before the ball bounces.
  • Bowled – if a delivered ball puts down the wicket at the batsman's end.
  • Leg before wicket (LBW) – if a delivered ball misses the bat and strikes the leg of the batsman, and the umpire judges that the trajectory would have struck the stumps; certain other criteria may also have to be fulfilled.
  • Run out – if a fielder puts a wicket down with the ball whilst a batsman is still running between the two popping creases.
  • Stumped – if the batsman leaves his crease in playing a delivery, voluntarily or involuntarily, but the ball goes to the wicket-keeper who uses it to put the wicket down before the batsman has remade his ground.
  • Hit wicket – if the batsman puts the wicket down with his own bat or body; either in playing a shot or in taking off for the first run.
  • Handled the ball – if the batsman deliberately handles the ball.
  • Hit the ball twice – if the batsman hits the ball twice, except in order to use it as a barrier from rolling and striking his stumps.
  • Obstructing the field – if a batsman deliberately hinders a fielder from attempting to field the ball.
  • Timed out – if a new batsman takes over three minutes to appear on the field to replace a dismissed batsman. (If the delay is even more protracted, the umpires may forfeit the match.)
  • Retired out – if a batsman elects to declare himself out.

Additionally, a batsman may leave the field if injured. This is known as retired hurt or retired not-out. As the latter name suggests, the batsman is not-out; he may return to bat later in the same innings if sufficiently recovered.

An individual cannot be out — caught, bowled, 'leg before wicket', stumped, or 'hit wicket' off a no ball. He also cannot be out — caught, bowled, 'leg before wicket', or 'hit the ball twice' off a wide.

Fielding and wicket-keeping

Main articles: Fielder, Fielding strategy

Fielders assist the bowlers to prevent batsmen from scoring too many runs. They do this in two ways: by taking catches to dismiss a batsman, and by intercepting hit balls and returning them to the pitch to attempt run-outs to restrict the scoring of runs. Captains may change the field positions according to the batsman's skill, a bowler's type of bowling, a left or right-handed batsman etc.

Main article: Wicket-keeper

The wicket-keeper is a specialist fielder who stands behind the batsman's wicket throughout the game. His primary job is to gather deliveries that the batsman fails to hit, to prevent them running into the outfield, which would enable batsmen to score byes. Due to his proximity to the striker, the wicket-keeper has a good chance of getting a batsman out caught off a fine edge from the bat. The wicket-keeper is also the only person who can get a batsman out stumped.

Other roles

Captain

Main article: Role of a cricket captain

Unlike his counterparts in other sports, the captain's acumen in deciding the strategy is crucial to the team's success. The captain makes a number of important decisions, including setting field positions, shuffling the bowlers, taking the toss etc.

A runner

Main article: Runner

In the event of a batsman being fit to bat but too injured to run, he may request the umpire and the fielding captain for a runner. The runner chosen must bat low down the batting order, or be a batsman who has already been out. After a batsman hits the ball, the runner's task is just to run between the wickets instead of the injured batsman.

Substitutes

All team members must pass a fitness test before a match. Failure to do so may result in the denial of runners or substitutes. A substitute cannot bowl, bat, keep-wicket or act as a captain. The only task entrusted to a substitute is fielding. In the case of a wicket-keeper being incapacitated, a player named in the batting lineup must take up the wicket-keeping responsibilities. A substitute is a temporary role, and leaves the field once the injured player is fit to return. If a bowler has been off the field for more than a given length of time, they are not permitted to bowl for a certain time after they return to the field.

History

Main article: History of cricket

A rudimentary form of the sport can be traced back to the 12th century. Written evidence exists for a sport known as creag being played by Prince Edward, the son of Edward I, in England in around 1300. A number of words are thought to be possible sources for the term cricket. The name may derive from a term for the cricket bat: old French criquet (meaning a kind of club) or Flemish krick(e) (meaning a stick) or in old English cricc or cryce (meaning a crutch or staff). Alternatively, the French criquet apparently derives from the Flemish word krickstoel, which is a long low stool on which one kneels in church and which resembles the long low wicket with two stumps used in early cricket.

The game was banned by the Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell, whose Puritan ideals were at odds with recreational activities. Even after the Puritan government was overthrown and an Anglican monarchy restored, cricket remained illegal until 1748. In 1788, the Marylebone Cricket Club framed the first set of rules to govern matches played between English counties.

Cricket entered an epochal era in 1961, when English counties modified the rules to provide a variant match form that produced an expedited result. This gained widespread popularity and resulted in the birth of one-day international (ODI) matches in 1971. The governing International Cricket Council quickly adopted the new form and held the first ODI Cricket World Cup in 1975. Since then, ODI matches have gained mass spectatorship, at the expense of Test cricket and to the consternation of fans who prefer the longer form of the game. As of the early 2000s, however, Test cricket is experiencing a growing resurgence in popularity.

International structure

Main article: International structure of cricket

The International Cricket Council (ICC) is responsible for framing the laws of the game. The ICC is headquartered in London and includes representatives of each of the ten Test-playing nations, as well as an elected panel representing non-Test-playing nations.

Each nation has a national cricket board which regulates cricket matches played in their country. The cricket board also selects the national squad and organises home and away tours for the national team.

Nations playing cricket are separated into three tiers depending on the level of cricket infrastructure in that country. At the highest level are the Test-playing nations. They qualify automatically for the quadrennial World Cup matches. A rung lower are the Associate Member nations. The lowermost rung consists of the Affiliate Member nations.

See also: Non-Test teams to have played ODI matches.

Forms of cricket

Test cricket

Main article: Test cricket

Test cricket is a form of international cricket started in 1877 during the 1876/77 English cricket team's tour of Australia. The first Test match began on 15 March, 1877 and had a timeless format with four balls per over. It ended on 19 March, 1877 with Australia winning by 45 runs.

Since then, over 1,600 Test matches have been played and the number of Test match playing nations has increased to ten with Bangladesh, the most recent nation elevated to Test status, making its debut in 2000.

One-day cricket

Main article: One-day international

One-day matches, also known as limited overs or instant cricket, were introduced due to the growing demands of commercial television for a shorter and more dramatic form of cricket. The abbreviation ODI is used for international matches of this type. In one-day cricket, each team bats for only one innings, and it is limited to a number of overs, usually 50 in international matches. Innovations such as a coloured clothing, evening matches and result oriented games often resulting in nail biting finishes has seen ODI cricket gain many supporters. Strategies such as quick scoring, gravity-defying fielding and accurate bowling make the form more invigorating as compared to the laid back Test matches.

First-class matches

Main article: First-class cricket

A first-class match is a high-level international or domestic match that takes place over at least three days on natural (as opposed to artificial) turf. The status of a match depends on the status of the teams contesting it. All Test-playing nations are allowed to play first-class matches, as are their regional, state, provincial or county teams. Kenya, one of the foremost non-Test-playing nations, is also considered a first-class level team. Generally speaking, a match can be considered first-class only if both teams have first-class status. Thus, a match between two Test nations, between two domestic teams, or between a Test nation and another Test nation's domestic team, may be considered first class. A Test match is also considered to be a first-class match, but one-day matches are not.

Other forms of cricket

Main article: Forms of cricket

The game of cricket has also spawned a set of matches with modified rules to attract more fans. These matches are not recognised by the ICC as official matches. Other variants of the sport exist and are played in areas as diverse as on sandy beaches or on ice.

See also

References

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Last updated: 11-07-2004 05:36:52