cricket (sport) - Objective and results, Laws of cricket, Forms of cricket, International structure

A bat-and-ball team game of 11-a-side. A wicket consisting of three stumps surmounted by a pair of bails is placed at each end of a grassy pitch 22 yd (2 1 m) in length. Each team takes it in turn to bat and bowl. The aim of the batting team is to defend the two wickets while trying to score as many runs as possible before being dismissed. Each member of the team must bat, and two batsmen (or, in a female team, batswomen) are on the field at any one time, one in front of each wicket (unless one is injured, and a ‘runner’ is needed). After the captains of the two sides have tossed a coin to decide who bats first, the fielding team assembles on the field. At any one time it will consist of a bowler, a wicket-keeper (who stands behind the wicket that the bowler is attacking), and nine fielders, who are placed at strategic positions around the field. A bowler delivers an ‘over’ of (usually) six balls to one wicket, before a different bowler attacks the other wicket.

If the batsman hits a ball (and in certain other circumstances, such as the bowler bowling too wide or the wicket-keeper missing the ball), he may decide it is safe to run between the two wickets, exchanging places with the other batsman, in which case he scores a ‘run’. Several runs may be scored following a single hit, but if the ball reaches the boundary of the field, four runs are scored automatically, and six if it has not bounced on the way. A batsman is out if he is ‘bowled’ (the ball from the bowler knocks his wicket down), ‘caught’ (the batsman hits the ball so that it is caught by a fielder without bouncing), ‘stumped’ (the wicket-keeper knocks the wicket down with the ball while the defending batsman is standing outside his ‘safe ground’ or ‘crease’), ‘run out’ (the wicket towards which one of the batsmen is running is knocked down before the batsman reaches the safe ground), and ‘leg before wicket’, or ‘lbw’ (the batsman's body obstructs the ball's path to the wicket without the bat having first made contact). He may also be out if he hits his own wicket while playing a shot, hits the ball twice, prevents a fielder taking a catch (‘obstructing the field’), uses a hand to prevent the ball hitting the wicket (‘handled the ball’) or takes more than three minutes to replace the previous batsman once the wicket has fallen (‘timed out’). Once 10 batsmen have been dismissed, the innings comes to a close, but a team can stop its innings (‘declare’) at any time before that, if it thinks it has made enough runs. In first-class cricket, the pre-eminent form of the game, each team has two innings, and the one with the greater number of runs at the end of the match is the winner, provided the other side has completed - or declared - both its innings. It is possible, however, to forfeit innings in order to obtain a definite result.

The game has been traced back to 1300, but the first known county match was in 1719. The earliest known laws of cricket were drawn up in 1744, and the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) was founded in 1787. The first Test match was played in Melbourne in March 1877. Principal domestic competitions in the UK consist of the County Championship, Cheltenham and Gloucester Trophy, Benson and Hedges Cup, and the Norwich Union National League. In 1998 the counties voted to introduce two championship divisions from 2000. The Pura Cup (previously the Sheffield Shield) is the principal competition in Australia. Test matches are staged over five days, county championship matches over four days. Limited-over competitions are normally concluded in one day, and last for a specific number of overs per side. For practical reasons, the World Cup (1975 to date) is strictly limited-overs.

Cricket is a team sport played between two teams of eleven players each. A player from the fielding team (the bowler) propels a hard, fist-sized cork-centred leather ball from one wicket towards the other. The ball usually bounces once before reaching a player from the opposing team (the batsman), who defends the wicket from the ball with a wooden cricket bat.

Generally, the batsman attempts to strike the ball with the bat and run to the other end of the pitch, exchanging places with his partner, scoring a run. While the batting team scores as many runs as it can, the bowling team returns the ball to either wicket. If the ball strikes a wicket with enough force to knock a bail off before the batsman nearer to that wicket has reached safety, then the batsman is out, or "dismissed" - this is also known as a wicket. The batsman can also be out in a number of other ways, such as failing to stop the bowled ball from knocking the bails off, or if a fielder catches the ball before it touches the ground. Once the batsmen are not attempting to score any more runs, the ball is "dead" and is bowled again.

Once out, a batsman is replaced by the next batsman in the team. As there must always be two batsmen on the field, the team's innings ends when ten batsmen are out, and the teams exchange roles. The number of innings, and possible restrictions on the number of balls in each, depend on the type of game played. In first-class cricket, a draw can result if the team to bat last fails to match the required total before a time limit is reached or if the bowling teams fails to take 10 wickets. This can add interest to one-sided games by giving the team in the worse position an incentive to play for a draw.

Cricket has been an established team sport for several centuries. In some countries in South Asia, including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka, cricket is by far the most popular sport. Cricket is also a major sport in England and Wales, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Zimbabwe and the English-speaking countries of the Caribbean, which are collectively known in cricketing parlance as the West Indies. There are also well established amateur club competitions in countries as diverse as the Netherlands, Kenya, Nepal, and Argentina (see also: International Cricket Council).

The length of the game — a match can last six or more hours a day for up to five days in one form of the game — the numerous intervals for lunch and tea and the rich terminology are notable aspects that can often confuse those not familiar with the sport. For its fans, the sport and the intense rivalries between top cricketing nations provide passionate entertainment and outstanding sporting achievements.

Cricket Portal

Objective and results

Cricket is a bat and ball sport. A match is divided into innings during which one team bats and one team fields.

If the team batting last is dismissed while their total score is n runs less than that of their opponents, they are said to have lost by n runs. If, in a two-innings match, one team is dismissed twice with a combined first- and second-innings score less than their opponents' first-innings score, then the winning team has no requirement to bat again and they are said to have won by an innings and n runs, where n is the difference in score between the teams. If the team batting last is dismissed with the scores exactly equal then the match is a tie; If the team batting last reaches their target, they are said to have won by n wickets, where n is the number of wickets the opposition still needed to take in order to dismiss them.

If the match has only a single innings per side, then a maximum number of deliveries for each innings is often imposed. A one-day match can be declared a "No-Result" if fewer than a previously agreed number of overs have been bowled by either team.

See also: The result in cricket

Laws of cricket

The game is played in accordance with 42 laws of cricket, which have been developed by the Marylebone Cricket Club in discussion with the main cricketing nations.

Players and officials

Players

A team consists of eleven players.

A player who excels in both batting and bowling is known as an all-rounder.

Umpires

Two on-field umpires preside over a match. One umpire will stand behind the wicket at the end from which the ball is bowled, and adjudicate on most decisions. In international matches an off-field match referee ensures that play is within the laws of cricket and the spirit of the game.

Scorers

Two scorers are appointed, and most often one scorer is provided by each team. The laws of cricket specify that the official scorers are to record all runs scored, wickets taken and (where appropriate) overs bowled. In practice scorers also keep track of other matters, such as bowlers' analyses, the rate at which the teams bowl their overs, and team statistics such as averages and records. In international and national cricket competitions the media often require notification of records and statistics, so unofficial scorers often keep tally for the broadcast commentators and newspaper journalists.

The playing field

The cricket field consists of a large circular or oval-shaped grassy ground.

At each end of the pitch three upright wooden stakes, called the stumps, are hammered into the ground. The area of the field on the side of the line joining the wickets where the batsman holds his bat (the right-hand side for a right-handed batsman, the left for a left-hander) is known as the off side, the other as the leg side or on side.

Lines drawn or painted on the pitch are known as creases.

Parts of the field

For a one-innings match played over a set number of fair deliveries, there are two additional field markings.

Placements of players

The team batting always has two batsmen on the field. One batsman, known as the striker, faces and plays the balls bowled by the bowler.

The fielding team has all eleven of its players on the ground, and at any particular time, one of these will be the bowler. The captain of the fielding team spreads his remaining nine players — the fielders — around the ground to cover most of the area.

Match structure

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 and select their eleven players.

Overs

Each innings is divided into overs, each consisting of six consecutive legal (see "Extras" for details) deliveries bowled by the same bowler.

After every over, the batting and bowling ends are swapped, and the field positions are adjusted. A captain declares his team's innings closed (this does not apply to one-day limited over matches). Playing time

Typically, two innings matches are played over three to five days with at least six hours of cricket being played each day.

The game is only played in dry weather. Additionally, as in professional cricket it is common for balls to be bowled at over 90 mph (144 km/h), the game needs to be played in daylight that is good enough for a batsman to be able to see the ball. Some one-day games are now played under floodlights, but, apart from a few experimental games in Australia, floodlights are not used in longer games. Professional cricket is usually played outdoors.

Batting and scoring runs

See also: Scoring

Batting Main articles: Batsman, Batting

Batsmen strike the ball from the batting crease, with the flat surface of a wooden bat. If the batsman hits the ball with his bat, it is called a shot (or stroke). As part of the team's strategy, he may bat defensively, blocking the ball downwards, or aggressively, hitting the ball hard to empty spaces in order to score runs.

Batsmen come in to bat in a batting order, decided by the team captain. After that, the team typically bats in descending order of batting skill, the first five or six batsmen usually being the best in the team.

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. If the striker hits the ball well enough, the batsmen may double back to score two or more runs. However, no rule requires the batsman to run upon striking the ball. If the batsmen score an odd number of runs, then they will have swapped ends and their roles as striker and non-striker will be reversed for the next ball, unless the most recent ball marks the end of an over.

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. If the ball goes over the boundary, then four runs are scored, or six if the ball has not bounced.

Extras

Every run scored by the batsmen contributes to the team's total. 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. Five penalty runs are also awarded if a fielder uses anything other than his body to field the ball, or if the ball hits a protective helmet left on the field by the fielding team.

Bowling and dismissals

Bowling

A bowler delivers the ball toward the batsmen, using what is known as a bowling action: the elbow may be held at any angle and may bend further, but may not straighten out during the action. Under new cricketing law, after consultation with health experts, the bowler is allowed to straighten his arm 15 degrees or less, if the bowler straightens his or her arm more than 15 degrees it is called a "no ball". Usually, the bowler pitches the ball so that it bounces before reaching the batsman. Some part of the bowler's front foot in the delivery stride (that is, the stride when the ball is released) must be behind the popping crease to avoid a no-ball (although the bowler's front foot does not have to be grounded). A wide or no-ball results in an extra run being added to the batting team's score, and an extra ball being bowled in the over.

Dismissal of a batsman

A batsman is allowed to bat as long as he does not get out (also known as being dismissed). If the batsman is dismissed, another player from the batting team replaces him until ten batsmen are out and the innings is over.

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

Caught — When a fielder catches the ball before the ball bounces and after the batsman has struck it with the bat or it has come into contact with the batsman's glove while it is in contact with the bat handle. (Law 32) Bowled — When a delivered ball hits the stumps at the batsman's end, and dislodges one or both of the bails. (Law 30) Leg before wicket (LBW) — When a delivered ball misses the bat and strikes the batsman's leg or pad, and the umpire judges that the ball would otherwise have struck the stumps. The laws of cricket stipulate certain exceptions in favour of the batsman; for instance, a batsman should not be given out LBW if the place where the ball bounced on the pitch is to the leg-side of the area strictly between the two wickets. Run out — When a fielder, bowler or wicket-keeper removes one or both of the bails with the ball by hitting the stumps whilst a batsman is still running between the two ends. The ball can either hit the stumps directly or the fielder's hand with the ball inside it can be used to dislodge the bails. Stumped — When the batsman leaves his crease in playing a delivery, voluntarily or involuntarily, but the ball goes to the wicket-keeper who uses it to remove one or both of the bails through hitting the bail(s) or the wicket before the batsman has remade his ground. (Law 39) Hit wicket — When the batsman accidentally knocks the stumps with either the body or the bat, causing one or both of the bails to be dislodged, either in playing a shot or in taking off for the first run. (Law 35) Handled the ball — When the batsman deliberately handles the ball without the permission of the fielding team. (Law 33) Hit the ball twice — When the batsman deliberately strikes the ball a second time, except for the sole purpose of guarding his wicket. (Law 34) Obstructing the field — When a batsman deliberately hinders a fielder from attempting to field the ball. (Law 37) Timed out — When a new batsman takes more than three minutes to take his position in the field to replace a dismissed batsman. (Law 31)

Additionally, a batsman may leave the field without being dismissed.

Some of these modes of dismissal can take place without the bowler bowling a delivery. The batsman who is not on strike may be run out by the bowler if he leaves his crease before the bowler bowls, and a batsman can be out obstructing the field or retired out at any time. With all other modes of dismissal, only one batsman can be dismissed per ball bowled. Obstructing the field, Handled the ball, Timed Out and Hit the ball twice dismissals are extremely rare.

Fielding and wicket-keeping

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.

The wicket-keeper is a specialist fielder who stands behind the batsman's wicket throughout the game.

Other roles

Captain

The captain's acumen in deciding the strategy is crucial to the team's success.

A runner

In the event of a batsman being fit to bat but too injured to run, he may ask the umpire and the fielding captain for a runner. After a batsman hits the ball, the runner's only task is to run between the wickets in place of the injured batsman.

Substitutes

In all forms of cricket, if a player gets injured or becomes ill during a match, a substitute is allowed to field instead of him;

For 9 months from July 2005, the ICC trialled the concept of a Super Sub in One-day International (ODI) cricket and some other limited overs competitions.

In 1598, a court case referred to a sport called kreckett being played at the Royal Grammar School, Guildford around 1550. 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 crycc (meaning a crutch or staff). the 'k' sound would be possible in the north, however.) 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.

During the 17th century, numerous references indicate the growth of cricket in the south-east of England. We know that a great cricket match with eleven players a side was played for high stakes in Sussex in 1697 and this is the earliest reference we have to cricket in terms of such importance.

The game underwent major development in the 18th Century and had become the national sport of England by the end of the century. Cricket was prominent in London as early as 1707 and large crowds flocked to matches on the Artillery Ground in Finsbury. The Hambledon Club was founded in the 1760s but its team was already playing first-class matches in 1756. MCC quickly became the sport's premier club and the custodian of the Laws of Cricket.

The 19th Century saw underarm replaced by first roundarm and then overarm bowling.

In 1859, a team of England players went on the first overseas tour (to North America) and 18 years later another England team took part in the first-ever Test match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground against Australia.

The last two decades before the First World War have been called the "Golden Age of Cricket".

The inter-war years were dominated by one player: Don Bradman, statistically the greatest batsman of all time.

Cricket entered an epochal era in 1963, when English counties modified the rules to provide a variant match form that produced a certain result: games with a restricted number of overs per side. The governing International Cricket Council quickly adopted the new form and held the first ODI Cricket World Cup in 1975.

As of the early 2000s, however, the longer form of cricket is experiencing a growing resurgence in popularity but a new limited overs phenomenon, Twenty20, has made an immediate impact.

Forms of cricket

There are many different types and grades of cricket; those played professionally at an international level are Test cricket, one-day cricket and Twenty20.

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 Test cricket series between England and Australia is called The Ashes, with the trophy being a tiny fragile urn, reputed to hold the ashes of a bail or cricket ball used during the second Test series between the two countries. The tiny urn was presented to the English Cricket Captain, Ivo Bligh, by a group of Melbourne women, following the Test Series win by the England Cricket Team, during the England Cricket Team's Tour of Australia in 1882/83.

Other trophies contested in Test Cricket are the Basil D'Oliveira trophy (for a series between England and South Africa played in South Africa), the Wisden trophy (England - West Indies), The Frank Worrell trophy (Australia - West Indies), the Trans-Tasman trophy (Australia - New Zealand), the Border-Gavaskar trophy (Australia - India) and the Sir Vivian Richards trophy (South Africa - West Indies).

Since then, over 1,800 Test matches have been played and the number of Test playing nations has increased to ten with Bangladesh, the most recent nation elevated to Test status, making its debut in 2000.

One-day cricket

Limited overs matches, also known as one day cricket or instant cricket, were introduced in the English domestic season of 1963 due to the growing demands for a shorter and more dramatic form of cricket to stem the decline in attendances. Important one-day matches, international and domestic, often have two days set aside, the second day being a "reserve" day to allow more chance of the game being completed if a result is not possible on the first day (for instance if play is prevented or interrupted by rain). together with frequent nail-biting finishes and the impossibility of either side opting to play for a draw, these have seen ODI cricket gain many supporters.

Twenty20 Cricket

Twenty20 Cricket was first played in English domestic cricket in 2003 to popularise first-class cricket and attract more spectators to the game. A "Twenty20 Game" consists 20 overs per each side, a free-hit after a no-ball is bowled, short boundaries, batting-friendly pitches, and other rules designed to attract crowds that would not usually wish to sit through the slower paced one day games or test matches.

First-class matches

A first-class match is generally defined as a high-level international or domestic match that takes place over at least three days on natural (as opposed to artificial) turf. Games where the teams have only one innings each are not first-class (including one-day internationals).

A two-innings match of at least three days duration is granted first-class status only if both teams have first-class status. For example, Test matches, other games between two Test nations, games between two domestic teams deemed first-class in countries holding full membership of the ICC, and games between a Test nation's national side (or a team drawn from a national touring squad) and a first-class domestic team from a Test nation, are usually deemed to be first class. Matches between Kenya, one of the leading associate members of the ICC, and another team adjudjed first-class are usually granted first-class status, but domestic matches in Kenya are not.

Among cricket statisticians, first class cricket is variously deemed to have started in 1660, 1772, 1801, 1815 or 1864.

Other forms of cricket

At all levels, the rules of cricket are often modified. More or less formal domestic club cricket matches are usually played over one to two days, either two innings per side or one innings per side with limited overs. Families and teenagers play backyard cricket in suburban yards or driveways, and the teemimg cities of India and Pakistan play host to countless games of 'Gully Cricket' or 'Tapeball' on their streets. Sometimes the rules are also improvised: for instance it is sometimes agreed that fielders can catch the ball with one hand after one bounce and claim a wicket, or if only a few people are available then everyone may field while the players take it in turns to bat and bowl.

In Kwik cricket, the bowler does not have to wait for the batsman to be ready before a delivery, leading to a faster, more exhausting game designed to appeal to children, which is often used in English schools' PE lessons. Indoor cricket is played in a netted, indoor arena.

International structure

The International Cricket Council (ICC) is the international governing body for cricket.

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.

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