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[[Image:Cricket_match.jpg|right|thumb|350px|Australia vs India, Sydney Cricket Ground, January 2004]]

[[Image:Cricket_match.jpg|right|thumb|350px|Australia vs India, Sydney Cricket Ground, January 2004]]

'''Cricket''' is a bat and ball game played between two teams of eleven. At international level, it exists primarily in two forms: Test cricket (played over five days) and one-day cricket (a shortened form of the game, with each team batting one innings of up to 50 overs).

'''Cricket''' is a bat and ball game played between two teams of eleven, normally in the local summer season. At international level, it exists primarily in two forms: Test cricket (played over five days) and one-day cricket (a shortened form of the game, with each team batting one innings of up to 50 overs). A recent innovation has been the "20-20" match (20 overs per side).

Cricket is also played at provincial and county levels, and traditional matches between village and [[public house]] teams are still played in summer on the [[village green]]s of [[England]].

Cricket is also played at provincial and county levels, and traditional matches between village and [[public house]] teams are still played in summer on the [[village green]]s of [[England]].

Despite a low profile in the United States, where baseball is the dominant bat and ball sport, on a global scale cricket is only surpassed by [[soccer]] in terms of popularity; it is the primary spectator sport in [[India]], [[Pakistan]], [[Bangladesh]], [[Sri Lanka]] and the [[West Indies]] and of major importance in England, [[Australia]], [[New Zealand]] and [[South Africa]], and in many other places that were historically affected by British colonial influence.

On a global scale cricket is only surpassed by [[soccer]] in terms of popularity; it is the primary spectator sport in [[India]], [[Pakistan]], [[Bangladesh]], [[Sri Lanka]] and the [[West Indies]] and of major importance in England, [[Australia]], [[New Zealand]] and [[South Africa]], and in many other places that were historically affected by British colonial influence. Cricket has a low profile in the United States, where baseball is the dominant bat and ball sport, but it is played

==The Pitch==

==The Pitch==

Cricket is played on a [[pitch]] or green, essentially a flat [[grass]] playing field. As imperfections in the playing surface may affect the behavior of the ball, the green is considered high maintenance as it has to be regularly rolled, watered and cut to ensure suitability for play. A [[groundskeeper]] is usually employed for this purpose.

Cricket is played on a [[pitch]] or green, essentially a flat [[grass]] playing field, that is 22 yards ((66 feet or 1 chain or 20.12 m) long and 10 feet wide.  

Attempts to modernise the game in recent years, such as introducing luridly coloured team uniforms instead of the traditional cricket whites, and limiting the number of overs to be played still further, notably by the Australian media tycoon [[Kerry Packer]], have been met with widespread derision, and for the most part the game remains essentially unchanged from its original form, the only major recent innovations being the introduction of high-tech protective headgear in response to the hazards of modern fast-bowling techniques. Cricket balls continue to be made from [[cork]] and [[leather]], and the bats from [[willow]] treated with linseed oil.

As imperfections in the playing surface may affect the behavior of the ball, the green is considered high maintenance as it has to be regularly rolled, watered and cut to ensure suitability for play. A [[groundskeeper]] is usually employed for this purpose.

 

An ideal pitch has fine grass growing in the turf to retain the consistency of the pitch and to prevent cracking, yet its grass has been cut so that the underlying ground is fully exposed.

 

An innovation in recent years has been the 'drop-in pitch', which is prepared and tended away from the field of play and then dropped into a specially constructed slot in the ground in place of normal turf. Final preparation is done after the pitch is in place.

 

*Concrete pitch (often with green pigment, or painted green);

*Clay surface, watered and rolled;

 

Two umpires take to the field for major matches. The umpire at the bowler's end stands behind the stumps and watches the delivery stride of the bowler, the flight of the ball to adjudicate 'wide' or 'no ball' deliveries, and where it might strike the batsman or his bat.

 

The 'leg' umpire normally stands behind the batsman (on the 'leg' side of the field) and watches the flight of the ball and any deflection from the bat, in order to assist the other umpire in making a decision about a 'wide' or 'no ball' or a catch behind the stumps.

 

 

The scorers are considered to be officials. The field umpires use a system of hand and body gestures to indicate runs scored and other matters to the scorers, who are off the field.  

 

Cricket balls are made from [[cork]] with a [[leather]] cover. Bats are [[willow]] treated with linseed oil. The batsman uses pads (shin, arm and body guards), a 'box' (a protection for the groin),  and protective headgear in response to the hazards of modern fast-bowling techniques. The wicket keeper is the only fielder allowed to wear gloves, each similar to a baseball catcher's mit.

==Test cricket - an overview==

==Test cricket - an overview==

The game begins with the toss of a coin between the two captains. The winning captain then elects to bat or field.

The game begins with the toss of a coin between the two captains, supervised by the field umpires. The winning captain then elects to bat or field.

The size of the field of play varies widely between cricket grounds, but the '''''pitch''''' in the centre is always 22 yards long and 10 feet wide. At either end of this pitch are two sets of '''''wickets''''', consisting of three wooden posts ('''''stumps''''') upon which rest two wooden '''''bails'''''. Around the edge of the field of play lies the '''''boundary rope'''''.

The size of the field of play varies widely between cricket grounds, but the '''''pitch''''' in the centre is always 22 yards long and 10 feet wide. At either end of this pitch are two sets of '''''wickets''''', consisting of three wooden posts ('''''stumps''''') upon which rest two wooden '''''bails'''''. While most 'international' grounds are of generally similar size, most matches are now played with a '''''boundary rope''''' at a standard distance from the pitch around the edge of the field inside the white picket fence fence.

Two batsmen (the '''''openers''''') take to the field accompanied by the entire fielding side and two umpires. The batsman who is to receive the first ball is '''''on strike''''' and takes guard in front of his wicket. His '''''non-striking''''' partner waits at the other end of the pitch.

Two batsmen (the '''''openers''''') take to the field accompanied by the entire fielding side and two umpires. The batsman who is to receive the first ball is '''''on strike''''' and takes guard in front of his wicket. His '''''non-striking''''' partner waits at the other end of the pitch.

The fielding side nominates a bowler who has six balls (six balls = one '''''over''''') with which to dismiss the batsman. Bowlers must bowl overarm, and must not bend the elbow during the delivery of the ball. Typically, bowlers take a run up before delivering a ball. A bowler may not bowl consecutive overs, so that typically two bowlers will bowl alternative overs until the captain decides to make a switch. In theory any player may bowl, but in practice no more than five or six of the eleven will usually participate. One other member of the fielding side acts as the wicket-keeper standing directly behind the wicket to catch any missed balls, or any balls where the batsman managed only a faint touch. The remaining members of the fielding side (who are specialist batsmen) spend the entire innings fielding.

The fielding side nominates a bowler, who has six balls (six balls = one '''''over''''') with which to dismiss the batsman. Bowlers normally bowl overarm, and must not straighten the elbow during the delivery of the ball. (Underarm delivery, similar to that used in [[Softball]], was at one time the only form of delivery. It remains in the cricket rules, but is now an oddity. A famous case of its use in an Australia-New Zealand test match resulted in derision for the Australian captain who asked a bowler to use this technique in order to stop the batting side from making a necessary run to win.)

 

Typically, bowlers take a run up before delivering a ball. A bowler may not bowl consecutive overs, so that typically two bowlers will bowl alternative overs until the captain decides to make a switch. In theory any player may bowl, but in practice no more than five or six of the eleven will usually participate. One other member of the fielding side acts as the wicket-keeper standing directly behind the wicket to catch any missed balls, or any balls where the batsman managed only a faint touch. The remaining members of the fielding side (who are specialist batsmen) spend the entire innings fielding.

A day's play consists of 90 overs (540 balls), usually divided into three 2 hour sessions with breaks for lunch and tea.

A day's play consists of 90 overs (540 balls), usually divided into three 2 hour sessions with breaks for lunch and tea.

The batsman’s aim is to score '''''runs''''' whilst protecting his wicket. Generally speaking, in order to score a run, he must first hit the ball. He and his partner must then decide whether or not they can run to each other’s end of the pitch before the fielding side have time to break either wicket with the ball. They may run as many times as they are able per hit and the ''on strike'' batsman scores one run for his team each time they do so.

The batsman’s aim is to score '''''runs''''' whilst protecting his wicket. Generally speaking, in order to score a run, he must first hit the ball. He and his partner must then decide whether or not they can run to each other’s end of the pitch before the fielding side have time to break either wicket with the ball. They may run as many times as they are able per hit and the ''on strike'' batsman scores one run for his team each time they do so.

If the ball reaches the boundary rope, the batsman automatically scores four runs. If it clears the rope without first touching the ground, he scores six runs.

If the ball reaches the boundary rope, the batsman automatically scores four runs. If it clears the rope without first touching the ground, it scores six runs.

A batsman can be dismissed ('''''given out''''') in a number of different ways. The most common are:

A 'no ball' may be called by an umpire according to various infractions by a bowler. The batting team gets one run counted to its score, and the ball is rebowled. A batsman can not be caught (out) on a no ball. Bowling infractions may include overstepping the popping crease, or delivering a ball that goes outside the return crease at the batsman's end or over the batsman's head (a wild delivery).  

* '''Bowled''' – the ball hits the wicket and removes the bails direct from the bowler’s delivery, or after hitting only the batsman or his bat.

* '''Caught''' – the batsman hits the ball and it is caught by the fielding side before it touches the ground.

* '''LBW''' (leg before wicket) – the batsman fails to hit the ball and it strikes him in such a way that the umpire judges it would have gone on to hit the stumps. N.B. This mode of dismissal depends on a number of other factors – see below for a fuller discussion.

* '''Stumped''' – see below.

The batting side must always have two batsmen operating in partnership, and each member of the batting team is allowed to bat once and only once in an innings. Thus, although they have eleven players, once ten wickets have fallen they are '''''all out''''' and their '''''innings''''' is over. The batting and fielding sides then swap roles and this cycle is repeated so that both teams have two opportunities to bat.

A 'bye' is a run scored when the ball is not hit. This may occur when the ball hits the batsman's apparel (clothes or protective equipment) and is deflected off into the field of play, or when a bowler delivers a ball that the wicket keeper fails to gather up. Batsmen may either 'run' or, if the ball goes to the boundary, a 'four' may be awarded even if the batsmen have run fewer.

In order to win, a team must dismiss the opposition twice (i.e. take 20 wickets) and have scored more runs within the five days. A match is drawn if either team fails to dismiss the other twice, irrespective of how many runs may have been scored.

====Example of Scoring====

 

==Scoring==

The scoring of matches, and especially the way results are presented, can sometimes be confusing. As an example, let us imagine that, at the end of the first day’s play, Sri Lanka have scored 286 runs and have lost 5 wickets. This would be written as '''286-5'''.

The scoring of matches, and especially the way results are presented, can sometimes be confusing. As an example, let us imagine that, at the end of the first day’s play, Sri Lanka have scored 286 runs and have lost 5 wickets. This would be written as '''286-5'''.

If at the end of the fifth day's play Australia were 350-8, they would not yet have reached their target, and Sri Lanka would not yet have taken 10 wickets.  In this instance both teams would have failed to win and the game would be declared a draw. This occurrence is not uncommon.

If at the end of the fifth day's play Australia were 350-8, they would not yet have reached their target, and Sri Lanka would not yet have taken 10 wickets.  In this instance both teams would have failed to win and the game would be declared a draw. This occurrence is not uncommon.

[[category:Cricket]]

 

 

 

 

Cricket grounds are of a size that allows them to be marked out during winter for playing football: [[soccer]], [[Rugby]], [[Rugby Union]], or [[Australian Rules]].

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[[Category:Cricket]]