A Cricket field can range from 100-160 yards across and be any size or shape as long as it is hard and fairly flat.
Wicket Equipment:
Cricket Ball - Hard, cork and string ball, covered in leather. Joined in two hemispheres with the seam like the equator and the stitching is raised on the seam. The ball is traditionally dyed red, with the stitching white. Cricket Bat - Made of willow and the blade is flat on one side. It is humped on the other side for strength. The bat can only be a maximum of 38 inches long. Wickets - There are 2 wickers - wooden structures made up of 3 stumps topped by a pair of bails. Stumps - 3 wooden posts 1 inch wide by 32 inches high. Bails - 2 wooden crosspieces that sit in grooves atop the stumps.
The Game:
Cricket is a team sport for 2 teams of 11 players each. A formal game of cricket can last anything from an afternoon to several days. Although the game play and rules are very different, the basic concept is similar to that of baseball. Teams bat in successive innings and attempt to score runs, while the opposing team fields and attempts to bring and end to the batting team's innings. After each team has batted the same number of innings the team with the most runs wins. Play begins when the bowler (like a pitcher) bowls a ball to the batsman. It must be bowled over arm and the arm must be straight. The difference between bowling and throwing is that the elbow is cocked when you throw. A bowler generates the energy from the shoulder and wrist joints (a pitcher generates their energy from the elbow, shoulder and wrist joints). A batsman can either hit the ball on the full (the fly) or off a bounce. Most bowlers bounce the ball to a batsman because it is much harder to hit that way. Six balls (6 pitches), constitutes an over. Once a bowler has “bowled” six balls, a different member of the fielding team must then bowl. No bowler may deliver 2 consecutive overs. Once a bowler begins an over they must complete it. Batsman must carry their bats the entire time. Both batsmen need a bat. They don't drop them like in baseball. Only one player is allowed to wear a glove (and they wear two) and that is the wicket keeper. They are like a catcher in baseball. They stand opposite the bowler in the popping crease behind the wicket.
Scoring:
* If a batsman hits the ball on the full, the length of the field they score 6 runs (a homerun). * If a batsman hits the ball on the ground and it leaves the length of the field they get 4 runs. * If a fielder catches the ball and they run off the field the batter gets 6 if on the full or 4 if on the ground. * If an over throw occurs and the ball leaves the field 4 runs are scored for the batting team. * If, while running multiple runs, a batsman does not touch the ground beyond the crease before they go to the next run, the umpire will rule one short and reduce the score by one run.
10 Ways to Get Out:
Caught: Fielder catches the ball on the full (fly). However, if the fielder catches the ball and during the catch steps on or over the boundary it results in 6 runs from the batsman and they aren’t out. Bowled: Batsman misses the ball and the ball breaks the wicket (like a strikeout). Leg Before Wicket: If the batsman misses the ball with the bat, but intercepts it with part of their body when it would have otherwise hit the wicket. Umpires decision is needed. Stumped: Batsman misses the ball and in attempting to run, or return to the crease and a fielder breaks the wicket before they can get grounded behind the crease. Run Out: If the batsman is attempting to take a run, or return to the crease and a fielder breaks the wicket before they can get grounded behind the crease. Hit Wicket: When a batsman breaks the wicket himself (usually with the bat). Handle the Ball: If the batsman touches the ball in the field of play. Obstructing the field: When the batsman interferes with a fielder trying to gather the ball. Hit the ball Twice: Hitting the ball a 2nd time for any reason. Timed out: If a new batsman takes longer than 2 minutes to get into the crease. Officials: There are 2 umpires in a cricket game. They stand in each popping crease.
For more information about the game of Cricket, check the website below or Google “Cricket Game”. Good luck! www.cs.purdue.edu/homes/hosking/cricket/explanation.htm