Cricket
2 and 1/2 minutes overview of cricket
Highest governing body	International Cricket Council
Characteristics
Team Members	11 at a time
Category	Bat-and-ball
Ball	Cricket ball

Bowler Shaun Pollock bowls to batsman Michael Hussey. A sport governing body is a sports organization that has a regulatory or sanctioning function The International Cricket Council (ICC is the international governing body of Cricket. Bat-and-ball redirects here See also Bat & Ball railway station and Bat & Ball Inn Clanfield. BALL ( Biochemical Algorithms Library) is a C++ library containing common algorithms used in Biochemistry and Bioinformatics. A cricket ball is a hard solid Ball used to play Cricket. Manufacture Cricket balls are made from a core of cork, which is layered Darren_Gough_bowlingjpg|thumb|250px|right| Darren Gough bowling]] In the Sport of Cricket, bowling is the action of propelling the ball toward Shaun Maclean Pollock (born July 16, 1973 in Port Elizabeth) is a retired South African Cricketer who is considered a bowling Andrew-Strauss-Cricketer-detailjpg|thumb|right|250px| Andrew Strauss batting for England during the 2005 NatWest Series]] In the Sport of Cricket, batting Michael Edward Killeen Hussey (born 27 May 1975 Morley Western Australia) is an Australian Cricketer. The paler strip is the cricket pitch. A Cricket pitch is the central strip of the Cricket field between the Wickets The pitch is 1 chain or 22 yards (20 The two sets of three wooden stumps on the pitch are the wickets. In the sport of Cricket the word wicket has several distinct meanings Meanings of wicket Set of stumps Primarily the wicket The two white lines are the creases. For the goalie's crease in hockey see Goal area. In the Sport of Cricket, the crease is the area demarcated by white

A Test match between South Africa and England in January 2005. Test cricket is the longest form of the Sport of Cricket. It has long been considered the ultimate test of playing ability between cricketing nations The men wearing black trousers on the far right are the umpires. Trousers are an item of Clothing worn on the lower part of the body from the waist to the ankles covering both legs separately (rather than with cloth stretching across An umpire in Cricket (from the Old French Nompere meaning not equal i Test cricket, first-class cricket and club cricket are played in traditional white uniforms and with red cricket balls, while professional One-day cricket is usually played in coloured uniforms and with white balls. First-class cricket refers to the class of Cricket matches of three or more days scheduled duration between two sides of eleven players and officially adjudged first-class by Club cricket is a mainly amateur but still formal form of the Sport of Cricket, usually involving teams playing in competitions at weekends or in the evening A cricket ball is a hard solid Ball used to play Cricket. Manufacture Cricket balls are made from a core of cork, which is layered NightMatchOldTraffordjpg|right|thumb|350px|A night match at Old Trafford.

A One Day International match at The Melbourne Cricket Ground between Australia and India. Note Most of the information here pertains to men's cricket ODI matches are also played in Women's cricket. The Australian cricket team is the national cricket team of Australia. The Indian cricket team is an international Cricket team representing India. The Australian batsmen are wearing yellow, while the fielding team, India, is wearing blue. Mike Powell cricketerjpg|thumb|200px| Warwickshire batsman Mike Powell]] A batsman in the sport of Cricket is depending on context Any

Cricket is a bat-and-ball sport contested by two teams, usually of eleven players each. Bat-and-ball redirects here See also Bat & Ball railway station and Bat & Ball Inn Clanfield. Sport is an Activity that is governed by a set of rules or Customs and often engaged in competitively Team sport refers to Sports that are practiced between opposing teams where the players interact directly and simultaneously between them to achieve an objective ^[1] A cricket match is played on a grass field, roughly oval in shape, in the centre of which is a flat strip of ground 22 yards (20. In geometry an oval or ovoid (from Latin ovum, 'egg' is any Curve resembling an egg or an Ellipse. A yard (abbreviation yd) is a unit of Length in several different systems including English units Imperial units and United 12 m) long, called a cricket pitch. A Cricket pitch is the central strip of the Cricket field between the Wickets The pitch is 1 chain or 22 yards (20 A wicket, usually made of wood, is placed at each end of the pitch. In the sport of Cricket the word wicket has several distinct meanings Meanings of wicket Set of stumps Primarily the wicket

The bowler, a player from the fielding team, bowls a hard, fist-sized cricket ball from the vicinity of one wicket towards the other. Muralijpg|thumb|250px|right|The world's leading off-spin bowler Muttiah Muralitharan sends down a delivery]] A bowler in the Sport of Cricket is usually Darren_Gough_bowlingjpg|thumb|250px|right| Darren Gough bowling]] In the Sport of Cricket, bowling is the action of propelling the ball toward A cricket ball is a hard solid Ball used to play Cricket. Manufacture Cricket balls are made from a core of cork, which is layered The ball usually bounces once before reaching the batsman, a player from the opposing team. Mike Powell cricketerjpg|thumb|200px| Warwickshire batsman Mike Powell]] A batsman in the sport of Cricket is depending on context Any In defence of the wicket, the batsman plays the ball with a wooden cricket bat. A cricket bat is used by batsmen in the sport of Cricket. It is usually made of Willow wood Meanwhile, the other members of the bowler's team stand in various positions around the field as fielders, players who retrieve the ball in an effort to stop the batsman scoring runs, and if possible to get him or her out. Fielding in the Sport of Cricket is what fielders do to collect the ball when it is struck by the Batsman, in such a way as to either In the sport of Cricket, a dismissal occurs when the Batsman is out (also known as the fielding side taking a wicket and/or the batting side The batsman — if he or she does not get out — may run between the wickets, exchanging ends with a second batsman (the "non-striker"), who has been waiting near the bowler's wicket. Each completed exchange of ends scores one run. the Sport of Cricket, a run is the basic unit of scoring. Runs are scored by a Batsman, and the aggregate of the scores of a team's batsmen (plus Runs are also scored if the batsman hits the ball to the boundary of the playing area. Boundary has two distinct meanings in the Sport of Cricket; (i the edge or boundary of the playing field and (ii a manner of scoring The match is won by the team that scores more runs.

Cricket has been an established team sport for hundreds of years and is thought to be the second most popular sport in the world, after football (soccer). Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a Team sport played between two teams of eleven players and is widely considered ^[2] More than 100 countries are affiliated to the International Cricket Council, cricket's international governing body. The International Cricket Council (ICC is the international governing body of Cricket. The sport's modern form originated in England, and is most popular in the present and former members of the Commonwealth. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland In many countries including Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the English-speaking countries of the Caribbean, which are collectively known in cricketing parlance as the West Indies, cricket is the most popular sport. ( Bengali: বাংলাদেশ inc-Latn Bangladesh) officially India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka ( Sinhalese:, இலங்கை known as Ceylon before 1972 is an Island The Caribbean (ˌkærəˡbiən kæ'rəbiən Cariben|Caraïben or Caraïben; Caraïbe or more commonly Antilles; Caribe is a Region consisting The West Indian cricket team, also known colloquially as The Windies or The West Indies, is a multi-national Cricket team representing In Australia, while other sports are more popular in particular areas, cricket has been described as the "national sport" and has had a role in forming the national identity. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. Sport in Australia is popular and widespread Levels of both participation and watching are much higher than in many other countries The Commonwealth of Australia is made up of 8 states and territories controlled under a federal system of government A national sport is a Sport or Game that is considered to be a intrinsic part of the culture of a Nation. ^[3] It is also a major sport in England, New Zealand, South Africa and Zimbabwe . England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island The Republic of South Africa (also known by other official names) is a country located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa See also Great Zimbabwe National Monument. For information about the March and June 2008 presidential elections see Zimbabwean presidential election Many countries also have well-established amateur club competitions, including the Netherlands, Kenya, Nepal and Argentina. The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands The Republic of Kenya is a country in East Africa. It is bordered by Ethiopia to the north Somalia to the northeast Tanzania to the south Nepal (नेपाल) is a Landlocked country in South Asia. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Argentina topics.

The sport is followed with passion in many different parts of the world. It has even occasionally given rise to diplomatic outrage, notoriously the Basil D'Oliveira affair (which led to the banning of South Africa from sporting events) and the Bodyline Test series in the early 1930s (which led to a temporary deterioration in relations between Australia and the United Kingdom). Diplomacy is the art and practice of conducting Negotiations between representatives of groups or states Basil Lewis D'Oliveira CBE (born 4 October 1931 is a retired Cricketer Born and raised in Cape Town, South Africa, he was classified as 'coloured' The Republic of South Africa (also known by other official names) is a country located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa For information about the British code name "Bodyline" for the WWII V-2 rocket, see Operation Crossbow. Test cricket is the longest form of the Sport of Cricket. It has long been considered the ultimate test of playing ability between cricketing nations

Overview

Quick overview.

A traditional cricket ball. The white stitching is known as the seam.
As one-day games are often played under floodlights, a white ball is used to aid visibility.

A cricket bat, front and back.

The aim of the batting team is to score as many runs as possible. the Sport of Cricket, a run is the basic unit of scoring. Runs are scored by a Batsman, and the aggregate of the scores of a team's batsmen (plus A run is scored when both batsmen successfully move to their respective opposite ends of the pitch. A Cricket pitch is the central strip of the Cricket field between the Wickets The pitch is 1 chain or 22 yards (20 (The batsmen will usually only attempt to score runs after the striker has hit the ball, but this is not required by the rules—the batsmen can attempt runs at any time after the ball has been bowled. ) Runs are also scored if the batsman hits the ball to the boundary of the playing area (this scores six runs if the ball crosses the boundary without having touched the ground, or four runs otherwise), or if the bowler commits some technical infringement like bowling the ball out of reach of the batsman. ^[4]

The aim of the bowler's team is to get each batsman out (this is called a "taking a wicket", or a "dismissal"). In the sport of Cricket, a dismissal occurs when the Batsman is out (also known as the fielding side taking a wicket and/or the batting side ^[5] Dismissals are achieved in a variety of ways. The most direct way is for the bowler to bowl the ball so that the batsman misses it and it hits the stumps, dislodging a bail. For other uses see Stump (disambiguation Stump is a term used in the Sport of Cricket where has three different meanings In the Sport of Cricket, a bail is one of the two smaller sticks placed on top of the three stumps to form a Wicket. While the batsmen are attempting a run, the fielders may dismiss either batsman by using the ball to knock the bails off the set of stumps to which the batsman is closest before he has grounded himself or his bat in the crease. For the goalie's crease in hockey see Goal area. In the Sport of Cricket, the crease is the area demarcated by white Other ways for the fielding side to dismiss a batsman include catching the ball off the bat before it touches the ground, or having the batsman adjudged "leg before wicket" (abbreviated "L. Caught is a method of dismissing a Batsman in the Sport of Cricket. In the Sport Cricket, leg before wicket (LBW is one of the ways in which a Batsman can be dismissed. B. W. " or "lbw") if the ball strikes the batsman's body and would have gone on to hit the wicket. ^[6] Once the batsmen are not attempting to score any more runs, the ball is "dead", and is bowled again (each attempt at bowling the ball is referred to as a "ball" or a "delivery"). ^[7]

The game is divided into overs of six (legal) balls. In the sport of Cricket, an over is a set of six consecutive balls bowled in succession At the end of an over another bowler from the fielding side bowls from the opposite end of the pitch. The two umpires also change positions between overs (the umpire previously at square-leg becomes the bowler's umpire at what is now the bowling end, and vice versa). The fielders also usually change positions between overs.

Once out, a batsman is replaced by the next batsman in the team's line-up. (The batting side can reorder their line-up at any time, but no batsman may bat twice in one innings. ) The innings (singular) of the batting team ends when the tenth batsman is given out, leaving one batsman not out but without a partner. An inning, or innings, is a fixed-length segment of a game in any of a variety of Sports &ndash most notably Cricket and Baseball during When this happens, the team is said to be "all out". (In limited overs cricket the innings ends either when the batting team is all out or a predetermined number of overs has been bowled. Cricket is a bat-and-ball team Sport that originated in England and is now played in more than 100 countries An inning, or innings, is a fixed-length segment of a game in any of a variety of Sports &ndash most notably Cricket and Baseball during ) At the end of an innings, the two teams exchange roles, and the side that has been fielding bats.

A team's score is reported in terms of the number of runs scored and the number of batsmen that have been dismissed. For example, if five batsmen are out and the team has scored 224 runs, they are said to have scored 224 for the loss of 5 wickets (commonly shortened to "224 for five" and written 224/5 or, in Australia, "five for 224" and 5/224).

The team that has scored more runs at the end of the completed match wins. Different varieties of the game have different definitions of "completion"; for instance there may be restrictions on the number of overs, the number of innings, and the number of balls in each innings.

Results

Main article: The result in cricket

If the team that bats last is all out having scored fewer runs than their opponents, the team is said to have "lost by n runs" (where n is the difference between the number of runs scored by the teams). The result in a game of Cricket may be a win for one of the two teams playing a draw or a tie. If the team that bats last scores enough runs to win, it is said to have "won by n wickets", where n is the number of wickets left to fall. For instance a team that passes its opponents' score having only lost six wickets would have won "by four wickets".

In a two-innings-a-side match, one team's combined first and second innings total may be less than the other side's first innings total. The team with the greater score is then said to have won by an innings and n runs, and does not need to bat again: n is the difference between the two teams' aggregate scores.

If the team batting last is all out, and both sides have scored the same number of runs, then the match is a tie; this result is quite rare in matches of two innings a side. The result in a game of Cricket may be a win for one of the two teams playing a draw or a tie. In the traditional form of the game, if the time allotted for the match expires before either side can win, then the game is declared a draw. The result in a game of Cricket may be a win for one of the two teams playing a draw or a tie.

If the match has only a single innings per side, then a maximum number of deliveries for each innings is often imposed. Such a match is called a "limited overs" or "one-day" match, and the side scoring more runs wins regardless of the number of wickets lost, so that a draw cannot occur. If this kind of match is temporarily interrupted by bad weather, then a complex mathematical formula, known as the Duckworth-Lewis method after its developers, is often used to recalculate a new target score. In the Sport of Cricket, the Duckworth-Lewis method (D/L method is a mathematical way to calculate the target score for the team batting second in a One-day A one-day match can also be declared a "no-result" if fewer than a previously agreed number of overs have been bowled by either team, in circumstances that make normal resumption of play impossible; for example, wet weather.

Laws of cricket

For more details on this topic, see Laws of cricket. The laws of cricket are a set of rules framed by the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC which serve to standardise the format of Cricket matches across the world to ensure

The game is played in accordance with 42 laws, which have been developed by the Marylebone Cricket Club in discussion with the main cricketing nations. Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC is a private members' club founded in 1787 Teams may agree before a game to introduce other rules or alter some of the existing rules. In particular, there are a number of modifications to rules dictating fielding positions for professional limited overs matches.

Players and officials

Players

A team consists of eleven players. Depending on his or her primary skills, a player may be classified as a specialist batsman or bowler. Mike Powell cricketerjpg|thumb|200px| Warwickshire batsman Mike Powell]] A batsman in the sport of Cricket is depending on context Any Muralijpg|thumb|250px|right|The world's leading off-spin bowler Muttiah Muralitharan sends down a delivery]] A bowler in the Sport of Cricket is usually A balanced team usually has five or six specialist batsmen and four or five specialist bowlers. Teams nearly always include a specialist wicket-keeper because of the importance of this fielding position. Cricket wicket keeperjpg|thumb|300px|A wicket-keeper in characteristic position ready to face a delivery Each team is headed by a captain, who is responsible for making tactical decisions such as determining the batting order, the placement of fielders and the rotation of bowlers. The captain of a Cricket team is a player who during the course of a match has several additional roles and responsibilities over and above those of a regular player

A player who excels in both batting and bowling is known as an all-rounder. An all-rounder is a Cricket player who excels at both batting and bowling. One who excels as a batsman and wicket-keeper is known as a "wicket-keeper/batsman", sometimes regarded as a type of all-rounder. True all-rounders are rare; most players focus on either batting or bowling skills.

Umpires

For more details on this topic, see Umpire (cricket). An umpire in Cricket (from the Old French Nompere meaning not equal i

Two on-field umpires preside over a match. An umpire in Cricket (from the Old French Nompere meaning not equal i One umpire stands behind the bowler's wicket, and adjudicates on most decisions. The other (the "square leg umpire") stands with a side view of the batsman (usually near the fielding position called square leg), and assists in decisions for which he or she has a better view. Fielding in the Sport of Cricket is what fielders do to collect the ball when it is struck by the Batsman, in such a way as to either In some professional matches the facility exists for them to refer some decisions to a third umpire, who has the assistance of television replays. In international Cricket matches the third umpire (or TV Umpire is an off-field umpire who makes the final In international matches a match referee ensures that play is within the laws of cricket and the spirit of the game. A match referee is an official appointed to oversee professional Cricket matches The laws of cricket are a set of rules framed by the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC which serve to standardise the format of Cricket matches across the world to ensure The third umpire and referee do not take the field during play.

Scorers

For more details on this topic, see Scorer. A scorer in the Sport of Cricket is someone appointed to record all runs scored all Wickets taken and where appropriate number of overs

Two scorers are appointed; usually, one is provided by each team. A scorer in the Sport of Cricket is someone appointed to record all runs scored all Wickets taken and where appropriate number of overs The laws of cricket specify that the official scorers are to record all runs scored, wickets taken and (where appropriate) overs bowled. They are to acknowledge signals from the umpires, and to check the accuracy of the score regularly both with each other and, at playing intervals, with the umpires. 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. Statistics is a mathematical science pertaining to the collection analysis interpretation or explanation and presentation of Data. In international and national cricket competitions, the media often require notification of records and statistics, so unofficial scorers often keep tally for broadcast commentators and newspaper journalists. The official scorers occasionally make mistakes, but unlike umpires' mistakes these can be corrected after the event.

The Melbourne Cricket Ground during the 1992 Cricket World Cup. The Cricket World Cup is the premier international championship of men's One Day International (ODI Cricket.

The playing field

For more details on this topic, see Cricket field. ICC standard dimensions These are the standard requirements as per the ICC standard test match ODI and 20-20 playing conditions Playing area minimum from boundary to

The cricket field consists of a large, often circular or oval-shaped, grassy ground. Circles are simple Shapes of Euclidean geometry consisting of those points in a plane which are at a constant Distance, called the In geometry an oval or ovoid (from Latin ovum, 'egg' is any Curve resembling an egg or an Ellipse. A lawn is an area of recreational or amenity land planted with grass, and sometimes Clover and other plants which are maintained at a low even height There are no fixed dimensions for the field but its diameter usually varies between 450 feet (137 m) and 500 feet (150 m). Geometry, a diameter of a Circle is any straight Line segment that passes through the center of the circle and whose Endpoints are on the The perimeter of the field, known as the boundary, is marked, often with a rope or a painted line. Boundary has two distinct meanings in the Sport of Cricket; (i the edge or boundary of the playing field and (ii a manner of scoring

The pitch

For more details on this topic, see Cricket pitch. A Cricket pitch is the central strip of the Cricket field between the Wickets The pitch is 1 chain or 22 yards (20

A wicket consists of three stumps that are hammered into the ground, and topped with two bails. In the sport of Cricket the word wicket has several distinct meanings Meanings of wicket Set of stumps Primarily the wicket For other uses see Stump (disambiguation Stump is a term used in the Sport of Cricket where has three different meanings In the Sport of Cricket, a bail is one of the two smaller sticks placed on top of the three stumps to form a Wicket.

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). The longer dimension of the pitch is also a unit of length known as a chain. A chain is a unit of Length; it measures 66 feet or 22 yards (20

At each end of the pitch three upright wooden stakes, called the stumps, are hammered into the ground. For other uses see Stump (disambiguation Stump is a term used in the Sport of Cricket where has three different meanings Two wooden crosspieces, known as the bails, sit in grooves atop the stumps, linking each to its neighbour. In the Sport of Cricket, a bail is one of the two smaller sticks placed on top of the three stumps to form a Wicket. Each set of three stumps and two bails is collectively known as a wicket. In the sport of Cricket the word wicket has several distinct meanings Meanings of wicket Set of stumps Primarily the 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. Mike Powell cricketerjpg|thumb|200px| Warwickshire batsman Mike Powell]] A batsman in the sport of Cricket is depending on context Any Muralijpg|thumb|250px|right|The world's leading off-spin bowler Muttiah Muralitharan sends down a delivery]] A bowler in the Sport of Cricket is usually

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. For the goalie's crease in hockey see Goal area. In the Sport of Cricket, the crease is the area demarcated by white Creases are used to adjudicate the dismissals of batsmen and to determine whether a delivery is legal. In the sport of Cricket, a dismissal occurs when the Batsman is out (also known as the fielding side taking a wicket and/or the batting side

A typical cricket field.

The nature of the pitch

Pitches vary in consistency, and thus in the amount of bounce, spin, and seam movement available to the bowler. Hard pitches are usually good to bat on because of high but even bounce. Dry pitches tend to deteriorate for batting as cracks often appear, and when this happens spinners can play a major role. Damp pitches, or pitches covered in grass (termed "green" pitches), allow good fast bowlers to extract extra bounce and seam movement. Such pitches tend to offer help to fast bowlers throughout the match, but become better for batting as the game goes on.

Parts of the field

For some limited-over matches, 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. A yard (abbreviation yd) is a unit of Length in several different systems including English units Imperial units and United 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. In the sport of Cricket, different fielding restrictions are imposed depending on the type of match

Placements of players

For more details on Fielding positions, see fielding positions in cricket. Fielding in the Sport of Cricket is what fielders do to collect the ball when it is struck by the Batsman, in such a way as to either

Fielding positions in cricket for a right-handed batsman. Fielding in the Sport of Cricket is what fielders do to collect the ball when it is struck by the Batsman, in such a way as to either Mike Powell cricketerjpg|thumb|200px| Warwickshire batsman Mike Powell]] A batsman in the sport of Cricket is depending on context Any The named positions are only indicative: the fielders may stand anywhere. The bowler and wicket-keeper are always in roughly the same position, and there are only nine other fielders, so there are always many unprotected areas.

The batting team always has two batsmen on the field. One batsman, known as the "striker", faces and plays the balls bowled by the bowler. His or her partner stands at the bowling end and is known as the "non-striker".

The fielding team has eleven players on the ground. One of them is the current bowler. Muralijpg|thumb|250px|right|The world's leading off-spin bowler Muttiah Muralitharan sends down a delivery]] A bowler in the Sport of Cricket is usually The wicket-keeper, who generally acts in that role for the whole innings, stands or crouches behind the wicket at the batting end. Cricket wicket keeperjpg|thumb|300px|A wicket-keeper in characteristic position ready to face a delivery The captain of the fielding team spreads his or her remaining nine players — the fielders — around the ground, positioned according to the team's strategy. Fielding in the Sport of Cricket is what fielders do to collect the ball when it is struck by the Batsman, in such a way as to either

Match structure

The toss

For more details on this topic, see toss (cricket). In the sport of Cricket, a Coin is tossed to determine which team bats first

The two opposing captains toss a coin before the match, and the captain who wins chooses either to bat or bowl first. Coin flipping or coin tossing is the practice of throwing a Coin in the air to resolve a Dispute between two parties or otherwise choose between two alternatives The captain's decision is usually based on whether the team's bowlers are likely to gain immediate advantage from the pitch and weather conditions (these can vary significantly), or whether it is more likely that the pitch will deteriorate and make batting more difficult later in the game.

Overs

For more details on this topic, see Over (cricket). In the sport of Cricket, an over is a set of six consecutive balls bowled in succession

Each innings is divided into overs, each consisting of six consecutive legal deliveries bowled by the same bowler. In the sport of Cricket, an over is a set of six consecutive balls bowled in succession Muralijpg|thumb|250px|right|The world's leading off-spin bowler Muttiah Muralitharan sends down a delivery]] A bowler in the Sport of Cricket is usually For the definition of illegal deliveries, see Extras. No bowler may bowl two consecutive overs, so at the end of the over the bowler takes up a fielding position and another player bowls.

Overs are bowled from alternate ends of the pitch; at the end of each over the umpires swap, the umpire at the bowler's end moving to square leg, and the umpire at square leg moving to the new bowler's end. The fielders also usually change positions.

End of an innings

For more details on this topic, see End of an innings (cricket).

An innings is completed if:

1. Ten out of eleven batsmen are out (dismissed); the team are said to be "all out".
2. The team has only one batsman left who can bat, one or more of the remaining players being unavailable owing to injury, illness or absence; again, the team is said to be "all out".
3. The team batting last reaches the score required to win the match.
4. The predetermined number of overs has been bowled (in a one-day match only, most commonly 50 overs).
5. A captain declares his team's innings closed (this does not apply in one-day limited over matches). In the Sport of Cricket a declaration occurs when a captain declares his team's Innings closed and a forfeiture is when a captain chooses to

Playing time

For more details on this topic, see Playing time (cricket). Games in the Sport of Cricket, are played over a number of hours or days making it one of the sports with the longest playing time, though Sailing,

Typically, two-innings matches are played over three to five days with at least six hours of cricket played each day. One-innings matches are usually played in one day, and often last six hours or more. There are usually formal intervals on each day for lunch and tea, and brief informal breaks for drinks. There is also a short interval between innings.

The game is usually only played in dry weather; play is also usually stopped if it becomes too dark for the batsmen to be able to see the ball safely. 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. These requirements mean that in England, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Zimbabwe the game is usually restricted to the summer. In the West Indies, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh games are played in the winter. These countries' hurricane and monsoon seasons coincide with their summer. A tropical cyclone is a storm system characterized by a low pressure center and numerous Thunderstorms that produce strong winds and Flooding A monsoon is a seasonal prevailing wind which lasts for several months

Batting

Sachin Tendulkar of India batting. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country

The basics of batting.

Main articles: batsman and batting (cricket)

The batsman may play a "shot" or "stroke", attempting to hit the bowled ball with the flat surface of the bat. Mike Powell cricketerjpg|thumb|200px| Warwickshire batsman Mike Powell]] A batsman in the sport of Cricket is depending on context Any Andrew-Strauss-Cricketer-detailjpg|thumb|right|250px| Andrew Strauss batting for England during the 2005 NatWest Series]] In the Sport of Cricket, batting If the ball brushes the side of the bat it is called an "edge". There is no requirement for the batsman to play a shot, and there is no requirement to run if the ball is struck. The batsman automatically scores runs if he hits the ball to the boundary. Shots are named according to the style of swing and the direction aimed. As part of the team's strategy, the player 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. In Cricket, the batting order is the sequence in which batsmen go to the Crease to bat The first two batsmen - the "openers" - usually face the most hostile bowling, from fresh fast bowlers with a new ball. The top batting positions are usually given to the most competent batsmen in the team, and the non-batsmen typically bat last. The batting order is not agreed beforehand, and if a wicket falls any player who has not batted yet may bat next.

Run scoring

The directions in which a right-handed batsman intends to send the ball when playing various cricketing shots. Mike Powell cricketerjpg|thumb|200px| Warwickshire batsman Mike Powell]] A batsman in the sport of Cricket is depending on context Any The diagram for a left-handed batsman is a mirror image of this one.

How runs are scored and teams win a match.

Main articles: scoring (cricket) and Run (cricket)

To score a run, a striker must run to the opposite end of the pitch, while his non-striking partner runs to his end. Scoring in cricket matches involves citing two facts the number of runs scored by each team and the number of wickets each has lost the Sport of Cricket, a run is the basic unit of scoring. Runs are scored by a Batsman, and the aggregate of the scores of a team's batsmen (plus the Sport of Cricket, a run is the basic unit of scoring. Runs are scored by a Batsman, and the aggregate of the scores of a team's batsmen (plus To register a run, both runners must touch the ground behind the crease with either their bats or their bodies (the batsmen carry their bats as they run). 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. The decision to attempt a run is ideally made by the batsman who has the better view of the ball's position, and this is communicated by calling: "yes", "no" and "wait" are often heard. The batsmen swap ends every time an odd number of runs are scored.

If a fielder knocks the bails off the stumps with the ball while no part of the batsman is grounded behind the popping crease, the batsman nearer the broken wicket is run out. For the goalie's crease in hockey see Goal area. In the Sport of Cricket, the crease is the area demarcated by white For the term run out, used in equestrian sport see Refusal Run out is a method of dismissal in the Sport The batsman may ground the bat, provided he or she is holding it.

If the ball reaches the boundary, then runs are automatically scored: six if the ball goes over the boundary without touching the ground, four if it touched the ground. These are scored instead of any runs the batsmen may have already run (unless they have run more, which is unlikely), and they return to the ends at which they started.

Extras

For more details on this topic, see Extra (cricket). In the Sport of Cricket, an extra is a run scored by a means other than a Batsman hitting the ball.

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; in Australia they are also called "sundries". In the Sport of Cricket, an extra is a run scored by a means other than a Batsman hitting the ball.

Bowling and dismissals

Bowling

A typical bowling action.

Andrew Flintoff of England bowling. Andrew Flintoff, MBE, (born 6 December 1977 in Preston, Lancashire) is a Cricketer who plays for Lancashire and England.

The basics of bowling.

Main articles: bowler (cricket), bowling (cricket), and bowling strategy (cricket)

A bowler delivers the ball toward the batsmen: during the bowling action the elbow may be held at any angle and may bend further, but may not straighten out. Muralijpg|thumb|250px|right|The world's leading off-spin bowler Muttiah Muralitharan sends down a delivery]] A bowler in the Sport of Cricket is usually Darren_Gough_bowlingjpg|thumb|250px|right| Darren Gough bowling]] In the Sport of Cricket, bowling is the action of propelling the ball toward In Cricket, at the start of an Innings the pace bowlers on the bowling team usually bowl first If the elbow straightens illegally then the square-leg umpire may call no-ball. In the Sport of Cricket, an extra is a run scored by a means other than a Batsman hitting the ball. The current laws allow a bowler to straighten his arm 15 degrees or less.

The bowler's primary goal is usually to get the batsman out; the most common modes of dismissal (except run out) are credited to the bowler, who is said to have taken a wicket. Dismissing an accomplished batsman is more difficult than dismissing a non-batsman. The bowler's secondary task is usually to limit the numbers of runs scored. Occasionally the match situation makes it more important to limit runs than take wickets.

There are many types of bowler, and many nuances of bowling techniques. In the sport of Cricket there are two broad categories of bowlers: pace bowlers and spin bowlers Two categories are pace bowlers, who aim to bowl quicker than the batsman's reaction speed, and spin bowlers who bowl slower deliveries that bounce and curve in unpredictable ways. Fast bowling, sometimes known as pace bowling, is one of the two main approaches to bowling in the Sport of Cricket. Spin bowling, sometimes known as slow bowling, is a technique used for bowling in the Sport of Cricket.

Dismissal of a batsman

For more details on this topic, see Dismissal (cricket). In the sport of Cricket, a dismissal occurs when the Batsman is out (also known as the fielding side taking a wicket and/or the batting side

There are ten ways in which a batsman may be dismissed. Once a batsman is dismissed, he leaves the field to be replaced by another batsman. When the tenth batsmen is out, and only one batsman remains undismissed, the side is "all 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 if a stump is struck out of the ground either by the ball or by a fielder using the hand in which the ball is being held. Of the following ten modes of dismissal, the first five are common; Hit wicket is less common while the last four are technicalities that rarely occur. The ten modes are:

1. Caught — When a fielder catches the ball before it 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. Caught is a method of dismissing a Batsman in the Sport of Cricket. The bowler and catcher are both credited with the dismissal. (Law 32)
2. Bowled — When a delivered ball hits the stumps at the batsman's end, and dislodges one or both of the bails. Bowled is a method of dismissing a Batsman in the Sport of Cricket. This happens regardless of whether the batsman has edged the ball onto the stumps or not. The bowler is credited with the dismissal. (Law 30)
3. Leg before wicket (lbw) — When a delivered ball strikes the batsman's leg, pad or body, and the umpire judges that the ball would otherwise have struck the stumps. In the Sport Cricket, leg before wicket (LBW is one of the ways in which a Batsman can be dismissed. The laws of cricket stipulate certain exceptions. For instance, a delivery pitching outside the line of leg stump should not result in an lbw dismissal, while a delivery hitting the batsman outside the line of the off stump should result in an lbw dismissal only if the batsman makes no attempt to play the ball with the bat. The bowler is credited with the dismissal.
4. 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. For the term run out, used in equestrian sport see Refusal Run out is a method of dismissal in the Sport 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. Such a dismissal is not officially credited to any player, although the identities of the fielder or fielders involved are often noted in brackets on the scorecard.
5. 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. For other uses see Stump (disambiguation Stump is a term used in the Sport of Cricket where has three different meanings The bowler and wicket-keeper are both credited. This generally requires the keeper to be standing within arm's length of the wicket, which is done mainly to spin bowling. Spin bowling, sometimes known as slow bowling, is a technique used for bowling in the Sport of Cricket. (Law 39)
6. Hit wicket — When the batsman 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. Hit wicket is a method of dismissal in the Sport of Cricket. This method of dismissal is governed by Law 35 of the Laws of cricket. The bowler is credited with the dismissal. (Law 35)
7. Handled the ball — When the batsman deliberately handles the ball without the permission of the fielding team. Handled the ball is a method of dismissal in the Sport of Cricket. No player is credited with the dismissal. (Law 33)
8. Hit the ball twice — When the batsman deliberately strikes the ball a second time, except for the sole purpose of guarding his wicket. Hit the ball twice, or "double-hit", is a method of dismissal in the Sport of Cricket. No player is credited with the dismissal. (Law 34)
9. Obstructing the field — When a batsman deliberately hinders a fielder attempting to field the ball. Obstructing the field is a rare method of dismissal in the Sport of Cricket. No player is credited with the dismissal. (Law 37)
10. Timed out — When a new batsman takes more than three minutes to take his position in the field to replace a dismissed batsman. Timed out is a method of dismissal in the sport of Cricket. It occurs when an incoming Batsman is not ready to play within three minutes of the previous (If the delay is protracted, the umpires may decide that the batting side has forfeited the match). This rule prevents the batting team using up time to unfair advantage. No player is credited with the dismissal. (Law 31)

A batsman may leave the field without being dismissed. If injured or taken ill the batsman may temporarily retire, and be replaced by the next batsman. This is recorded as retired hurt or retired ill. A substitute in the Sport of Cricket is a replacement player that the umpires allow when a player has been injured or become ill after the nomination of A substitute in the Sport of Cricket is a replacement player that the umpires allow when a player has been injured or become ill after the nomination of The retiring batsman is not out, and may resume the innings later. An unimpaired batsman may retire, and this is treated as being dismissed retired out; no player is credited with the dismissal. In Cricket, a Batsman retires out if he retires without the umpire's permission and does not have the permission of the opposing captain to resume his Innings

Batsmen cannot be out bowled, caught, leg before wicket, stumped or hit wicket off a no ball. They cannot be out bowled, caught, leg before wicket, or hit the ball twice off a wide.

Some of these modes of dismissal can occur 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. For the term run out, used in equestrian sport see Refusal Run out is a method of dismissal in the Sport Timed out is, by its nature, a dismissal without a delivery. With all other modes of dismissal, only one batsman can be dismissed per ball bowled.

Fielding

Basics of fielding.

Basics of catching.

Basics of wicket-keeping.

Main articles: Fielder and Fielding strategy (cricket)

Fielders assist the bowlers either by taking catches to dismiss a batsman, or by saving runs by intercepting the ball and returning it, possibly running out the batsman. Fielding in the Sport of Cricket is what fielders do to collect the ball when it is struck by the Batsman, in such a way as to either Fielding in the Sport of Cricket is what fielders do to collect the ball when it is struck by the Batsman, in such a way as to either The wicket-keeper is the only fielder permitted to wear gloves. A fielder may stop the ball with any part of his body.

The wicket-keeper is a specialist fielder who stands behind the batsman's wicket. Cricket wicket keeperjpg|thumb|300px|A wicket-keeper in characteristic position ready to face a delivery One player from each side usually acts as the team's wicket-keeper throughout the match. His primary job is to gather deliveries that the batsman does not hit, so that the batsmen cannot run byes. In the Sport of Cricket, an extra is a run scored by a means other than a Batsman hitting the ball. He wears special gloves (he is the only fielder allowed to do so), and pads to cover his lower legs. Owing to his position directly behind the striker, the wicket-keeper has a good chance of getting a batsman out caught off a fine edge from the bat; thicker edges are typically handled by the slip fieldsmen. In the Sport of Cricket, a slip fielder (collectively a slip cordon) is placed behind the Batsman on the Off side of the The wicket-keeper is also the only person who can get a batsman out stumped. For other uses see Stump (disambiguation Stump is a term used in the Sport of Cricket where has three different meanings

Other roles

Captain

For more details on this topic, see Role of a cricket captain. The captain of a Cricket team is a player who during the course of a match has several additional roles and responsibilities over and above those of a regular player

The captain's acumen in deciding the strategy is sometimes crucial to the team's success. The captain makes a number of important decisions, including setting fielding positions, alternating the bowlers and taking the "toss". Fielding in the Sport of Cricket is what fielders do to collect the ball when it is struck by the Batsman, in such a way as to either Before the start of play the captains of the opposing teams meet and toss a coin; the winner of the toss decides which team will bat first. Coin flipping or coin tossing is the practice of throwing a Coin in the air to resolve a Dispute between two parties or otherwise choose between two alternatives This decision, made in consideration of pitch conditions, the weather and the relative bowling and batting abilities of the two sides, can have an enormous impact on the course of play. In One Day Internationals the captain also decides when to make use of some powerplays. Note Most of the information here pertains to men's cricket ODI matches are also played in Women's cricket. A Powerplay is a rule introduced in 2005 concerning fielding restrictions in One Day International (ODI cricket

Runners

For more details on this topic, see runner (cricket). In Cricket, a runner is a team member who runs between the Wickets for an injured Batsman.

In the event of a batsman being fit to bat but too injured to run, the umpires and the fielding captain may allow another member of the batting side to be a runner. If possible, the runner must already have batted. The runner's only task is to run between the wickets instead of the injured batsman. The runner is required to wear and carry exactly the same equipment as the incapacitated batsman. It is possible for both batsmen to have runners, but this is extremely rare.

Substitutes

For more details on this topic, see Substitute (cricket). A substitute in the Sport of Cricket is a replacement player that the umpires allow when a player has been injured or become ill after the nomination of

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, but the substitute cannot bowl, bat, act as a captain or wicket-keeper. The substitute leaves the field if the injured player is fit to return.

For a period from July 2005, the ICC experimented with Super Subs in One Day International (ODI) cricket and some other limited-overs competitions. Cricket is a team sport played between two teams of eleven It is known for its rich terminology Note Most of the information here pertains to men's cricket ODI matches are also played in Women's cricket. A single full substitution was allowed, and the substituted player was not allowed to return to the game. It was discontinued from March 2006.

History

Sir Don Bradman is by general consent the greatest batsman in the history of cricket. Sir Donald George Bradman, AC (27 August 1908 – 25 February 2001 often referred to as The Don, was an Australian Cricketer widely He had a Test average of 99. 94 and an overall first-class average of 95. 14. ^[8]

Main article: History of cricket

Cricket can be traced back to the 16th century but it may have originated much earlier than that. The game of Cricket has a known history spanning from the 16th century to the present day with international matches played since 1844 although the official history The most common theory of origin is that it was invented by children of the farming and metalworking communities in the Weald between Kent and Sussex during the medieval period. Agriculture refers to the production of goods through the growing of plants and fungi and the raising of domesticated Animals The study of agriculture Metalworking is craft and practice of working with Metals to create individual parts assemblies or large scale structures The Weald (wɪəld is the name given to a physiographic area in south-east England situated between the parallel Chalk Escarpments of the North KENT (1400 AM) is a Radio station broadcasting a Adult Standards/MOR format Sussex is a historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. Written evidence exists of a game known as creag being played by Prince Edward, the son of Edward I (Longshanks), at Newenden, Kent in 1300 and there has been speculation, but no evidence, that this was a form of cricket. For the play see Edward II (play. For the film see Edward II (film. Edward I (17 June 1239 – 7 July 1307 popularly known as Longshanks, was a King of England who achieved historical fame by conquering large parts of Wales and almost KENT (1400 AM) is a Radio station broadcasting a Adult Standards/MOR format Creag utlized a small, hard ball, known as a "gillamachugger" which was similar to, yet smaller than, the ball used in cricket.

In 1598, a court case referred to a sport called creckett being played at the Royal Grammar School, Guildford around 1550. See Royal Grammar School for the other schools with the name RGS This is the earliest definite mention.

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 Middle Dutch krick(e) (meaning a stick) or in Old English crycc (meaning a crutch or staff). A cricket bat is used by batsmen in the sport of Cricket. It is usually made of Willow wood French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people A club is an association of people united by a common interest or goal Middle Dutch is a collective name for a number of closely related West Germanic dialects (whose ancestor was Old Dutch) which were spoken and written between 1150 For other uses of the word staff see Staff. A staff is a large thick Stick or stick-shaped object used to help with Walking (The latter is problematic, since Old English 'cc' was palatal in pronunciation in the south and the west midlands, roughly ch, which is how crycc leads to crych and thence crutch; the 'k' sound would be possible in northern dialects, however. Palatal consonants are Consonants articulated with the body of the tongue raised against the Hard palate (the middle part of the roof of the mouth ) Alternatively, the French criquet apparently derives from the Dutch 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. In the sport of Cricket the word wicket has several distinct meanings Meanings of wicket Set of stumps Primarily the wicket For other uses see Stump (disambiguation Stump is a term used in the Sport of Cricket where has three different meanings

During the 17th century, numerous references indicate the growth of cricket in the south-east of England. By the end of the century, it had become an organised activity being played for high stakes and it is likely that the first professionals appeared in that period. 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 a cricket match of such importance. Sussex is a historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex.

The game underwent major development in the 18th century and had become the national sport of England by the end of the century. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Betting played a major part in that development with rich patrons forming their own "select XIs". Cricket was prominent in London as early as 1707 and large crowds flocked to matches on the Artillery Ground in Finsbury. The Artillery Ground in Finsbury is one of London 's most centrally located Cricket grounds situated just off the City Road immediately north The Hambledon Club was founded in the 1760s but the Hambledon parish team was already playing first-class matches in 1756. The Hambledon Club was a social club that is famous for its organisation of 18th century Cricket matches First-class cricket refers to the class of Cricket matches of three or more days scheduled duration between two sides of eleven players and officially adjudged first-class by For the next 20 years until the formation of MCC and the opening of Lord's in 1787, Hambledon was the game's greatest club and its focal point. Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC is a private members' club founded in 1787 Lord's Cricket Ground (generally known as Lord's) is a cricket MCC quickly became the sport's premier club and the custodian of the Laws of Cricket. The laws of cricket are a set of rules framed by the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC which serve to standardise the format of Cricket matches across the world to ensure

The 19th century saw underarm replaced by first roundarm and then overarm bowling. In Cricket, underarm bowling is as old as the sport itself Until the appearance of the roundarm style in the first half of the 19th Century, bowling was In Cricket, roundarm bowling is a style that was introduced in the early years of the 19th century to supersede Underarm bowling. In Cricket, overarm bowling refers to a delivery in which the bowler's hand is above shoulder height Both developments were controversial. Organisation of the game at county level led to the creation of the county clubs, starting with Sussex CCC in 1839, which ultimately formed the official County Championship in 1890. Sussex County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English domestic Cricket structure representing the historic county of The County Championship is the domestic first class Cricket competition in England and Wales.

The first Australian cricket team to tour England was made of indigenous Australian players (1867), a significant event in the history of indigenous Australians as well as in that of cricket. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. Indigenous Australians are descendants of the first known human inhabitants of the Australian continent and its nearby islands.

In 1844, the first ever international cricket match took place between the United States and Canada (although neither has ever been ranked as a Test-playing nation). The United States national cricket team is the team that represents the United States of America in international Cricket matches The Canada cricket team is the national Cricket team representing Canada in men's international competition Fifteen years later, a team of England players went on the first overseas tour (to North America) and 18 years after that another England team took part in the first-ever Test match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground against Australia. The England cricket team is the national cricket team which represents England and Wales. Test cricket is the longest form of the Sport of Cricket. It has long been considered the ultimate test of playing ability between cricketing nations The Australian cricket team is the national cricket team of Australia.

The legendary W G Grace started his long career in 1865. William Gilbert Grace ( 18 July 1848 – 23 October 1915) was an English Cricketer who by his extraordinary skills made It can fairly be said that he revolutionised the sport and did much to ensure its massive popularity.

The last two decades before the First World War have been called the "Golden Age of Cricket". World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All It is a nostalgic name prompted by the collective sense of loss resulting from the war, but the period did produce some great players and memorable matches, especially as organised competition at county and Test level developed.

The inter-war years were dominated by one player: Don Bradman, statistically the greatest batsman of all time. Sir Donald George Bradman, AC (27 August 1908 – 25 February 2001 often referred to as The Don, was an Australian Cricketer widely It was the determination of the England team to overcome his skill that brought about the infamous Bodyline series in 1932/33. For information about the British code name "Bodyline" for the WWII V-2 rocket, see Operation Crossbow.

Cricket entered a new era in 1963, when English counties introduced a variant form of cricket match that would be sure to produce a result: games with a restricted number of overs per side. This gained widespread popularity and resulted in the birth of One Day International (ODI) matches in 1971. Note Most of the information here pertains to men's cricket ODI matches are also played in Women's cricket. The governing International Cricket Council quickly adopted the new form and held the first ODI Cricket World Cup in 1975. The International Cricket Council (ICC is the international governing body of Cricket. The Cricket World Cup is the premier international championship of men's One Day International (ODI Cricket. Since then, ODI matches have gained a large following.

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. Twenty20 is a form of Cricket, originally introduced in the United Kingdom for professional inter-county competition by the England and Wales Cricket Board

Forms of cricket

There are many different types and grades of cricket; those played professionally at an international level are Test cricket, One Day International cricket and Twenty20 cricket. Test cricket is the longest form of the Sport of Cricket. It has long been considered the ultimate test of playing ability between cricketing nations Note Most of the information here pertains to men's cricket ODI matches are also played in Women's cricket. Twenty20 is a form of Cricket, originally introduced in the United Kingdom for professional inter-county competition by the England and Wales Cricket Board

Test cricket

Main article: Test cricket

Test cricket is a form of international cricket started during the 1876/77 English cricket team's tour of Australia. Test cricket is the longest form of the Sport of Cricket. It has long been considered the ultimate test of playing ability between cricketing nations The England cricket team is the national cricket team which represents England and Wales. The very first Test match began on 15 March 1877; Australia won by 45 runs. Events 44 BC - Julius Caesar, Dictator of the Roman Republic, is stabbed to death by Marcus Junius Brutus, Year 1877 ( MDCCCLXXVII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The Australian cricket team is the national cricket team of Australia. The Test cricket series between England and Australia is now called The Ashes. The Ashes is a Test cricket series played between England and Australia. 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. The Bangladeshi cricket team, also known as "The Tigers", is a national Cricket team representing Bangladesh. Test cricket is the longest form of the Sport of Cricket. It has long been considered the ultimate test of playing ability between cricketing nations Test matches are two innings per side, and are nowadays restricted to a maximum of five days. In the past, Tests have been played over three, four, or six days, and some have been "Timeless" - played to a finish with no maximum duration. Tests that are not finished within the allotted time are drawn.

One-day cricket

Main articles: Limited overs cricket and One Day International

Limited overs matches, also known as "one-day cricket", were introduced in the English domestic season of 1963 in response to demands for a shorter and more dramatic form of cricket. NightMatchOldTraffordjpg|right|thumb|350px|A night match at Old Trafford. Note Most of the information here pertains to men's cricket ODI matches are also played in Women's cricket. One-day, single-innings, matches often took place before this, but the innovation was the limiting of each side's innings to an agreed number of overs (nowadays usually 40 or 50). The idea was taken up in the international arena in 1971, during England's tour of Australia, when a match was played on the scheduled fifth day of the rained-off third Test. The one-day game has since become a crowd-pleaser and TV-audience-generator across the globe, hastened in part by the success of the inaugural World Cup in 1975. The abbreviations "ODI" (One Day International) or sometimes "LOI" (Limited Overs International) are used for international matches of this type. Innovations have included the introduction of coloured clothing, distinct tournaments, and "day-night" matches (where play extends into the night under floodlights); 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

Main article: Twenty20

A view of an international Twenty20 match (between England and Sri Lanka) at the Rose Bowl stadium. Twenty20 is a form of Cricket, originally introduced in the United Kingdom for professional inter-county competition by the England and Wales Cricket Board Twenty20 is a form of Cricket, originally introduced in the United Kingdom for professional inter-county competition by the England and Wales Cricket Board The Rose Bowl is an English Cricket Stadium used for county and One Day International matches Twenty20 matches usually start in the evening and last around two-and-a-half to three hours.

Twenty20 Cricket was first played in English domestic cricket in 2003 to popularise first-class cricket and attract more spectators. It has since spread to many other countries. A Twenty20 match consists of 20 overs for each side, a "free hit" after an illegal no-ball is bowled, short boundaries, batting-friendly pitches, and other rules designed to attract spectators who would not attend the slower-paced one-day games or test matches. The first men's Twenty20 international was between Australia and New Zealand in 2005, the first women's Twenty20 international having been between England and New Zealand in 2004. The Australian cricket team is the national cricket team of Australia. The New Zealand cricket team, also known as the Black Caps or BLACKCAPS, played their first Test in 1929-30 against England in Christchurch The English women's cricket team played their first Test match in 1934–35, when they beat Australia 2–0 in a three-Test series The New Zealand women's cricket team played their first Test match in 1935 when they lost to England. From 2007 to 2015 the Twenty20 World Championship will be held every two years; the first was staged in South Africa in 2007, and was won by India. The Indian cricket team is an international Cricket team representing India. It has an abbreviation as T20.

First-class matches

Main article: First-class cricket

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. First-class cricket refers to the class of Cricket matches of three or more days scheduled duration between two sides of eleven players and officially adjudged first-class by First-class games are two innings per side. Like Test matches, if the game is not completed over the allotted time then it is drawn. Games where the teams have only one innings each are not first-class (including one-day internationals).

Among cricket statisticians, first class cricket is variously deemed to have started in 1660, 1772, 1801, 1815 or 1864; the reasons for this are described in the main article.

Cricket statisticians have also introduced the concept of list A status, which is not first-class, but includes important limited-over matches. List A cricket is a classification of the limited-overs (one-day form of the Sport of Cricket.

Other forms of cricket

Main article: Forms of cricket

Children playing cricket on a makeshift pitch in a park. In Cricket, other than Test matches, One Day International matches Twenty20 matches and First class matches other forms of the sport do exist It is common in many countries for people to play cricket on such pitches and makeshift grounds.

At all levels, the rules of cricket are often modified. At international or first-class levels this is usually in order to make the game more commercially attractive. 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. Club cricket is a mainly amateur but still formal form of the Sport of Cricket, usually involving teams playing in competitions at weekends or in the evening At lower levels the rules are often changed simply to make the game playable with limited resources, or to render it more convenient and enjoyable for the participants. Variants of the sport are played in areas as diverse as sandy beaches and ice floes. Families and teenagers play backyard cricket in suburban yards or driveways, and the teeming cities of India and Pakistan play host to countless games of "Gully Cricket" or "tapeball" on their streets(played in long narrow streets) with rules such as one bounce catch such rules and lack of space ensure the batsmen have to play cautiously . Backyard cricket, street cricket, beach cricket (Galli Cricket in India Galli = Alley) or garden cricket is an informal Ad hoc Tennis balls and homemade bats are often used, and a variety of objects may serve as wickets such as the batters legs, as in "French cricket", which did not in fact originate in France, and is usually played by small children. French cricket, (also known in Australia as Toey) is an informal form of Cricket where a ball (usually a Tennis ball is bowled underarm at the 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. Kwik cricket (known as MILO Kanga cricket in Australia and MILO Kiwi Cricket in New Zealand is a high-speed version of Cricket aimed mainly at encouraging Another modification to increase the pace of the game is the "Tip and Run", "Tipity" Run, "Tipsy Run" or "Tippy-Go" rule, in which the batter must run when the ball touches the bat, even if it the contact is unintentional or minor. This rule, seen only in impromptu games, speeds the match up by disabling the batsman's ability to block the ball. Indoor cricket is played in a netted, indoor arena. Indoor cricket is a variant of Cricket. The game is most often played between two teams each consisting of eight players in matches featuring two sixteen 8 ball over innings

In Samoa a form of cricket called Kilikiti is played in which hockey stick-shaped bats are used. Kilikiti ( syn kirikiti, Samoan cricket, pronounced ki-ree-kiss) is one of several forms of Cricket. A hockey stick is a piece of equipment used in Field hockey, Ice hockey, or Roller hockey to move the ball or puck

In Estonia, teams gather over the winter for the annual Ice Cricket tournament. Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia ( Eesti or Eesti Vabariik) is a Country in Northern Europe in the Baltic region Real Ice Cricket is a variant of Cricket invented in 2001 by Jason Barry the coach for the Estonia National Cricket Team. The game juxtaposes the normal summer pursuit with harsh, wintry conditions. Rules are otherwise similar to those for the six-a-side game.

International structure

Main articles: International structure of cricket and International Cricket Council

ICC member nations. The structure of international cricket has evolved only recently from a traditional Ad hoc basis The International Cricket Council (ICC is the international governing body of Cricket. The (highest level) Test playing nations are shown in orange; the associate member nations are shown in green; the affiliate member nations are shown in purple.

Cricket is one of the most widely played sports in the world. More than 120 cricket-playing nations are recognised by the International Cricket Council. The International Cricket Council (ICC is the international governing body of Cricket. ^[9] In the countries of South Asia, including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka, cricket is the most popular sport. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and ( Bengali: বাংলাদেশ inc-Latn Bangladesh) officially Afghanistan /æfˈgænɪstæn/ officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan ( Pashto: د افغانستان اسلامي جمهوریت, Nepal (नेपाल) is a Landlocked country in South Asia. Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka ( Sinhalese:, இலங்கை known as Ceylon before 1972 is an Island ^[10][11][12] Similarly, it is the most popular sport in Samoa, Australia,^[13][14] United Arab Emirates,^[15] Bermuda,^[16] Cayman Islands^[17] and the English-speaking countries of the Caribbean, which are collectively known in cricketing parlance as the West Indies. Samoa, officially the Independent State of Samoa, is a country governing the western part of the Samoan Islands Archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. Ba (officially The Bermuda Islands or The Somers Isles) is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. The Cayman Islands are a British overseas territory located in the western Caribbean Sea, comprising the islands of Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac The Caribbean (ˌkærəˡbiən kæ'rəbiən Cariben|Caraïben or Caraïben; Caraïbe or more commonly Antilles; Caribe is a Region consisting The West Indian cricket team, also known colloquially as The Windies or The West Indies, is a multi-national Cricket team representing ^[18] Cricket is also the national sport of England^[19] and The Bahamas,^[20] and a major sport in the countries of Europe (including Wales,^[21] Scotland,^[22] Ireland^[23] and Italy^[24]), Africa (containing South Africa,^[25] Zimbabwe,^[26] Kenya,^[27] Namibia,^[28] Uganda^[29] and Zambia^[30]), Asia (including Hong Kong,^[31] Fiji^[32] and Papua New Guinea^[33]), and in New Zealand,^[34] etc. The Bahamas, officially the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, is an independent sovereign English -speaking country consisting of two thousand Cays and Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɾlənd/ Éire) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest The Republic of South Africa (also known by other official names) is a country located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa See also Great Zimbabwe National Monument. For information about the March and June 2008 presidential elections see Zimbabwean presidential election The Republic of Kenya is a country in East Africa. It is bordered by Ethiopia to the north Somalia to the northeast Tanzania to the south Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country in Southern Africa on the Atlantic coast The Republic of Uganda is a Landlocked country in East Africa. The Republic of Zambia (ˈzæmbɪə is a Landlocked country in Southern Africa. Hong Kong ( officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, is a territory located on China 's south coast on the Pearl River Delta, and borders Fiji (Matanitu ko Viti फ़िजी officially the Republic of the Fiji Islands (Matanitu Tu-Vaka-i-koya ko Viti फ़िजी द्वीप समूह गणराज्य Papua New Guinea (or ˈpæpjuːə in Tok Pisin: Papua Niugini) officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island

Cricket is internationally governed by International Cricket Council (ICC), which is headquartered in Dubai and includes representatives from the ten Test-playing nations and an elected panel representing non-Test-playing nations. The International Cricket Council (ICC is the international governing body of Cricket. Dubai (in دبيّ,) is one of the seven emirates and most populous city of the United Arab Emirates (UAE On December 11, 2007, the International Olympic Committee conferred the status of a recognized sport, on the basis of its youth promotion and anti-doping policies^[35]. Events 359 - Honoratus, the first known Prefect of the City of Constantinople, takes office Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century.

Each nation has a national cricket board which regulates cricket matches played in its 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. All members of the International Cricket Council (ICC on this list are recognised by the ICC as the governing body of the Sport of Cricket in their Below these are the Associate Member nations. All members of the International Cricket Council (ICC on this list are recognised by the ICC as the governing body of the Sport of Cricket in their The lowest level consists of the Affiliate Member nations. All members of the International Cricket Council (ICC on this list are recognised by the ICC as the governing body of the Sport of Cricket in their

See also

• List of cricket terms
• Forms of cricket
• Cricket World Cup
• Twenty20 World Championship
• International Cricket Council
• Cricket statistics
• Comparison between cricket and baseball

References

• Sir Don Bradman (1990). Sir Donald George Bradman, AC (27 August 1908 – 25 February 2001 often referred to as The Don, was an Australian Cricketer widely The Art of cricket. Hodder & Stoughton. ISBN 1-875892-54-0.  
• The official laws of cricket. published by the MCC. Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC is a private members' club founded in 1787 Retrieved on 14 August 2005.
• England and Wales Cricket Board. published by the ECB. The England and Wales Cricket Board ( ECB) ( Bwrdd Criced Cymru a Lloegr) is the governing body of Cricket in England and Wales. Retrieved on 14 August 2005.
• International Rules and regulations. published by the ICC. The International Cricket Council (ICC is the international governing body of Cricket.

External links

• The Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cricket.

• Explanation of Cricket
• Cricket Explained (An American Viewpoint)
• Cricinfo
• CricketArchive
• International Cricket Council
• ICC World Cup 2007