Cricket is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players. Each team has its own captain, multiple batsmen, multiple bowlers and other players acting as fielders. It is a bat-and-ball game played on a roughly elliptical grass field, in the centre of which is a flat strip, called a pitch. This is where the bowler (Baseball--pitcher) will bowl (pitch) the ball to the other team's striker (baseball--batter). Bowling is definitely I skill I have yet to master. At this point, I'm just trying not to look like an orangutan with my apish arms circulating about my head calling to all other monkeys. (Don't laugh, it takes pure concentration on my part to swing my arms 'round in different directions at the same time--it's like patting your head with one hand and using the other in a circular pattern to rub your tummy--go on then, try it...I know you're going to)...
Got that out of your system now? Okay, continue...your goal is to hit the wicket to gain an out. Wickets are placed on the field--one set behind the bowler and the other behind the striker. Each wicket has three stumps that stand side by side. At the top of the stumps are bails that connect the stumps. A wicket keeper (baseball = catcher) crouches behind the striker with the gloves and waits for the ball to be hit and is the only fielder that has gloves. (In baseball ALL players wear gloves....but then I canna blame them..I wouldn't want to field a 88 mph ball coming at me without protection).
The method of 'batting' is a wee bit different as well...firstly, the "bat" is shorter and flatter than the American Baseball bat and the swing is a cross between a baseball swing and posh golf swing. ;-)
Playing and Scoring
Hit the ball and both the batsmen run to try to reach the opposite popping crease. When both successfully touch, by body or bat, the ground behind the opposite crease, a run is scored. Depending on where the ball is they may try to score another run by running back to the starting popping crease. This must be done before the other team's fielders knocks the bails off the stumps with the cricket ball, which is an out.
Score six runs by hitting the ball over the boundary without touching the ground. If the ball reaches the boundary and touches the ground in doing so, the batting team is granted four runs. These runs are automatic unless the runners have scored more.There are some extra runs as well. If the bowler oversteps the crease while bowling it is called a 'no ball'. It gives the batting side an extra run and at the same time the ball wont be counted and the only way a batsman can lose his/her wicket on a no ball by getting run out. If the bowler bowls the ball beyond the reach of the batsman in either sides or above his height, it is called a 'wide ball' and will give an extra run to the batting side and the ball won't be counted. End an inning when ten of the batsmen are out, or the score required to meet is reached. Or when the game has just done your head in with all the rules and regulations and you canna keep up anymore--(possibly that's just me). Seriously good fun!
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