Learn to play cricket


How to play cricket

The Marylebone Cricket Club is the framer ofmiddle of, is drawn at each end of the pitch
the Laws of Cricket, the rules governing playso that the three stumps in the set of stumps
of the game. The Laws are intended to applyat that end of the pitch fall on it (and
to all two innings matches; the Internationalconsequently it is perpendicular to the
Cricket Council has implemented "Standardimaginary line joining the centres of both
Playing Conditions for Test Matches" andmiddle stumps). Each bowling crease should be
"Standard Playing Conditions for One Day8 feet 8 inches (2.64 metres) in length,
Internationals" to augment the Laws ofcentred on the middle stump at each end, and
Cricket. Similarly, each cricketing countryeach bowling crease terminates at one of the
has implemented Playing Conditions to governreturn creases. The popping crease, which
domestic cricket. Note that the Laws do notdetermines whether a batsman is in his ground
provide for One Day or Limited Overs cricket;or not, and which is used in determining
these modifications have been made by thefront-foot no balls (see law 24), is drawn at
Playing Conditions for One Dayeach end of the pitch in front of each of the
Internationals.two sets of stumps. The popping crease must
be 4 feet (1.22 m) in front of and parallel
The Laws are organised into a Preface, ato the bowling crease. Although it is
Preamble, forty-two Laws, and fourconsidered to have unlimited length, the
appendices. The Preface relates to thepopping crease must be marked to at least 6
Marylebone Cricket Club and the history offeet (1.83 metres) on either side of the
the Laws. The Preamble is a new addition andimaginary line joining the centres of the
is related to "the Spirit of the Game;" itmiddle stumps. The return creases, which are
was introduced to discourage the increasingthe lines a bowler must be within when making
practices of ungentlemanly conduct. The Lawsa delivery, are drawn on each side of each
themselves  deal  with  the  following:set of the stumps, along each sides of the
pitch (so there are four return creases in
The first four laws cover the players, theall, one on either side of both sets of
umpires  and  the  scorers.stumps). The return creases lie perpendicular
to the popping crease and the bowling crease,
Law 1: The players. A cricket team consists4 feet 4 inches (1.32 m) either side of and
of eleven players, including a captain.parallel to the imaginary line joining the
Outside of official competitions, teams cancentres of the two middle stumps. Each return
agree to play more than eleven-a-side, thoughcrease terminates at one end at the popping
no  more  than  eleven  players  may  field.crease but the other end is considered to be
unlimited in length and must be marked to a
Law 2: Substitutes. In cricket, a substituteminimum of 8 feet (2.44 m) from the popping
may be brought on for an injured fielder.crease.
However, a substitute may not bat, bowl or
keep wicket. The original player may returnLaw 10: Preparation and maintenance of the
if he has recovered. A batsman who becomesplaying area. In cricket, when a ball is
unable to run may have a runner, whobowled it almost always bounces on the pitch,
completes the runs while the batsmanand how the ball behaves depends very much on
continues batting. Alternatively, a batsmanthe condition of the pitch. Therefore
may retire hurt or ill, and may return laterdetailed rules on the pitch itself are
to  resume  his  innings  if  he  recovers.necessary. This law sets down rules governing
how pitches should be prepared, mown, rolled,
Law 3: The umpires. There are two umpires,etc.
who apply the Laws, make all necessary
decisions, and relay the decisions to theLaw 11: Covering the pitch. Covering the
scorers.pitch affects how the ball will react when it
bounces on it. For example, a ball bouncing
Law 4: The scorers. There are two scorers whoon wet ground will react differently to one
respond to the umpires' signals and keep thebouncing on hard ground. In general, a wet
score.pitch will have uneven bounce, a dry pitch
won't. The laws stipulate that the
Equipment  and  laying  out  the  pitchregulations on covering the pitch shall be
agreed in advance. Bowlers' run-ups also need
After dealing with the players, the laws moveto be dry to reduce the chances that they
on to discuss equipment and pitchwill slip. The laws therefore require these
specifications, except for specificationsto be covered wherever possible when there is
about the wicket-keeper's gloves, which arewet  weather.
dealt with in Law 40. These laws are
supplemented by Appendices A and B (seeStructure  of  the  game
below).
Laws 12 to 17 outline the structure of the
Law 5: The ball. A cricket ball is betweengame.
22.4cm and 22.9cm in circumference, and
weighs between 155.9g and 163g. Only one ballLaw 12: Innings. Before the game the teams
is used at a time, unless it is lost, when itagree whether it is to be over one or two
is replaced with a ball of similar wear. Itinnings, and whether either or both innings
is also replaced at the start of eachare to be limited by time or by overs. In
innings, and may, at the request of thetwo-innings games, the sides bat alternately
fielding side, be replaced after a certainunless the follow-on (law 13) is enforced. An
number of overs have been bowled (80 in Testinnings is closed once all batsmen are
matches). The gradual degradation of the balldismissed, no further batsmen are fit to
through the innings is an important aspect ofplay, the innings is declared or forfeited by
the  game.the batting captain, or any agreed time or
over limit is reached. The captain winning
Law 6: The bat. The bat is no more than 38the toss of a coin decides whether to bat or
inches (96.5cm) in length, and no more thanto  bowl  first.
4.25 inches (10.8cm) wide. The hand or glove
holding the bat is considered part of theLaw 13: The follow-on. In a two innings
bat. Ever since a highly publicised marketingmatch, if the side batting second scores
attempt by Dennis Lillee, who brought out ansubstantially fewer runs than the side
aluminium bat during an international game,batting first, the side that batted first can
the laws have provided that the blade of theforce their opponents to bat again
bat must be made of wood (and in practice,immediately. For a game of five or more days,
they  are  made  from  White  Willow  wood).the side batting first must be at least 200
runs ahead to enforce the follow-on; for a
Law 7: The pitch. The pitch is a rectangularthree- or four-day game, 150 runs; for a
area of the ground 22 yards (20.12m) long andtwo-day game, 100 runs; for a one-day game,
10ft (3.05m) wide. The Ground Authority75 runs. The length of the game is determined
selects and prepares the pitch, but once theby the number of scheduled days play left
game has started, the umpires control whatwhen  the  game  actually  begins.
happens to the pitch. The umpires are also
the arbiters of whether the pitch is fit forLaw 14: Declaration and forfeiture. The
play, and if they deem it unfit, with thebatting captain can declare an innings closed
consent of both captains can change theat any time when the ball is dead. He may
pitch. Professional cricket is almost alwaysalso forfeit his innings before it has
played on a grass surface. However, if astarted.
non-turf pitch is used, the artificial
surface must have a minimum length of 58ftLaw 15: Intervals. There are intervals
(17.68m)  and a minimum width of 6ft (1.83m).between each day's play, a ten-minute
interval between innings, and lunch, tea and
Law 8: The wickets. The wicket consists ofdrinks intervals. The timing and length of
three wooden stumps that are 28 inchesthe intervals must be agreed before the match
(71.1cm) tall. The stumps are placed alongbegins. There are also provisions for moving
the batting crease with equal distancesthe intervals and interval lengths in certain
between each stump. They are positioned sosituations, most notably the provision that
they are 9 inches (22.86cm) wide. Two woodenif nine wickets are down, the tea interval is
bails are placed on top of the stumps. Thedelayed to the earlier of the fall of the
bails must not project more than 0.5 inchesnext  wicket  and  30  minutes  elapsing.
(1.27cm) above the stumps, and must, for
men's cricket, be 4.3125 inches (10.95cm)Law 16: Start of play; cessation of play.
long. There are also specified lengths forPlay after an interval commences with the
the barrel and spigots of the bail. There areumpire's call of "Play", and at the end of a
different specifications for the wickets andsession by "Time". The last hour of a match
bails for junior cricket. The umpires maymust contain at least 20 overs, being
dispense with the bails if conditions areextended in time so as to include 20 overs if
unfit (ie it is windy so they might fall offnecessary.
by themselves). Further details on the
specifications of the wickets are containedLaw 17: Practice on the field. There may be
in  Appendix  A  to  the  laws.no batting or bowling practice on the pitch
except before the day's play starts and after
Law 9: Bowling, popping, and return creases.the day's play has ended. Bowlers may only
This law sets out the dimensions andhave trial run-ups if the umpires are of the
locations of the creases. The bowling crease,view that it would waste no time.
which is the line the stumps are in the



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