| Cricket, although international and popular all over the | | | | batsman facing the ball. The batsman has to reach |
| world, is quintessentially a very English game. It is | | | | the other end of the wicket to the crease before |
| played between two teams, each consisting of | | | | the fielders knock the bails off of the stumps. The |
| eleven players. At any time on the field are two | | | | batting crease is an area that is 122cms in front of |
| from one side (the batting side) and eleven from the | | | | the stumps. When the batsman is in this he cannot |
| opposing side (who would be bowling/fielding). | | | | be out by the fielding team knocking the bales off of |
| The first team that have all eleven players on the | | | | the stumps. |
| pitch are the fielding team and the team that have | | | | When the bowler is bowling the batsman has to |
| just two players on the field are the batting team. | | | | defend the stumps from the ball being bowled with |
| Cricket is usually played on a large oval pitch on which | | | | his bat whether or not he is standing in front of the |
| the fielders are distributed around the pitch according | | | | crease. But if he stops the ball from hitting the |
| to the instructions of their captain and bowler. In | | | | stumps by using his legs then he can be out by LBW, |
| cricket there are specific fielding positions on the | | | | or "leg before wicket". |
| pitch, all with their own unique name. | | | | He can also be out by one of the fielders catching a |
| In, or around, the middle of the pitch, there is an | | | | ball that he has hit before it has bounced on the |
| area called "the wicket". This is a thin strip of grass | | | | ground. When the batsman are running between the |
| that is 22 yards long, 8 foot 8 inches wide and very | | | | stumps, if either of the batsmen are not in the |
| flat. It has a set of three stumps also know as | | | | crease when the fielder hits the stumps and knocks |
| wickets, at each end. The three "stumps" are about | | | | the bails off with the ball, then they are "run out". |
| a yard high and they are set in to the ground a few | | | | Each time the two batsmen run successfully |
| inches apart. They are connected by two wooden | | | | between the two sets of stumps, they get one run. |
| "bails" that are balanced on indentations on top of the | | | | If the batsman manages to hit the ball over the rope |
| stumps. The aim for the bowler is to knock the bails | | | | that marks the boundary when it has bounced or |
| off of the top of the stumps by "bowling" the ball at | | | | rolled on the ground, he gets four runs. If he hits the |
| them. And the object for the batsman is to defend | | | | ball over the boundary without it bouncing on the |
| the wicket from the ball. "Bowling" is a way of | | | | ground, then he gets six runs. Each "innings" lasts until |
| throwing the ball that is unique to cricket, where the | | | | 10 out of the 11 batsmen are out (two batsman |
| arm must remain straight as the ball is delivered. | | | | must always be on the wicket, so one batsman can |
| The bowler has to "bowl the ball overarm while | | | | not bat on his own). This is because the batting team |
| keeping his arm straight all of the time. If he bends | | | | need two players on the pitch at a time so that one |
| his arm and is, in effect, throwing the ball, it is not | | | | can be at each end. |
| allowed and called a 'no ball'. The bowler bowls the ball | | | | The team that wins is the team that has the highest |
| six times each "over", then another bowler bowls six | | | | number of runs after everybody has batted or the |
| balls from the other end of the wicket. The bowlers | | | | number of overs being played runs out. If the two |
| can be changed for other members of the fielding | | | | teams have he same score then the match is a |
| team, as usually each team will have at least four | | | | draw, unless one team has fewer players out than |
| people who would be classed as bowlers. | | | | the other. Most club games are played over one |
| The object for the batsman is to hit the ball away | | | | "innings". This means that each team bats and fields |
| from his wicket, far enough from the fielders so that | | | | once. But some games are played over two innings |
| he has enough time to run between the two sets of | | | | where each team bats and fields twice. Games are |
| stumps and so score a "run". He can also score a run | | | | very often played over a certain number of "overs" |
| without hitting the ball as long as he can run before | | | | that are agreed beforehand by the captains or |
| the fielders knock the bails off of the stumps; this is | | | | according to league regulations and can be altered |
| called a 'bye'. | | | | according to the weather, if play is interrupted. In |
| The other batsman stands at the other end of the | | | | club cricket both teams usually play in cricket whites. |
| wicket and has to run at the same time as the | | | | |