Baseball and cricket fields compared.

Baseball and cricket at the professional level are the best-known members of a family of related bat-and-ball games. While many of their rules, terminology, and strategies are similar, there are many differences—some subtle, some major—between the two games. Image File history File links CricketBaseballFields. ... Image File history File links CricketBaseballFields. ... This article is about the sport. ... This article is about the sport. ...

Other present-day bat-and-ball games include softball, stickball, rounders, pesäpallo, or Finnish baseball, punchball, kickball and British baseball, which has similarities with both cricket and baseball. Earlier forms include the "Massachusetts Game" of baseball, which was similar to rounders, and one old cat and two old cat. Bat-and-ball games, in general, are sports in which one team (the fielding team) has possession of the ball and delivers it to a member of the other team (the batting team), who tries to hit it. The two opposing teams take turns playing these two distinct roles, which are continuous during a specified interval. This contrasts with "goal-oriented" games, such as all forms of football, hockey and basketball, in which possession of the ball or puck can change in an instant, and thus the "attackers" and the "defenders" frequently reverse roles during the course of the game. Soft ball is also a sugar stage Softball is a team sport popular around the world but especially in the United States. ... Stickball is a street game related to baseball, usually formed as a pick-up game, in large cities in the Northeastern United States (especially New York City). ... For the movie, see Rounders (film). ... Girls playing pesäpallo in Siilinjärvi Pesäpallo (Swedish: Boboll, also referred to as Finnish baseball) is a fast-moving ball sport thats quite often referred to as the national sport of Finland and has some presence in other countries, such as Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, Australia, and Northern... The origins of the sport known as British baseball, or sometimes (less accurately) as Welsh baseball, date to 1892 when the governing bodies of England and Wales agreed to change the name of their sport from rounders to baseball. ... This article is about the sport. ... This article is about the sport. ... The Massachusetts Game was a type of amateur club baseball popular in 19th century New England. ... The question of the origin of baseball has been the subject of debate and controversy for more than a century. ... For other uses, see Ball (disambiguation). ...

In both cricket and baseball, the players of one team attempt to score points known as runs by hitting a ball with a bat, while the members of the other team field the ball in an attempt to prevent scoring and to put batting players out.

In both games, there is a "defensive" aspect to the batting team concurrent with its "offensive" or "attacking" aspect of trying to score runs. In cricket, the batsman is attempting to defend the wicket. In baseball, the batter is attempting to defend the strike zone.

Once a certain number of batting players are out (different in the two sports), the teams swap roles. This sequence of each team taking each role once is called an inning in baseball, and an innings in cricket (the singular form having a terminal 's'). The single/plural usage in cricket is comparable to the baseball slang term for a single inning as the team's "ups". A baseball game consists of nine innings, while a cricket match may have either one or two innings per team. An innings, or inning, is a fixed-length segment of a game in any of a variety of sports – most notably baseball and cricket – during which one team attempts to score while the other team attempts to prevent the first from scoring. ...

Despite their similarities, the two sports also have many differences in play and in strategy. A comparison between cricket and baseball can be instructive to followers of either sport, since the similarities help to highlight nuances particular to each game.

Field

Minimum and example baseball and cricket field dimensions compared at the same scale.

Main articles: Baseball field, Cricket field, Cricket pitch

Baseball

Baseball is played in a quadrant of fair territory between foul lines. The official minimum distance from home plate to the far edge of fair territory is 250 feet (76.2 metres), but the recommended distances are at least 325 ft (99.1 m) along the foul lines and 400 ft (121.9 m) in center field[1]. This produces a recommended fair territory field area just over 100,000 square feet (10,000 m²). Most Major League Baseball parks have fair territory areas in the range 110,000 to 120,000 square feet (11,000 m²)[2]. Image File history File links CricketBaseballBasic. ... Image File history File links CricketBaseballBasic. ... The baseball diamond of the San Diego Padres PETCO Park, seen from the stands. ... The cricket field consists of a large circular or oval-shaped grassy ground. ... Cricket pitch (not to scale) A wicket consists of three stumps that are placed into the ground, and topped with two bails. ... A foot (plural: feet or foot;[1] symbol or abbreviation: ft or, sometimes, ′ – a prime) is a unit of length, in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... This article is about the unit of length. ... The position of the center fielder A center fielder, abbreviated CF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in center field - the baseball fielding position between left field and right field (e. ... Major Leagues redirects here. ...

Cricket

In contrast, Test and One Day International cricket is played on a field with a minimum width of 420 ft (128 m) and length 426 ft (129.8 m), giving a minimum area of 140,500 square feet (13,050 m²), assuming an elliptical shape. However the shape of a cricket ground is not fixed. Test grounds around the world are typically 450×500 ft (137.2-152.4 m), an area of 175,000 square feet (16,300 m²), and range up to the Melbourne Cricket Ground at 468×566 ft (142.6-172.5 m), or 207,000 square feet (19,200 m²). For the womens version of the game, see Womens Test cricket. ... A One-day International (ODI) cricket match is a one-day cricket match played between two international teams each representing a particular country. ... For other uses, see Ellipse (disambiguation). ... “MCG” redirects here. ...

Consequences

Discounting the pitcher/bowler and catcher/wicket-keeper, this means Major League Baseball fielders must cover an average of approximately 16,500 square feet (1,530 m²) per fielder, while Test cricketers cover 19,500 square feet (1,810 m²) per fielder. In practice, fielders in both sports cover variable amounts of territory, with outfielders potentially having to run much farther to field a ball than infielders do.

Bowling/Pitching distance

In cricket, the distance between the two wickets that the batsmen defend is 66 feet, or 1 chain (4 rods) in the old English system of measurement. The rectangular area between the two lines is called the pitch. In baseball, the pitcher must deliver from a rubber slab (officially called the "pitcher's plate" and typically called "the rubber") whose front is 60.5 feet from the point of home plate (officially called "home base" and often simply "home"). Before the advent of the pitcher's mound and the rubber, the pitcher threw from within a rectangular "pitcher's box". There was a large rectangular dirt area, between the pitcher's box and the batting areas around home, which resembled the cricket pitch. M*A*S*H, see Sticky Wicket (M*A*S*H episode). ... A rod is a unit of length, equal to 5. ...

In cricket, the wicket stumps and the bowling creases are 66 feet apart. The popping creases are 4ft (1.22m) in front of the stumps and thus are 58 feet apart. The bowler's release point could be three feet beyond his popping crease. The batsman tends to "take guard" or "block" on the popping crease, i.e. he stands 4ft (1.22m) in front of his stumps. That nets to a typical distances of about 55 feet between delivery point and bat. In baseball, pitcher's release point could be about 53 feet depending on his delivery style, but the batter also tends to stand back or "deep" in the batter's box, to maximize his time to "look the ball over", up to 2 feet farther from the pitching rubber than the point of home plate is. Thus the delivery distance, from release of the ball by the pitcher/bowler to its arrival at the batter/batsman, is almost identical in both sports.

Play

Fielding

Main articles: Baseball positions, Baseball positioning, Fielding (cricket)

A view of the playing field at Busch Memorial Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri.

Baseball games have far lower scores than cricket matches. The largest combined runs total in a single game in the history of major league baseball is 49, whereas cricket matches frequently produce combined totals of over a thousand runs. Each run in a baseball game is on a magnitude of roughly seventy-five times the magnitude of a run in a cricket match; therefore moments of poor pitching (akin to bowling in cricket) and individual fielding mistakes are much more costly. A player who is a good batter, but who is not a competent fielder, will not play regularly, or only in the designated hitter position in leagues that use it. There are 9 fielding positions in baseball. ... Normal depth In baseball, while there are nine named fielding positions, players may move around freely. ... It has been suggested that Fielding strategy (cricket) be merged into this article or section. ... Image File history File links Busch_stadium. ... Image File history File links Busch_stadium. ... Busch Memorial Stadium, or Busch Stadium was the home of the St. ... Nickname: Gateway City, Gateway to the West, or Mound City Motto: Official website: http://stlouis. ... This article or section needs additional references or sources to improve its verifiability. ...

Baseball players must often throw immediately after catching the struck ball (for example, the double play), while this is unnecessary in cricket due to the ball being "dead" when an "out" is achieved. After stepping on second base, the fielder throws to first to complete a double play In baseball, a double play (denoted on statistics sheets by DP) for a team or a fielder is the act of making two outs during the same continuous playing action. ...

A One Day International cricket match

in progress at the Eden Park. The lighter strip is the cricket pitch.]] Another major difference between the two sports is that the fielders in cricket are not allowed to use any sort of protection for the hands – padded or otherwise, in spite of the balls being of similar hardness. The only exception to this rule in cricket is made for the wicket-keeper, who is allowed to wear padded gloves as well as leg guards. In baseball, catchers wear mitts (which have no fingers), and first basemen may wear them. The other fielders wear gloves (which have fingers). Early baseball was also played bare-handed; gloves were adopted in the latter 19th Century. Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (2592 × 1944 pixel, file size: 1. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (2592 × 1944 pixel, file size: 1. ... A One-day International (ODI) cricket match is a one-day cricket match played between two international teams each representing a particular country. ... Eden Park is the main sports ground in Auckland, New Zealand for both rugby union during winter, and cricket in summer. ... Cricket pitch (not to scale) A wicket consists of three stumps that are placed into the ground, and topped with two bails. ...

Pick-off attempt on runner (in red) at first base

Body contact between runner and fielder is frequent in baseball, particularly at home plate. This is driven to a large extent by the manner in which a runner is put out. In both sports, rules prohibit interfering with runners. However, in baseball, the runner himself (or the base he is advancing to, if forced) must be tagged by a fielder holding the ball, in order to be put out. The catcher awaiting a throw will often stand between the plate and the runner. Once he catches it, the runner might try to go around the catcher, or he might simply bowl the catcher over, if he thinks he can dislodge the ball by such contact; and if the catcher does not have the ball, the runner may still bowl the catcher over, which is considered fair because by rule a fielder without a ball cannot impede a runner. By contrast, in cricket, an out is made by the ball dislodging the bails from the stumps. The stumps are the target for "tagging" rather than the runner. No contact of the runners is either necessary or allowed. Contact between opposing sides is rare, and a matter for embarrassment and finger pointing. Caption: 040229-N-8629D-070 USA Stadium, Millington, Tenn. ... Caption: 040229-N-8629D-070 USA Stadium, Millington, Tenn. ...

Batting

Main articles: Batting (cricket), Batting (baseball)

The follow-through in a baseball swing.

There are many possibilities for a batsman in cricket.

Because the cricket bat is wide and flat, while the baseball bat is narrow and round, on the whole cricket batsmen find it easier to hit and direct the ball than baseball batters. While bowlers can influence the ability of the batsmen to do so, perhaps the most famous episode being the now-banned Bodyline tactic, cricket batsmen are able to use a wider variety of batting strokes to direct the ball in many directions into a field which provides much more open space than in baseball. In addition, cricket batsmen are under no obligation to attempt to score a run after any stroke, but must strike balls in order to prevent them from hitting the wicket. Many strokes are in fact defensive in nature against a well-bowled ball. Finally, cricket fielders play barehanded, which limits to some extent their ability to catch balls and dismiss batsmen, For example, some balls will be beyond their reach when similar balls can be caught by baseball fielders wearing large gloves which extend their reach. Similarly, barehanded fielding allows less room for error. Andrew Strauss batting for England during the 2005 NatWest Series In the sport of cricket, batting is the act or skill of hitting the cricket ball with a cricket bat in order to score runs without getting out. ... Barry Bonds batting Photo:Agência Brasil In baseball, batting is the act of facing the opposing pitcher and trying to produce offense for ones team. ... Batter at baseball. ... Batter at baseball. ... Image File history File links Cricket_shots. ... Image File history File links Cricket_shots. ... A cricket bat is used by batsmen in the sport of cricket. ... Four historically significant baseball bats showcased in the National Baseball Hall of Fames traveling exhibit Baseball As America. ... Bill Woodfull evades a Bodyline ball. ...

By contrast, the balance of power is largely reversed in baseball. While particularly skilled batters have some ability to place hit and direct the ball to desired locations, the pitcher's influence is much more dramatic. Pitchers induce more ground outs, fly outs, or strikeouts, depending on the style of pitch. Thus particular pitchers are known for causing batters to make certain kinds of outs, depending on their mastered pitches. Also, in contrast to cricket, baseball batters must attempt to take first base on any ball put into fair territory, and failing to do so will result in an out, but the size of the strike zone more strictly limits the set of deliveries that must be swung at compared to cricket. Like cricket, baseball batters do have a defensive tactic available; many batters will often attempt to deliberately foul off pitches that are strikes yet difficult to hit well, by hitting them into foul territory, awaiting an easier delivery later in the at-bat. Since an uncaught foul ball cannot be a third strike (unless it was a bunt attempt), this tactic allows the batter to receive more pitches.

In the early generations of baseball, the emphasis was mostly on bat control, place hitting, bunting, etc. Starting in 1919, several factors resulted in a dramatic change in strategic direction, from "small ball" to the "power game": a "livelier" ball, due to better materials and a tighter weave; more frequent substitutions of new balls; lighter, more flexible bats; the outlawing of the spitball; and the increase in attendance which drove owners to build more outfield seating, thus reducing the outfield area significantly. The power game has been encouraged further in recent years, by the construction of new ballparks with smaller outfields than previously, and even the reduction of field size at "classic" ballparks known for spacious outfields; for example, the distance to the fence in deep left field at Yankee Stadium was reduced from 430 feet to 399 feet between 1984 and 1988. A spitball is a baseball pitch in which the ball has been altered by the application of spit, petroleum jelly, or some other foreign substance. ... This is about the stadium the New York Yankees currently play in. ...

The games emphasize power hitting to different degrees. Cricket requires the accumulation of large quantities of runs, so placement of the ball between the fielders produces runs quickly and is a better strategy than "swinging for sixes"^{[citation needed]}. In baseball, it is power hitting that produces runs more quickly and frequently^{[citation needed]}, forcing pitching changes and other fielding moves. Teams that rely more on "manufacturing runs" or "small ball" typically score fewer runs in a game^{[citation needed]}, and require a superior pitching staff in order to quell opponents who emphasize the power game more^{[citation needed]}. But game situations can compel changes in strategy. The final play of the 2001 World Series was a bloop single to drive in the winning run. Batter Luis Gonzalez stated in the Series DVD commentary that he choked up on the bat and went for a single, a small ball strategy with a much greater likelihood of success than "swinging for the fences". Dates October 27, 2001–November 4, 2001 MVP Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling (Arizona) Television network FOX Announcers Joe Buck and Tim McCarver Umpires Steve Rippley, Dana DeMuth, Dale Scott, Mark Hirschbeck, Jim Joyce, Ed Rapuano The 2001 World Series (the November Series) took place between the Arizona Diamondbacks and... Luis Gonzalez is a common personal name that can refer to different people: Luis Emilio González (baseball outfielder): a Major League Baseball player for the Los Angeles Dodgers Luis González (baseball infielder): a Major League Baseball utility player, currently playing in Japan. ...

Bowling/pitching

A cricket ball

Main articles: pitching (baseball) and bowling (cricket)

Cricket bowlers, since they are not restricted to a small strike zone as their target, also use a wide variety of approaches which are not available to baseball pitchers. These involve varying the line and length of deliveries and using unpredictable movement caused by the ball bouncing on the pitch before it reaches the batsman. Baseball pitchers, by contrast, must use changes in ball speed and movement caused only by air friction and spin to deceive batters, as most pitches which come near touching the ground are ineffectively allowed to pass as balls. Furthermore, pitchers must begin their throw from a stationary position, while bowlers may run up to their delivery. Baseball pitchers also throw from an elevated mound (10 inches/25.4 cm above the level of home plate), while cricket bowlers are at the same height as the batsman and must bowl with an overarm rotation of the arm during which the arm must be kept straight. Despite the differences in delivery action, the delivery speeds are similar for both sports with the fastest bowlers and pitchers propelling the ball in the region of 95 mph (153 km/h)-100 mph (160 km/h): the fastest recorded cricket delivery is 100.2 mph with baseball's record marginally quicker at 103 mph (166 km/h)^{[citation needed]}. Download high resolution version (1830x1530, 414 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (1830x1530, 414 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... A baseball pitcher delivers the ball to home plate In baseball, pitching is the act of throwing the baseball from the pitchers mound toward the catcher with the goal of retiring a batter who attempts to make contact with it, or draw a walk. ... Darren Gough bowling In the sport of cricket, bowling is the action of propelling the ball toward the wicket defended by a batsman. ... Strike zone boundaries (MLB) Definition In baseball, the strike zone is a conceptual rectangular area over home plate which defines the boundaries through which a pitch must pass in order to count as a strike when the batter does not swing. ... Line and length in cricket refers to the direction and point of bouncing on the pitch of a delivery. ... Strike zone boundaries (MLB) Definition In baseball, the strike zone is a conceptual rectangular area over home plate which defines the boundaries through which a pitch must pass in order to count as a strike when the batter does not swing. ...

n.b- one main difference however is that the ball in cricket is harder and heavier in weight. The legal weight for the ball in baseball is not to be under 5 ounces but never to be over 5 and a 1/4 ounces. The ball in cricket must weigh between 5.5 ounces to 5.8 ounces.

Cricket's bowlers are grouped into different categories based on their bowling style—pacemen, seamers, off-spinners (or finger-spinners), leg-spinners (or wrist-spinners)—though a bowler may fall into more than one category (pace and seam bowling, for instance, largely overlap). Baseball's pitchers are grouped primarily by their throwing hand (left or right) and their usual role in games (a starting pitcher begins a game and usually pitches five or more innings, while a relief pitcher enters later in a game and usually pitches fewer innings, and some even specialize further strictly as closers brought in for the final one or two innings of a game); they are sometimes secondarily grouped according to pitching style, type of pitch most often used, or velocity. However, there are many different variations on how the pitch is actually delivered, this includes the conventional overhand and 3/4 styles as well as the less common sidearm and submarine deliveries. Fast bowling, sometimes known as pace bowling, is one of the two main approaches to bowling in the sport of cricket. ... Seam bowling is a phrase used for a cricket bowling technique whereby the ball is deliberately bowled onto its seam, to cause a random deviation. ... Off spin is a type of bowling in the sport of cricket which is bowled by an off spinner, a right-handed spin bowler who uses his or her fingers to spin the ball from a right-handed batsmans off side to the leg side (that is, towards the... Finger spin is a style of bowling in the sport of cricket. ... Animation of a leg break. ... Wrist spin is a style of bowling in the sport of cricket. ... In baseball or softball, a starting pitcher, often abbreviated as starter, is the pitcher who pitches the first pitch to the first batter of a game. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Mariano Rivera is the closing pitcher for the New York Yankees. ...

A baseball

The typical bowling action of a fast bowler.

In addition, if a baseball batter is struck with a pitch, he is awarded first base; "hitting" the batter includes hitting loose parts of his uniform without hitting his body (baseball rules specify that a player's person includes his uniform and equipment). Pitchers may throw close to the batters, and a "brushback" is often used as an intimidation tactic. Deliberately hitting a batter is fairly uncommon, however, chiefly because it is punished severely. If the umpire believes a batter was intentionally hit, the umpire has his discretion on a first offense to warn both benches that the pitcher for either team will be expelled from the game if there are any further hit batsmen (the one baseball term in which "batsman" is used). The warning—and the power to expel if it is contravened—is intended not only to protect batters but to avert fighting; being hit by a fastball is taken seriously by batters, and bench-clearing brawls occasionally result when one team decides the other is deliberately throwing at its batters. Cleanup of image:baseball. ... Cleanup of image:baseball. ... Image File history File links Bowling_action. ... Image File history File links Bowling_action. ... The position of the first baseman First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that players team. ... For the American band of the same name, see Fastball (band). ...

In cricket, bowlers consider the right to hit batsmen as part of their armoury; indeed, one of the most common methods of dismissal (leg before wicket) requires the bowler to hit the batsman's body rather than his bat. A fast bowler will punctuate his overs with deliveries intended to bounce up toward the batsmen's head, either to induce a poor shot from self-defence, or to intimidate the batsmen, making him less likely to play forward to the next few deliveries for fear of injury. These tactics have long been an accepted part of cricket. In the modern game, batsmen usually wear helmets and heavy padding, so that being struck by the ball only rarely results in significant injury—though it is nevertheless often painful, sometimes causing concussion. Baseball players wear helmets, but they are smaller than cricketers' and unsecured. An equivalent ball to striking the batter in baseball would be a beamer, where the ball hits the batman's upper body area without bouncing first. These are extremely rare and usually caused by the ball slipping out of the top of the bowler's hand. The even rarer intentional beamer provokes a pretty strong reaction from batsman and crowd alike. In the sport of cricket, leg before wicket (LBW) is one of the ways in which a batsman can be dismissed. ... In the sport of cricket, a bouncer (or bumper) is a type of delivery, usually bowled by a fast bowler. ... In the terminology of the game of cricket, a beamer (less commonly beam ball) is a type of delivery in which the ball, without bouncing, passes above the batsmans waist height. ...

The typical motion of a baseball pitcher.

There is a major difference in the way in which different bowlers or pitchers contribute to a single game. In baseball, a single pitcher starts the game, and makes every pitch until a point where the coach replaces the tiring pitcher with a relief pitcher. Replaced pitchers cannot return to pitch again in the same game (unless they are shuttled to another position in the field and thus stay in the lineup, a move rarely done in the major leagues), and a succession of pitchers may come into the game in sequence until it ends. In cricket, multiple bowlers begin the game, with those not actively bowling spending time as fielders. Bowlers alternate bowling overs of six balls each, moving to fielding positions to rest before returning to bowl again later in the game. Although moving a pitcher to a fielding position and returning him to pitch later in the game is legal in baseball, it is a rarely used and potentially risky strategy, as the pitcher may be unprepared to play another position. Image File history File links Baseball_pitching_motion_2004. ... Image File history File links Baseball_pitching_motion_2004. ... In the sport of cricket, an over is a set of six consecutive balls bowled in succession. ...

The terms "bowling" and "pitching", as words, both denote underarm deliveries, as were once required in both games. The rules for delivery were also initially very similar. Once overhand deliveries were permitted in the respective sports, and pitchers were compelled to toe the pitching rubber instead of throwing from anywhere within the "pitcher's box", the actions of bowling and pitching diverged significantly.

The "wide" in cricket and the "ball" in baseball both derive from the concept of a "fair" delivery, i.e. a delivery that the batter or batsman has a fair chance of making contact with his bat. While there is no sharply defined "strike zone" in cricket as there is in baseball, in both cases the umpire must judge whether the ball was delivered fairly. Both the "wide" and the "ball" result in a "penalty". In cricket, a single run is charged. In baseball, a ball is called, and if a pitcher gives up four balls the batter is awarded first base. In extreme circumstances, a wide or ball could lead to a cricket match or baseball game respectively being decided.
In the sport of cricket, a wide is one of two things: The event of a ball being delivered by a bowler too wide or high to be hit by the batsman, and ruled so by the umpire. ... Strike zone boundaries (MLB) Definition In baseball, the strike zone is a conceptual rectangular area over home plate which defines the boundaries through which a pitch must pass in order to count as a strike when the batter does not swing. ...

Running

Running plays a much larger role in baseball because of the low scoring, because runners may remain in play (that is, on the bases) without scoring, and because baserunners can advance to the next base before the ball is hit again (steal the base) as soon as the ball is live. Base stealing often requires sliding, in which the runner throws himself to the ground to avoid both being tagged and overrunning the base. The runner may also deliberately slide into the fielder at the base he is trying to steal to keep him from catching the ball or to disrupt a double play. At home plate the runner often will simply, and legally, run into a catcher who is blocking the baseline but who does not have the ball (a defensive player may not impede the runner unless he has the ball or is in the process of catching it). The all-time stolen base leader, Rickey Henderson, swipes third in 1988. ... Ty Cobb sliding into first base at Comiskey Park in 1913. ...

The equivalent in cricket is almost impossible because the bowler is next to the runner, and in fact used to be able to mankad him if he strayed out of his crease; nowadays the batsman can leave the crease when the bowler's back foot touches the ground during his delivery action without risk of being 'Mankaded'. Tactical running in cricket rarely strays beyond the consideration of "can I make it to the other end before the ball does", while in baseball, steals, sacrificial running, forces, double plays, intimidation, and physical contact enter into the equation. Mulvantrai Himmatlal Mankad (12 April 1917-21 August 1978), better known as Vinoo Mankad, was an Indian cricket player. ...

Making contact with a fielder, as baserunners often do, would be unsportsmanlike in cricket, and unnecessary, as play stops when a single wicket is taken. Occasionally a cricket runner will dive over the crease, but in baseball this is a regular occurrence, as players are frequently forced to run even when their chances are slim.

Since a team almost always scores fewer runs in a baseball game than its number of outs (indeed, it will have fewer runners than its number of outs), a baserunner will frequently take risks attempting to advance an extra base or score a run, resulting in close plays at a base. In cricket, since the number of runs scored is much greater than the number of wickets taken in a match, a batsman would be very foolish to risk getting run out in an attempt to score an extra run without a very high expected chance of success. Run out is a method of dismissal in the sport of cricket. ...

Strategy

The normal fielding arrangement in baseball.

A wide array of factors affect both games (from composition of the pitch or field soil to weather conditions, wind, and moisture) and numerous strategies in both games can be employed to exploit these different factors. Other than the bowler, cricket places very few restrictions on fielding placement, even for the wicket-keeper, and its variety of bowling styles, 360 degrees of open field, wide bowling area (target zone), and so on provide for strategic play. One notable exception would be the limit of two fielders in the leg side quadrant, introduced to prevent the use of Bodyline tactics. Baseball has very specific rules about the positions of the pitcher and the catcher at the start of each play. The positioning of the other seven fielders is as flexible as cricket, except that each one must start the play positioned in fair territory. The fielders are otherwise free to position themselves anywhere on the playing field, at their discretion based on the game situation. Image File history File links Baseballpositioning-normal. ... Image File history File links Baseballpositioning-normal. ... 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 limit the number of runs that the batsman scores or get the batsman out by catching the ball or running the batsman... This article describes the unit of angle. ... Bill Woodfull evades a Bodyline ball. ...

Batting first or last

In cricket, the team that wins the coin toss has the choice of batting first or last. This is comparable to games such as American football, in that the team winning the toss may have a variety of reasons for wanting to take the batting or the fielding position first. Playing conditions and the specific talents of the respective teams figure into the decision. In baseball, the "home" team always bats last. This was not originally the case. In the early years, the winner of a coin toss could decide whether to bat first or last. By the late 1800s, the rule was fixed. At a "neutral" site, the "home" team may be decided by coin toss, but that "home" team must bat last. United States simply as football, is a competitive team sport that is both fast-paced and strategic. ...

Fielding strategy

Cricket strategy requires creative use of the many possible fielding positions.

In baseball, though only the positions of pitcher and catcher are prescribed by the rules, fielders' positions are dictated closely by custom, and shifts in fielders' positions according to circumstance are less dramatic; the strike zone and smaller angle of fair territory limit the usefulness of some strategies which cricket makes available to batsmen. The chief occasion on which fielding placement differs markedly from the usual is the presence of a pull, or dead-pull, hitter at bat (such hitters almost never, except on the rare occasion of a fluke or mishit, hit the ball in any direction except towards the same side of the field as they stand at the plate, i.e. a right-handed pull hitter hits everything toward left field). In such case the fielders will move so far in the direction of the pull that one half of the field is almost completely unprotected. This is called an overshift. A six-man infield has also been used when circumstances warrant. For the great majority of batters, however, the traditional fielding arrangement is used, with minor changes in position to accommodate the batter's power or bat-handling ability, the location of runners, or the number of outs. (For example, with a base runner on third the importance of fielders being able to throw quickly to home plate on a bunt is increased, and the infielders will play closer to home plate.) Image File history File links Cricket_fielding_positions2. ... Image File history File links Cricket_fielding_positions2. ... In baseball, a fair ball is a batted ball that has not yet become a foul ball, and that. ...

In cricket, coaches cannot intervene or direct gameplay; the captain must make all the calls once the players are out on the field, and the coach is reduced to a mere spectator. In baseball, by contrast, managers and coaches will often direct the players (through hand signals) to carry out a play (such as a stolen base or hit and run), or to field at a particular depth. 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. ... New York Yankees manager Joe Torre returning to the dugout (September 2005) In baseball, the head coach of a team is called the manager (or more formally, the field manager); this individual controls matters of team batting order to more closely communicate with baserunners, but most managers delegate this responsibility... The all-time stolen base leader, Rickey Henderson, swipes third in 1988. ... A hit and run is a play in baseball where the baserunners are put in motion before the ball is hit and the batter attempts to make contact with the pitch. ...

Strategy over the course of the game

In both sports strategy varies with the game situation. In baseball, pitcher, batter and fielders all play far differently in the late innings of a close game (e.g., waiting for walks, trying for stolen bases or the squeeze play to score a decisive run) than they do early, or when one team has already scored many more runs than the other (where batters will be likely to swing at many more pitches and try for home runs). The number, speed, and position of baserunners, which have no equivalent in cricket, all dramatically change the strategies used by pitcher and batter. In leagues which do not allow designated hitters, strategic thinking also enters into substitutions. For example, substitutions of pitchers often are combined with substitution of another player who takes the pitcher's traditional spot in the batting order so that the pitcher will come to bat later (pitchers are almost uniformly poor hitters). Since players may not return to the game after being substituted for, a manager cannot take lightly the decision when and if to substitute a better-fielding but worse-hitting player if his team is ahead. In baseball, the squeeze play is a technique invented by New York Yankees manager Jake Reid in the 1931 World Series. ... Homerun redirects here. ...

First-class cricket also has a number of strategic elements not found in baseball simply because the maximum time duration of the game is fixed (which can be up to five days for Test cricket) and a match not completed by the end of the time duration results in a draw regardless of the relative score. By contrast, baseball games are played to completion regardless of the time duration and there is no possibility for a tie or draw (outside of exhibition games, or in Japan, where games are declared ties after 12 innings^[1][2]). There are no equivalents in baseball, for example, of deciding when to declare or to make your opponent follow on. First-class cricket matches are those between international teams or the highest standard of domestic teams in which teams have two innings each. ... For the womens version of the game, see Womens Test cricket. ... 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 sport of cricket a declaration occurs when a captain declares his teams innings closed and a forfeiture is when a captain chooses to forfeit an innings. ... Follow-on is a term (noun and verb) used in the sport of cricket. ...

Strategy based on the playing surface

The condition of the playing strip (the pitch) in cricket is of vital significance as, unlike baseball, the ball is deliberately bounced on the pitch before reaching the batsman. While in baseball, playing conditions between different stadia are much the same (except for perhaps small differences in the dimensions of the field, whether the outfield is fast or slow, and if the field is grass or artificial turf), the physical characteristics of the cricket pitch can vary over the course of the game, or from one field to another, or from one country to another. On the Indian subcontinent, for instance, pitches tend to be dry, dusty and soft. These pitches offer less assistance to fast bowlers because the ball tends to bounce slower and lower, where most fast bowlers rely on bounce and speed to defeat the batsman. On the other hand, spin bowlers prefer this surface because it gives greater traction to the ball and will result in the ball breaking or turning more when it hits the surface. Such a pitch is usually called a "turner". Conversely, pitches in Australia tend to be hard, true surfaces, called "batting wickets" or "roads" because the ball bounces uniformly and thus batsman find it easier to score runs, although these wickets suit fast bowlers more than spinners. Accordingly, teams are generally much harder to beat in their own country, where both their batters and bowlers are presumably suited to the types of pitches encountered there. On any given pitch, however, conditions will become more suitable for spinners as time progresses and the pitch becomes softer and worn through use, making the spin bowler something of a cricketing "closer". Cricket pitch (not to scale) A wicket consists of three stumps that are placed into the ground, and topped with two bails. ...

Baseball parks are not completely uniform, however. Stadiums with retractable roofs, for example, usually play differently with and without the roof. For example, with the roof open the wind will affect how far the ball carries. Against a running team the basepaths may be heavily watered. Many stadiums have idiosyncratic features – for example, the short right field and high left field wall (called the Green Monster) at Fenway Park, the hill and flagpole in the outfield (Tal's Hill) at Minute Maid Park, or numerous "porches" (parts of the grandstands hanging over the outfield, such as the "Short Porch in Right" at Yankee Stadium) which allow short home runs. The altitude of the stadium (most notably Coors Field) can also impact the distance a batted ball travels and the amount of ball movement a pitcher can generate with his deliveries, although recently balls have begun being placed in humidors at high-altitude parks to negate these effects. The baseball behaves differently in those stadiums with artificial turf as well. The amount of moisture in the dirt on the basepaths can also affect the behavior of ground balls and the ease with which players may steal bases; some teams are known to alter the amount of watering done to the dirt depending on the skills of the home and visiting team. The amount of foul territory is also an important variable, since foul pop-ups that would be outs in some parks (e.g. McAfee Coliseum) may end up in the stands in other parks, thereby allowing the batter to remain at the plate (e.g. Fenway Park and Coors Field). On the whole, though, these variations do not produce effects as great as variations in cricket pitches, with one arguable exception being Coors Field. This article is about the left-field wall at Fenway Park. ... Fenway redirects here. ... Tals Hill at Minute Maid Park Tals Hill at Minute Maid Park, Houston Texas, is a 90-foot wide, 30-degree incline hill in center field. ... Minute Maid Park (formerly Enron Field and Astros Field) is a baseball stadium in Houston, Texas, that opened in 2000 to house the Houston Astros. ... This is about the stadium the New York Yankees currently play in. ... Coors Field, located in Denver, Colorado is the home field of the National Leagues Colorado Rockies. ... A humidor is being prepared for use An Elie Bleu Medaille in blue A humidor is any kind of box or room with constant humidity (and often temperature as well) used to store cigars or pipe tobacco. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... For other uses, see Coliseum. ...

Strategy based on batting order

The batting order in baseball must be declared before the game begins, and can only be changed if a substitution occurs. Batting out of turn is a rule violation resulting in a penalty. When a manager makes a substitution, the new player must occupy the same place in the batting order as the old one. To allow more complicated changes in batting order, managers may use the double switch, substituting for two players simultaneously. This is typically used to replace the pitcher but put the new pitcher in a spot in the batting order that will not come up to bat soon, previously occupied by another fielder (pitchers are almost uniformly poor hitters). However, the rule remains that no individual player can ever change his position in the batting order within the same game. This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... In baseball, a sequence of nine players bat in order, taking turns in an attempt to become a runner and reach base or to help preceding runners to score. ... In baseball, the double switch is a type of player substitution. ...

Unlike baseball, the batting order in cricket is not fixed, and can be changed at any time, provided each player bats at most once. This gives rise to the "pinch hitter" in cricket - a non-specialist batsman promoted up the order to get quick runs -, and the "night watchman". This latter is typically a non-batsman promoted up the order at the end of the day to avoid a better batsman having to make two cold starts, a particular risk. In cricket, the batting order is the sequence in which batsmen go to the crease to bat. ...

The roles of individual players in the batting order are strikingly similar. In both sports, the players near the top of the batting order are considered superior batters or batsmen. The initial batters or batsmen generally specialize in avoiding making outs, while the third through fifth batters and batsmen are considered their team's best at providing runs. After that, the talent generally drops off, with the pitchers and bowlers generally being the worst at batting. However, since in baseball a batter who puts the ball in play does not get another at-bat until the entire batting order is cycled through, the opposing team may pitch around a skilled batter, walking him or otherwise relying on getting other batters out. In cricket, a batsman remains at the pitch until he is out (or the team is all out or declares), and the other team must bowl to him until he is out. The exception is if the player is injured and has to leave the field for treatment, the next batter in the order will take his place. If the original batsman is able to continue later on, he can join the game again when one of his teams batsmen is out.

Game length

Baseball games are much shorter than cricket games. Most Major League Baseball games last between two-and-a-half and four hours. Minor league and amateur games tend to be shorter due to fewer innings being played and/or the lack of television commercial breaks. Test Cricket games can last up to five days. The shorter version of the game (termed one-day games) usually lasts from five to seven hours, but can sometimes continue for longer than eight hours. Major Leagues redirects here. ... For the organization which many minor leagues belong to, see Minor League Baseball Part of the History of baseball series. ... A night match at Old Trafford. ...

A new form of cricket, called Twenty20 for its innings of twenty overs per team, has recently and successfully debuted in domestic and international competitions. The average time it takes to play an individual game of Twenty20 cricket is similar to the amount of time it takes to play a game of baseball, around two-and-a-half to three hours. Twenty20 is a form of cricket, originally introduced in the United Kingdom for professional inter-county competition by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), in 2003. ...

Equipment

Wicket-keeping gloves worn only by the wicket-keeper in cricket.

Baseball players use thin, round bats and wear gloves to field, while cricketers use wide, flat bats and field barehanded (except for the wicket-keeper, who wears gloves and protective leg pads). In cricket a batsman wears protective gear such as pads, gloves, thigh pads, helmet, an arm pad and a box (which is used to protect the groin area), whereas the only required protective gear for baseball batters is an unsecured helmet (as required in major league baseball rule 1.16); many batters also use elbow, shin, or ankle protectors, and many use batting gloves (similar to golf gloves) to aid grip. Image File history File links A pair of Wicket Keeping Gloves used by Wicket Keepers in Cricket. ... Image File history File links A pair of Wicket Keeping Gloves used by Wicket Keepers in Cricket. ...

A typical cricket bat made of wood (willow).

Another difference between the two sports involves the condition of the ball as a match progresses. In cricket, if a ball is hit into the stands, the spectators must return it to the field. Also, a ball that is scuffed or scratched will continue in use; a ball must be used for a minimum number of overs (currently 80 in Test cricket) before it can be replaced. If a ball is damaged, lost, or illegally modified, it is replaced by a used ball of similar condition to the old one. Finally, cricketers are allowed to use natural substances (e.g. saliva and sweat) to modify the ball, and may polish it on their uniforms, although they cannot deliberately scratch the ball. In Major League Baseball, a ball that is hit into the stands is often not returned to play; spectators are free to keep any balls that come into their possession (although local tradition, rather than the rulebook, may provide for a ball to be thrown back). ImageMetadata File history File links Cricket_Bat. ... ImageMetadata File history File links Cricket_Bat. ...

Because baseball hitting is difficult, baseball rules prohibit the deliberate scratching or scuffing of a ball, or the application of any foreign substance that could conceivably affect the flight or visibility of a ball. Balls that are deliberately made more difficult to hit by applying foreign substances are often known as spitballs, regardless of the specific substance applied (such as vaseline). Both spitballs and those that become scuffed or scratched due to normal game play are immediately removed from play and never reused. The current rules regarding the condition of baseballs did not come into effect until 1920 due to the death of Ray Chapman after being hit with a Carl Mays spitball. Prior to that point, the rules were similar to those still present in cricket. However, the new rules were not consistently enforced for several decades afterwards, and several pitchers (most notably Gaylord Perry) built careers around skirting these rules, doing such things as hiding nail files in their gloves or putting Vaseline on the underside of their hats. Because of financial or practical limits on the supply of fresh balls, enforcement of these rules is much more limited in minor league and amateur baseball games, where balls become worn and scuffed (and darkened) in the course of play; even so, use of the spitball is universally forbidden. The only substance applied to a baseball is the Delaware River mud formula that umpires rub in before a game to remove the "shine" from the ball and improve its grip. The pitcher is also allowed to use rosin on his hands (via a rosin bag) to improve his grip, and to blow on his hands in cold weather. A spitball is a baseball pitch in which the ball has been altered by the application of spit, petroleum jelly, or some other foreign substance. ... Year 1920 (MCMXX) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display 1920) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Raymond Johnson Chapman (January 15, 1891 – August 17, 1920) was an American baseball player, spending his entire career as a shortstop for Cleveland. ... Carl Mays Carl William Mays (November 12, 1891 - April 4, 1971) was one of the better right-handed pitchers in Major League Baseball from 1916-1926, but he is best remembered for throwing the pitch that struck Ray Chapman in the head on August 16, 1920, making Chapman the first... Gaylord Jackson Perry (born September 15, 1938 in Williamston, North Carolina) is a former right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball and a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame. ... Petroleum jelly or petrolatum is a byproduct of the refining of petroleum, made from the residue of petroleum distillation left in the still after all the oil has been vaporized. ...

Statistics

Both games have a long history of using a vast array of statistics. Every play in baseball is logged, and from the log, or scoresheet, is derived a summary report of times at bat, base hits, RBIs, stolen bases, errors, strikeouts and other occurrences. These are then often used to rate the player. Although cricket uses statistics as a guide they are not always considered a true reflection of the player. Ian Botham is noted as a player who, despite relatively poor averages, was particularly noted as one of England's greatest cricketers for his ability to dominate games.^[3] This article is about the field of statistics. ... In baseball statistics, a hit (denoted by H), sometimes called a base hit, is credited to a batter when he safely reaches first base after batting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielders choice. ... RBI is a three-letter abbreviation with multiple meanings, including Reserve Bank of India Run batted in, in baseball Radio Berlin International This page concerning a three-letter acronym or abbreviation is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... The all-time stolen base leader, Rickey Henderson, swipes third in 1988. ... In baseball, an error is the act, in the judgment of the official scorer, of a fielder misplaying a ball in a manner that allows a batter or baserunner to reach one or more additional bases, when such an advance should have been prevented given ordinary effort by the fielder. ... For the typographical mode indicating deleted text, see Strikethrough. ... Sir Ian Terence Botham, OBE, (born 24 November 1955) is a retired England Test cricketer and Test team captain, and current cricket commentator. ...

In baseball, questioning of the validity and utility of conventional baseball statistics has led to the creation of the field of sabermetrics, which assesses alternatives to conventional statistics. Baseball statistics are also considered by many to descend frequently into triviality. Furthermore, conclusions are often drawn from inadequate samples – for example, the frequent assertions that a batter has done poorly against a specific pitcher when they have only faced each other a handful of times. This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Culture

Children playing cricket on a makeshift pitch in a park. It is common in many countries for people to play cricket on such pitches and makeshift grounds.

Both sports play an important part in the culture of the societies in which they are popular. Baseball is deeply ingrained in the American psyche, and is known in the United States as "the national pastime". It is the sport most readily identified with the United States, by Americans and non-Americans alike. Baseball references abound in American English, and the sport is well represented in the quintessentially American art form of cinema in numerous baseball movies. Baseball also plays important cultural roles in Canada and in many parts of Latin America, (more specifically Cuba, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Venezuela), as well as in Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan. Image File history File linksMetadata Cricket_Scene_Sarhad. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Cricket_Scene_Sarhad. ... For other uses, see American English (disambiguation). ... A baseball movie refers to a sports film belonging to a genre where the game of baseball is prominently featured in the plot. ... Latin America consists of the countries of South America and some of North America (including Central America and some the islands of the Caribbean) whose inhabitants mostly speak Romance languages, although Native American languages are also spoken. ...

Cricket is an equally strong influence on the culture of many nations, especially Commonwealth nations, including India, Pakistan, England and Wales, Australia, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Bangladesh, Kenya, Zimbabwe and the English-speaking Caribbean. It is regarded by many people as the most English of sports. It unifies many of the religions and cultures of the Commonwealth, encouraging friendly relations between sometime hostile nations. The Commonwealth of Nations as of 2007 Headquarters Marlborough House, London, UK Official languages English Membership 53 sovereign states Leaders  -  Queen Elizabeth II  -  Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma Appointed 24 November 2007 Establishment  -  Balfour Declaration 18 November 1926   -  Statute of Westminster 11 December 1931   -  London Declaration 28 April 1949  Area  -  Total... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... This article is about the country. ... Roadtown, Tortola The term British West Indies refers to territories in and around the Caribbean which were colonised by Great Britain. ...

Many terms and expressions from each sport have entered the English lexicon. Examples are "getting to first base," "coming out of left field," "having two strikes against him/her," "it's not cricket," "had a good innings."

Cricket has long been established on the international stage, especially among the colonies and former colonies of the United Kingdom and is followed by far more people. The ten Test-playing nations regularly participate in tours of other nations to play usually both a Test and One Day International series. Twenty20 is becoming more popular in international competition. The amateur game has also been spread further afield by expatriates from the Test-playing nations. Many of these minor cricketing nations (including the USA and Canada and other nations, such as the Netherlands, which do not have a British heritage) compete to qualify for the Cricket World Cup. The very first international cricket match was played between the USA and Canada.[3] [4] Baseball in a similar way has also been spread around the world, most notably in Central America, and east Asia (in Canada it developed as a traditional sport). Though baseball has not yet made its mark in professional international competition, its popularity is slowly growing around the world, especially with the emergence of competitions like the World Baseball Classic. Members of the International Cricket Council. ... For the womens version of the game, see Womens Test cricket. ... A One-day International (ODI) cricket match is a one-day cricket match played between two international teams each representing a particular country. ... Twenty20 is a form of cricket, originally introduced in the United Kingdom for professional inter-county competition by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), in 2003. ... The Cricket World Cup is the premier international championship of mens One-Day International (ODI) cricket. ... The World Baseball Classic, sometimes abbreviated WBC, is an international baseball tournament, first held in March 2006. ...

The nature of the top elite level in both sports differs markedly. Nearly all cricket revenue comes from international matches, and domestic leagues serve largely as a development ground for international players. By contrast nearly all baseball revenue comes from domestic leagues, most notably in the US and Japan, with international competition very much an afterthought.

Cricket's international programme gives weaker cricketing nations the chance to play against the best in the world, and the players have the chance to become national heroes. On the other hand, the dominance of national teams also means that a great many talented Cricketers in nations such as Australia and India will never receive recognition or prestige unless they make it into the national team.

Standards of sportsmanship differ. In cricket, the standard of sportsmanship has historically been considered so high that the phrase 'it's just not cricket' was coined in the 19th Century to describe unfair or underhanded behavior in any walk of life. In the last few decades though, cricket has become increasingly fast paced and competitive, increasing the use of appealing and sledging, although players are still expected to abide by the umpires' rulings without argument, and for the most part they do. Even in the modern game fielders are known to signal to the umpire that a boundary was hit, despite what could have been a spectacular save (though this may well be that they will be found out by the TV umpire anyway). In addition to this, some cricket batsmen have been known to "walk" when they think they are out even if the umpire does not declare them out. This is considered a very high level of sportsmanship, as a batsman can easily take advantage of incorrect umpiring decisions. Sledging is the practice in cricket of insulting opponents to break their concentration and cause them to make mistakes. ...

In baseball, a player correcting an umpire's call, to his own team's detriment is unheard of, at least at the professional level. Individual responsibility and vigilance are part of the game's tradition. It is the umpire's responsibility to make the right call, and matters of judgment are final. Similarly, when a runner misses a base or leaves too early on a caught fly ball, the umpire keeps silent, as it is the fielder's responsibility to know where the runners are and to make an appeal. When a fielder pretends not to know where the ball is (the "hidden ball trick"), the umpire keeps silent, as it is the runner's responsibility to know where the ball is. Sportsmanship in baseball is at times more concerned than cricket with showing respect for one's opponents; for example, stealing bases when one's team has a big lead, running slowly round the bases following a home run, celebrating an out, laughing on the field when well ahead, taunting the other team, or otherwise embarrassing it, are considered gross breaches of sportsmanship.

Words and concepts in common

An innings, or inning, is a fixed-length segment of a game in any of a variety of sports – most notably baseball and cricket – during which one team attempts to score while the other team attempts to prevent the first from scoring. ... One of the worlds leading off-spin bowlers Muttiah Muralitharan sends down another delivery A bowler in the sport of cricket is usually a player whose speciality is bowling, analogous to a pitcher in baseball. ... Darren Gough bowling In the sport of cricket, bowling is the action of propelling the ball toward the wicket defended by a batsman. ... This article is about the player in baseball. ... Warwickshire batsman Mike Powell A batsman in the sport of cricket is, depending on context: Any player in the act of batting. ... Barry Bonds batting Photo:Agência Brasil In baseball, batting is the act of facing the opposing pitcher and trying to produce offense for ones team. ... In baseball, being hit by a pitch refers to the batter being hit in some part of the body by a pitch from the pitcher. ... A foot (plural: feet or foot;[1] symbol or abbreviation: ft or, sometimes, ′ – a prime) is a unit of length, in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... This article is about the unit of length. ... An inch (plural: inches; symbol or abbreviation: in or, sometimes, ″ - a double prime) is the name of a unit of length in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... A wicket keeper in characteristic position, ready to face a delivery. ... The position of the catcher Catcher is also a general term for a fielder who catches the ball in cricket. ... Boundary has two distinct meanings in the sport of cricket. ... Boundary has two distinct meanings in the sport of cricket. ... Homerun redirects here. ... In baseball, the rules state that a batted ball is considered in flight when it has not yet touched any object other than a fielder or his equipment. ... Run out is a method of dismissal in the sport of cricket. ... Caught is a method of dismissing a batsman in the sport of cricket. ... Bowled is a method of dismissing a batsman in the sport of cricket. ... In the sport of cricket, leg before wicket (LBW) is one of the ways in which a batsman can be dismissed. ... For other uses, see Stump (disambiguation). ... Hit wicket is a method of dismissal in the sport of cricket. ... Handled the ball is a method of dismissal in the sport of cricket. ... Hit the ball twice is a method of dismissal in the sport of cricket. ... Obstructing the field is a rare method of dismissal in the sport of cricket. ... Timed out is a method of dismissal in the sport of cricket. ... In baseball a tag out, sometimes just called a tag, is a play in which a baserunner is out because he is touched by the fielders hand holding a live ball while the runner is in jeopardy. ... In baseball, the rules state that a batted ball is considered in flight when it has not yet touched any object other than a fielder or his equipment. ... In baseball, a force play or force out, referred to as a force when the possibility of such a play exists, is a situation when a baserunner is compelled to vacate his time-of-pitch base because the batter became a runner. ... In baseball, a strikeout or strike out (denoted by K or SO) occurs when the batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. ... Alex Rodriguez commits interference, 2004 In baseball, interference is an infraction where a person illegally changes the course of play from what is expected. ... In the sport of cricket, an appeal is the act of a player on the fielding team asking an umpire for a decision regarding whether a batsman is out or not. ... The laws of cricket are a set of rules framed by the Marylebone Cricket Club which serve to standardise the format of cricket matches across the world to ensure uniformity and fairness. ... In baseball, an appeal play occurs when a member of the defensive team calls the attention of an umpire to an infraction which he would otherwise ignore. ... A leg break is a type of delivery in the sport of cricket. ... An off break is a type of delivery in the sport of cricket. ... In cricket, an indipper is a delivery that curves into a right-handed batsman before the ball pitches (bounces on the pitch). ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... A common grip of a slider a pitcher uses In baseball, a slider is a pitch halfway between a curveball and a fastball. ... In baseball, a cutter, or cut fastball, is a type of fastball which breaks slightly as it reaches home plate. ... For the hip-hop group from Queensbridge, see Screwball (group). ... In the sport of cricket, a wide is one of two things: The event of a ball being delivered by a bowler too wide or high to be hit by the batsman, and ruled so by the umpire. ... Strike zone boundaries (MLB) Definition In baseball, the strike zone is a conceptual rectangular area over home plate which defines the boundaries through which a pitch must pass in order to count as a strike when the batter does not swing. ... In baseball, an error is the act, in the judgment of the official scorer, of a fielder misplaying a ball in a manner that allows a batter or baserunner to reach one or more additional bases, when such an advance should have been prevented given ordinary effort by the fielder. ... M*A*S*H, see Sticky Wicket (M*A*S*H episode). ... Cricket pitch (not to scale) A wicket consists of three stumps that are placed into the ground, and topped with two bails. ... The baseball diamond of the San Diego Padres PETCO Park, seen from the stands. ... The laws of cricket are a set of rules framed by the Marylebone Cricket Club which serve to standardise the format of cricket matches across the world to ensure uniformity and fairness. ... Little League Baseball - Logo Little League pitcher in Winesburg, Ohio Little League, Wayne, Michigan Little League Baseball is the name of a non-profit organization in the United States which organizes local childrens leagues of baseball and softball throughout the USA and the rest of the world. ... This article or section needs additional references or sources to improve its verifiability. ... In the terminology of the game of cricket, a beamer (less commonly beam ball) is a type of delivery in which the ball, without bouncing, passes above the batsmans waist height. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Strike zone boundaries (MLB) Definition In baseball, the strike zone is a conceptual rectangular area over home plate which defines the boundaries through which a pitch must pass in order to count as a strike when the batter does not swing. ... An innings, or inning, is a fixed-length segment of a game in any of a variety of sports – most notably baseball and cricket – during which one team attempts to score while the other team attempts to prevent the first from scoring. ...

References

1. ^ Jim Allen's Japanese Baseball Page. Retrieved on 2007-10-26.
2. ^ The Baseball Guru - Japanese Baseball Primer. Retrieved on 2007-10-26.
3. ^ Ian Botham. Cricinfo. Retrieved on 2006-10-10.

• Sundaram, Venkat (2003). Cricket Coaching Handbook. Sun Protecs Private Limited. ISBN 81-88746-00-2.