Bowler Shaun Pollock bowls to batsman Michael Hussey. The paler strip is the cricket pitch. The two sets of three wooden stumps on the pitch are the wickets. The two white lines are the creases.

A Test match between South Africa and England in January 2005. The men wearing black trousers on the far right are the umpires. 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.

A One-Day International match at The Melbourne Cricket Ground between Australia and India. The batsmen are wearing yellow, while the fielding team is wearing blue.

Cricket is a bat-and-ball sport contested by two teams, usually of eleven players each.^[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 (20.12 m) long, called a cricket pitch. A wicket, usually made of wood, is placed at each end of the pitch. Subfamilies See Taxonomy section Crickets, family Gryllidae (also known as true crickets), are insects somewhat related to grasshoppers and more closely related to katydids or bush crickets (family Tettigoniidae). ... Cricket can mean: Cricket (insect) Cricket (sport) Beach cricket Car cricket Club cricket County cricket French cricket First-class cricket Indoor cricket Kwik cricket List A cricket One-day cricket One-day international cricket Short form cricket Test cricket Cricket (darts) Cricket (airplane) Cricket (magazine) Plymouth Cricket, an automobile Cricket... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1178x531, 134 KB) worked on of [1] File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1178x531, 134 KB) worked on of [1] File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Darren Gough bowling In the sport of cricket, bowling is the action of propelling the ball toward the wicket defended by a batsman. ... Shaun Maclean Pollock (born July 16, 1973 in Port Elizabeth) is a South African cricketer who is considered a bowling all-rounder. ... 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. ... Michael Edward Killeen Hussey (born 27 May 1975, Morley, Western Australia) is an Australian cricketer. ... Cricket pitch (not to scale) A wicket consists of three stumps that are placed into the ground, and topped with two bails. ... This article is about the cricket term. ... In the sport of cricket, the crease is the area demarcated by white lines painted or chalked on the field of play. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (3008x2000, 1317 KB) South Africa vs England, Jan 2005, Test Day 3 http://www. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (3008x2000, 1317 KB) South Africa vs England, Jan 2005, Test Day 3 http://www. ... For the womens version of the game, see Womens Test cricket. ... Germanic trousers of the 4th century found in the Thorsberg moor, Germany Early use of trousers in France: a sans-culotte by Louis-Léopold Boilly. ... An umpire in cricket (from the Old French Nompere meaning not equal, i. ... First-class cricket matches are those between international teams or the highest standard of domestic teams in which teams have two innings each. ... Club cricket is an amateur, but still formal, form of the sport of cricket, usually involving teams playing in a competition. ... Cricket ball A cricket ball is a hard, solid ball used to play cricket. ... A night match at Old Trafford. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1280x960, 391 KB) Australia v India 1st ODI at the MCG, Jan 2004 http://www. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1280x960, 391 KB) Australia v India 1st ODI at the MCG, Jan 2004 http://www. ... One-Day International (ODI) is a form of cricket, which is played over 50 overs per side between two national cricket teams. ... “MCG” redirects here. ... Cricket batsman A batsman in the sport of cricket is a player whose speciality in the game is batting. ... Bat and Ball Games are games that are played using a wooden bat and a ball. ... Womens Australian rules football is a team sport. ... In geometry, an oval or ovoid (from Latin ovum, egg) is any curve resembling an egg or an ellipse. ... A yard (abbreviation: yd) is the name of 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. ... Cricket pitch (not to scale) A wicket consists of three stumps that are placed into the ground, and topped with two bails. ... M*A*S*H, see Sticky Wicket (M*A*S*H episode). ...

The bowler, a player from the fielding team, bowls a hard, fist-sized cricket ball from the vicinity of one wicket towards the other. The ball usually bounces once before reaching the batsman, a player from the opposing team. In defence of the wicket, the batsman plays the ball with a wooden cricket bat. 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. 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. Runs are also scored if the batsman hits the ball to the boundary of the playing area. The match is won by the team that scores more runs. Muttiah Muralitharan bowling 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. ... Cricket ball A cricket ball is a hard, solid ball used to play cricket. ... Warwickshire batsman Mike Powell A batsman in the sport of cricket is, depending on context: Any player in the act of batting. ... A cricket bat is used by batsmen in the sport of 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 limit the number of runs that the batsman scores or get the batsman out by catching the ball or running the batsman... In the sport of cricket, a dismissal occurs when the batsman is out (also known as taking a wicket). ... In the sport of cricket, a run is the basic unit of scoring. ... A traditional boundary rope. ...

Cricket has been an established team sport for hundreds of years and is one of the most popular sports in the world. It originated in its modern form in England and is most popular in the present and former members of the Commonwealth. In the countries of South Asia, including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, cricket is the most popular sport. It is also a major sport in England, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Zimbabwe and the English-speaking countries of the Caribbean, which are collectively known in cricketing parlance as the West Indies. There are also well-established amateur club competitions in countries as diverse as the Netherlands, Kenya, Nepal and Argentina, among others. For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... The Commonwealth of Nations as of 2006 Headquarters Marlborough House, London, UK Official languages English Membership 53 sovereign states Leaders  -  Queen Elizabeth II  -  Secretary-General Don McKinnon (since 1 April 2000) Establishment  -  Balfour Declaration 18 November 1926   -  Statute of Westminster 11 December 1931   -  London Declaration 28 April 1949  Area  -  Total... Map of South Asia (see note on Kashmir). ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... West Indies redirects here. ... Learie Constantine, was one of the first great West Indian players. ...

The sport is followed with passion in many different parts of the world. It has 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 series, played between England and Australia in the early 1930s (which led to a temporary deterioration in relations between the two countries). This article is about negotiations. ... Basil Lewis DOliveira (born 4 October 1931) is a retired cricketer. ... Bill Woodfull evades a Bodyline ball. ... The logo of the England Cricket Team which shows the three Lions of England below a five-pointed crown The England cricket team is a cricket team which represents England and Wales, operating under the auspices of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). ...

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. A run is scored when both batsmen successfully move to their respective opposite ends of the pitch. (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.^{[citation needed]} Image File history File links Cricketball. ... Image File history File links Cricketball. ... ImageMetadata File history File links Cricket_Bat. ... ImageMetadata File history File links Cricket_Bat. ... In the sport of cricket, a run is the basic unit of scoring. ... Cricket pitch (not to scale) A wicket consists of three stumps that are placed into the ground, and topped with two bails. ...

The aim of the bowler's team is to get each batsman out (this is called a "taking a wicket", or a "dismissal"). 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. 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. 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.B.W." or "lbw") if the ball strikes the batsman's body and would have gone on to hit the wicket. 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").^{[citation needed]} In the sport of cricket, a dismissal occurs when the batsman is out (also known as taking a wicket). ... In the sport of cricket, the term stump has three different meanings: part of the wicket, a manner of dismissing a batsman, and the end of the days play (stumps). // The stumps are three vertical posts which support two bails. ... 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. ... In the sport of cricket, the crease is the area demarcated by white lines painted or chalked on the field of play. ... Caught 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. ...

The game is divided into overs of six (legal) balls. At the end of an over another bowler from the fielding side bowls from the other 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. In the sport of cricket, an over is a set of six consecutive balls bowled in succession. ...

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. 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.) At the end of an innings, the two teams exchange roles, and the side that has been fielding bats. An inning, or innings, are fixed-length segments 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. ... This article is about the sport. ... 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. ...

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 before it has reached the total required to win, it is said to have "lost by n runs" (where n is the difference between the number of runs scored by the teams). 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". The result in a game of cricket may be a win for one of the two teams playing, a draw or a tie. ...

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. 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. ... 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. 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. 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 cricket or Twenty-20 cricket match interrupted by weather or other circumstance. ...

Laws of cricket

For more details on this topic, see Laws of cricket.

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. 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. 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. ... Lords 2005 The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), founded in 1787, is a private members club and was the original governing body of cricket in England and across the world. ...

Players and officials

Players

For more details on this topic, see Cricketer.

A team consists of eleven players. Depending on his or her primary skills, a player may be classified as a specialist batsman or bowler. 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. 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. A cricketer is a term used to refer to a person who plays cricket. ... Warwickshire batsman Mike Powell A batsman in the sport of cricket is, depending on context: Any player in the act of batting. ... Muttiah Muralitharan bowling A bowler in the sport of cricket is usually a player whose speciality is bowling, analogous to a pitcher in baseball. ... A wicket keeper in characteristic position, ready to face a delivery. ... 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. 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. An all-rounder is a cricket player who excels at both batting and bowling. ...

Umpires

For more details on this topic, see Umpire (cricket).

Two on-field umpires preside over a match. One umpire will stand behind the end of the pitch from which the ball is bowled, and adjudicate on most decisions. The other (the "square leg umpire") will stand near the fielding position called square leg, which offers a side view of the batsman, and assist on decisions for which he or she has a better view. 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 matches a match referee ensures that play is within the laws of cricket and the spirit of the game. The third umpire and referee do not take the field during play. An umpire in cricket (from the Old French Nompere meaning not equal, i. ... An umpire in cricket (from the Old French Nompere meaning not equal, i. ... 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... Brett Lee looks on as the third umpire ponders his decision. ... 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 which serve to standardise the format of cricket matches across the world to ensure uniformity and fairness. ...

Scorers

For more details on this topic, see Scorer.

Two scorers are appointed; usually, one is provided by each team. 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. 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. A scorer in the sport of cricket is someone appointed to record all runs scored, all wickets taken and, where appropriate, number of overs bowled. ... A scorer in the sport of cricket is someone appointed to record all runs scored, all wickets taken and, where appropriate, number of overs bowled. ... This article is about the field of statistics. ...

The Melbourne Cricket Ground during the 1992 Cricket World Cup.

Image File history File linksMetadata MCG_stadium. ... Image File history File linksMetadata MCG_stadium. ... The Cricket World Cup is the premier international championship of mens One-Day International (ODI) cricket. ...

The playing field

For more details on this topic, see Cricket field.

The cricket field consists of a large, often circular or oval-shaped, grassy ground. There are no fixed dimensions for the field but its diameter usually varies between 450 feet (137 metres) and 500 feet (150 metres). On most grounds, a rope marks the perimeter of the field and is known as the boundary. The cricket field consists of a large circular or oval-shaped grassy ground. ... Circle illustration This article is about the shape and mathematical concept of circle. ... 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. ... DIAMETER is a computer networking protocol for AAA (Authentication, Authorization and Accounting). ... For other uses, see Foot (disambiguation). ... A traditional boundary rope. ...

The pitch

For more details on this topic, see Cricket pitch.

A wicket consists of three stumps that are hammered into the ground, and topped with two bails.

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. Cricket pitch (not to scale) A wicket consists of three stumps that are placed into the ground, and topped with two bails. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... M*A*S*H, see Sticky Wicket (M*A*S*H episode). ... For other uses, see Stump (disambiguation). ... 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. ... Image is not to scale Enhanced/Modified by: User:Squash Made in: The GIMP Based on Image:Wick2wickmswd. ... Image File history File links Cricket_pitch. ... As a unit of measurement within the Imperial system, the chain (surveyors chain, Gunters chain) is defined as 22 yards, 66 feet, or four rods. ...

At each end of the pitch three upright wooden stakes, called the stumps, are hammered into the ground. Two wooden crosspieces, known as the bails, sit in grooves atop the stumps, linking each to its neighbour. Each set of three stumps and two bails is collectively known as a 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. For other uses, see Stump (disambiguation). ... 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. ... This article is about the cricket term. ... Warwickshire batsman Mike Powell A batsman in the sport of cricket is, depending on context: Any player in the act of batting. ... Muttiah Muralitharan bowling A bowler in the sport of cricket is usually a player whose speciality is bowling, analogous to a pitcher in baseball. ...

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. Creases are used to adjudicate the dismissals of batsmen and to determine whether a delivery is legal. In the sport of cricket, the crease is the area demarcated by white lines painted or chalked on the field of play. ... In the sport of cricket, a dismissal occurs when the batsman is out (also known as taking a wicket). ...

A typical cricket field.

Image File history File links Cricket_field_parts. ... Image File history File links Cricket_field_parts. ...

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 (13.7 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. Parallel is a term in geometry and in everyday life that refers to a property in Euclidean space of two or more lines or planes, or a combination of these. ... A yard (abbreviation: yd) is the name of a unit of length in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... Fielding restrictions in the sport of cricket are imposed to encourage the batsman from scoring, enabling them to hit 4s and 6s. ...

Placements of players

For more details on Fielding positions, see fielding positions in cricket.

Fielding positions in cricket for a right-handed batsman. 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". 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... Image File history File links Cricket_fielding_positions2. ... Image File history File links Cricket_fielding_positions2. ... 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... Warwickshire batsman Mike Powell A batsman in the sport of cricket is, depending on context: Any player in the act of batting. ...

The fielding team has eleven players on the ground. One of them is the current bowler. The wicket-keeper, who generally acts in that role for the whole innings, stands or crouches behind the wicket at the batting end. 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. Muttiah Muralitharan bowling A bowler in the sport of cricket is usually a player whose speciality is bowling, analogous to a pitcher in baseball. ... A wicket keeper in characteristic position, ready to face a delivery. ... 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...

Match structure

The toss

For more details on this topic, see toss (cricket).

The two opposing captains toss a coin before the match, and the captain who wins chooses either to bat or bowl first. 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. In the sport of cricket, a coin is tossed to determine which team bats first. ... Coin flipping or coin tossing is the practice of throwing a coin in the air to resolve a dispute between two parties. ...

Overs

For more details on this topic, see Over (cricket).

Each innings is divided into overs, each consisting of six consecutive legal deliveries bowled by the same bowler. For the definition of illegal deliveries, see Extras. No bowler may bowl two consecutive overs, so at the end of the over the bowler must take up a fielding position and let another player bowl. In the sport of cricket, an over is a set of six consecutive balls bowled in succession. ... In the sport of cricket, an over is a set of six consecutive balls bowled in succession. ... Muttiah Muralitharan bowling A bowler in the sport of cricket is usually a player whose speciality is bowling, analogous to a pitcher in baseball. ...

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: In cricket, an innings is declared finished if: Sufficient wickets are taken – all but one of the batsmen are out (dismissed) A team chasing a given target number of runs to win manages to do so A set number of overs are bowled A captain declares his innings closed Match...

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 teams innings closed and a forfeiture is when a captain chooses to forfeit an innings. ...

Playing time

For more details on this topic, see Playing time (cricket).

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. 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, yachting, road cycling and rallying are sometimes longer. ...

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. This article is about weather phenomena. ... For other uses, see Monsoon (disambiguation). ...

Batting

Main articles: batsman and batting (cricket)

Ricky Ponting of Australia batting.

The batsman may play a "shot" or "stroke", attempting to hit the bowled ball with the flat surface of the bat. 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. Warwickshire batsman Mike Powell A batsman in the sport of cricket is, depending on context: Any player in the act of batting. ... 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. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Ricky_Ponting. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Ricky_Ponting. ... Ricky Thomas Ponting (born December 19, 1974, in Launceston, Tasmania) is an Australian cricketer and current captain of the Australia national cricket team (for both One-Day International and Test cricket). ...

Batsmen come in to bat in a batting order, decided by the team captain. 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. In cricket, the batting order is the sequence in which batsmen go to the crease to bat. ...

Run scoring

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

The directions in which a right-handed batsman intends to send the ball when playing various cricketing shots. The diagram for a left-handed batsman is a mirror image of this one.

To score a run, a striker must run to the opposite end of the pitch, while his non-striking partner runs to his end. 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. The score of a cricket team whose innings is in progress is given as the number of runs they have scored for the number of wickets their opponents have taken. ... In the sport of cricket, a run is the basic unit of scoring. ... Image File history File links Cricket_shots. ... Image File history File links Cricket_shots. ... Warwickshire batsman Mike Powell A batsman in the sport of cricket is, depending on context: Any player in the act of batting. ... In the sport of cricket, a run is the basic unit of scoring. ...

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. The batsman may ground the bat, provided he or she is holding it. In the sport of cricket, the crease is the area demarcated by white lines painted or chalked on the field of play. ... Run out is a method of dismissal in the sport of cricket. ...

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).

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. ... 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

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

Andrew Flintoff of England bowling.

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. If the elbow straightens illegally then the square-leg umpire may call no-ball. The current laws allow a bowler to straighten his arm 15 degrees or less. Muttiah Muralitharan bowling 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. ... In cricket, at the start of an innings the bowling team opens its bowling by using their pace bowlers first. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (418x764, 88 KB) crop of [1] File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (418x764, 88 KB) crop of [1] File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Andrew Flintoff, MBE, (born 6 December 1977, Preston, Lancashire) is a cricketer who plays for Lancashire and England. ... In the sport of cricket, an extra is a run scored by a means other than a batsman hitting the ball. ...

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. 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. In the sport of cricket there are two broad categories of bowlers: pace bowlers and spin bowlers. ... 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).

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. In the sport of cricket, a dismissal occurs when the batsman is out (also known as taking a wicket). ...

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 six are 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. 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. 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 misses the bat and strikes the batsman's leg, pad or body, and the umpire judges that the ball would otherwise have struck the stumps. 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. 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. 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. (Law 39)
6. Hit wicket — When the batsman accidentally 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. 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. 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. 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. 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 (If the delay is protracted, the umpires may cause the match to be forfeited). This rule prevents the batting team using time limits of the game to unfair advantage. No player is credited with the dismissal. (Law 31)

Additionally, a batsman may leave the field without being dismissed. For instance, if he is injured or taken ill, this is known as retired hurt or retired ill. The batsman is not out; he may return to bat later in the same innings if sufficiently recovered. Also, an unimpaired batsman may retire, in which case he is treated as being dismissed retired out; no player is credited with the dismissal. 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. ... Run out is a method of dismissal in the sport of cricket. ... For other uses, see Stump (disambiguation). ... Spin bowling, sometimes known as slow bowling, is a technique used for bowling in the sport of cricket. ... 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. ... 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 players at the start of the game. ... 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 players at the start of the game. ... In cricket, a batsman retires out he retires without the umpires 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. 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. Run out is a method of dismissal in the sport of cricket. ...

Fielding

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. The wicket-keeper is the only fielder permitted to wear gloves. A fielder may stop the ball with any part of his body. 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... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into fielding (cricket). ...

A pair of wicket-keeping gloves.

The wicket-keeper is a specialist fielder who stands behind the batsman's wicket. 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. 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. The wicket-keeper is also the only person who can get a batsman out stumped. 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 wicket keeper in characteristic position, ready to face a delivery. ... In the sport of cricket, an extra is a run scored by a means other than a batsman hitting the ball. ... In the sport of cricket, a slip fielder (collectively, a slip cordon) is placed fairly close in on the off side of a batsman. ... For other uses, see Stump (disambiguation). ...

Other roles

Captain

For more details on this topic, see Role of a cricket captain.

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". 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. 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. In cricket, the captain is the most important member of the team. ... 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... Coin flipping or coin tossing is the practice of throwing a coin in the air to resolve a dispute between two parties. ... One-Day International (ODI) is a form of cricket, which is played over 50 overs per side between two nati