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For more information regarding the current Cricket world cup, see 2007 Cricket World Cup

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.

A view of an international Twenty20 match (between England and Sri Lanka) at the Rose Bowl stadium. Twenty20 matches usually start in the evening and last around two-and-a-half to three hours.

Cricket is a bat and ball sport played between two teams, usually of eleven players each. A cricket match is played on a grass field (which is usually roughly oval), in the centre of which is a flat strip of ground 22 yards (20.12 m) long, called a pitch. At each end of the pitch is a set of three parallel wooden stakes (known as stumps) driven into the ground, with two small crosspieces (known as bails) laid on top of them. This wooden structure is called a wicket. A player from the fielding team (the bowler) bowls a hard, fist-sized cork-centred leather ball from one wicket towards the other. The ball usually bounces once before reaching a player from the opposing team (the batsman), who defends the wicket from the ball with a wooden cricket bat. The batsman, if he or she does not get out, may then run between the wickets, exchanging ends with the other batsman (the "non-striker"), who has been standing in an inactive role near the bowler's wicket, to score runs. The other members of the bowler's team stand in various positions around the field as fielders. The match is won by the team that scores more runs. {{Taxobox // | color = pink | name = Gryllidae | image = Snodgrass Gryllus assimilis. ... 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... The 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup is a mens cricket tournament currently taking place in the West Indies, using the sports one-day international format; it started on 13 March and will run to 28 April 2007. ... 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 bowling all-rounder. ... A professional cricket match 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. ... A Test match in progress. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Pants. ... 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. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (5071x1676, 1192 KB) England v Sri Lanka, Twenty20 International Thursday 15 June 2006 http://www. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (5071x1676, 1192 KB) England v Sri Lanka, Twenty20 International Thursday 15 June 2006 http://www. ... A view of the Twenty20 match between England and Sri Lanka at the rose bowl. ... The main pavilion at the Rose Bowl. ... 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. ... The metre, or meter (U.S.), is a measure 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). ... Muttiah Muralitharan bowling A bowler in the sport of cricket is usually a player whose speciality is bowling, analogous to a pitcher in baseball. ... 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. ... 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. ... 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...

Cricket has been an established team sport for hundreds of years. It originated in its modern form in England and is popular mainly 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 places such as England and Wales, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Bermuda, 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; there are over one hundred cricket-playing nations recognised by the International Cricket Council.^[1] Motto: (French for God and my right) Anthem: God Save the King/Queen Capital London (de facto) Largest city London Official language(s) English (de facto) Unification    - by Athelstan AD 927  Area    - Total 130,395 km² (1st in UK)   50,346 sq mi  Population    - 2006 est. ... The Commonwealth of Nations (CN), usually known as The Commonwealth, is a voluntary association of 53 independent sovereign states all of which are former colonies of the United Kingdom, except for Mozambique and the United Kingdom itself. ... This article is about the geopolitical region in Asia. ... This article is about the country. ... West Indian redirects here. ... Learie Constantine, was one of the first great West Indian players. ... ICC logo The International Cricket Council (ICC) is the governing body for international Test match and One-day International cricket. ...

The sport is followed with passion in many different parts of the world. It has even occasionally given rise to diplomatic outrage, the most notorious being the Basil D'Oliveira affair which led to the banning of South Africa from sporting events. Other examples include the Bodyline series, played between England and Australia in the early 1930s, and the 1981 underarm bowling incident involving Australia and New Zealand. Diplomat redirects here. ... 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). ... Trevor Chappell bowls underarm An infamous incident involving an underarm delivery occurred on February 1, 1981 when Australia were playing New Zealand in a One-day International, the third of five cricket matches in the final of the Benson & Hedges World Series Cup at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. ...

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 sides.

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 (wicket). (The batsmen will usually only attempt to score runs after the striker has hit the ball, but this is not necessary.) Runs are also scored if the batsman propels the ball to the boundary of the playing area (six runs if the ball reaches the boundary without touching the ground, otherwise four runs), or if the bowler commits some infringement. Image File history File links Cricketball. ... Image File history File links Cricketball. ... In the sport of cricket, a run is the basic unit of scoring. ... Pitch may refer to: Look up Pitch in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... M*A*S*H, see Sticky Wicket (M*A*S*H episode). ...

The aim of the bowler's team is to get each batsman out (this is 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 in such a way that it evades the batsman's guard and hits the stumps, dislodging the bails. While the batsmen are attempting a run, the fielders may attempt to knock the bails off either set of stumps with the ball before the batsman nearer to that set of stumps has reached the crease. Other ways for the fielding side to dismiss a batsman include catching a struck ball before it touches the ground. 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 a ball or a delivery). 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. ...

The game is divided into overs of six (legal) balls. At the end of an over, the batting and bowling ends will be swapped, and the bowler replaced by a member of the fielding side. The two umpires also change positions at this time, and sometimes the fielding positions are rearranged. In the sport of cricket an over is a series of six consecutive balls bowled by a single bowler. ...

Once out, a batsman is replaced by the next batsman in the team's lineup. The innings (singular) of the batting team will end when the tenth batsman is given out, since there always must be two batsmen on the field. When this happens, the team is said to be all out. (In limited overs cricket the innings end either when the batting team is all out or the predetermined number of overs are bowled.) At the end of an innings, the two teams exchange roles, the fielding team becoming the batting team and vice versa. 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. ... For the insect, see Cricket (insect). ... 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. ...

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, etc.

Results

Main article: The result in cricket

If the team that bats last has all of its batsmen dismissed before it can reach the run total of the opposing team, it is said to have lost by (n) runs (where (n) is the difference between the two run totals). If however, the team that bats last exceeds the opposing team's run total before its batsmen are dismissed, it is said to have won by (n) wickets, where (n) is the difference between the number of wickets conceded and 10. The result in a game of cricket may be a win for one of the two teams playing, a draw or a tie. ...

If, in a two-innings-a-side match, one team's combined first and second innings total fails to reach its opponent's first innings total, there is no need for the opposing team to bat again and it is said to have won by an innings and (n) runs, where (n) is the difference between the two teams' totals.

If all the batsmen of the team batting last are dismissed with the scores exactly equal then the match is a tie; ties are very 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 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 is often used to recalculate a new target score. A one-day match can 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, an extended period of bad 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 match interrupted by weather or other circumstance. ...

Laws of cricket

The game is played in accordance with 42 laws of cricket, which have been developed by the Marylebone Cricket Club in discussion with the main cricketing nations. Teams may agree to alter some of the rules for particular games. Other rules supplement the main laws and change them to deal with different circumstances. In particular, there are a number of modifications to the playing structure and fielding position rules that apply to one innings games that are restricted to a set number of fair deliveries. 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

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. Of late, the role of specialist fielder has also become important in a team. Each team is headed by a Captain who is responsible of taking the major decisions in the field. 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. ... 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... Captain is a nautical term, an organizational title, and a rank in various uniformed organizations. ...

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 and valuable players; most players focus on either their batting or their bowling. In cricket, an all-rounder is a player who is good at both batting and bowling. ...

Umpires

Two on-field umpires preside over a match. One umpire (the field umpire) will stand behind the wicket at the end 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, they may refer a decision to an off-field third umpire, who has the assistance of television replays. In international matches an off-field match referee ensures that play is within the laws of cricket and the spirit of the game. 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

Two scorers are appointed, and most often one scorer 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 umpire, 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. ... Template:Otherusescccc A graph of a bell curve in a normal distribution showing statistics used in educational assessment, comparing various grading methods. ...

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

The cricket field consists of a large circular or oval-shaped grassy ground. There are no fixed dimensions for the field but its diameter usually varies between 450 feet (137 m) to 500 feet (150 m). On most grounds, a rope demarcates 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. ... An oval or ovoid was originally an egg shape (from Latin OVVM); it is now usually used to refer to ellipses, but can also mean any similar shape, such as egg shapes or race-course shapes (a semicircle on either side of a quadrilateral). ... For other uses, see Lawn (disambiguation). ... DIAMETER is an AAA protocol (Authentication, Authorization and Accounting) succeeding its predecessor RADIUS. // The name is a pun on the RADIUS protocol, which is the predecessor (a diameter is twice the radius). ... For other uses, see Foot (disambiguation). ... Coils of rope used for long-line fishing A rope (IPA: ) is a length of fibers, twisted or braided together to improve strength for pulling and connecting. ... Boundary has two distinct meanings in the sport of cricket. ...

The 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). Cricket pitch (not to scale) A wicket consists of three stumps that are placed into the ground, and topped with two bails. ... Enhanced/Modified by: User:Squash Made in: The GIMP Based on Image:Cricketstumpsmswd. ... Enhanced/Modified by: User:Squash Made in: The GIMP Based on Image:Cricketstumpsmswd. ... M*A*S*H, see Sticky Wicket (M*A*S*H episode). ... In the sport of cricket, the term stump has three different meanings: 1. ... 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. ...

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. 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. In the sport of cricket, the term stump has three different meanings: 1. ... 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. ...

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 standard cricket ground.

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

Parts of the field

For a one-innings match played over a set number of fair deliveries, 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

The standard fielding positions in cricket for a right-handed batsman. The spots are only indicative. Only nine fielders are available in addition to the bowler and wicketkeeper, so there are always many unprotected areas.

The team batting 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 all eleven of its players on the ground, and at any particular time, one of these will be the bowler. The player designated as bowler must change after every over. The wicket-keeper, who generally acts in that role for the whole match, 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 to cover most of the area. Their placement may vary dramatically depending on strategy. Each position on the field has a unique label. Muttiah Muralitharan bowling A bowler in the sport of cricket is usually a player whose speciality is bowling, analogous to a pitcher in baseball. ... In the sport of cricket an over is a series of six consecutive balls bowled by a single bowler. ... 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... 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

The two opposing captains toss a coin before the match, and the captain winning the toss chooses either to bat or bowl first. This decision will be 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

Each innings is divided into overs, each consisting of six consecutive legal (see "Extras" for details) deliveries bowled by the same bowler. After completing an over, the bowler must take up a fielding position and let another player take over the bowling. In the sport of cricket an over is a series of six consecutive balls bowled by a single bowler. ... In the sport of cricket an over is a series of six consecutive balls bowled by a single bowler. ... Muttiah Muralitharan bowling A bowler in the sport of cricket is usually a player whose speciality is bowling, analogous to a pitcher in baseball. ...

After every over, the batting and bowling ends are swapped, and the field positions are adjusted. The umpires swap so the umpire at the bowler's end moves to square leg, and the umpire at square leg moves to the new bowler's end.

End of an innings

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 (the others being incapacitated either through injury, illness or absence)  — again, the team are said to be all out.
3. The team batting last reaches the score required to win the match.
4. The predetermined number of overs are bowled (in a one-day match only, usually 50 overs).
5. A captain declares his team's innings closed (this does not apply to one-day limited over matches).

Playing time

Typically, two innings matches are played over three to five days with at least six hours of cricket being played each day. One innings matches are usually played over one day for six hours or more. There are formal intervals on each day for lunch and tea, and shorter breaks for drinks, where necessary. 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 only played in dry weather. Additionally, as in professional cricket it is common for balls to be bowled at over 90 mph (144 km/h), the game needs to be played in daylight that is good enough for a batsman to be able to see the ball. Play is therefore halted during rain (but not usually drizzle) and when there is bad light. 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 played in the summer. In the West Indies, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh games are played in the winter. In these countries the hurricane and monsoon season coincides with their summers. Miles per hour is a unit of speed, expressing the number of international miles covered per hour. ... Kilometres per hour (American spelling: kilometers per hour) is a unit of both speed (scalar) and velocity (vector). ... This article is about weather phenomena. ... Monsoon in the Vindhya mountain range, central India A monsoon is a storm whose direction depends on the specific season. ...

Batting and scoring runs

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. ...

Batting

Main articles: batsman and batting (cricket)

Ricky Ponting of Australia batting.

Batsmen strike the ball from the batting crease, with the flat surface of a wooden bat. If the batsman hits the ball with his bat, it is called a shot (or stroke). If the ball brushes the side of the bat it is called an edge or snick. Shots are named according to the style of swing and the direction aimed. As part of the team's strategy, he may bat defensively, blocking the ball downwards, or aggressively, hitting the ball hard to empty spaces in order to score runs. There is no requirement to run if the ball is struck. The batsman also automatically scores runs if he manages to hit the ball to the boundary. Warwickshire batsman Mike Powell A batsman in the sport of cricket is, depending on context: Any player in the act of batting. ... A professional cricket match 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). ... A cricket bat is used by batsmen in the sport of cricket. ...

Batsmen come in to bat in a batting order, decided by the team captain. The first two positions, the "openers", face the most hostile bowling, from fast bowlers at their freshest and with a new ball. After that, the team typically bats in descending order of batting skill, the first five or six batsmen usually being the best in the team. Then follow the all-rounders — bowlers or wicket-keepers who can bat decently — and finally the pure bowlers who rarely score well. This order may be changed at any time during the course of the game. In cricket, the batting order is the sequence in which batsmen go to the crease to bat. ...

Run scoring

The directions in which a right-handed batsman intends to send the ball when playing various cricketing shots.

To score a run, a striker must hit the ball and 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 popping 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. This is known as running between wickets. However, no rule requires the batsman to run upon striking the ball. If the batsmen score an odd number of runs, then they will have swapped ends and their roles as striker and non-striker will be reversed for the next ball, unless the most recent ball marks the end of an over. 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. ...

If a fielder knocks the bails off the stumps with the ball while no batsman is grounded behind the nearest popping crease, the nearest batsman is run out. If the ball reaches the boundary, then runs are automatically scored. A ball that goes over the boundary on the full (without touching the ground) automatically scores six runs. A ball that reaches the boundary after having touched the ground automatically scores four runs. These runs are scored instead of any runs the batsmen may have already run, and they return to the ends they started at, unless the batsmen have already scored more than they would receive for the boundary. Run out is a method of dismissal in the sport of cricket. ... Boundary has two distinct meanings in the sport of cricket. ...

Extras

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, apart from in Australia where they are also called sundries. Extras consist of byes, leg byes, no balls, wides and penalty runs. The former two are runs that can be scored if the batsman misses making contact with bat and ball, and the latter two are types of fouls committed by the bowler. For serious infractions such as tampering with the ball, deliberate time-wasting, and damaging the pitch, the umpires may award penalty extras to the opposition; in each case five runs. Five penalty runs are also awarded if a fielder uses anything other than his body to field the ball, or if the ball hits a protective helmet left on the field by the fielding team. A team need not be batting in order to receive penalty extras. 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 bye is a run scored by the batting team when the ball has not been hit by the batsman and the ball has not hit the batsmans body. ... In the sport of cricket, a leg bye is a run scored by the batting team when the batsman has not hit the ball with his bat, but the ball has hit the batsmans body or protective gear. ... In the sport of cricket a no ball is an illegal delivery by the bowler. ... 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. ...

Bowling and dismissals

Bowling

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

Andrew Flintoff of England bowling.

A typical bowling action.

A bowler delivers the ball toward the batsmen, using what is known as a bowling action: the elbow may be held at any angle and may bend further, but may not straighten out during the action. If the elbow straightens, it is an illegal throw and the delivery is called a no-ball. Under new cricketing law, after consultation with health experts, the bowler is allowed to straighten his arm 15 degrees or less; if the bowler straightens his arm more than 15 degrees it is called a "no ball". 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 Freddie Flintoff MBE (born 6 December 1977 Preston, Lancashire) is a first class cricketer who plays for Lancashire and England. ... Image File history File links Bowling_action. ... Image File history File links Bowling_action. ...

Usually, the bowler pitches the ball so that it bounces before reaching the batsman. Some part of the bowler's front foot in the delivery stride (that is, the stride when the ball is released) must be behind the popping crease to avoid a no-ball (although the bowler's front foot does not have to be grounded). The ball must also be delivered so it is within the batsman's reach; otherwise it is termed a wide. A wide cannot be called if the batsman hits the ball. A wide or no-ball results in an extra run being added to the batting team's score, and an extra ball being bowled in the over. In the sport of cricket, the crease is the area demarcated by white lines painted or chalked on the field of play. ...

The bowler's primary goal is to take wickets; that is, to get a batsman out or dismissed. If a bowler can dismiss the more accomplished batsmen on the opposing team he reduces the opportunity for them to score, as it exposes the less skillful non-specialist batsmen. The bowler's secondary task is to limit the numbers of runs scored per over bowled. This is known as the Economy rate. There are two main kinds of bowlers: pace bowlers, who attempt to bowl the ball too quickly for the batsman to properly react, and spin bowlers who bowl slower deliveries that bounce and curve in unpredictable ways. In the sport of cricket there are two categories of bowler: pace bowler and spin bowler. ... Fast bowling, sometimes known as pace bowling, is one of the two 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

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, the remaining not-out batsman has run out of partners, at which point 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 his hand which is holding the ball. Of the following ten modes of dismissal, the first six are common, while the last four are technicalities which rarely occur. Briefly, 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 is 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 from 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. ... In the sport of cricket, the term stump has three different meanings: 1. ... 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. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... 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 and wicket-keeping

Main articles: Fielder and Fielding strategy (cricket)

Fielders assist the bowlers in preventing runs, either by taking catches to dismiss a batsman, or by intercepting the ball and returning it to the pitch. The wicket-keeper is the only fielder permitted to wear gloves. A fielder may stop the ball with any part of their 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 throughout the game. His primary job is to gather deliveries that the batsman fails to hit, to prevent them running into the outfield, which would enable batsmen to score byes. To this end, he wears special gloves (he is the only fielder allowed to do so) and pads to cover his lower legs. Due 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 "slips" 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. ...

Other roles

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 will meet and toss a coin; the winner of the toss makes the decision as to 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. During play, the captain decides when to change the bowler and who to replace him with, depending on the situation. The captain is also responsible for the team's fielding positions, and in One-Day Internationals the captain also decides when to make use of Powerplay 2 and 3. 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 national cricket teams. ... A Powerplay is a new rule concerning fielding restrictions in one-day international (ODI) cricket. ...

A runner

In the event of a batsman being fit to bat but too injured to run, the umpires and the fielding captain may allow another member of the batting side to be a runner. If possible, the runner must already have batted. The runner's only task is to run between the wickets instead of the injured batsman. The runner is required to wear and carry exactly the same equipment as the incapacitated batsman. In cricket, a Runner is a team member who runs between the wickets for an injured batsman. ...

Substitutes

In all forms of cricket, if a player gets injured or becomes ill during a match, a substitute is allowed to field instead of him; though he cannot bowl, bat, or act as a captain or wicket-keeper. Here the substitute is a temporary role and leaves the field once the injured player is fit to return. 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. ...

For 9 months from July 2005, the ICC trialled the concept of a Super Sub in One-Day International (ODI) cricket and some other limited overs competitions. A single full substitution was allowed, with the replaced player not allowed to return to the game. It was discontinued from March 2006. Cricket is a team sport played between two teams of eleven. ... One-day International (ODI) is a form of cricket, which is played over 50 overs per side between two national cricket teams. ...

History

Sir Don Bradman is by common consent the greatest batsman in the history of cricket.

Main article: History of cricket

A basic form of cricket can be traced back to the 13th century, but it may have existed even earlier than that. The game seems to have originated among children of the farming and metalworking communities in the Weald between Kent and Sussex. Written evidence exists of a game known as creag being played by Prince Edward, the son of Edward I (Longshanks), at Newenden, Kent in 1300. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (681x885, 200 KB) cricket rox Donald Bradman, australian cricket player. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (681x885, 200 KB) cricket rox Donald Bradman, australian cricket player. ... Sir Donald George Bradman AC (August 27, 1908 — February 25, 2001), often called The Don, was an Australian cricketer who is universally regarded as the greatest batsman of all time. ... The game of cricket has a known history spanning from the 16th century to the present day, with international matches played since 1844, although the official history of international Test cricket began in 1877. ... Farming, ploughing rice paddy, in Indonesia Agriculture is the process of producing food, feed, fiber and other desired products by cultivation of certain plants and the raising of domesticated animals (livestock). ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... A weald once meant a dense forest, especially the famous great wood once stretching far beyond the ancient counties of Sussex and Kent, England, where this country of smaller woods is still called the Weald. ... This article is about the county in England. ... Sussex is a historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. ... Edward II, (25 April 1284 – 21 September? 1327), of Caernarfon, was King of England from 1307 until deposed in January, 1327. ... Edward I (17 June 1239 – 7 July 1307), popularly known as Longshanks[1] and Hammer of the Scots,[2] achieved fame as the monarch who conquered Wales and who kept Scotland under English domination during his lifetime. ... This article is about the county in England. ...

In 1598, a court case referred to a sport called kreckett being played at the Royal Grammar School, Guildford around 1550. The Oxford English Dictionary gives this as the first recorded instance of cricket in the English language. // The Royal Grammar School is an independent public school in Guildford, Surrey, United Kingdom. ... The Oxford English Dictionary print set The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) is a dictionary published by the Oxford University Press (OUP), and is generally regarded as the most comprehensive and scholarly dictionary of the English language. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ...

A number of words are thought to be possible sources for the term cricket. The name may derive from a term for the cricket bat: old French criquet (meaning a kind of club) or Flemish krick(e) (meaning a stick) or in Old English crycc (meaning a crutch or staff). (The latter is problematic, since Old English 'cc' was palatal in pronunciation in the south and the west midlands, roughly ch, which is how crycc leads to crych and thence crutch; the 'k' sound would be possible in the north, however.) Alternatively, the French criquet apparently derives from the Flemish word krickstoel, which is a long low stool on which one kneels in church and which resembles the long low wicket with two stumps used in early cricket. A cricket bat is used by batsmen in the sport of cricket. ... A club is generally an association of people united by a common interest or goal, as opposed to any natural ties of kinship. ... The term Flemish can be a linguistic one, referring to the speech of the Flemings, inhabitants of Flanders, or a geographical one, referring to any attribute of Flanders, but not to its official language, which is exclusively Dutch. ... Look up stick in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Old English (also called Anglo-Saxon) is an early form of the English language that was spoken in parts of what is now England and southern Scotland between the mid-fifth century and the mid-twelfth century. ... // A staff is a large, thick stick or stick-shaped object used to help with walking, as a status symbol, or as a weapon. ... Palatal consonants are consonants articulated with the body of the tongue raised against the hard palate (the middle part of the roof of the mouth). ... Look up stool in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... St. ... M*A*S*H, see Sticky Wicket (M*A*S*H episode). ... In the sport of cricket, the term stump has three different meanings: 1. ...

During the 17th century, numerous references indicate the growth of cricket in the south-east of England. By the end of the century, it had become an organised activity being played for high stakes and it is likely that the first professionals appeared in that period. We know that a great cricket match with eleven players a side was played for high stakes in Sussex in 1697 and this is the earliest reference we have to cricket in terms of such importance. Sussex is a historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. ...

See also: History of cricket to 1696 and History of cricket 1697 - 1725

The game underwent major development in the 18th century and had become the national sport of England by the end of the century. Betting played a major part in that development and rich patrons began forming their own "select XIs". Cricket was prominent in London as early as 1707 and large crowds flocked to matches on the Artillery Ground in Finsbury. The Hambledon Club was founded in the 1760s but its team was already playing first-class matches in 1756. For the next 20 years until the formation of MCC and the opening of Lord's in 1787, Hambledon was the game's greatest club and its focal point. MCC quickly became the sport's premier club and the custodian of the Laws of Cricket. This is a history of cricket from its origins up to the time when it became a major English sport towards the end of the 17th century. ... By the end of the 17th century, cricket had progressed to the point where it was ready to break its bounds as a village pastime and enter the age of great matches. ... Motto: (French for God and my right) Anthem: God Save the King/Queen Capital London (de facto) Largest city London Official language(s) English (de facto) Unification    - by Athelstan AD 927  Area    - Total 130,395 km² (1st in UK)   50,346 sq mi  Population    - 2006 est. ... The earliest definite cricket match at the Artillery Ground took place on 31 August 1730 between teams styled London and Surrey. ... Hambledon (Cricket) Club was formed before 1750 and became prominent by 1756 when it played a series of three matches versus Dartford, which had itself been a major club for at least 30 years. ... First-class cricket matches are those between international teams or the highest standard of domestic teams in which teams have two innings each. ... 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. ... The Media Centre at Lords Cricket Ground Lords Cricket Ground is a cricket ground in St Johns Wood in London. ... 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. ...

See also: History of cricket 1726 - 1815

The 19th century saw underarm replaced by first roundarm and then overarm bowling. Both developments were accompanied by major controversy. The concept of a "champion county" arose in the 1820s and then, starting with Sussex CCC in 1839, county clubs were founded and these ultimately formed a County Championship. See also: History of cricket; History of cricket to 1696; History of cricket 1697 - 1725 This is a stub that will expand into a history of cricket through its years of great development from the end of the 17th Century to the end of the Napoleonic Wars. ... In cricket, underarm bowling is as old as the sport itself. ... In cricket, roundarm bowling is a style that was introduced in the early years of the 19th century to supercede underarm bowling. ... In cricket, overarm bowling refers to a delivery in which the bowlers hand is above shoulder height. ... Sussex field against Derbyshire at Hove on 24 April 2005 The Arthur Gilligan stand at Hove The Pavilion at Hove Crowd leaves the County Ground at Hove Sussex County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major counties which make up the English domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county... The County Championship is the domestic first class cricket competition in the United Kingdom, mainly in England. ...

The first Australian cricket team to tour England was made of indigenous Australian players (1867), a significant event in the history of indigenous Australians as well as in that of cricket

In 1859, a team of England players went on the first overseas tour (to North America) and 18 years later another England team took part in the first-ever Test match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground against Australia. Image File history File links Aboriginal_cricket_team_at_MCG_in_1867. ... Image File history File links Aboriginal_cricket_team_at_MCG_in_1867. ... Australian Aborigines are the indigenous peoples of Australia. ... 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). ... A Test match in progress. ... “MCG” redirects here. ...

The legendary W G Grace started his long career in 1864. It can fairly be said that he revolutionised the sport and did much to ensure its massive popularity. William Gilbert Grace (July 18, 1848–October 23, 1915) was an English cricketer who, by his extraordinary skills, made cricket perhaps the first modern spectator sport, and who developed most of the techniques of modern batting. ...

The last two decades before the First World War have been called the "Golden Age of Cricket". It is almost certainly a nostalgic idea based on the sense of loss brought about by the war, but even so the period did produce some great players and memorable matches, especially as organised competition at county and Test level developed. Ypres, 1917, in the vicinity of the Battle of Passchendaele. ...

The inter-war years were dominated by one player: Don Bradman, statistically the greatest batsman of all time. It was the determination of the England team to overcome his incredible skill that brought about the infamous Bodyline series in 1932/33. Sir Donald George Bradman (August 27, 1908 - February 25, 2001) was an Australian cricket player who is universally regarded as the greatest batsman of all time, and one of Australias greatest popular heroes. ... Bill Woodfull evades a Bodyline ball. ...

Cricket entered an epochal era in 1963, when English counties modified the rules to provide a variant match form that produced a certain result: games with a restricted number of overs per side. This gained widespread popularity and resulted in the birth of One-Day International (ODI) matches in 1971. The governing International Cricket Council quickly adopted the new form and held the first ODI Cricket World Cup in 1975. Since then, ODI matches have gained mass spectatorship, at the expense of the longer form of the game and to the consternation of fans who prefer the longer form of the game. One-day International (ODI) is a form of cricket, which is played over 50 overs per side between two national cricket teams. ... ICC logo The International Cricket Council (ICC) is the governing body for international Test match and One-day International cricket. ... The Cricket World Cup, is the premier international championship of mens One-Day International (ODI) cricket. ...

As of the early 2000s, however, the longer form of cricket is experiencing a growing resurgence in popularity but a new limited overs phenomenon, Twenty20, has made an immediate impact. A view of the Twenty20 match between England and Sri Lanka at the rose bowl. ...

See also: Stoolball

Stool ball is a historical ball game, originating in southern England, where variants are still played in some schools. ...

Forms of cricket

There are many different types and grades of cricket; those played professionally at an international level are Test cricket, One-Day International cricket and Twenty20 cricket. A Test match in progress. ... One-day International (ODI) is a form of cricket, which is played over 50 overs per side between two national cricket teams. ... A view of the Twenty20 match between England and Sri Lanka at the rose bowl. ...

Test cricket

Main article: Test cricket

Test cricket is a form of international cricket started in 1877 during the 1876/77 English cricket team's tour of Australia. The first Test match began on 15 March 1877 and had a timeless format with four balls per over. It ended on 19 March 1877 with Australia winning by 45 runs. The Test cricket series between England and Australia is called The Ashes. Since then, over 1,800 Test matches have been played and the number of Test playing nations has increased to ten with Bangladesh, the most recent nation elevated to Test status, making its debut in 2000. Test matches are two innings per side, and nowadays, over a period of up to a maximum of five days - although matches are sometimes completed early when one side wins well within the time allotted (e.g. in three or four days). In the past, Tests have been played over 3, 4, or 6 days, and some have been 'Timeless' - played to a finish. Tests that are not finished within the allotted time are drawn. A Test match in progress. ... 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). ... March 15 is the 74th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (75th in leap years). ... 1877 (MDCCCLXXVII) was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... March 19 is the 78th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (79th in leap years). ... 1877 (MDCCCLXXVII) was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... The Ashes is a Test cricket series, played between England(the mighty mighty england, barmy army barmy army) and Australia - it is international crickets oldest and most celebrated rivalry dating back to 1882. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Test cricket. ...

One-day cricket

Main articles: Limited overs cricket and One-Day International

Limited overs matches, also known as one day cricket or instant cricket, were introduced in the English domestic season of 1963 due to the growing demands for a shorter and more dramatic form of cricket. One-day, single-innings, matches often took place before this, but the innovation was the limiting of each side's innings to an agreed number of overs (nowadays usually 50). The idea was taken up in the international arena in 1971, during England's tour of Australia, when a match was played on the scheduled fifth day of the rained-off third Test. The one-day game has since become a crowd-pleaser and TV-audience-generator across the globe, hastened in part by the success of the inaugural World Cup in 1975. The abbreviations ODI (One-Day International) or sometimes LOI (Limited Overs International) are used for international matches of this type. Innovations have included the introduction of coloured clothing, distinct tournaments, and "day-night" matches (where play extends into the night under floodlights); together with frequent nail-biting finishes and the impossibility of either side opting to play for a draw, these have seen ODI cricket gain many supporters. The Melbourne Cricket Ground hosts a ODI match between Australia and India. ... One-day International (ODI) is a form of cricket, which is played over 50 overs per side between two national cricket teams. ...

Twenty20 Cricket

Main article: Twenty20

Twenty20 Cricket was first played in English domestic cricket in 2003 to popularise first-class cricket and attract more spectators to the game. Now it has spread to many other countries. A "Twenty20 Game" consists 20 overs per each side, a free-hit after a no-ball is bowled, short boundaries, batting-friendly pitches, and other rules designed to attract crowds that would not usually wish to sit through the slower paced one day games or test matches. The first men's Twenty20 international was between Australia and New Zealand in 2005, the first women's Twenty20 international having been between England and New Zealand in 2004. The ICC announced after its Executive Board meeting in March 2006 that beginning from 2007 to 2015, the Twenty20 World Championship would be held on a biennial basis and the first ever Twenty20 World Championship in South Africa in September 2007.^[2] A view of the Twenty20 match between England and Sri Lanka at the rose bowl. ... The English womens cricket team played their first Test match in 1934/5, when they beat Australia two-nil in a three-Test series. ...

First-class matches

Main article: First-class cricket

A first-class match is generally defined as a high-level international or domestic match that takes place over at least three days on natural (as opposed to artificial) turf. First-class games are two innings per side. Like Test matches, if the game is not completed over the allotted time then it is drawn. Games where the teams have only one innings each are not first-class (including one-day internationals). First-class cricket matches are those between international teams or the highest standard of domestic teams in which teams have two innings each. ...

A two-innings match of at least three days duration is granted first-class status only if both teams have first-class status. For example, Test matches, other games between two Test nations, games between two domestic teams deemed first-class in countries holding full membership of the ICC, and games between a Test nation's national side (or a team drawn from a national touring squad) and a first-class domestic team from a Test nation, are usually deemed to be first class. Matches between Kenya, one of the leading associate members of the ICC, and another team adjudged first-class are usually granted first-class status, but domestic matches in Kenya are not.

Among cricket statisticians, first class cricket is variously deemed to have started in 1660, 1772, 1801, 1815 or 1864. This ongoing controversy is described in the main article. The limited overs equivalent of first-class status is list A status. List A cricket is a classification of the limited-overs (one-day) form of the sport of cricket. ...

Other forms of cricket

Main article: Forms of cricket

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.

At all levels, the rules of cricket are often modified. At international or first-class levels this is usually in order to make the game more commercially attractive. More or less formal domestic club cricket matches are usually played over one to two days, either two innings per side or one innings per side with limited overs. At lower levels the rules are often changed simply to make the game playable with limited resources, or to render it more convenient and enjoyable for the participants. Variants of the sport are played in areas as diverse as sandy beaches and ice floes. Families and teenagers play backyard cricket in suburban yards or driveways, and the teeming cities of India and Pakistan play host to countless games of 'Gully Cricket' or 'Tapeball' on their streets. Tennis balls and homemade bats are often used, and a variety of objects may serve as wickets. Sometimes the rules are also improvised: for instance it is sometimes agreed that fielders can catch the ball with one hand after one bounce and claim a wicket, or if only a few people are available then everyone may field while the players take it in turns to bat and bowl. In cricket, other than Test matches, One day International matches and First class matches, other forms of the sport do exist They are: // Short form cricket Cricket is also played in several different shortened forms, designed to pack as much action as possible into an hour or two. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Cricket_Scene_Sarhad. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Cricket_Scene_Sarhad. ... Club cricket is an amateur, but still formal, form of the sport of cricket, usually involving teams playing in a competition. ... Example of Beach cricket Backyard cricket, beach cricket or garden cricket is an informal ad hoc variant of the game of cricket, played by people of both sexes and all ages in gardens, back yards, on the street, in parks, carparks, beaches and any area not specifically intended for the...

In Kwik cricket, the bowler does not have to wait for the batsman to be ready before a delivery, leading to a faster, more exhausting game designed to appeal to children, which is often used in English schools' PE lessons. Another modification to increase the pace of the game is the "Tipsy Run" rule, in which the batter must run when the ball touches the bat, even if it the contact is unintentional or minor. This rule, seen only in impromptu games, speeds the match up by disabling the batsman's ability to block the ball. Indoor cricket is played in a netted, indoor arena. Kwik cricket (known as MILO Kanga cricket in Australia, and MILO Kiwi Cricket in New Zealand) is a high-speed version of cricket aimed mainly at encouraging children to take part in the main sport. ... Indoor Cricket is a variation on the conventional game of cricket. ...

In Samoa a form of cricket called Kilikiti is played in which hockey stick-shaped bats are used. Kilikiti ( kirikiti, Samoan cricket) is one of several forms of cricket. ... Field hockey stick Girl with a field hockey stick In climatology, the Hockey Stick graph is a nickname for a rising temperature reconstruction. ...

International structure

Main article: International structure of cricket

ICC member nations. Orange are the (highest level) Test playing nations; green are the associate member nations; and purple are the affiliate member nations.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) is the international governing body for cricket. It is headquartered in Dubai and includes representatives of each of the ten Test-playing nations, as well as an elected panel representing non-Test-playing nations. The structure of international cricket has evolved only recently from a traditional ad hoc basis. ... Download high resolution version (1357x628, 23 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (1357x628, 23 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... ICC logo The International Cricket Council (ICC) is the governing body for international Test match and One-day International cricket. ... Coordinates: Emirate Dubai Government  - Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Area [1]  - Metro 4,114 km² (1,588. ...

Each nation has a national cricket board which regulates cricket matches played in their country. The cricket board also selects the national squad and organises home and away tours for the national team.

Nations playing cricket are separated into three tiers depending on the level of cricket infrastructure in that country. At the highest level are the Test-playing nations. They qualify automatically for the quadrennial World Cup matches. A rung lower are the Associate Member nations. The lowermost rung consists of the Affiliate Member nations. Members of the International Cricket Council. ... Members of the International Cricket Council. ... Members of the International Cricket Council. ...

See also: Non-Test teams to have played ODI matches. A One-day International (ODI) cricket match is a one-day cricket match played between two international teams each representing a particular country. ...

See also

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Image File history File links Portal. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Image File history File links Wikibooks-logo. ... Image File history File links Wikiquote-logo. ... Image File history File links Wikisource-logo. ... Image File history File links Commons-logo. ... Image File history File links WikiNews-Logo. ... Image File history File links Wikiversity-logo-Snorky. ... The Cricket World Cup, is the premier international championship of mens One-Day International (ODI) cricket. ... The ICC Twenty20 World Championship is the international championship of Twenty20 cricket. ... ICC logo The International Cricket Council (ICC) is the governing body for international Test match and One-day International cricket. ... Baseball and cricket fields compared. ... Cricket is a sport that generates a large number of statistics. ... Cricket is a team sport played between two teams of eleven. ... Kilikiti ( kirikiti, Samoan cricket) is one of several forms of cricket. ...

References

• Sir Don Bradman (1990). The Art of cricket. Hodder & Stoughton. ISBN 1-875892-54-0. 
• The official laws of cricket. published by the MCC. Retrieved on 2005 August 14.
• England and Wales Cricket Board. published by the ECB. Retrieved on 2005 August 14.
• International Rules and regulations. published by the ICC.

2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the Anno Domini (common) era. ... January 25 is the 25th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Sir Donald George Bradman (August 27, 1908 - February 25, 2001) was an Australian cricket player who is universally regarded as the greatest batsman of all time, and one of Australias greatest popular heroes. ... 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. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... August 14 is the 226th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (227th in leap years), with 139 days remaining. ... The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is the governing body of cricket in England and Wales. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... August 14 is the 226th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (227th in leap years), with 139 days remaining. ... ICC logo The International Cricket Council (ICC) is the governing body for international Test match and One-day International cricket. ...

External links

• Wisden Cricinfo
• CricketArchive
• International Cricket Council
• ICC WorldCup 2007

International cricket v • d • e
ICC · World Cup · Champions Trophy · Twenty20 Championship · Asia Cup · Intercontinental Cup Test Championship · ODI Championship · World Cricket League · ICC Awards ICC logo The International Cricket Council (ICC) is the governing body for international Test match and One-day International cricket. ... The Cricket World Cup, is the premier international championship of mens One-Day International (ODI) cricket. ... ICC Champions Trophy 2006 The ICC Champions Trophy is crickets one-day international tournament second in importance only to the Cricket World Cup. ... The ICC Twenty20 World Championship is the international championship of Twenty20 cricket. ... The Asia Cup is an international cricket tournament. ... The ICC Intercontinental Cup is a cricket tournament organised by the International Cricket Council as part of its cricket development program. ... The ICC Test Championship is a notional competition run by the International Cricket Council in the sport of cricket for the 10 nations that play Test cricket. ... The ICC ODI Championship is a notional competition run by the International Cricket Council in the sport of cricket for the 10 nations that play Test cricket. ... The World Cricket League is a series of international one-day cricket tournaments for national teams without Test status, administered by the International Cricket Council. ... The ICC Awards is a set of sports awards for cricket. ... Test cricket · One-Day International · Twenty20 International A Test match in progress. ... One-day International (ODI) is a form of cricket, which is played over 50 overs per side between two national cricket teams. ... A view of the Twenty20 match between England and Sri Lanka at the rose bowl. ...
ICC Full Member: 10 teams      ICC Associate Member: 32 teams      ICC Affiliate Member: 55 teams      Non-Member  v • d • e Team sports Sport • Governing Bodies • Sportsmen • National sport Baseball • Basketball • Bowling • Bocce, Bowls, Pétanque • Broomball • Buzkashi • Cricket • Curling • Fistball • Handball, Field handball • Hurling/Camogie • Kabaddi • Korfball • Kubb • Lacrosse (Box/Field/Women's) • Netball • Newcomb ball • Pesäpallo • Polo, Cycle Polo • Rounders • Sepak Takraw • Shinty • Softball • Stoolball • Ultimate • Underwater rugby • Volleyball, Beach Volleyball • Water polo • Wiffleball Football codes: American • Arena • Association (Soccer), Futsal, Beach soccer • Australian Rules • Canadian • Gaelic • International Rules • Rugby league • Rugby union  Hockey codes: Bandy • Field • Floorball • Ice • Indoor • Ringette • Roller (Inline/Quad) • Road

Download high resolution version (1357x628, 23 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... A sport governing body comes in several forms. ... There are a variety of articles listing people of a particular sport. ... Map of the World showing the most popular sports by nation. ... A view of the playing field at Busch Memorial Stadium, St. ... Sara Giauro shoots a three-point shot, FIBA Europe Cup for Women Finals 2005. ... Bowling ball and two pins Ten-pin bowling lane Automatic Scorer by Brunswick Specialized computers replaced hand scoring beginning 1970s. ... A set of Bocce balls Bocce is a precision sport closely related to bowls and pétanque with a common ancestry from ancient games played in the Roman Empire. ... Swifts Creek Bowls Club Bowls (also known as Lawn Bowls or Lawn Bowling) is a precision sport in which the goal is to roll slightly radially asymmetrical balls (called bowls) closer to a smaller white ball (the jack or kitty) than ones opponent is able to do. ... Next to the beach at Nice, France In Hakaniemi, Helsinki Pétanque is a form of boules where the goal is to throw metal balls as close as possible to a small wooden ball called a cochonnet (piglet). ... A game of broomball begins with a face-off Broomball is a popular recreational ice sport originating in Canada and played around the world. ... Game of Buzkashi in Mazari Sharif, Afghanistan Buzkashi, Kok-boru or Oglak Tartis (Persian: بزکشی buzkashī: buz goat + kashi taking out; Kyrgyz, Uzbek, Kazak, Tatar, Turkmen: kökbörü, kök blue + börü wolf) is a traditional Central Asian team sport played on horseback. ... Curling is a sport with similarities to bowls and bocce, played on a rectangular sheet of carefully prepared ice by two teams of four players each. ... Fistball is a very old sport which continues to be practiced all over the world: in Europe, North and South America, Africa and Asia. ... Handball player leaps towards the goal prior to throwing the ball, while the goalkeeper extends himself trying to stop it. ... Dimensions of a field of field handball played with 11 players at 1936 summer olympics compared to a football field. ... For the Cornish sport, see Cornish Hurling. ... Camogie (in Irish, camógaíocht) is a Celtic team sport, the womens variant of hurling. ... Kabaddi (sometimes written Kabbadi or Kabadi) (Hindi: कबड्डी; IPA: ) is a team sport originally from South Asia. ... A korfball match in the Netherlands between Trekvogels and OZC Korfball is a team ball game, similar in many ways to mixed netball. ... Kubb is a lawn game where the object is to knock over wooden blocks by throwing wooden sticks at them. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Victoria Shamrocks vs Peterborough Lakers, Mann Cup 2005. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... A womens lacrosse player carries the ball past a defender. ... Netball is a sport similar to and derived from basketball, and was originally known in its country of origin, the United States, as womens basketball. Invented by Clara Gregory Baer[1], a pioneer in womens sport, it is now the pre-eminent womens team sport (both as... Newcomb featured in Spaldings Red Cover series of atheletic handbooks in 1914 Newcomb ball (also known as Newcomb)1 is a ball game played as a variation of volleyball. ... Finnish baseball (pesäpallo) is a fast-moving ball sport greatly similar to baseball. ... A game of polo. ... Cycle Polo or Bike Polo or Bicycle polo is an outdoor game similar to Polo, except that bicycles are used instead of horses. ... Rounders is a sport which developed from Cricket and originated in Great Britain and Ireland. ... It has been suggested that Takraw be merged into this article or section. ... // A shinty game in progress Shinty (Scottish Gaelic camanachd or iomain) is a team sport played with sticks and a ball. ... Softball is an activity descended from baseball, in which a ball, eleven to twelve inches (or rarely, 16 inches) (28 to 30. ... Stool ball is a historical ball game, originating in southern England, where variants are still played in some schools. ... Ultimate is a competitive non-contact team sport played with a flying disc. ... Underwater Rugby (UWR) is the only sport in which the players can move in three dimensions. ... Volleyball is an Olympic sport in which two teams separated by a high net use their hands, arms or (rarely) other parts of their bodies to hit a ball back and forth over the net. ... A beach volleyball game in progress Beach volleyball in Vancouver Beach volleyball has evolved from the popular social games of volleyball played on many beaches around the world. ... Water polo is a team water sport, which can be best described as a combination of swimming, football, basketball, rugby and wrestling. ... Wiffle® Ball and Bat Wiffleball is a variation of the sport of baseball designed for indoor or outdoor play in confined areas. ... Look up Football in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Arena football is a sport invented by Jim Foster, a former executive of the United States Football League and the National Football League. ... Football (soccer) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... The first rules of this original play were created and published in 1933 per the pastor and professor of the Uruguyan YMCA, Mr Juan Carlos CERIANI GRAVIER with the rules of four sports (3 indoor sports), basketball, handball, waterpolo and football. ... Beach Soccer is a variant of the sport of association football. ... High marking is a key skill and spectator attribute of Aussie Rules Precise field and goal kicking using the oval shaped ball is the key skill in Aussie Rules Football Australian rules football, also known as Australian football, Aussie rules, or simply football or footy is a code of football... Gaelic football (Irish: Peil or Caid ), commonly referred to as football, Gaelic or GAA (gah), is a form of football played mainly in Ireland. ... International Rules Football match at the Telstra Dome - Australia vs Ireland. ... Rugby league football is a full-contact team sport played by two teams of thirteen on a rectangular grass field. ... A rugby union scrum. ... Hockey is any of a family of sports in which two teams compete by trying to maneuver a ball, or a hard, round disc called a puck, into the opponents net or goal, using a hockey stick. ... Look up bandy in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... A game of field hockey in progress Field hockey is a popular sport for men and women in many countries around the world; it is the second most popular team sport after football (soccer)[]. Its official name and the one by which it is usually known is hockey [1][2... A floorball match between powerhouses Sweden (yellow) and Finland (white) Floorball is an indoor team sport played using composite sticks with a plastic vented blade where the aim is to put a light plastic ball into the opponents goal. ... Ice hockey, known simply as hockey in areas where it is more common than field hockey, is a team sport played on ice. ... Indoor field hockey is an indoor variant of traditional outdoor field hockey. ... Ringette is a team sport played on an ice surface. ... Roller hockey is a category which includes two rollersports. ... Roller hockey (Inline) is a variation of roller hockey very similar to ice hockey, from which it is derived. ... Rink hockey - Hardball hockey - Hoquei em Patins Roller Hockey (Quad) is highly popular and has many names worldwide that mean the same sport. ... Road hockey game in Washington, DC Road hockey, also known as street hockey, dek hockey, ground hockey, or ball hockey is a version of ice hockey (or inline hockey) played with or without skates. ...