# Would one of my fellow Dopers explain just how cricket is played? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 22, 2002, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-one-of-my-fellow-dopers-explain-just-how-cricket-is-played/129060 "2002-09-22T00:48:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![WSLer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a6a055/32.png) [@WSLer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WSLer)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2002, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-one-of-my-fellow-dopers-explain-just-how-cricket-is-played/129060/1 "2002-09-22T00:48:15Z")
For instance, what is a test match, how many players, etc? ---
**Author:** ![antechinus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/fbc32d/32.png) [@antechinus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/antechinus)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2002, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-one-of-my-fellow-dopers-explain-just-how-cricket-is-played/129060/2 "2002-09-22T01:12:04Z")
You can read the rules on a number of sites, I did a quick search and found: [http://www.cs.purdue.edu/homes/hosking/cricket/explanation.htm#field](http://www.cs.purdue.edu/homes/hosking/cricket/explanation.htm#field) [http://www.cricket.org/](http://www.cricket.org/) There are 11 player on a side. At any one time there is a side bowling and one side batting. Batting - two batters on feild Bowling - 11 feilders, one of whom is bowling A test match is ‘real’ cricket. You have two innings ie two sides take turns at batting and bowling twice. This can take up to 5 days. Riviting stuff. Limited over cricket is more TV oriented. Only 50 overs are bowled. An over is 6 balls (bowls). Watching test cricket is a form of meditation, where the viewer is lulled into an alpha state (with the assistance of beer) for some 6 hours at a sitting. This is a healthy practice. It is a form of hibernation, when it is too hot to go out side (in Australia at least), that protects you from the elements and reduces stress. ---
**Author:** ![antechinus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/fbc32d/32.png) [@antechinus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/antechinus)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2002, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-one-of-my-fellow-dopers-explain-just-how-cricket-is-played/129060/3 "2002-09-22T01:12:51Z")
You can read the rules on a number of sites, I did a quick search and found: [http://www.cs.purdue.edu/homes/hosking/cricket/explanation.htm#field](http://www.cs.purdue.edu/homes/hosking/cricket/explanation.htm#field) [http://www.cricket.org/](http://www.cricket.org/) There are 11 players on a side. At any one time there is a side bowling and one side batting. Batting - two batters on feild Bowling - 11 feilders, one of whom is bowling A test match is ‘real’ cricket. You have two innings ie two sides take turns at batting and bowling twice. This can take up to 5 days. Riviting stuff. Limited over cricket is more TV oriented. Only 50 overs are bowled. An over is 6 balls (bowls). Watching test cricket is a form of meditation, where the viewer is lulled into an alpha state (with the assistance of beer) for some 6 hours at a sitting. This is a healthy practice. It is a form of hibernation, when it is too hot to go out side (in Australia at least), that protects you from the elements and reduces stress. Do you have any specific questions? ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2002, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-one-of-my-fellow-dopers-explain-just-how-cricket-is-played/129060/4 "2002-09-22T01:13:43Z")
How is cricket played? Slowly. ---
**Author:** ![antechinus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/fbc32d/32.png) [@antechinus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/antechinus)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2002, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-one-of-my-fellow-dopers-explain-just-how-cricket-is-played/129060/5 "2002-09-22T01:17:11Z")
Sorry about the double post. ---
**Author:** ![JohnW77707](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d2c977/32.png) [@JohnW77707](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnW77707)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2002, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-one-of-my-fellow-dopers-explain-just-how-cricket-is-played/129060/6 "2002-09-22T02:11:52Z")
I am interested in the question, and what I would be looking for is: what are the basic rules? Not that it would be real easy to explain baseball in two or three paragraphs, but you could (“batter’s goal is to hit ball over fence, if so he and all runners score. But if it is caught before touching the ground . . .”) ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2002, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-one-of-my-fellow-dopers-explain-just-how-cricket-is-played/129060/7 "2002-09-22T02:24:26Z")
Actually, Cricket doesn’t have rules; it has [laws](http://www.lords.org/cricket/laws.asp). Short synopsis: 1. Batsman’s job is twofold: a) defend wicket, and b) score runs. 2. Bowler’s job is: get batsman out. 3. Batting side tries to score more runs than the opposing side, all prior to getting ten batsman dismissed. That’s ten batsmen per innings. 4. A bowler cannot bowl two overs in succession. 5. Batsmen must bat in partnership, one at each wicket. Read the rest of the laws in the link above. ---
**Author:** ![JohnW77707](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d2c977/32.png) [@JohnW77707](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnW77707)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2002, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-one-of-my-fellow-dopers-explain-just-how-cricket-is-played/129060/8 "2002-09-22T02:34:54Z")
OK, since I am just looking for the basics: 1a) Keep it from being hit, right? 1b) How? Just by hitting the ball? Or is there an equivalent to the walk? 2) Any way other than hitting the wicket? 3) How do you score a run? See 1b. 4) What is an over? A “ball”? If he does, what happens? 5) What do you mean by partnership? Does the “pitcher” switch sides between pitches? Or is the other batter like at second base? LazyJohn ---
**Author:** ![Dandmb50](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ba9def/32.png) [@Dandmb50](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dandmb50)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2002, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-one-of-my-fellow-dopers-explain-just-how-cricket-is-played/129060/9 "2002-09-22T02:52:04Z")
Who cares… ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2002, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-one-of-my-fellow-dopers-explain-just-how-cricket-is-played/129060/10 "2002-09-22T03:11:47Z")
Dan: Plenty of people. Unlike you, they’re polite. After all, nobody forced you to read past the thread title. LazyJohn: _1a) Keep it from being hit, right?_ Actually, what you’re trying to do is keep either one of the bails (those little bits of wood on top of the three sticks that consitute the stumps) from getting knocked off. If you happen to knock it off yourself, you’re out. _1b) How? Just by hitting the ball? Or is there an equivalent to the walk?_ That’s pretty much how you score runs. There are also Extras, which are points (runs) added to yours side’s score. See below. The bowler is required to provide six possible deliveries in one over. If he bowls a no ball (what I guess would be called a ball in baseball), then the batting side gets an Extra and that particular delivery (pitch) doesn’t count as part of the over. If you are the batsman and you get hit by the ball because you just know the ball’s going to hit the wicket and you also know there’s no way on Earth you’ll be able to hit the ball, then you’re likely to be called out for “leg before wicket” (yes, that’s simplifying it–there’s a bit more to it than that). In other words, don’t try the baseball trick of getting hit by the ball. _2) Any way other than hitting the wicket?_ There are ten different ways of getting dismissed. The laws in the link above give the full list. My personal favourite is “timed out,” meaning you took longer than two minutes to get your tush to the wicket when your turn to bat is up. _3) How do you score a run? See 1b._ Essentially, you hit the ball away from any of the fielders and then you and your partner both manage to switch wickets. If you hit the ball “on the fly” out of the playing area, then you don’t have to run and your side is credited with six runs. If the ball hits the ground within the playing area and then rolls out of it, then you don’t run and your side’s credited with four runs. Extras are granted for wides (balls delivered too far outside the stumps), no balls (thrown balls instead of straight arm deliveries {yep, it’s almost like hurtling a grenade at the batsman!}), and byes. _4) What is an over? A “ball”? If he does, what happens?_ An over is usually six good deliveries. In Australia, it can be eight good deliveries. _5) What do you mean by partnership? Does the “pitcher” switch sides between pitches? Or is the other batter like at second base?_ A partnership is the two batsman who happen to be on the field at a particular moment. The bowler (pitcher) bowls one over from one set of stumps, and then the next bowler is required to bowl the next over from the other set of stumps. Essentially, there are only two bases in Cricket: the set of stumps at either end of the wicket. Each batsman takes his position at one of the stumps. BTW, there are different varieties of Cricket. You have Test, First Class, ODI (also called Limited Overs), and even an oddity called SuperMax. Each one has its good and bad points. ---
**Author:** ![antechinus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/fbc32d/32.png) [@antechinus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/antechinus)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2002, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-one-of-my-fellow-dopers-explain-just-how-cricket-is-played/129060/11 "2002-09-22T03:25:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by JohnW77707 \* > \*\*OK, since I am just looking for the basics: > > 1a) Keep it from being hit, right? > 1b) How? Just by hitting the ball? Or is there an equivalent to the walk? > 2) Any way other than hitting the wicket? > 3) How do you score a run? See 1b. > 4) What is an over? A “ball”? If he does, what happens? > 5) What do you mean by partnership? Does the “pitcher” switch sides between pitches? Or is the other batter like at second base? > LazyJohn \*\* 1a) Batsman aims to prevent wicket from being hit. If the stumps are hit the batsman is out. 1b) Runs are made by running between wickets. If you hit the fence - 4 runs. Over the fence -6 runs. 2) You can be ‘run out’ - not behind a line near your wicket and have stumps ‘broken’ by ball thrown at stumps. Bit similar to tagging in baseball. 3) See 1b) 4) An over is a group of 6 ‘balls’ (pitches) by one bowler. At the end of the over another bowler bowls to the other wicket. 5) Two batsmen are in at one time. One at either wicket. They run between the two wickets to score runs. Cricket is a lot like baseball except: - Ball is bowled not pitched. The ball is thrown at about the same speed 140 km/h, but usually bounces before being hit. This adds an extra dimension of complexity to the game. The ball can spin or seam off the pitch as well as swing in the air. This introduces an extra physical dimension to the batting - the batter can move backwards or forwards to hit the ball, rather than standing on the spot. - The bat has a flat side not rounded. This allows the ball to be directed more accurately by a hit to avoid being caught by feilders. Also provides more control in defending the wicket. - Only run back and forward between two points rather than four. Thus only two batsmen on the feild at once, rather than up to four. - Scoring for hitting the fence. - The ball can be hit in 360 degrees rather than just a limited angle (~60?) as with baseball. There are probably a couple of more differences as well.😉 ---
**Author:** ![Peregrine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a6a055/32.png) [@Peregrine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peregrine)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2002, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-one-of-my-fellow-dopers-explain-just-how-cricket-is-played/129060/12 "2002-09-22T03:26:08Z")
This site (CricInfo Global) translates cricket into American. I found it helpful. [Cricket Explained (An American Viewpoint)](http://www.cricket.org/link_to_database/ABOUT_CRICKET/EXPLANATION/CRICKET_EXPLAINED_AMERICAN.html) An excerpt: “Listen carefully, this is almost always the point that drives baseball players crazy: when the batsmen hit the ball in cricket, they DO NOT HAVE TO RUN!!! If the batsman hits the ball and it only goes ten feet, and there is no chance for him and his “partner” to change places, they don’t. They just stand there. At first, that sounds like the weirdest thing, but you have to look at it in the con- text of protecting your wicket. If the bowler bowls the ball really really well, it may be all the batsman can do but protect the wicket. Remember, in cricket you keep bat- ting until you’re out (“your wicket is taken”) so this is vitally important!” ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2002, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-one-of-my-fellow-dopers-explain-just-how-cricket-is-played/129060/13 "2002-09-22T08:26:10Z")
Dangnammit, **Peregrine** , ya bowled me a googly and beat me to it with that link. 😃 That guy explains cricket really well to anybody who hasn’t a clue about the game. In fact, that entire site is good. ---
**Author:** ![Crusoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2002, 10:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-one-of-my-fellow-dopers-explain-just-how-cricket-is-played/129060/14 "2002-09-22T10:13:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Dandmb50 \* > \*\*Who cares… \*\* Gee, thanks for that. ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2002, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-one-of-my-fellow-dopers-explain-just-how-cricket-is-played/129060/15 "2002-09-22T13:12:25Z")
Wasn’t it Douglas Adams who said “the only time that the entire rules for Cricket were compiled together in one place, they underwent gravitational collapse and became a black hole”? 😛 (seriously, though, I though of asking the same question as the OP - great links, guys!) ---
**Author:** ![hawthorne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@hawthorne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hawthorne)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2002, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-one-of-my-fellow-dopers-explain-just-how-cricket-is-played/129060/16 "2002-09-22T15:28:36Z")
A small correction: > [@](#): > > _Monty_ > An over is usually six good deliveries. In Australia, it can be eight good deliveries. Not any more. For some decades, six-ball overs has been standard. > [@](#): > > _antechinus_ > Ball is bowled not pitched. The ball is thrown at about the same speed 140 km/h, but usually bounces before being hit. This adds an extra dimension of complexity to the game. Not to mention terror. The pitch surface is uneven and bounce can be irregular. Even against slow bowlers you can get hurt. I play only against other fat economists and still often get bruises that last more than a month. You know when you’re getting into cricket when the bowler bowls, the batsman doesn’t even attempt to hit it and you cry “well left”. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2002, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-one-of-my-fellow-dopers-explain-just-how-cricket-is-played/129060/17 "2002-09-22T15:52:38Z")
The closest I’ve ever been to a cricket match was when I did the “After High School European Backpaking Excursion” and I saw some kids playing it in London. Suppose I wanted to watch a match here in L.A. I know there is a large ex-pat community here; are there any cricket clubs that allow visitors to watch? Also, I’ve always wanted a cricket bat for comedic intimidation of my workmates. Are they available here? ---
**Author:** ![WSLer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a6a055/32.png) [@WSLer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WSLer)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2002, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-one-of-my-fellow-dopers-explain-just-how-cricket-is-played/129060/18 "2002-09-22T17:09:42Z")
Just wanted to say thanks for the info and the links.🙂 😃 🙂 😃 ---
**Author:** ![everton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecb155/32.png) [@everton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/everton)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2002, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-one-of-my-fellow-dopers-explain-just-how-cricket-is-played/129060/19 "2002-09-22T17:36:17Z")
Re **antechinus’s** remark about test cricket being real cricket - that’s just an opinion about the quality of the long version of the game versus the short version. The term “test” actually means an _international_ played over five days, and the word is also used for rugby football internationals. All the links posted are useful - I’m sure you’ll find all the info you need on those sites - but one further difference between cricket and baseball worth mentioning is that we don’t use catchers’ mitts. Apart from the wicket keeper, all fielders must use bare hands to catch and the ball is just as hard as a baseball _ouch_. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2002, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-one-of-my-fellow-dopers-explain-just-how-cricket-is-played/129060/20 "2002-09-22T18:57:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Johnny L.A. \* > Suppose I wanted to watch a match here in L.A. I know there is a large ex-pat community here; are there any cricket clubs that allow visitors to watch? [Pick one from the Southern California Cricket Association](http://www.scalcricket.org/memberclubs/calbelCC.html) > [@](#): > > Also, I’ve always wanted a cricket bat for comedic intimidation of my workmates. Are they available here? The clubs should be able to point you in the direction of a decent supplier. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-one-of-my-fellow-dopers-explain-just-how-cricket-is-played/129060.md?page=2)