PSIONWPDATAFILE !:/=!2ROM::PSAPPLE.WDRPBTBody Text  p@ PNONormal h8p @ PZANormal ZA h8p @ NNNormal UUUnderline BBBold IIItalic EESuperscript SSSubscript ZBZB@IntroductionCRICKET is a game played with a bat and a ball by two teams of 11 players each. It is one of the most popular games in England and in many countries that once were British colonies. Cricket is played on a round or oval grass field. The action centers on two "wickets" near the centre of the field. Each wicket consists of three wooden stumps and two sticks called bails, which rest on top of the stumps. The teams take turns batting and fielding. A member of the fielding side called the "bowler" stands near one of the wickets. The bowler runs a few steps and bowls (delivers) the ball with a stiff-armed motion towards the opposite wicket. The ball bounces once in front of the wicket on most deliveries. Naturally many balls continue past the wicket, so a special fielder called the "wicketkeeper" stands behind the wicket. Members of the batting side are called "batsmen". A batsman called the "striker" stands at the far wicket, facing the bowler, and tries to hit the ball with a long, flatsided bat. If the ball gets by and knocks a bail off the wicket, the striker is out. If the ball is hit into the field, the striker and a batsman called the "nonstriker" -- a teammate at the opposite wicket -- may try to score a "run". The batsmen score each time they run to the opposite wicket before a fielder can knock off a bail with the ball. Sometimes they can run back and forth several times before a fielder can return the ball. The next striker is the batsman who is at the wicket opposite the bowler when the ball is returned. The two batsmen remain in (at bat) until one of them is put out. The batsman who is put out is then replaced by a teammate. Runs are also scored for hits that reach or cross the field's boundary line. A major cricket match may last from three to five days or more, and each team may score hundreds of runs. The team that scores the most runs wins. KEYWORDS: bat, ball, field/ground, wickets, stumps, bails, batting, fielding, bowler, batsman, bowl/delivery, fielder, wicketkeeper, "run"(=point), "in"(=at bat), "out"(=dismissed), boundary. The Field and EquipmentTHE FIELD may vary in size. Most fields on which official matches are played measure about 450 feet (137 meters) wide and 500 feet (150 meters) long. The wickets are 22 yards (20 meters) apart in the center of the field. They stand opposite and parallel to each other. The area between the wickets is called the "pitch". Each wicket consists of three vertical wooden poles called "stumps" which are pushed into the ground and topped with two small wooden sticks called "bails" which rest in grooves on the ends of the stumps. The stumps of each wicket are close enough together so the ball cannot pass between any two of them. The wicket measures 9 inches (22.9 centimeters) wide. The tops of the stumps stand 28 inches (71.1 centimeters) above the ground. The bails are 4 3/8 inches (11.1 centimeters) long. The bails do not rise more than 1/2 inch (13 millimeters) above the stumps. White lines made by chalk or lime mark certain boundaries called creases. A line called the bowling crease is drawn through the stumps of each wicket. It is 8 feet 8 inches (2.64 meters) long, with the middle stump of the wicket at its center. A line called the popping crease is marked 4 feet (1.22 meters) in front of the bowling crease. The popping crease extends at least 6 feet (1.83 meters) on either side of the center of the wicket but is considered to be unlimited in length. Lines called return creases are marked from each end of the bowling crease. The return creases extend forward to the popping crease and back at least 4 feet behind the bowling crease. However, the return creases are considered to be unlimited in length. The bowler must deliver the ball with some part of the front foot behind the popping crease. The back foot must be between the return creases. EQUIPMENT: The rules of cricket do not specify the material to be used in making a cricket ball. The best balls have a cork center wrapped with twine, and a leather cover. The ball must be between 8 13/16 and 9 inches (22.4 and 22.9 centimeters) in circumference, and it must weigh between 5 1/2 and 5 3/4 ounces (155.9 and 163 grams). The bat cannot be more than 38 inches (96.5 centimeters) long nor more than 4 1/4 inches (10.8 centimeters) wide at any point. It must be made of wood. The bat has a round handle and a flat, bladelike hitting surface. Cricket players wear peaked caps or helmets, open-necked shirts, trousers, and spiked or crepe-soled shoes. Batsmen and wicketkeepers wear protective leg pads and gloves. KEYWORDS: field/ground, wickets, pitch, stumps, bails, crease(=white line), popping crease, bowling crease, return crease, bat, pads, gloves. The GameA cricket match may consist of one or two periods, each called an innings. Important matches are played in two innings. A team's innings ends when 10 of its 11 players have been put out. But the captain of the batting side may choose tactically to "declare" the side's innings over at any time. Team captains toss a coin to decide who will bat first. After the first innings of a two-innings match, the captain whose team batted first may order the opposing side to follow-on if the opposing side is behind by a certain number of runs. The opposing team must then bat its second innings immediately after its first innings. The opposing team may be ordered to follow-on if it is behind by 200 runs in a match of five days or more, by 150 runs in a three- or four-day match, by 100 runs in a two-day match, or by 75 runs in a one-day match. If the team that follows-on cannot catch up, the team that batted first wins by an innings. A team wins by an innings if it scores more runs in one innings than the opposing team scores in two innings. If the team that follows on takes the lead, the team that batted first can then bat its second innings. A team may also win by a certain number of wickets. A team wins by wickets if it takes the lead during its second innings and the opposing team has already batted twice. If the team takes the lead after four batsmen have been put out, for example, it wins by six wickets because six batsmen have not been put out. If a match is not won by an innings or by wickets, the outcome is expressed by the number of runs scored by each team. SCORING: Most runs are scored by running from one wicket to the other. Each runner must safely cross the opposite popping crease to score one run. Batsmen also score runs when they hit the ball out of bounds, known as a boundary. They score four runs ("a four") when the ball rolls or bounces across the boundary line. They score six runs ("a six") if the ball lands out of bounds without bouncing. Runs called "extras" or "sundries" may also be scored in various ways. Sundries are scored on byes, leg byes, wide balls, and no balls. A "bye" is a run scored when the ball passes the striker without touching the bat or any part of the striker's body and without knocking off a bail. A "leg bye" is a run scored when the ball hits the striker anywhere but on the hands. A ball that hits the hands is played as if it had hit the bat (because the handle of the bat is under the hands). A "wide ball" is a delivery that the umpire rules is out of the striker's reach. One run is automatically scored for a wide ball. The batsmen may attempt to score more runs by running from one wicket to the other before the ball is returned. A "no ball" may be called for certain rules violations. The main violations occur when (1) the bowler throws the ball instead of bowling it or (2) the bowler's feet are not in the proper position when the ball is delivered. A penalty of one run is scored for a no ball. But if a striker hits a no ball and the batsmen score runs, these runs are counted instead of the penalty. OUTS: There are several ways to put out a batsman. The most direct way is bowling a bail off the striker's wicket (i.e. the batsman is "bowled" out). Strikers are also out if they are "caught" -- that is, if they hit a ball that is caught by a fielder before it bounces or that lands in a fielder's clothing without touching the ground. Either batsman may be "run out" when trying to score -- that is, if a wicketkeeper or other fielder knocks a bail from the batsman's wicket while the batsman is between the popping creases. Strikers are out "stumped" if they step in front of the popping crease when not attempting a run and the wicketkeeper knocks off a bail. Strikers can be out "LBW" (leg before wicket) if they prevent a delivered ball from hitting the wicket by stopping it with any part of their body except the hands. They are also out if they break the wicket (knock off a bail) with their bat, clothing, or any part of the body while trying to hit the ball. In addition, strikers are out if they hit the ball a second time except to keep it from hitting the wicket. If the striker or the nonstriker intentionally prevents a player from fielding the ball, the striker is out. Either batsman may be called out for intentionally touching a ball in play with a hand that is not holding the bat. UMPIRES make sure the game is played according to the rules, and they settle all disputes. One umpire stands behind the bowler's wicket to make decisions on whether the striker is caught or out LBW, and to rule on run outs at the bowler's end. A second umpire stands to the side of the striker's popping crease to rule on a stumping or run out at that end. The umpire at the bowler's end also decides whether the ball is in play. The ball is in play from the moment the bowler begins the run-up to the popping crease. The ball is dead (not in play) when (1) it is finally settled in the hands of the wicketkeeper or bowler, (2) it lodges in the clothing or equipment of a batsman or umpire, (3) it lodges in a fielder's helmet, (4) it has been called lost, (5) a boundary is scored, (6) a batsman is out, (7) a penalty is awarded after a fielder intentionally stops the ball with something other than the body, (8) the umpire calls "over" or "time," (9) the umpire suspends play because of an injury to a player, or (10) the umpire calls a case of unfair play. KEYWORDS: innings, "declare"(=choose to stop batting), coin toss, follow-on, win by an innings/ by N wickets / by M runs, "four", "six", extra=bye/leg bye/wide ball/no ball, outs=bowled/caught/run out/stumped/leg before wicket (LBW)/trod on wicket/hit ball twice/obstructed fielder/handled ball. umpire(=referee), "dead", "over!". Playing Cricket THE BATTING SIDE. The order in which a team's batsmen will bat is decided by the captain. After a batsman is put out, a teammate takes a turn at bat until 10 players are out. One batsman always remains not out. A batsman may hold the bat any way that is comfortable and effective. Batsmen should stand with their weight evenly distributed and the feet slightly apart. Most batsmen stand with one foot on each side of the popping crease. One of the great skills of batsmanship is the ability to hit the ball between the fielders. The batting strokes may be divided into two categories, forward play and back play. Each may be used either (1) to attack and try to score runs or (2) defensively to protect the wicket. For both strokes, the batsman swings the bat back in a movement called the back-lift, then brings it forward and down past the feet to hit the ball. On a forward stroke, the batsman moves the front foot forward near the path of the ball. When the ball is bowled slowly, the batsman may take two or three steps toward the ball, rather than one long step. A forward stroke is best for a ball that bounces near enough to the batsman to be hit on the half-volley--that is, as soon as it bounces off the ground. Forward strokes are usually made with the face of the bat pointed down to avoid being caught out. The back stroke is better for a ball that bounces so far in front of the batsman's wicket that the batsman can see which way the ball moves after it hits the ground. When playing defensively, the batsman brings the back leg into the path of the ball and points the bat down. There should be no space for the ball to pass between the bat and the batsman's body. In attacking on back play, batsmen use a wide variety of strokes, depending on where the ball bounces and in what direction it moves. For example, they may swing the bat at an angle to the path of the ball with a hook or a cut stroke. As soon as the bowler releases the ball, the nonstriker should be backing up (moving toward the opposite wicket) and ready to run. Batsmen do not have to try to score if the ball is hit. On most hits that go in front of the popping crease, the striker decides whether it is possible to score. If it looks like both batsmen can safely reach the opposite popping crease, the striker calls to the nonstriker that they should try for a run. When the ball goes behind the popping crease, the nonstriker decides whether the batsmen should try to score. Misunderstanding between the batsmen is the main cause of run outs. There is no equivalent in cricket of the foul line in baseball: the field on all sides of the batsman is useable. THE FIELDING SIDE consists of the bowler, the wicketkeeper, and nine other fielders. The captain and the bowler direct the fielders to various positions, with the aim of minimising the runs which the opposing batsman will able to score, and maximising the chances of getting him out. The choice depends on the type of bowling, the condition of the pitch and on whether the striker is right-handed or left-handed. The various fielding positions have names, each name being an approximate label for a region of the field. After the bowler has delivered a certain number of balls, the umpire calls "over!". An over consists of six legitimate deliveries (or sometimes eight in Australia). Wide balls ("wides") and "no balls" do not count in the total. After each over, the bowling starts again from the opposite end of the pitch, and so the nonstriking batsman at that moment becomes the striker and vice versa. It is usual for all the fielders to invert their positions on the field at this moment to account for this change of ends. In limited-over cricket, the game ends after a certain number of overs rather than after one or two innings. Good bowling is based on coordinated body, arm, and shoulder motion. The run-up to the bowling crease is designed to give the bowler enough power and balance to bowl the ball at the desired speed. At the final stride, a right-handed bowler's left shoulder should point toward the batsman. When the bowler's left foot has swung forward, the right shoulder should move forward and point in the direction the ball will travel. The bowler's wrist must be loose and the hand cocked back before releasing the ball. For the most power, the bowler continues the arm motion after the release. Bowlers try to deliver the ball so it bounces a short distance in front of the batsman. Such a delivery is difficult to hit because the batsman is uncertain whether to play forward or back. In addition, bowlers try to get batsmen out by changing the direction of the ball. Bowlers change the direction by controlling the ball's speed and by gripping and spinning the ball in special ways. They can thus make the ball curve (change direction in flight) or break (change direction after it bounces KEYWORDS: bat, "out", "not out", popping crease, forward play/stroke, back play/stroke, attack, defend, hook, cut, "backing up", call (whether to run or not) [i.e. "run!/yes!" or "no!" or similar], fielding positions, limited-over cricket, bowling, spinning, curve, break. SPECIAL NOTE ON THE WORD "WICKET":The word "wicket" is probably the most over-used word in cricket, and to the uninitiated it's variety of meanings can be confusing. Strictly speaking, "wicket" refers to the little gate formed by the three stumps and the two bails. However the word is also used loosely to refer tothe pitch : e.g. "The wicket is in good condition today."the outs : e.g. "Malcolm took five wickets in the last test."(when enumerated) a batsman : e.g. "Atherton was the 3rd wicket."and other meanings too. Despite this the meaning is usually quite clear from the context. Cricket has of course spawned many idiomatic expressions which are used in everyday speech, so one may for example say that someone is "batting on a sticky wicket". Originally by Muhammad Taher Khan. Edited by Adrian Fox-Murphy. 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