In this article, we will discuss the rules of cricket.
Cricket
Cricket is a game played with a bat and a ball. It is played between two teams of 11 players each. Rules of Cricket maintain discipline in matches and give a fair result for both opponent teams. The object of the game is to score a run.
The aim of the game is for the batsman to bat and score as many runs as possible and for the fielders to stop from scoring the runs.
The traditional form of cricket is called “Test cricket“. There are other formats of the game also. For example, One Day 50 over matches.20 Cricket, etc. There are some slightly modified rules in the game according to their formats.
– The length of the cricket pitch is 22 yards (20 m) and is 10 ft (3.0 m) wide.
– Each wicket consists of 3 wooden stumps placed in a straight line and surmounted by 2 wooden cross-pieces called Bails.
– The height of the wicket including the bails is 28.5 inches (720 mm) and the combined width of the 3 stumps is 9 inches (230 mm).
– 4-line none edge creases are painted onto the pitch around the wicket areas to define batsmen’s “Safe territory” and to determine the limit of the Bowler’s approach. These are called the “Popping” creases the bowling crease and “return” creases.
Basic Requirements in Cricket
Types of equipment for Cricket games are:
a. A Cricket Ball
b. Two Bats
c. Stumps (three stumps in each set)
d. Bails the small wooden pieces kept on the Stumps. The stumps and Bails make a wicket on the pitch.
e. Helmets, gloves, etc.
Rules of Cricket
– Each team is made up of 11 players.
– The bowler must bowl 6 legal deliveries to complete and over.,
– A game must have 2 umpires. They should stand at either end of the wicket.
– The umpires must count the number of balls in the over.
– The umpires decide whether the batsman is out after an appeal.
– The umpires also check that the bowler has bowled a legal delivery.
– The batsmen can be given out by either :
# Being bowled(the ball hitting their stumps ).
# Caught ( fielder catches the ball without it bouncing ).
# Leg Before Wicket (LBW, the ball hits the batsman’s pads impeding its line into the stumps )
# Stumped (the wicketkeeper strikes the stumps with their gloves while the batsman is outside the crease with the ball in hand ).
# Hit wicket (the batsmen hit their wicket ).
Handled ball ( the batsmen handle the cricket ball on purpose).
Timed out ( the player fails to reach the crease within 30 seconds of the previous batsmen living on the field).
Hit ball twice (batsmen hit the Cricket ball twice with their bat ) and obstruction( the batsmen purposely prevent the fielder from getting the ball). Rules of Cricket Should be followed by all players.
Basic Skills of Cricket
Here is the list of skills that will be needed to play the cricket matches.
✔ Hand-Eye Coordination and Batting Technique.
✔ Hand-eye coordination with Throwing and catching.
✔ Bowling Technique (Fast, Swing, and Spin)
✔ Fielding.
✔ Wicket-keeping.
Different Types of Bowlers
1. Pace bowler
a. Swing Bowler
b. Other tactics
2. Spin Bowler
a. Wrist Spin
b. Finger Spin
3. Mixed Bowler
4. Slow seam bowler
Equipment of Cricket
The equipment required to play cricket is as follows:
| Equipment | Description |
| Bat |
The bat is the most essential element of equipment used in cricket. It is used by the batsman to hit the ball. Bats are prepared of wood and can be either straight-bladed or curved-bladed. The weight and size of the bat will change depending on the batsman’s desire.
|
| Ball |
The ball is prepared of cork and leather and is attached together. The ball’s color will change depending on the format of cricket being played. For instance, the ball red is used for Test matches and white is used for ODI and T20 matches.
|
| Wickets |
The wickets are the three stumps and two bails kept at each end of the pitch. The stumps are made of wood and are about 28 inches tall. The bails are made of wood and are around 3 inches long.
|
| Protective gear |
Cricket is a physically challenging sport, so it is essential to wear protective gear to prevent injuries. Protective gear mostly contains a helmet, gloves, pads, and a box.
|
| Clothing |
Cricket players mostly wear a white shirt, white trousers, and white shoes. They can also wear a hat or a sun glasses, cap.
|
Terminology of Cricket
Here is a list of some standard terminology employed in cricket as follows:
| Term | Definition |
| All-rounder |
A player who can do both batting and bowling.
|
| Batsman |
The cricketer who is batting at the crease.
|
| Ball |
The ball is employed in cricket. It is prepared of cork and leather and is attached together.
|
| Bowler |
The cricketer bowls the ball to the batsman.
|
| Boundary |
The perimeter of the playing region. If the ball crosses over the boundary, it is taken as a four or a six.
|
| Catch |
When a fielder grabs the ball after it has been smashed by the batsman before dropping in the ground.
|
| Dismissal |
When a batsman is out of the match. There are various ways to be out in cricket.
|
| Extras |
Runs that are counted to a team’s total that are not made by the batsmen. Extras contain byes, leg byes, no balls, and wides.
|
| Fielder |
A cricketer who is not batting or bowling stands inside the boundary line to stop the ball from going boundary. Fielders try to stop the batsman from making runs and to out the batsman.
|
| Innings |
The duration that one team or player is permitted to bat or bowl. In a Test match, each team consists two innings. In an ODI or T20 match, each team has one innings.
|
| Leg bye |
When the ball contacts the batsman’s leg and then moves to the boundary, it is known as a leg bye.
|
| Maiden over |
An over in which the bowler does not give any runs to the batsmen.
|
| No ball |
A delivery that is not against rules. No Ball can be because of Height or Steeping out from bowling crease. No balls are punished by giving the batting team one run and a free hit.
|
| Over |
A bunch of six deliveries bowled by the same bowler.
|
| Pitch |
The 22-yard strip of stadium between the wickets.
|
| Run |
A unit of making in cricket. A run is made when the batsman hits the ball and moves to the opposite wicket before the fielding team can back the ball to the wicket.
|
| Stumps |
The three wooden posts are kept behind the wicket. The bails are kept on top of the stumps.
|
| Wide |
A delivery that is too far from the batsman’s bat or batsmen crease marked line. Wides are punished by providing the batting team one run.
|
| Wicket |
The three stumps and two bails that are kept at each end of the pitch. If the bails are down by the ball, the batsman is considered as out.
|
Test cricket
Test cricket is played over five days. Each team has 2 innings (or 2 chances to bat ). The scores are added from 2 innings and the team with the most runs after each innings is the winner.
One Day Cricket
One Day Cricket is played 50 overs. Each team has 50 overs to bat and ball.
T20 cricket
T20 cricket is played in 20 Overs. Each Team will get 20 Overs to bat and ball.
Umpires
International games will have a further 2 umpires known as the third and fourth umpire. These are in place to review my decision that the on-field umpires are unable to make. Rules of Cricket Should be followed by Umpires too.
Wicket-keeper
The fielding team must have its wicketkeeper who is the only person allowed to wear pads and gloves on the field. The wicketkeeper stands behind the opposite of the bowler to catch the ball. Rules of Cricket Should be followed by all players otherwise, the Cricket board may punish such players.
ICC Rules
There are many rules of cricket prepared by the ICC. Here is the code of conduct needed to be followed by all players, and the public.
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Skills of Cricket
1. Hand-Eye Coordination and Batting Technique
2. Hand-Eye Coordination with Throwing & Catching
3. Bowling Technique (Fast, Swing, and Spin)
4. Fielding
5. Wicket-keeping
6. Running
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