Cricket is a game played with a bat and ball on a large
field, known as a ground, between two teams of 11 players each. The object of
the game is to score runs when at bat and to put out, or dismiss, the opposing
batsmen when in the field. Cricket is a game played between two teams made up
of eleven players each. To apply the law and make sure the cricket rules are
upheld throughout the game there are two umpires in place during games. Umpires
are responsible for making decisions and notifying the scorers of these decisions.
Two umpires are in place on the playing field while there is also a third
umpire off the field who is in charge of video decisions. This is where the
call is too close for the on field umpires and they refer it to the third
umpire who reviews slow motion video replays to make a decision. Before the
game begins an official will toss a coin. The captain who guesses the correct
side of the coin will then choose if they want to bat or field first. One team
will then bat while the other will bowl & field. The aim of the batting
team is to score runs while the aim of the fielding team is to bowl ten
people out and close the batting teams' innings. Although
there are eleven people in each team only ten people need to be bowled out as
you cannot have one person batting alone. Batting is done in pairs. Once the
first team has been bowled out the second team would then go into bat. Once the
second team is then bowled out it would normally return to the first team
batting again. The aim of the batsmen is to score runs. One of the main cricket
rules is that for batsmen to score runs they must run to each other's end of
the pitch (from one end to the other). In doing this one run is scored. Cricket
rules state they may run multiple runs per shot. As well as running they can
also score
runs by hitting boundaries. A boundary scores the batsmen
either 4 or 6 runs. A four is scored by hitting the ball past the boundary
after hitting the ground while a six is scored by hitting the ball past the boundary
on the full (before it hits the ground). Cricket rules also state that once a 4
or 6 has been scored any runs physically ran by the batsman are null &
void. They will only obtain the 4 or 6 runs.Other ways runs can be scored
according to the cricket rules include no balls, wide balls, byes & leg
byes. Cricket rules state that all runs scored by these methods
are awarded to the batting team but not the individual batters.
A "No Ball" can be declared for many reasons: If
the bowler bowls the ball from the wrong place, the ball is declared dangerous
(often happens when bowled at the batsmen's body on the full), bounces more
than twice or rolls before reaching the batsman or if fielders are standing in illegal
positions. The batsman can hit a no ball and score runs off it but cannot be
out from a no ball except if they are ran out, hit the ball twice, handle the
ball or obstruct the field. The batsman gains any runs scored off the no ball
for his shot while the team also gains one run for the no ball itself.
A "Wide Ball" will be declared if the umpire thinks
the batsman did not have a reasonable opportunity to score off the delivery.
However if the delivery is bowled over the batsmen's head it will not be
declared a wide but a no ball. Umpires are much stricter on wide deliveries in
the shorter format of the game while being much more relaxed in test cricket. A
wide delivery will add one run to the batting team and any runs scored by the
batsman. The batsman is not able to get out off a wide delivery except if they
are stumped, run out, handle the ball, hit their wicket or obstruct the field.
A "Bye" is where a ball that isn't a no ball or
wide passes the striking batsman and runs are scored without the batsman
hitting the ball.
A "Leg Bye" is where runs are scored by hitting
the batsman, but not the bat and the bal
l is not a no ball or wide. However no runs can be scored if
the striking batsman didn't attempt to play a shot or if he was avoiding the
ball.
There are a number of different ways a batsman can be given
out in the game of cricket. When a bowler gets a batsman out it is said that
the bowler gets a "wicket". Following are the different ways a
batsman can be given out according to the rules of cricket: Bowled - Cricket
rules state that if the ball is bowled and hits the striking batsman's wickets
the
batsman is given out (as long as at least one bail is
removed by the ball). It does not matter whether the ball has touched the
batsman's bat, gloves, body or any other part of the batsman.
However the ball is not allowed to have touched another
player or umpire before hitting the wickets.
Caught - Cricket rules state that if a batsman hits the ball
or touches the ball at all with his bat or hand/glove holding the bat then the
batsman can be caught out. This is done by the fielders, wicket keeper or
bowler catching the ball on the full (before it bounces). If this is done then cricket
rules state the batsman is out.
Leg Before Wicket (LBW) - If the ball is bowled and it hits
the batsman first without the bat hitting it then an LBW decision is possible.
However for the umpire to give this out he must first look at some of the
factors stated in the cricket rules. The first thing the umpire need to decide is
would the ball have hit the wickets if the batsman was not there. If his answer
to this is yes and the ball was not pitched on the leg side of the wicket he
can safely give the batsman out.
However if the ball hits the batsman outside the line of off
stump while he was attempting to play a stroke then he is not out.
Stumped - A batsman can be given out according to cricket
rules when the wicketkeeper puts down his wicket while he is out of his crease
and not attempting a run (if he is attempting a run it would be a runout).
Run Out - Cricket rules state that a batsman is out if no
part of his bat or body is grounded
behind the popping crease while the ball is in play and the
wicket is fairly put down by the fielding side.Hit Wicket - Cricket rules
specify that if a batsman hits his wicket down with his bat or body after the
bowler has entered his delivery stried and the ball is in play then he is out.
The striking batsman is also out if he hits his wicket down while setting off
for his first run.
Handled The Ball - Cricket rules allow the batsman to be
given out if he willingly handles the ball with the hand that is not touching
the bat without the consent of the opposition.
Timed Out - An incoming batsman must be ready to face a ball
or be at the non-strikers end with his partner within three minutes of the
outgoing batsman being dismissed. If this is not done the incoming batsman can
be given out.
Hit The Ball Twice - Cricket rules state that if a batsman
hits a ball twice other than for the purpose of protecting his wicket or with
consent from the opposition he is out.
Obstructing The Field - A batsman is out if he willingly
obstructs the opposition by word or action.