Cricket is a sport. Like football.
It’s not hard to understand, but for those who never watch it can be about as fun as chemistry class (that is, if you’re not a nerd).
Teams, points and stumps...
Each team has 11 players—Yes, exactly like football. Points are scored by running between two sets of three wooden sticks (stumps) , called wickets. The wickets, you could say, are like goals. The goal for the bowler is to hit the ball at it. Think of the batsman as a goal keeper. Instead of using his hands to prevent the ball from going into the goal, he uses his bat to strike the ball away from the wicket.
Figuring out the teams on field... Here’s where it gets a bit different. The team batting (the goalie’s team) has only two players on the field, where as the team bowling (attackers) have 11.
Wickets...
Each batting team, has 11 lifelines. So think of it as 10 red cards. When the bowler throws the ball at the batsman, and he misses, causing it to hit the wicket, he’s given an OUT. In football terms, a red card. "leave the field."
Another way to get a red card is if the batsman hits the ball and it gets caught before one bounce.
There are lots of ways to get a red card (wicket), actually. There’s also a run out. For you to get that, let me explain RUNS.
Runs...
Everytime the batsman manages to hit the ball away from him, he runs between the wickets.
One run = One point
Two runs = two points
Three runs = three points.
Four runs = it’s impossible to run that much before the fielders (10 men and the bowler of the opposite team) get the ball, unless there is a serious mess up or blunder on the field.
Run out...
Now, if you continue running and the fielder gets the ball, he has to attempt to throw the ball at the stumps before you get there (if you watch baseball you might understand that).
He can either aim directly at the stumps or throw the ball to the "wicketkeeper" (the opposition’s goalie) who will hit the stumps before the player crosses the line.
Hit Wicket...
When batsman uses his own bat, leg or his body to hit the wicket when batting, he is called out.
In football terms, this would be an own goal and is probably just as embarrassing.
Handling the ball (to make it simpler)...
If the ball is going towards the wicket, the batsman cannot use his hand to stop it at anytime.
It’s like a handball in the penalty area. Simple enough?
LBW
Also known as leg before wicket. Simple English, complicated theory. Not really.
See, players aren’t allowed to use their legs to block the wicket. Just like goalkeepers aren’t allowed to stop the ball using hands outside the "D."
If the ball hits the batsman anywhere below the knee, before hitting the bat, the Umpire (aka Referee) will decide whether if the leg hadn’t been in the way, would the ball have hit the stumps. If he thinks it would, the player is signalled an OUT.
Overs
Think of them as minutes in a football match because they are equally important.
An over consists of six balls. To make it simpler, when you throw a cricket ball at a batsmen six times. It makes an over! Each match consists of hundred overs. Team A will bat for 50 overs and team B will bat for another 50. In between those, will be a short break, equivalent to half-time. Yes, this means the game could go on for hours, but time isn’t really important.
The bowler
Bowler’s have to "throw" the ball at the batsmen, in a straight line with his arm going over head, in order for it to be counted. Like the goalie has to be inside the D when using his hands, the bowler has a line he has to bowl before. If he crosses that line (like the line in a Long Jump) It’s counted as a "NO BALL" and the umpire gives the opposite team another ball plus a run.
If the ball is bowled to far to the left or right, its a wide, and the opposite team is given a run (which, in case you forgot is a POINT).
If you try to kill the batsman with speed, its okay, but avoid it swinging so much that it hits the batsman’s helmet or you could get a warning.
The batsman
There are two batsmen on the field. Each on opposite ends. They’re aim is to hit the ball , run and score points. When they run, they switch positions, mainly at one or three runs.
Fours and Sixes
These are extremely fun to watch.
You get four points, when the ball is hit towards the boundary with once bounce or more.
You get six points if you hit the ball towards the boundary and it crosses it without a bounce or lob.
If football were judged on the quality of goals, it would make it similar to cricket.
The Run Chase
Now an average score in 50 overs, would be 250. Anything crossing 300 would be great. Once Team A makes, say, 250 in 50 overs, his innings (first half) is over. The next team up to bat, has to score 250 to draw, or 251 to win.
Like in football. When Milan scored three goals (say 300 runs in cricket) Liverpool had to score four to win (301). It’s as simple as that.
Remember factors that count is the overs and wickets (in other words, don’t waste time and don’t get too many red cards)
So that was the basics of cricket ODI (50 over game), in football terms, it’s not too hard, and once you understand this, you’ll be able to watch the game and not get very bored!
Give it a shot, the next time you see a cricket match, stop and watch. Maybe it will make more sense to you now.
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about 1 month ago
great work michelle.
Im sure that will help football fans understand this game..........
Great innovation. I think u should tag it under football. If you really wrote it for them......
you will get my potd
from about 1 month ago
Thanks Nikhil.
Hopefully, yes it will work :) Lets see how it goes.
Thanks for the POTD
from about 1 month ago
great stuff as usual mich...keep up the good work..you are on your way to senior writer status..::)))
/stoker
about 1 month ago
good one michelle....5*
from about 1 month ago
Thanks Rohini
about 1 month ago
I don't get cricket just ask Shyam he tried to explain LOL
All I know is Ireland beat Pakistan last year and that was good, all I need to know :-)
from about 1 month ago
Hahaha. Poor Shyam. Well, i've tried so far, looks useless ;)
Ireland did beat Pakistan, actually, they knocked them out of the world cup :P
from about 1 month ago
Hey..one lucky game! Good stuff, Michelle.
from about 1 month ago
Haha, thanks Salaar :P
about 1 month ago
Good read Michelle.. but the LBW rule is a lot like the offside rule with a considerable number of sub-rules..
Nevertheless.. nice correlation between two very popular sports.
about 1 month ago
I am SO CONFUSED!!!!!!
from about 1 month ago
Hahah ;)
Stick to football :P
about 1 month ago
You know, this game is likened to football by you in an excellent manner, but I find that it's a lot more similar to baseball. I mean, even the terminology is similar. Batsmen, runs, outs... next thing you know I'll be singing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" during an India-South Africa match.
from about 1 month ago
Thanks Eric :P
It is similar to baseball, but I was trying to explain it to football fans, so baseball would make things even more confusing!
cheers
from about 1 month ago
i remember reading of an exhibition match in hollywood once, where one team was a player short and the captain invited american friend to play. he took the strike with his bat resting on his shoulder as in baseball, flat batted the ball back down the pitch before sprinting to cover, then to the bowlers end and square leg, before returning to where he started and proceeed to slide into his stumps shattering them. needless to say, the umpire gave him out lol
about 1 month ago
Trying to explain Cricket to me.
Is like trying to explain baseball to my uncle.
Hopeless
from about 1 month ago
Hey Tanade :P
Its understandable
Your forgiven. haha!
about 1 month ago
dont take this the wrong way, but the two cricket articles havent been up to the standard of your football ones, and i question the motives of those awarding potd's for it. no doubt i'll cop some flack for these comments, but i thought you might like an unbiased opinion. running four happens quite regularly, especially on grounds the size of the mcg, and the lbw rule is far more complicated than youve implied. at the same time, i can acknowledge the effort that went into this piece, so congrats in that regard
from about 1 month ago
Thanks Chris, appreciate the honesty.
Yeah, maybe your right about the 4 runs, but it doesn't happen too often.
As for the LBW rule, I couldnt exactly explain everything. This was just an attempt to get the basics drilled into most peoples heads :P And if I wrote about all the details cricket involved, this article would be useless !
Thanks again
x
from about 1 month ago
Hey chris,
yes it is possible to expect a much better articles from writers like MICH.
It was a brave attempt to say the least...... not easy to try and make football fans understand cricket... she just tried to make it easy to understand......
any the way she got my POTD for her creativity...... many people say cricket is not understood, few make an attempt to make it understandable ..... she did her best... I jus gave her what she deserved...
But Chris bro..... No hard feelings.....
only good wishes.. niks
about 1 month ago
Brave to try to explain cricket to football fans!
The fact of the matter is that cricket is an inifinitely more complex game than football. It has three professional international formats for starters.
I wonder how many professional cricketers would make good footballers and vice versa...
from about 1 month ago
Thanks Christopher.
Yeah, cricket is more complex and a bit more boring at times (specially if you dont understand it)
which is why i've attempted to explain :P doesn't seem to have worked much =]
about 1 month ago
ROFL :P
To think anyone would actually be able to explain cricket this way... lol
from about 1 month ago
Hahahah, oy Rahul! I tried! Spent most of the time laughing at myself though :P
about 1 month ago
ha ha superb way to explain cricket and soccer
great article
22 days ago
Funny piece of writing though you captured the essence of the game.
Just curious, how would you explain in football's terminology, a stump out and the 5 runs awarded when the ball hits the helmet placed behind the keeper ?
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