by Tamra Cocks
Whenever I talk about cricket to those whose countries predominantly follow sports such as football, soccer, baseball and various others, I have come to the conclusion that most people know very little about the game with the players that carry the funny looking bats and those weird looking sticks in the ground. Yes, people I'm talking about cricket. Today I shall educate on the rules and fun of it all.
Having grown up in a psychotic, Australian, sport-crazed family, I must say that it is my opinion that cricket has 2 types of players. That is the actual players themselves and the spectators. In my experience, the spectators play quite an important role in the game. I can't possibly imagine any interesting game of cricket if it wasn't for the spectators who proudly cheer on their team with signs, flags and too much booze. When I think of cricket, I think of going along to the game with thousands of others, with my esky (ice box) filled with beer and sangas (sandwiches) wearing my ridiculously oversized hat, zinc cream plastered all over my face like war paint and drinking beer after beer until I'm convinced my voice is loud enough to carry across the oval (field). It's the atmosphere that tops off a terrific cricket match. It's an integral role!
However I'm sure I don't have to remind you all of the "various" etiquettes of being a spectator, as I'm sure we all have our own style. So let's move onto the actual RULES of cricket!
First of all there are two types of cricket matches. The first is called a One Day match, which as the name states, is played out over a day/evening. In these matches the players wear their coloured uniforms. Personally I prefer "One Dayers" as you can expect a result at the end of the day. The other match is called a Test Match which is usually played over 2-3 days. The players wear their white uniforms in these matches.
AIMS OF THE GAME
Each team consists of 11 players. There are always 2 batsmen on the field (from one team) in play at all times. The batsmen's aim is to hit the ball as far as they can and score points known as "runs" by running 25 metres between the two poles in the ground called wickets. The aim of the fielding team is to "bowl out" all of the players from the batting team and vice versa.
DURATION OF THE GAME
For each team there is a selection of about 5 or so bowlers. These bowlers change in between "overs." Each bowler is not allowed to bowl anymore than 10 overs per match. An "over" consists of 6 balls. In a One Day match, each team fields for an "inning." An "inning" consists of 50 overs. Therefore there are a total of 300 balls bowled for each inning. In a Test Match there are 2 innings which double the amount of balls bowled. Play continues until a) the 50 overs are up, b) 10 out of 11 players are out, c) one team overtakes the other?s runs, and d) one team declares to stop the game.
HOW TO GET THE BATTER OUT
There are several ways for the bowler and fielders to get the batter out. The initial responsibility always lies with the bowler. The bowler must bowl the ball. This is not a pitch or a throw but a fast over arm swinging action where the ball must bounce before it reaches the batter. If the ball makes it successfully past the batter and hits the wickets or "stumps" behind him the player is out or "BOWLED!!" as many eccentric spectators choose to yell out.
The fielders have their role of getting the batter out as well. They can do this by:
Catching the ball hit by the batter on the full.
Throwing the ball so that it makes contact with the wickets while the batters are running between them. This is known as a "run out."
Another way a batter will be ruled out is called "LBW," otherwise known as "Leg Before Wicket." This occurs when a ball is bowled and the batsmen attempts to hit the ball but fails to do so because it is blocked by the batsmen's shin pads. Therefore if the bowler and fielders believe that the ball was in the direct path of the wickets and would have hit them if it wasn't for the pads blocking the way, then they can "appeal" to the umpire for the batter to be dismissed.
So I hope that updates you all on the general rules of cricket. I'm yet to figure out how to give this explanation in Japanese so that I can explain to my students of what it's all about. However I hope this has given you guys an idea on what us Aussies, Brits, and Kiwis are on about when we go on about it. Give it a go and ganbaru!!!