Cricket introduction

In the center of the field lies a strip of clay and short grass known as the “pitch.” At either end of the pitch stand three vertical wooden posts called “stumps.” Two horizontal wooden pieces, known as “bails,” sit atop grooves in the tops of the stumps, connecting the three stumps together. The combination of three stumps and two bails forms a “wicket.” One end of the pitch is designated as the “batting crease,” where the batsman stands, while the other end is the “bowling crease,” where the bowler delivers the ball.

The rectangular field is marked with boundary lines known as “creases.” These creases are typically used to determine if a batsman is out or to judge the legality of a delivery by the bowler.

The match process

The match begins with the captains tossing a coin to decide which team will bat first and which will field.

Each match is divided into several “overs.” Generally, each over consists of six consecutive deliveries bowled by the same bowler. A bowler cannot bowl two consecutive overs. After completing an over, the bowler returns to a fielding position, and another bowler takes over. At the end of each over, the batting and bowling ends switch.

Test matches usually have at least six hours of actual play per day and last for three to five days. Single-innings matches typically last for six hours or more and conclude within a single day.

An innings ends under the following circumstances:

– Ten of the eleven batsmen are “dismissed” (out).
– The target score is reached.
– The predetermined number of overs is completed (typically 50 overs in limited-overs matches).
– The batting team captain “declares” their innings “closed” (not applicable in matches with a set number of overs).

A batsman can continue batting until they are “dismissed.” There are ten ways a batsman can be dismissed. If a batsman is dismissed, another batsman from the batting team replaces them until all ten batsmen are out, ending the innings.

How a batsman can be dismissed

Here are the translations of the first six dismissal methods:

1. Caught : As the name suggests, the batsman hits the ball, and it’s caught by a fielder before it touches the ground.

2. Bowled : The bowler delivers the ball, and it hits the stumps directly behind the batsman.

3. Leg before wicket, lbw : If the ball, if not obstructed, would hit the stumps but instead hits the batsman’s body (usually the leg), the batsman is judged out for leg before wicket.

4. Run out : During the course of play, if the batsman or their bat is not behind the crease and the wickets are fairly and legitimately broken by the fielding side, the batsman is considered run out.

5. Stumped : The wicketkeeper catches the ball and breaks the wickets while the batsman is out of their crease and hasn’t returned.

6. Hit wicket : The batsman hits the stumps with their bat or body, and is considered out for hitting the wickets.

How to score

There are three ways to score:

The first is when the batter hits the ball and runs to the other end of the field while their non-batting teammate runs to the original end, earning one point.

The second is when the batter hits the ball, it lands within the boundary lines, then rolls or bounces out of bounds, earning four points. This type of scoring is also called a “Four”.

The third is when the batter hits the ball directly out of bounds without it landing, earning six points. This type of scoring is also called a “Six”.

Tournament and tournament format

Match-up game

Test cricket is the most traditional form of cricket competition, typically lasting four to five days with unlimited overs. Only matches between nations that meet the criteria for Test status are recognized as Test matches. There are only 10 nations eligible to participate in Test cricket, including England, Australia, South Africa, the West Indies, New Zealand, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, and Bangladesh.

First-class cricket is a form of Test cricket but is usually not restricted to international matches. First-class matches are limited to countries that have Test status, including their national or regional teams. Kenya is an important non-Test-playing nation, and matches between Kenya and other top teams are considered first-class, but domestic matches in Kenya are not. Typically, a match is considered first-class when both teams are recognized as first-class by the International Cricket Council (ICC). The major first-class competitions in various countries include:

• County Championship (England)
• Sheffield Shield (Australia)
• Currie Cup Series (South Africa)
• Regional Four Day Competition (West Indies)
• Plunket Shield (New Zealand)
• Ranji Trophy (India)
• Quaid-e-Azam Trophy (Pakistan)
• Premier Trophy (Sri Lanka)
• Logan Cup (Zimbabwe)
• National Cricket League (Bangladesh)

The County Championship

The County Championship is a top-tier competition that operates on a points system, with outcomes classified as Win, Tie, Draw, or Loss. Teams earn 16 points for a Win, 8 points for a Tie, 5 points for a Draw, and no points for a Loss, but additional points may be awarded.

Additional points are awarded for batting and bowling performances as follows:

Batting:
– 200-249 runs: 1 point
– 250-299 runs: 2 points
– 300-349 runs: 3 points
– 350-399 runs: 4 points
– 400+ runs: 5 points

Bowling:
– 3-5 wickets taken: 1 point
– 6-8 wickets taken: 2 points
– 9-10 wickets taken: 3 points

Additionally, points may be deducted for the following:

– Fielding an unregistered player: Deduction of all points earned in that match.
– Poor pitches: Deduction of 25 points.
– Slow over rates: Deduction of 1 point per over.
– Ball-tampering: Deduction of 8 points.
– Breach of salary cap: Deduction of 2.5 points.
– Discipline: Deduction of 16 points.
– Financial issues: Deduction of 48 points.

The team with the highest total points is crowned champion of this top-tier competition.

One-day matches

One-day matches, also known as limited overs cricket or instant cricket, originated from traditional English cricket to increase match attendance. One-day matches emerged in the 1960s, offering shorter match durations and more intense gameplay compared to Test cricket.

“One-day Internationals” is the term commonly used for international one-day cricket matches. In one-day matches, each team has only one designated batting innings, typically consisting of 50 overs in international matches.

The rules for one-day matches at the domestic level are usually referred to as List A cricket. However, due to cricket’s emphasis on international competition, domestic matches have less formalized adherence to one-day rules, resulting in fewer major competitions held regularly.

Following the implementation of one-day cricket rules, the cricket world introduced Twenty20 (T20) cricket rules in the early 21st century. With each innings limited to 20 overs, T20 matches are exceptionally short, attracting a larger fan base and garnering significant attention. Since 2007, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has organized the ICC World Twenty20, second in scale only to the Cricket World Cup among international one-day cricket tournaments, often referred to as a mini World Cup.

This trend has also influenced domestic cricket, where previously domestic competitions were primarily regional. Initially, domestic T20 cricket matches were played by existing regional teams outside of regular competitions, with less fixed formats.