"Cricketer" redirects here. For other uses, see Cricketer (disambiguation).
Cricket
A bowler bowling to a batsman. The paler strip is the cricket pitch. The two sets of three wooden stumps on the pitch are the wickets. The two white lines are the creases.
Highest governing body International Cricket Council
First played 18th century (modern)
Characteristics
Team members 11 players per side substitute fielders (only) are permitted in cases of injury or illness
Mixed gender Single
Categorization Team, Bat-and-ball
Equipment Cricket ball, cricket bat, wicket: stumps, bails
Venue Cricket field
Olympic 1900 Summer Olympics only
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on a field at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. Each team takes it in turn to bat, attempting to score runs, while the other team fields. Each turn is known as an innings.
The bowler delivers the ball to the batsman who attempts to hit the ball with his bat far enough for him to run to the other end of the pitch and score a run. Each batsman continues batting until he is out. The batting team continues batting until ten batsmen are out, at which point the teams switch roles and the fielding team comes in to bat.
In professional cricket the length of a game ranges from 20 overs of six bowling deliveries per side to Test cricket played over five days. The Laws of Cricket are maintained by the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) with additional Standard Playing Conditions for Test matches and One Day Internationals.[1]
Cricket was first played in southern England in the 16th century. By the end of the 18th century, it had developed into the national sport of England. The expansion of the British Empire led to cricket being played overseas and by the mid-19th century the first
References: ^ John Major,More Than A Game, HarperCollins, 2007 ^ John Leach, From Lads to Lord 's quotes the precise date of the accounting entry as Thursday 10 March 1300 (Julian date), which is in the Gregorian year of 1301 ^ David Underdown, Start of Play, Allen Lane, 2000, p.3 ^ a b H S Altham, A History of Cricket, Volume 1 (to 1914), George Allen & Unwin, 1962, p.21 ^ Timothy J McCann,Sussex Cricket in the Eighteenth Century, Sussex Record Society, 2004 ^ CricketArchive profile ^ Eastaway, Rob (2004). What Is a Googly?: The Mysteries of Cricket Explained. Great Britain: Robson Works. p. 24. ISBN 1-86105-629-X. ^ Eastaway, Rob, What Is a Googly?: The Mysteries of Cricket Explained (Anova, 2005), p. 134. ^ Singh, Vikas (30 December 2003). "Ponting in Bradmanesque avatar". The Times of India. Retrieved 8 September 2010. ^ a b Tygiel (2000), p. 16.