Cricket – Gentlemen’s Game

Cricket sport is the most popular game worldwide. The cricket game is England’s summer national sport. Two teams play it. Two umpires make decisions and a third umpire and match referee for international games. In addition, two off-field scorers record the match’s statistics.

The game has different forms, from short games lasting three hours to longer games played over five days. Players wear white clothing, but they wear team colors in some games. The ball is hard and made of compressed leather with a cork core.

Cricket was invented in England in the 16th century and spread worldwide as the British Empire expanded. The International Cricket Council (ICC) oversees the sport, and the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) maintains the rules in London. It is also popular in South Asia, Australasia, the United Kingdom, Southern Africa, and the West Indies.

Women’s cricket is also played internationally, and Australia is the most successful team, having won seven One Day International trophies and five World Cups.

What is Cricket?

Cricket is a game with 11 players on each side. They play on a field with a 22-yard pitch and two wickets, which are made up of three sticks and two bails. The team captain who wins the toss decides whether their team will bat or bowl first.

One team scores by hitting the ball with a bat and running back and forth between the wickets. The other team tries to stop this by catching the ball or hitting the wicket with the ball to get a player “out”.

During a cricket game, two batters are on the field, and the one currently batting tries to hit the ball away from the wicket. They can make a defensive or offensive hit. If the hit is defensive, they protect the wicket but don’t run to the opposite wicket.

If the hit is offensive, they and the other batsman (the nonstriker) switch places. Each time both batsmen switch places and reach the opposite wicket, one run is scored.

What is ICC?

ICC stands for the International Cricket Council, which is the global governing body for cricket. It was founded in 1909 and currently has 108 member countries, with 12 full members that play Test cricket, 20 members that play One-Day International (ODI) cricket, and 74 members that play Twenty20 International (T20I) cricket. 

The ICC is responsible for organizing international cricket tournaments, developing the rules and regulations of the game, and ensuring fair play and good sportsmanship among all cricket-playing nations.

Also, the ICC wants cricket to become the most popular sport in the world. They want to make the game more competitive, entertaining, and meaningful for players and fans. They aim to allow more people and nations to play and watch cricket and improve the competitiveness of international cricket. 

ICC Cricket also plans to organize exciting global events, attract new fans, and build successful commercial partnerships. In addition, they take steps to protect the integrity of the sport.

History of Cricket

Cricket originated in England during the 16th century, and the aristocracy initially played it. However, the first recorded cricket match took place in 1646. 

In the 18th century, cricket became more popular, and the first laws of the cricket game were established. During the 19th century, cricket evolved into an international sport. The 1st international cricket match was played in 1844 between Canada and the United States.

In this part, you will know the full history of cricket from generation to generation:

Origins

Cricket sport is a game where players hit a ball with a bat, similar to baseball, golf, and hockey. The key difference is the target structure, the wicket, that the batter must defend.

Many people think that cricket was first played as a children’s game in the southeast of England during the Middle Ages. However, the earliest recorded evidence of cricket being played is from a court case in Guildford in January 1597. Although there are claims that cricket was played even earlier, this is our first clear reference.

Cricket may have originated from a children’s game in medieval England. Its name may come from various sources, such as the Old English word “cryce” (or “cricc”). It means a staff or crutch, the Middle Dutch word “krick” meaning a stick, or “trickster” meaning a low stool used in church. 

Some experts suggest that the game and its name could have come from Flanders, a medieval county of Burgundy, which had strong trade connections with southeast England at the time.

Growth of Cricket in England

In the past, cricket was played differently than it is now. Of course, the main aim was still to score the most runs, but certain technical aspects of the game differed.

In the 19th century, cricket game became more organized, and the first professional cricketers emerged. The formation of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) in 1787 helped to standardize the rules and regulations of the game. 

County cricket teams were formed in the 19th century, and the 1st Test match was played between England and Australia in 1877. However, the popularity of cricket continued to grow, and the sport spread to other countries, including India and the West Indies.

The first Test match, played between England and Australia, took place in 1877, and it is considered the birth of modern cricket. The first One-Day International (ODI) was played in 1971, and the first Cricket World Cup was held in 1975.

English Cricket at the 18th and 19th Centuries

Cricket underwent major development in the 18th century in England, becoming the country’s national sport due to patronage and betting. Bowling evolved from underarm to pitching the ball, leading to changes in bat design. 

The Hambledon Club was initially the focal point of the sport, followed by the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), which became the custodian of the Laws of Cricket. The 19th century saw further changes, including the creation of county clubs and the County Championship. W.G.

Moreover, Grace was a prominent player in the 19th century, blurring the distinction between amateurs and professionals. As a result, the period before WWI has been called the “Golden Age of Cricket”, producing great players and memorable matches.

Cricket becomes an International Sport

The 1st international cricket match was played in 1844 between the United States and Canada, with Canada emerging as the winner. Then, in 1859, an English cricket team made the first overseas tour to North America. 

Cricket had already been established in Australia, the Caribbean, British India, New Zealand, North America, and South Africa due to the influence of the British Empire. The first Australian team to travel overseas consisted of Aboriginal stockmen, who toured England in 1868. 

The first recognized Test match was played in 1876-77 between Australia and England at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. You can say, it gave birth to the famous Ashes rivalry in 1882. Test matches started expanding when South Africa played against England in 1888-89.

World Cricket in the 20th Century

During the inter-war years, Australian Don Bradman dominated the Test game and is considered the greatest Test batter of all time. Test sport continued to expand in the 20th century with the addition of several teams before and after the Second World War, including West Indies, New Zealand, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, Bangladesh, Ireland, and Afghanistan. However, South Africa was banned from international cricket due to apartheid from 1970 to 1992.

The Rise of Limited-overs Cricket

Cricket changed in 1963 when a new type of cricket game called limited overs was introduced. Cricket was popular because it always produced a winner and more matches were played. The first Limited Overs International match happened in 1971 and the International Cricket Council (ICC) organized the 1st limited overs Cricket World Cup in 1975. A new type of limited-overs cricket called Twenty20 became popular in the 21st century. Afghanistan and Ireland have been become the 11th and 12th full members of the ICC in 2017, which allowed them to play Test matches.

Cricket Playing Area

Today, cricket is played worldwide and is one of the most popular sports. In cricket games, there is a specific playing area and dimension. In this part, we will learn about the cricket playing area:

• Cricket is a game played between two teams of 11 players on a circular or oval-shaped field.
• The field has a boundary, which marks the edge of the playing area and can be a fence or part of the stands or a rope or a painted line, or a combination of these.
• In the Middle of the cricket field, there is a rectangular pitch with a wooden target called a wicket at each end.
• The wickets are placed 22 yards apart from each other.
• The pitch is a flat surface that is 10 feet wide and has very short grass that tends to wear away as the game progresses.
• Each wicket has three wooden stumps topped by two bails.
• The pitch is marked 4 white painted lines: a bowling crease, a popping crease, and two return creases.
• The bowling crease is 8 feet and 8 inches long and the popping crease is drawn 4 feet in front of the bowling crease and parallel to it.
• Return creases are drawn at right angles to the popping crease and intersect the edges of the bowling crease.
• Each return crease is drawn as an 8-foot line that extends 4 feet behind the bowling crease but is unlimited in length.

Cricket Match structure

Before a cricket match starts, the team captains toss with a coin to decide which team bats first. Then, in an inning, one team tries to score runs while the other team tries to stop them and get the batters out.

The main goal of each team in cricket sport is to score more runs than their opponent. However, in some forms of cricket games, the team must also dismiss all their opponent’s batters to win. If the team batting last scores fewer runs than their opponent, they lose. If the team batting last scores enough runs to win, they win by the number of wickets (or batters) left to fall.

Here is the core part of a cricket match:

Innings

In cricket, the term “innings” is used for each phase of play during a match. Therefore, each team has one or two innings, depending on the match type. 

The innings can end before all batting team members have taken a turn to bat. It happens when the batting team is “all out”, meaning no more batters are left to come in.

Here are the key points about when innings may end early in cricket:

• An inning can end early in a two-innings-a-side match if one team’s combined first and second innings total is less than the other team’s first innings total.
• A game is declared a draw if the allotted time for the match ends before either side wins.
• In a match, there can be two to four innings depending on the type of match. 
• During an inning, all eleven members of the fielding team play, but only two batting team members are on the field at one time. 
• A batter may be allowed a runner to run for them if they are unwell or injured.
• The captain of the batting team may declare the innings over even if some of his players do not get their turn to bat.
• The innings may also end early if the set number of overs in a limited overs match have been bowled, or if the match ends prematurely due to bad weather or running out of time.
• Finally, in the final innings of the match, the batting side may reach its target and win the game.

Overs

According to cricket Laws, the ball is bowled from each end in overs of 6 balls during each inning. When 6 balls are bowled, it is called an “over” and the umpire announces “Over!”. Then, the fielding team changes ends while the batters remain where they are. 

A bowler cannot bowl two overs in a row, but they can bowl several overs in an alternate sequence from the same end, known as a “spell”. At the end of the over, the batters do not switch ends, so the non-striker becomes the striker and vice versa. 

The umpires also switch their positions, so that the one who was behind the wicket at the non-striker’s end now stands at “square leg” and vice versa.

Cricket Clothing and Equipment

Fo cricket games, there are some different types of clothing and equipment. Players should wear and carry this for their own safety. Let’s see the cricket clothing and equipment:

Clothing

Players wear specific clothing and protective gear when playing cricket. The clothing includes:

• Collared shirt
• Long trousers
• Jumper
• Sun hat, cricket cap
• Spiked shoes
• Jockstrap
• Abdominal guard
• Helmet
• Leg pads
• Thigh guard
• Arm guard
• Chestguard
• Elbow guards
• Gloves
• Wicket-keeper’s glover

Equipment

The laws of cricket regulate cricket clothing and equipment. Here is some cricket equipment:

• Ball
• Bat
• Stumps
• Bails
• Sight Screen

Cricket Player Roles

During a cricket match, there are 15 people on the field – 13 players and 2 umpires. The batting team has two batters on the field while the other nine players wait in the pavilion for their turn to bat. The fielding team has 11 players who take turns bowling, fielding, and wicket-keeping.

Some players are all-rounders skilled in both batting and bowling or one of these and wicket-keeping. Bowlers are classified based on their styles, such as fast bowlers, seam bowlers or spinners. Batters are classified based on whether they are right-handed or left-handed.

Let’s see some cricket player roles:

Fielding

In cricket, there are 11 fielders on the field. Based on the strategy, the captain or bowler decides where to position the other 8 fielders. They may change position between deliveries.

If a fielder gets injured or sick during the game, a substitute can take their place, but the substitute cannot bowl or be the captain, except in cases of concussion. The substitute leaves the field once the injured player is ready to return. The rules were changed in 2017 to allow substitutes to act as wicket-keepers.

Bowling

Bowlers are players who specialize in bowling and are selected for the team based on their skills. They take a run-up before delivering the ball to the batsman. Fast bowlers run up faster and can bowl at over 145 km/h, while slow bowlers bowl at a slower pace and rely on trickery to deceive the batsman. Some medium-paced bowlers focus on accuracy.

The bowler’s job is to get the batsman out. A batter can be out in nine ways, including being bowled, caught, or run out. If the fielding team believes a batsman is out, they must appeal to the umpire for a decision. If the umpire agrees, they raise a finger and say, “Out!” Otherwise, they shake their head and say, “Not out.” There is also a way for a batsman to retire, which is not an on-field dismissal.

Batting & Runs

In cricket, batters take turns to bat according to pre-decided batting order. The batter takes a stance before starting to bat. The aim is to hit the ball with the bat’s blade’s flat surface, using different strokes to score runs. The batter’s repertoire includes strokes named according to the swing style and the direction aimed: cut, drive, hook, pull. 

The striker tries to hit the ball to prevent it from hitting the wicket and to score runs with his partner. To make a run both runners must touch the ground behind the popping crease. Each completed run increases the score of both the team and the striker. Moreover, substitute batters are not allowed, except for concussion substitutes in international cricket.

Captain Roles

In cricket, the captain is the team leader and is responsible for choosing the players who will play in the game. The captain must also ensure that their team plays by the rules and behaves in a sportsmanlike manner.

The wicketkeeper is a special fielder who has specific rules to follow. For example, they are the only player who can make a stumping and they wear gloves and leg guards to protect themselves.

There are two types of players on a cricket team: batters and bowlers. Batters are the players who try to score runs, and bowlers are the players who try to get batters out. A typical team has about five or six batters and four or five bowlers, plus the wicketkeeper.

Umpires Roles

During the game, there are two umpires. One stands behind the wicket at the bowler’s end, and the other stands in a position called “square leg.” The umpires make decisions on things like whether a ball was bowled correctly if a run was scored, and if a batter is out. 

They can also interrupt or abandon a match if they think the players are in danger. In televised matches, a third umpire usually can make decisions using video evidence.

Match details, including runs and dismissals, are recorded by two official scorers, one representing each team. In addition, the scorers note everything that happens in the game, like runs scored, wickets taken, and overs bowled. All this information is put on a scorecard.

Before scorecards were popular, men would sit on vantage points and use tally sticks to keep track of the score. 

Women’s Cricket

Women’s cricket has been around since 1745, but it wasn’t shining until the 20th century that it became an international sport. Australia and England played the first women’s Test Match in 1934, and soon after New Zealand joined. 

The International Women’s Cricket Council was established in 1958 to oversee women’s cricket worldwide. In 1973, the first Women’s World Cup was held in England. In 2005, the International Women’s Cricket Council merged with the International Cricket Council (ICC) to form one organization that manages cricket. 

The ICC Women’s Rankings were introduced in 2015 for all three formats of women’s cricket. In 2018, the Women’s rankings were split into separate ODI and T20I lists.

Conclusion

In conclusion, cricket is a popular sport played worldwide. It originated in England and has since spread to many other countries. The game involves two teams, each with eleven players, taking turns to bat and bowl. The objective of the cricket game is to score more runs than the opposition. 

Cricket sport is now played at both amateur and professional levels, with international tournaments such as the Cricket World Cup and the T20 World Cup. The sport continues to evolve, with innovations such as the T20 format and the use of technology in umpiring decisions. 

Overall, cricket is a fascinating sport with a strong tradition and with a bright future.

Cricket FAQs

We all know that cricket is the most popular and traditional game. Let me know in the comment which team you support and why. Or if you want to know anything about cricket you can also ask through comment. 

Here I am giving you some basic questions that people usually ask: