To Understand the basics, every beginner must know that Cricket is played with two teams of 11 players each. Each team takes turns batting and playing the field, as in baseball. In cricket, the batter is a batsman and the pitcher is a bowler.
The bowler tries to knock down the bail of the wicket. A batsman tries to prevent the bowler from hitting the wicket by hitting the ball. Two batsmen are on the pitch at the same time.
What Is Batting As A Beginner?
Batting refers to hitting the ball to score runs. The goal is to score as many runs as you can so that the opposing team can’t get past your total. The first two batters will be on the field. As one gets out, or dismissed, the other team members will follow until no one is left to bat or the overs are finished.
The basic idea is to hit the ball as far as you can and get runs. But hitting every ball will not be helpful because that approach can get you out by being caught or bowled. There are many techniques that you can use to make yourself a better player. Some tips on basic cricketing shots are explained in the video below.
What Is Bowling As A Beginner?
The fielding team will bowl the overs and try to restrict the batting team from scoring. In international cricket, there are 90 overs that should be bowled in a day for a five-day match. A one day match has 50 overs per inning while a T20 match has 20 overs.
An over is a collection of deliveries that a bowler bowls. An over is completed when a bowler bowls six legal deliveries. If a bowler bowls a wide or a no ball, it is counted as an extra and it has to be re-bowled.
Things You’ll Need to Play Cricket As A Beginner
Here is a quick rundown of the equipment you’ll need to play cricket.
- Cricket bat
- Cricket ball
- Stumps
- Ground and Pitch
SCORING
The batters can run after the ball is hit. A run is scored each time they change places on the pitch. The team with the highest number of runs (typically in the hundreds) wins the match.
- 6 runs: A ball hit out of the field on a fly.
- 4 runs: A ball hit out of the field on a bounce.
OUTS (DISMISSALS)
- Bowled out: Bowler knocks over (breaks) the wicket with a bowl.
- Caught out: Fielder catches a batted ball on the fly
- Run out: Fielder catches ground ball and throws it at the wicket, knocking it down before the batsman gets there.
- Leg before wicket: Batsman’s body interferes with a bowled ball that would hit the wicket.
THE FIELD
The Cricket field can either be Circular, natural, or artificial turf
Sizes vary from ground to ground. There are 11 players per team positioned around the oval.
THE BALL
- Construction: Core of cork built up with string, has raised seams.
- Size: Circumference around 9 inches (slightly smaller, harder and heavier than a baseball).
THE BAT
- Construction: Made of willow wood, with a maximum width of 4.25 inches, and a maximum length of 38 inches.
THE GAME IS OVER WHEN
Sides take turns batting and fielding. Each at-bat, called an “over,” comprises no more than six bowls per batsman. The fielding team must retire or dismiss 10 batsmen to end the innings (always plural). World Cup matches are limited to one inning per team and a limit of 50 overs per inning. Non-elimination games are limited to a single day. Elimination games are allowed a second day if needed.
SOME CRICKET JARGON
- Bumper or bouncer: A short pitched ball targeted at head height.
- Bunny: Lower order batsman who is easy to dismiss.
- Dibbly-dobbly: A medium to slow-moving bowler.
- Googly or Wrong’un: A ball from the leg spinner which spins the other way.
- Howzat: What fielders yell when they are appealing for a wicket.
- Jaffa: Unplayable ball.
- No Ball: Illegal delivery which adds 1 run to the batting team’s total.
- Quack or Duck: When a batsman is dismissed without scoring.
- Ramp: When the ball is intentionally guided over the top of the wicket keeper and slips from fast-paced bowling.
- Village: Mindless or mediocre play.
- Waft: An unconvincing shot where the batsman waves the bat at the ball without making contact.
- Yorker: A full pitched ball aimed at the batsman’s toes or on the crease line.
- Zooter: A leg spin delivery which skids through low and quick.
WATCH HOW TO PLAY CRICKET:
