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HOW
TO EXPLAIN THE GAME OF CRICKET
There
are two sides, one "in" and one "out"
Each player that's in the side that's "in" goes "out" and when he/she's
"out"
he/she comes "in" and the next player goes "in" until he/she's
"out"
When they are all "out", the sides that's "out "comes
"in" and the side
that's been "in" goes "out "and tries to get those players coming
"in" "out"
Often you get a player still "in" and not "out"
When both sides have been "in" and "out " including the not outs the game is
at an end
CONFUSED? read on
Once a match has commenced the next players are" in" as soon
as he/she crosses over the boundary and they are "in" until
given "out" or retire.
There are ten ways of being given "out" namely:- bowled, leg
before wicket, obstructing the field, timed out, caught out, handled the
ball, hit the ball twice,
hit the wicket, run out and stumped. A batsman may be "out" if
he is not given "out" and walks "in" and returns
over the boundary
A batsman may retire at any time but it needs to be determined whether
he has retired out or not out
WHAT THE UMPIRE IS SIGNALLING TO THE SCORER
HOW
TO EXPLAIN SOME OF THE JARGON USED IN THE GAME
Without an understanding of the jargon in
everyday use you may not grasp the finer points of cricket
| "OFF-SIDE" |
Nothing to do with the footballing
term.
Relates to one half of the playing area determined by an imaginary
line extending back, in a straight line, from the centre stump to
join the boundary at both ends of the pitch.
Batting in a sideways on position the batsman's chest will face
the "off-side" of centre stump |
| "ON-SIDE" |
Relates to the opposite of
"off-side" and covers the area at behind the
batsman when receiving the ball deliver by the bowler |
| "BOWLING CREASE" |
This marks by white line the length
of the pitch at either end.
No longer of relevance to bowling and
placed a maximum distance of 22yards apart.
Can be less to cater
for junior cricket.
The stumps are located at their back or outside edges |
| "POPPING CREASE" |
Located 4ft in front of the bowling
crease and its proximity is where the batsman on strike will take
guard and mark the ground as a reference point. It determines the
batsman's ground when judging a stumping or run out. Some part of
his person or bat must be grounded behind the "popping
crease" marking should the wicket be broken when the ball is
in play. Completing of a run requires the bat or person to be
grounded otherwise the Umpire will call and signal "one
short" and in the case of a two run attempt only one will
count |
| "THE
PITCH" |
Not the variety of road construction
material sometimes called "tar".
It is the playing surface of the ground on which a match is
contested. It is usually turfed or grassed but can be
artificial in construction if allowed by the rules of competition |
| "WICKETS" |
Often wrongly used to to describe the
playing surface which is known as the pitch.
In reality it is a
term used to describe the five bits of wood which together
make three stumps and two bails that are located at either end of
the pitch. GOT IT? |
| "SLEDGING" |
Not a winter sport but more akin to
the proverbial sledgehammer being taken to crack a nut. The nut in
this case being located inside the head of a batsman eg. his mind.
It is specifically aimed to breakdown a players concentration
particularly when batting, but not always so. A form of bullying
which in its extreme is abusive and insulting and if this happens
is against the "Spirit of Cricket". Originating in
Australia it is not a recent feature of the game. Harold
Larwood, of the infamous bodyline series, is reported to have said
"A cricket tour in Australia would be a most delightful
period in one's life if one were deaf". A person who is able
to withstand this tactic is often described as being
"mentally tough" |
| "CROSS
BAT" |
Not an angry bird like mammal.
Describes a stroke used by the batsman where his bat is swung in a
horizontal plane, across the line of the ball. The undoing of many
a batsman when frustration sets in. |
| "DOT
BALL" |
A delivery from which no runs are
added to the team score |
| "CHINESE
CUT" |
Describes a ball which takes the
inside edge of the bat and the deflection narrowly passes leg
stump in an uncontrolled fashion. Could be thought upon as a moral
victory to the bowler but often results in a fluked boundary much
to the annoyance of the bowler. |
| "RABBIT" |
A tail end batsman with a low
expectation of scoring runs.
Sometimes the word is used to greet a high order batsman in the
form of "sledging" aimed to rattle and upset the
concentration at the start of his innings before he settles |
| "
WRONG 'UN" |
A term for a ball that spins in an
unexpected position and is likely to deceive the batsman in his
shot selection |
| "YORKER" |
A fast delivery pitching close to or
level with the batsman's feet aimed to go under the bat |
| "WALK" |
Describes the height of honesty that
a batsman can show when he knows that he has finely edged the ball
which is caught and decides to "walk" off the field of
play without waiting for the umpire to give him out |
| "SWEEP" |
A stroke played to leg normally
executed down on one knee |
| "WORK" |
Means to manoeuvre a straight
delivery through the legside by turning the face of the bat
inwards at the moment of impact. If done badly may result in
impact being made with the leading edge of the bat and a caught
and bowled opportunity. |
| "TRACK" |
Another name to describe the pitch |
| "STRIKE
RATE" |
Not associated with industrial
dispute but a tool used to analyse performance.
It indicates how many balls the bowler has bowled per wicket taken |
| "ECONOMY
RATE" |
Forget about the financial
connotation it is another performance assessing mechanism.
Relates to how many runs a bowler has conceded per over
bowler.
In junior cricket an economy rate of 3 runs or less per over would
indicate an above average seasonal performance |
| "DOLLY" |
Describes an extremely easy catch
that softly bobs up to the fielder without him having to move in
any direction. A most embarrassing catch to drop. |
| "LINE
AND LENGTH" |
Perhaps a misguided expression,
when coupled together. It is an often heard used by team managers,
players and parents which quite frankly is meaningless and begs the
question " is it really helpful"?
"Line" relates to the direction the ball is
travelling in and a good line is often thought to be off stump or
just outside it. In reality a good line is one that penetrates the
batsman's established weakness(s) in skill or causes him the most
difficulty in dealing with - it is variable.
"Length" is where the ball pitches or lands and
has many variables and needs to be coupled with the other
descriptive words such as "good", "poor",
"full" or "short". A good swing or spin
bowler will tend to bowl a full length to maximise swing/ball
rotation and impart deceptive flight. The condition of the pitch
will often influence the tactics which best suits the quicker
bowler e.g. a hard surface will be receptive to pace and bounce.
However a short pitched delivery on a damp soft surface
requires a much fuller length as a short pitch in these
conditions will make the ball "sit up"/ lose pace and be
asked to be hit
SO WHAT DOES LINE AND LENGTH MEAN
TO THE RECIPIENT? |
| "JAFFA" |
An expression whish describes an
unplayable ball e.g. one that deviates or spins alarmingly off the
pitch. A juicy and sweet delivery. |
| "CORRIDOR
OF UNCERTAINTY" |
An area just outside the batsman's
off stump. The batsman is uncertain whether to play at the ball or
leave it when it lands in this so called corridor |
IMAGINARY LINES ARE CRUCIAL TO THE
UMPIRES DECISION MAKING
The popping crease is normally marked for a length of
12ft but in reality extends outwards to join the boundary line in an
imaginary way. No more two fielders are allowed behind this line on the
leg-side of play at the time of delivery otherwise the umpire will call
and signal "No ball".
The width of the pitch is 10ft which is defined by an imaginary lines on
either side e.g. 5ft either side of another imaginary joining the centre
stump positions. A fielder must not have part of his/her person grounded
or extended over the pitch while the ball is in play prior to the bowler
delivering the ball otherwise the umpire will call and signal "No
ball".
When the boundary is defined by spaced flags or in other non-continuous
ways the flags are joined together by imaginary lines. Four or six runs
will be scored when the ball crosses the imaginary line.
The pitch has a "protected area" which is defined by imaginary
lines to form a rectangular shaped zone. Its edges commence 4ft in front
of the popping creases and its edges are defined as being locates 1ft on
either side of an imaginary line which links centre stump position. . A
bowler will be warned repeatedly if he enters the "protected
area,during his delivery, but on the third occasion the captain
will be ordered to remove the offender from the bowling act. Do you
think Umpiring is easy and straight forward, if not, use your
imagination.
HOW
THE ASHES CAME ABOUT
A mock obituary appeared in a newspaper
following England's first ever defeat in a cricket Test series by
Australia.
The stumps were cremated and placed in an urn and handed over to the
England captain.
The winning of Test series played between England and Australia is
presented with the urn containing ashes.
The never leave Lord's where they are kept in a museum for safekeeping-
only a replica is retained by the winning team
The urn bears the inscription "In affectionate remembrance of English Cricket which died at the
Oval on 29 August 1882
Deeply lamented by a large circle of sorrowing friends and
acquaintances. RIP."
ONLY THE ASHES ARE OLDER THAN THE HEAVY WOOLLEN
DISTRICT CRICKET CHALLENGE CUP
Apart from the Test Matches played for
"The Ashes" between England and Australia, no other cricket
competition in the UK can boast a longer continuous record than the
Heavy Woollen District Cricket Challenge Cup. Even "The Ashes" had to be suspended during the two wars of
1914-18 and 1939-45, whilst the Heavy Woollen District Cricket Challenge
Cup competition soldiered on.
UNDERARM
BOWLING LINKED TO AN ACT OF COWARDICE
Changes to cricket law resulted from a piece of action which put
simply was "not cricket" and this happened at the highest level
of the one day game.
At the closing stages of a match between Australia and New
Zealand Trevor Chappell was ordered by his brother and captain to bowl
underarm for the last ball with New Zealand requiring six runs to win.
The Laws of Cricket did not prevent this at that time.The New Zealand batsman with no hope of scoring 6 runs off this delivery
(rolled along the ground) blocked the ball and afterwards
threw his bat away in disgust. The captain's action was described as an
act of cowardice by the then Prime Minister of New Zealand.
Underarm bowling is now only permitted if it is agreed before the match and
in addition a ball which rolls before reaching the batsmen is now deemed a "No
ball"
NOT
WEARING A HELMET CAN BE FATAL
George Summers has the distinction of being the first player to be
killed by a cricket ball during a first class match which happened as
long ago as 1870. Needless to say he was not wearing a helmet.
ABOUT
DUCKS
SPECIES OF DUCK |
WHAT IS ITS MEANING ? |
|
DUCK
A PAIR
GOLDEN DUCK
KING PAIR
|
Out without scoring a run
Out without scoring in both innings of a match
Out off the first ball received
Out off the first ball received in both innings of a match |
The Heavy Woollen Junior Cricket
League is confident that two of its players established a unique
world record of Golden Ducks during their Under14 Tour match
against the South Worcestershire Junior Cricket League on Thursday
1 May 2006.
The HWDJCL team included in its batting line up the Dowse twins,
Ryan and Matthew , who were celebrating their respective
fourteenth birthdays, that very day, and were destined
to be the second and third victims of a hat trick credited to a
South Worcestershire bowler.
Two golden ducks picked up by twins on their birthdays is probably
something that has never happened before and not likely to be
repeated in a hurry?
|
HOW
THE WICKET SPECIFICATION HAS CHANGED SINCE CRICKET BEGAN
| YEAR |
STUMPS |
BAILS |
HEIGHT |
WIDTH |
1700
1775
1798
1816
1817
NOW |
2
3
3
3
3
3 |
1
1
1
1
2
2 |
12"
22"
24"
26"
27"
28" |
24"
6"
7"
7"
8"
9" |
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