Decoding The Mystery Of The Game Of Cricket
Cricket, while not quite yet a worldwide game, has seen a significant rise in popularity around the world in recent times. This bat-and-ball team game may be loosely compared to baseball as it involves pitchers, batsmen and runs, though many of the rules and finer details differ significantly.
The sport has its beginnings in 16th-century England and has become hugely popular in countries like Australia, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the West Indies. In fact, it is seen as the national sport in many South Asian nations.
The last few years have seen something of a rebirth of the game. On top of the original Test matches, which can last for days, there are now one day and twenty overs games that don’t last so long and a lot more spectator-friendly experience.
Such developments have coincided with, or maybe are the reason for, the emergence of a number of ‘second-tier’ cricket-playing countries across Europe, Africa and the Americas. Though they are still some way behind the ‘big boys’ of world cricket, there is evidence that the gap is closing.
The rules of cricket are quite complex, but here is a basic summary of the sport. Cricket teams have eleven players on each side and the game is played on a large oval field. One team bats, attempting to accumulate as many runs as possible. The batsman attempts to protect the wicket from the bowler while scoring runs. If the bowler strikes the wicket with the ball, or a fielder catches the ball after it is batted, then the batsman is ‘out’. When all the batsmen are dismissed then the teams swap roles, and the side that scores the most runs wins.
As mentioned, traditional ‘Test’ matches like those played in the prestigious Ashes series between England and Australia, can last for a number of days. The newer One day and 20 overs formats limit matches to one day of play.
The gear required for cricket is pretty basic and impromptu games between family and friends can be easily organized. The most important items are cricket bats and balls. The bats are blade-shaped and can be up to 38 inches long. Balls are made out of hard leather.
Because the balls are heavy and the fact that they can be thrown at up to 90mph, it is necessary for batsmen to wear protective gear, namely a helmet, gloves and pads. Serious injuries are not uncommon in the sport.
The governing body of cricket is the Dubai-based International Cricket Council (ICC). It has a hundred and four members, including ten full members that play each other in international Test matches. It also governs the laws of the game and appoints umpires and officials.
