RULES OF CRICKET

       Cricket is played by two teams of 11 players, with one side taking a turn to bat and score runs, while the other team will bowl and field the ball. The main objective in cricket is to score as many runs as possible against the opponent. Before the match begins, the captain of both teams will toss a coin, with the winner of the toss being able to decide which team bats and fields first.

      Each cricket match consists of periods known as innings, and the number of innings is two on every match. During an inning, one team bats while the other attempts to field and bowl. Both teams take turns alternating between batting and fielding.

While the game is in progress,  only two batting team members are allowed to be on the playing ground. One is striker batsmen, who play the ball. Another is the non-striker batsmen, who run with the striker’s batsman. When one batsman is out, another batsman comes to bat.

All 11 members of the fielding team have to be on the field. A player is selected from the fielding team and he is known as the bowler, while the rest of the 10 players are known as fielders. while one of the fielders – specifically known as the wicket-keeper – crouches behind the wicket to catch the ball if it misses by the striker batsmen.

Each bowler bowls one over. After one bowler bowls one over, another bowler comes to bowl the next over. with 6 balls in one over.

The batsman from the opposition team will attempt to hit the ball. The rest of the fielders are required to chase the ball once the batsman has hit it. Additionally, to score a run, both batsmen have to run from their respective wickets to the other as many times as possible after a ball has been hit.

Ways to score runs

• BY BATTING

The batsmen aim to score runs. One of the main cricket rules is that for batsmen to score runs they must run to each other’s end of the pitch (from one end to the other). In doing this one run is scored. Cricket rules state they may run multiple runs per shot.  As well as running they can also score runs by hitting boundaries and over boundaries. A boundary scores the batsmen  4 runs. An over boundary scores the batsmen 6 runs. A  four is scored by hitting the ball past the boundary after hitting the ground.  A six is scored by hitting the ball past the boundary on the full (before it hits the ground).

According to the cricket rules, other ways runs can be scored include no balls, wide balls, byes & leg byes.

• WIDE BALL

will be declared if the umpire thinks the batsman did not have a reasonable opportunity to score off the delivery. However, if the delivery is bowled over the batsmen’s head it will not be declared a wide but a no-ball. Umpires are much stricter on wide deliveries in the shorter format of the game while being much more relaxed in test cricket. A wide delivery will add one run to the batting team and any runs scored by the batsman. The batsman is not able to get out off a wide delivery except if they are stumped, run out, handle the ball, hit their wicket, or obstruct the field.

• No Ball

can be declared for many reasons, If the bowler bowls the ball from the wrong place, the ball is declared dangerous (often happens when bowled at the batsmen’s body on the full), bounces more than twice, or rolls before reaching the batsman or if fielders are standing in illegal positions. The batsman can hit a no-ball and score runs off it but cannot be out from any ball except if they are running out, hit the ball twice, handle the ball or obstruct the field. The batsman gains any runs scored off the no ball for his shot while the team also gains one run for the no-ball itself.

• BYE RUN

Is, where a ball that isn’t a no-ball or wide passes the striking batsman and runs, are scored without the batsman hitting the ball.

• LEG BYE

When a run hits a batsman’s leg, that’s his leg bye.

How many ways can a batsman be out?

There are several different ways a batsman can be given out. When a bowler gets a batsman out it is said that the bowler gets a “wicket”. Following are the different ways a batsman can be given out according to the rules of cricket:

• Bowled out

If the ball is hit the striking batsmen’s wickets the batsman is given out, and is called bowled out.

• Caught out

  – If a batsman hits the ball or touches the ball at all with his bat or hand/glove holding the bat then the batsman can be caught out. This is done by the fielders, wicketkeeper, or bowler catching the ball on the full before it bounces.

• Leg Before Wicket (LBW)

  – If the ball hits the batsman’s leg first without hitting the bat then an LBW decision is possible. However for the umpire to give this out he must first look at some of the factors stated in the cricket rules. The first thing the umpire needs to decide is would the ball have hit the wickets if the batsman was not there. If his answer to this is yes and the ball was not pitched on the outside of the wicket he can safely give the batsman out. However, if the ball hits the wicket outside of the line while he was attempting to play a stroke then he is not out.

• Stumped out

  – A batsman can be given out according to cricket rules when the wicketkeeper puts down his wicket while he is out of his popping crease.

• Run Out –

  A batsman is out if no part of his bat or body is grounded behind the popping crease while the ball is in play and the wicket is fairly put down by the fielding side.

• Hit Wicket

  – If a batsman hits his wicket down with his bat or body after the bowler has entered his delivery striped and the ball is in play then he is out.

• Timed Out

  An incoming batsman must be ready to face a ball or be at the non-striker’s end with his partner within three minutes of the outgoing batsman being dismissed. If this is not done the incoming batsman can be given out.

• Conclusion

There are many other cricket rules. However, these are most of the basics and will get you well on your way to playing the game. Many of the more advanced rules & laws can be learned along the way and are not vital to general play.

HOW TO BAT

HOW TO FASTBALL

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