Cricket: An Explanation For You America-Type People. That Means You, Blitzkreig. (1245 hits)
Category: SportsRating: 1.43 on 46 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by phuzzygish (View user info) at 2006-01-16 11:53:52 EST
Okay. So I did a post about cricket the other day, and realised that it's probably not the most popular sport in Northern America.
In fact, y'all know sweet fuckall about it.
So: At the request of Blitzkreig Bob, among others, I've trawled the internet, written, re-written and glued together a bunch of information about what the hell cricket actually is, and how it works. Plus, because some of you might still be on functional grade learning, I've done it from an American viewpoint, as compared to that baseball game you guys play. Trust me, there are less hotdogs in cricket, but there is more sun-tanning and boobs.
Yes, I will put boobs in this post if you ask nicely.
Okay, if you're not interested then don't read it. If you are sort of interested as to why 22 men can spend five days wearing white pants and cardigans and STILL pull chicks, take a deep breath. Here goes:
**********************************************************************
THE BASICS
There are two main varieties of cricket, regular cricket and "one-day" cricket. The length of a cricket match can varie, and depend entirely on the level of play. Generally, in an important series between two countries the more important matches will be the longer "Test" matches, which are five days long. You also get three day long Tests, but those are generally for domestic (national) competitions, or less important international matches. They usually play eight to ten hours a day, so it's quite a long game. One-day cricket is often much faster, more intense and more exciting, but Test cricket is far more intelligent and strategic.
There are TWO teams, with eleven players each (instead of nine as in baseball).
Cricket in played with the two batsmen standing in the middle of an oval shaped field; the "ground". The ball can be hit in any direction; in front, the sides, behind, anywhere, so there is no foul territory.
Instead of four bases, there are only two; in the middle of the field, sixty-six feet apart. At either end are three wooden poles called wickets, on top of these are balanced two little pieces of wood called bails. These are the Holy Grail, the most important things.
ALL running is between the two bases..
Instead of rotating batting for nine innings each, EACH team does all its batting in a SINGLE inning.
Scoring is in "runs" like baseball but at a much higher rate. The team scoring more runs wins the game.
In a cricket match each side (teams are called "sides") is up twice. The first team bats while the other team fields. Then, when they are finished, the second team bats. In a One-day match, that's it. In a Test match, once each team has batted once, they get another turn; i.e. the first team bats again, followed by the second, again. Then, suddenly, it's five days later.
What baseball calls a "half-inning," cricket calls "Innings." So the first team has its "first innings," then the second team has its "first innings", then each side has its "second innings."
We cool so far? Don't worry, I'll try put some boobs in later.
This is what happens when a side has its innings: they send up their first *two* in their batting order. In cricket, two "batsmen" are up at a time, not one. They bat and bat and bat and bat until one of them is out. Then he sits down, and the third man in the order replaces him. Then those two bat and bat and bat until one of them is out. Then the fourth person in the order, and so on replaces that person. This goes on until ten of the eleven are out. Then the innings are over, because the last person cannot bat alone, you need two to bat in cricket. After ten people are out, the other team has their innings. And the same thing happens.
Right then, on to fielding.
FIELDING / BOWLING (PITCHING)
Unlike baseball, where a pitcher rests every 10 or so pitches when the batting rotates, cricket "bowlers" rest every 6 pitches because the bowlers are rotated.
But first, picture an oval field, with a rectangle in the middle.
....................*....*....*....*
................*........................*
............*................................*
........*.......................................*
......*...........................................*
.....*..............................................*
....*...................-----------..................*
....*...................-----------..................*
.....*..............................................*
......*............................................*
........*........................................*
...........*.................................*
................*........................*
.....................*....*....*....*
Okay? The bit in the middle is where most of the action happens.
The fielding team works with TWO pitchers (We call them *bowlers) at the same time.
The first pitcher goes from one side like this:
....................---------------------------
..................B2|.........................|
...................||.........................|B1|WK
..........L..E..R...|.........................|
.....O.W............---------------------------
...B
He runs up and bowls the ball over his shoulder in a windmill-type action.
After six throws, the "wicket-keeper" (catcher) moves around behind the first pitcher's base, pitcher #2 takes over.
He makes six throws in the opposite direction (i.e. towards the starting pitcher's base).
The two pitchers keep alternating like this, until one or both of them are relieved by other bowlers.
IMPORTANT: Each six-pitch set is called an "over", and pitchers are called "bowlers" in cricket. So, to say "Doe bowled seven overs", is saying Doe threw 42 pitches, in (alternating) sets of six. Got it? Good.
BATTING
Now this is important: The primary difference between baseball and cricket is that the batsman can choose NOT TO RUN. If he makes contact with his bat, he can stay standing there.
He is safe as long as he protects his wickets WITH HIS BAT (NOT his feet or hands) and makes no other errors.
As long as the batter can protect his base, he is free to keep batting, and scoring, as long as he can.
The batter (or "batsman") is OUT only if
: any of the three sticks marking his base ("wickets") are hit by the pitcher
--he is "bowled", which is like being struck out, except that the ball hits your wicket once, you're out, sorry for you.
OR, if: the ball is hit into a fielder's hand without touching the ground, he is "caught" (like baseball's pop fly).
OR, if: he is running between the bases, and a fielder can touch the base he is running to,before the runner crosses the "safe line" in front of the wickets. This means he has been 'run out', kind of like a tag, except in cricket you tag the wickets, not the runner.
THE BAILS MUST BE REMOVED FOR THE BATSMAN TO BE OUT. Either by direct hit when the ball is thrown by a fielder, or bashed into the wickets by the fielder standing next to them. If the bails come off by either the ball or having the ball in your hands, and you haven't crossed the line, you're outta there.
So this means that a good batsman, if he doesn't do something stupid, can stick around scoring hundreds of runs; until he runs out of time or all his team-mates go out.
SCORING
Oh boy, this is gonna be tough to explain. Okay:
A batsman can score in cricket by hitting the ball, deciding to run, then running safely between the two bases.
Once across (from one end to the opposite one) is a "single", scoring 1 run.
There and back is a "double", scoring 2 runs.
Three times back and forth is a "triple", scoring 3 runs.
A hit that reaches the fence, or "boundary" scores four runs.
A hit that flies over the boundary without bouncing is a six, scoring, uh, 6 runs.
HOW PLAY PROGRESSES
(A bit of repetition, but it'll help the flow, mkay?)
Before the game starts, the opposing captains toss a coin, to decide who is to bat first... or second. It gets very tactical, depending on the particular field, the teams strengths, weaknesses etc.
The game begins.
TWO batters are sent in, one for each side. In other words, the bases are "loaded" to start a team's batting, and have to stay that way.
As one batter gets out, the next person in the batting order goes in. As I said, each team is allowed 10 outs !OR! a maximum number of overs (if it's a limited overs, one day game)to bat.
{Quick aside: Limited one-day matches are generally 40 or 50 overs for each side. 50 x 6 = 300 balls to make, on average, 250-300 runs.}
The innings is finished EITHER when 10 outs have occurred ( i.e. 1 man is left, out of the 11 in the team), OR when the 40-over limit has been reached.
After one team finishes batting, there is a tea (actually, sandwiches, beer and jelly babies and bananas) break.
Now the team which has been fielding gets its chance to bat.
Say the team batting first scored 120 runs. If the team batting second scores only 100 runs in its 40 overs, it has lost by 20 runs.
BUT.. if it reaches 121 runs for (say)only 6 outs within its allowed 40 overs, it has won the game. It has also won by a margin of 4 spare batsmen still to come, so they've won by 4 "wickets".
DURATION
A typical cricket game takes about as long as a weekend baseball double-header. In fact, this is a useful way of looking at cricket if you understand baseball:
Each team's batting takes about as long, and has as many things happen, as a complete baseball game.
A typical cricket game might take 5 to 6 hours. This could consist of 4 to 5 hours of actual play, and the rest of the time for lunch, tea, refreshment breaks and other pauses.
This is about average. There CAN be low-scoring games that are over in 2 or 3 hours... On the other hand, if both teams score 200 to 300 runs each, these VERY high-scoring games last seven hours... or more.
It all depends---on the day, the teams, the mood and the playing conditions.
SOME OTHER EXTRA BITS
The situation between bowler and batsman has many variables not in baseball. Let me start with the bowler.
The bowler takes a running start. He can run from any direction, at any speed. The fact that he's running as he releases the ball not only adds to the speed of the ball, but also he can twist his whole body into the delivery and put a really wicked spin on the ball. You know how in baseball, the ball is replaced every time it's hit, or there's any suspicion that it is not perfectly round? Well in cricket they use the same ball for a very long time. The old rule was you used the same ball for the entire match, but that has been relaxed somewhat. Still the ball is only replaced about once a day or every other day, and as it gets lumpier, it flies and bounces more and more irregularly.
And don't forget the bowler bowls the ball overhanded and it bounces off the ground. The ground in a cricket pitch should be smooth but of course ground isn't perfect, and combined with the spin the bowler puts on the ball and the fact that it's lumpy, it's an intriguing proposition for a batsman.
Now the batsman also has more choices than the baseball batter. As in baseball, the batsman wants to hit the ball where nobody is standing. But because there are many different cricket strokes, both offensive and defensive, the bat has a flat blade, and there is no foul territory,
there's just a lot more that a batsman can do.
Now, suppose two batsmen are up (it's called a "partnership") and one is a lot better than the other? You want the better batsman to face as many balls as possible. Who receives the next ball depends on what over is it and whether you have hit an odd or even number of runs lately. So, if you're the better batsman and you're receiving the ball, you want to hit an even number of runs. Notice that if you get a boundary that's either 4 or 6 runs, both even numbers. If you're the weaker batsman you'll try to hit a single (which we recall is one run) so as to get the better player to face the bowler. On the last ball of an over, a good player may purposely try and hit a single so that he will continue to face the ball when the next over starts.
Uuuummmm. I think that's sort of about it, really. There's a lot more I could go on about, but I think if you want to know more, there are plenty of great websites out there that'll tell you everything you need to know. For this post I used lots of resources from cricinfo.com, which is a great, simple website and seattlecricket.com, who are just a bunch of wallies, really.
But yeah. One of the best things about cricket, whether it's a One day game or a 5 day Test, is sitting in the sun, catching a tan, and drinking a putload of beer. It's glorious.
Now what the hell is Beer Pong? Somebody educate me. Please.
User Reviews
Submitted by thorpe (user info) at 2006-11-27 04:26:44 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Marsh: So, how's your wife and my kids?
Botham: The wife's fine, the kids are retarded.
Submitted by redskieslookfake (user info) at 2006-11-27 03:50:52 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
So what about playing for a draw or something. Is that playing deliberately slowly so the overs aren't finished?
I'm Northern - we don't care about cricket (chester-le-street is quite close to me - and I've never once been to see Durham get stuffed)
If i want to sit in the sun and get drunk I... well... erm.. sit in the sun and get drunk
Submitted by matnotharry (user info) at 2006-01-17 19:03:08 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Wikipedia explains the banter better:
Sledging incidents
Sledging means the often rough exchange of words between batsmen and bowler. One prominent example is when South African batsman Daryll Cullinan was on his way to the wicket, Warne told him he had been waiting 2 years for another chance to humiliate him. "Looks like you spent it eating," Cullinan retorted. Warne then promptly dismissed the South African with a well executed flipper.
Submitted by matnotharry (user info) at 2006-01-17 19:00:59 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Excellent stuff.
My dad told me this anecdote:
There is a custom of friendly yet profane banter that flies between the batsman and the wicket-keeper (the guy behind the batsman, incase you weren't paying attention), the aim of which is to put the batsman off his guard.
Enter Shane Warne, the badarse Austrailian who is said by many to be one of the greatest spin bowlers of all time.
Shane was batsman.
Wicket keeper: 'why is warney so fucking fat?'
Warne: 'Because every time I shag your wife she gives me a cookie'
Submitted by polyamorousaj (user info) at 2006-01-17 18:39:42 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by phuzzygish (user info) at 2006-01-17 09:33:52 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
It'd be hilarious. You know that in the entire history of the USA's cricket team, they've never had a player represent them that's been born in the US. All their players are brought in from the Indies and The East, and paid a shitload to try lift the game.
Okay, the US just plain OWNS in a number of sports, but this one? We antipodeans got 'em BEAT!
Submitted by r1nce (user info) at 2006-01-17 07:13:36 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
I hope the Americans qualify for the next World Cup in the Windies, sadist that I am.
Submitted by Dervel (user info) at 2006-01-17 07:03:33 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
But yeah. One of the best things about cricket, whether it's a One day game or a 5 day Test, is sitting in the sun, catching a tan, and drinking a putload of beer. It's glorious.
---
Summed up nicely. It's all about sitting around with your mates and drinking beer.
It's not just a sport, it's a social thing.
Submitted by phuzzygish (user info) at 2006-01-17 06:48:11 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Office cricket is the Bizz Nizz. Or saw the end off of a hockey stick and get a tennis ball, and play it in the corridors at school. Now that's comedy!
Submitted by CaptainThorns (user info) at 2006-01-17 06:39:45 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
WTF I'M NOT RAEDING ALL TAHT
I played cricket with the Indian guys in my office once. Hell of a time.
Submitted by williamson (user info) at 2006-01-17 06:35:45 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
I enjoy a good game of cricket though I have to admit I'm looking forward to watching baseball in Japane next year. Somebody make a baseball post damn it so I can at least learn the rules in my mother tongue!
Submitted by jack11058 (user info) at 2006-01-17 05:54:00 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
great reference
Submitted by phuzzygish (user info) at 2006-01-17 05:33:47 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Not so much, Flack. But quite often the players get upset with some sort of umpiring decisions and start laying about them with their bat. A couple people die. It's all part of the game.
To be honest, Ilove watchign international level cricket, but given the choice I would much rather play indoor/action cricket. Much faster, harder and intense. But that's just me.
And man, the trolls are out in force this month.
Submitted by Flack (user info) at 2006-01-17 05:26:21 EST (#)
Ranking: 1
huh?
Oh yeah, do they get drunk and fight alot, like in Soccer?
Submitted by circadian_mist (user info) at 2006-01-17 05:24:50 EST (#)
Ranking: -1
Definitely good enough for a start on the basics. I still don't think they get it. Not enough stats, I presume.
But you get a -1 for not putting in any boobs when you mention them at least twice. How darest thou thwart mine expectation such. Bitch-flange.
Submitted by iddqd (user info) at 2006-01-17 05:09:59 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
the main, key difference between cricket and baseball, and why i personally feel cricket is a surpierior game are the fatcs that the ball is used until it is a torn, shredded mess, and the ball hits the ground. this creates a huge variance in the way the ball moves, what bowlers (pitchers) can do, and what batsmen have to cop ewith and adjust to. watching warne move a ball close to a metre from right to left and bowl a batsman around his legs is somethnig all baseball fans should see, to giev them an appreciation of the difficulties and nuances involved.
this is not to dengrate baseball, i just feel it lacks this dimension.
Submitted by thorpe (user info) at 2006-01-17 04:46:17 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by ConorJS (user info) at 2006-01-16 22:43:13 (#)
Ranking: -2
Hold on, I'll do this from the British point of view for all you wanks (instead of yanks, get it?) out there. phuzzygish is a cunt.
Cricket is gay and retarded, not just because it's cricket, but because it takes four fuckin' days to finish a match.
I can hardly take baseball, and I'll be honest, the only games I ever watched all the way through were when the Yankees played the Red Sox in '04. And I only watched 'em because everyone else in Boston did, too. Not gonna lie to ya.
----------------------------
So you not having the patience for cricket makes phuzzygish a cunt?
Submitted by williamson (user info) at 2006-01-17 04:28:12 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
You forgot the part about text messages and English tarts but I'll forgive ya.
Submitted by phuzzygish (user info) at 2006-01-17 03:58:35 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by ConorJS (user info) at 2006-01-16 22:43:13 (#)
Ranking: -2
Hold on, I'll do this from the British point of view for all you wanks (instead of yanks, get it?) out there. phuzzygish is a cunt.
Cricket is gay and retarded, not just because it's cricket, but because it takes four fuckin' days to finish a match.
I can hardly take baseball, and I'll be honest, the only games I ever watched all the way through were when the Yankees played the Red Sox in '04. And I only watched 'em because everyone else in Boston did, too. Not gonna lie to ya.
-------------------------------------
The third paragraph from the top, skippy. The bit where it says "If you aren't interested, don't read it."
Go read that bit again. Then never come here again. Okay? Okay.
Submitted by phuzzygish (user info) at 2006-01-17 03:38:48 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by triple_optics (user info) at 2006-01-16 15:44:49 (#)
Ranking: -1
http://www.seattlecricket.com/history/crick.htm
I tried ever so hard to play cricket, but standing in a field for a few hours waiting for a ball is like smashing your hat off and not spunking....pointless.
------------
Hey, dumbass, you read the bit at the bottom where I said "Thanks to cricinfo.com and and seattlecricket. com for helping me put all this together?
I thought not.
Submitted by Bigmike (user info) at 2006-01-16 23:43:26 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Overs confuse me. Why is that?
I would like to play this game.
Submitted by ConorJS (user info) at 2006-01-16 22:43:48 EST (#)
Ranking: -2
And no fucking tits?
Again, a cunt.
Submitted by ConorJS (user info) at 2006-01-16 22:43:13 EST (#)
Ranking: -2
Hold on, I'll do this from the British point of view for all you wanks (instead of yanks, get it?) out there. phuzzygish is a cunt.
Cricket is gay and retarded, not just because it's cricket, but because it takes four fuckin' days to finish a match.
I can hardly take baseball, and I'll be honest, the only games I ever watched all the way through were when the Yankees played the Red Sox in '04. And I only watched 'em because everyone else in Boston did, too. Not gonna lie to ya.
Submitted by Bushy (user info) at 2006-01-16 22:21:00 EST (#)
Ranking: 1
not a bad effort, but i suppose knowing the game i found some of your "dumbing down for the yanks" stuff a bit off putting. Its also a bit disappointing that you couldn't get into the tactics of a test match, as those of us who are fans know that this is where much of the beauty of the game lies.
and to Axolotl, in fact baseball is just a bastardisation of cricket. the most notable element that persists is the 22 yards between bowler/pitcher and batter/batsman.
Submitted by thorpe (user info) at 2006-01-16 20:18:29 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Haha you bastard, now I'll have to wait at least six months till I can do mine.
Though I did miss my self-imposed deadline by 6 days...
Submitted by MrCoffee (user info) at 2006-01-16 19:55:54 EST (#)
Ranking: 1
Just watched my first 20-20 MAtch the other day.
Fucking great game
Submitted by Davros (user info) at 2006-01-16 19:55:33 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
You mean I read all that, (which I knew anyway) and there were no boobs?
-Dave
Submitted by loki (user info) at 2006-01-16 15:48:30 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
We have that game here, we call it "coach pitch". Little kids play it until they get enough hand/eye coordination to start doing their own pitching.
Submitted by triple_optics (user info) at 2006-01-16 15:44:49 EST (#)
Ranking: -1
http://www.seattlecricket.com/history/crick.htm
I tried ever so hard to play cricket, but standing in a field for a few hours waiting for a ball is like smashing your hat off and not spunking....pointless.
Submitted by apollo88 (user info) at 2006-01-16 15:30:49 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Yes, most comprehensive.
But you missed the bit where the aussies whinge and whine and cheat.
Submitted by BLITZKREIG_BOB (user info) at 2006-01-16 14:24:55 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
My beer pong post has boobies. :P
Submitted by RamJetMax (user info) at 2006-01-16 14:01:33 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Donde es de boobies?
Submitted by sicosemen (user info) at 2006-01-16 13:35:20 EST (#)
Ranking: 1
That would have been +2 had you not mentioned something about boobs...
Submitted by HighVoltage900 (user info) at 2006-01-16 13:16:46 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by GaidinCanuck (user info) at 2006-01-16 13:06:37 (#)
Ranking: 2
For the effort and time.
----
Seriously I didn't read it. I don't even know if the words made any sense past the first page of it because I was scrolling down too fast to comprehend it. I did see the thoughtful diagram. Good show.
Needs more rape.
Submitted by Unabonger (user info) at 2006-01-16 13:12:25 EST (#)
Ranking: 1
alright. i read it.
where's the tits?
would be a +2 but you can't promise the soft glow of my monitor in this dark room pouring internet pornographic sex all over me and then not deliver.
Submitted by TigerLilly (user info) at 2006-01-16 13:08:35 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Sounds really confusing. I'll just watch.
Submitted by GaidinCanuck (user info) at 2006-01-16 13:06:37 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
For the effort and time.
And it refreshed my memory. It really isn't that complicated, it's just that I don't play it enough.
Submitted by BLITZKREIG_BOB (user info) at 2006-01-16 12:49:57 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Well done!
It actually made the mythical sport that you Europeans and Aussies talk about real to me.
I guess that turn about is fair play - I'll start a beer pong post.
Submitted by Axolotl (user info) at 2006-01-16 12:34:23 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Cricket is a cheap version of baseball...
...true.
Submitted by inion_de_trua (user info) at 2006-01-16 12:19:59 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
i still don't get it. but +2 for time, effort and use of wit.
Submitted by c1ndy (user info) at 2006-01-16 12:06:31 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
+2 for the little drawings made of characters from the keyboard
Submitted by PokeyPecker (user info) at 2006-01-16 12:02:59 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
*can
can lick my scrotum.
I think I'm becoming dyslexic. (sp?)
Submitted by PokeyPecker (user info) at 2006-01-16 12:02:20 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
And, David Beckham and lick my scrotum.
Submitted by PokeyPecker (user info) at 2006-01-16 12:01:56 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Although, thanks for the effort.
And just so you know, I usually -2 sports posts, American or otherwise. I find it ridiculous how people idolize and worship these assholes. Only a few really deserve any kind of respect; Michael Jordon, for example.
The rest can kiss my puckered up, festering asshole.
Submitted by PokeyPecker (user info) at 2006-01-16 12:00:30 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Who gives a fuck?
Submitted by phuzzygish (user info) at 2006-01-16 11:55:41 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Whoa. That took a while. And I post it as all the British people are leaving work, and all the Australians are asleep. Doih.