NEW TO CRICKET?
If you are new to cricket, here is some advice and information to help you make the most of your day at the club.
HOURS OF PLAY
A test match usually commences at 11am and continues until 6pm, with scheduled breaks for tea and lunch.
INNINGS
The innings in cricket organise where players are and what they are doing. When a team is batting, it is their inning. The players switch roles when an inning is over.
SCORING
A run is scored each time the two batsmen on the field run between the white creases at either end of the pitch. These can be scored whenever the ball is ‘in play’, i.e. the time between when the ball leaves the bowler’s hand and when it’s returned to the wicketkeeper or bowler. The further the ball is hit away from any fielders, the more runs can be scored. The best shots reach the field boundary and are awarded four runs (if the ball bounces first) or six (if it doesn’t).
OVERVIEW
Cricket is played between two teams of 11 players. The team that scores the most runs in its innings wins the match.
OVERS
Six balls constitute one over, and each team’s innings is either limited to a certain number of overs or time limited to a certain number of days, as in Test and first-class cricket.
RUNS
A batsman isn’t just trying to avoid getting out. They are also trying to score runs to help their team win the game. A run is scored if the batsman hits the ball away from the wicket, and is able to run from one set of stumps to the other. Every time they make it, one run is scored. If the ball crosses the boundary – a line around the edge of the field – without bouncing it is worth six runs, if it bounces first, then it is worth four runs.
UMPIRING SIGNALS | WHAT DO THEY MEAN?
NO BALL
Right arm outstretched
WIDE BALL
Both arms outstretched
FOUR RUNS SCORED
Right hand and arm swept across the body
SIX RUNS SCORED
Both arms held above the head and index fingers outstretched
LEG BYE
Right leg raised and clasped by the right hand
A leg bye is a run scored by the batting team when the batsman has not hit the ball with his bat, but the ball has hit the batsman’s leg or protective gear.
BYE SCORED
Right arm raised skywards
Usually, if the ball passes the batsman without being deflected, the wicket-keeper will catch it. This normally prevents the scoring of runs because the batsmen will be unable to complete a run before being stumped or run out by the wicket-keeper. However, if the wicket-keeper fumbles or misses the ball, the batsmen may be able to score runs safely. These runs are scored as byes: they are added to the team’s total, but not to the numbers of runs scored by either batsman
BATSMAN GIVEN OUT
Index finger raised towards the batsman
BATSMAN ONE SHORT
Right arm held at out horizontally then flexed back to touch the shoulder
This is called when a batsman is running two or more runs, but fails to make his ground and puts his bat in short at one of the turns
INTERNATIONAL GAME FORMATS
TEST MATCH
This is a very traditional form of cricket, played with a red ball and the players play in white traditional cricket kit
ONE DAY MATCH
TWENTY 20 MATCH
THE LBW LAW EXPLAINED
A | Not out. Ball striking pad outside line of stumps. Ball would not have hit stumps
B | Out. Ball pitched outside the line of off-stump and hit the pad in front of off-stump
C | Out, if the umpire feels the ball would have hit the stumps and not missed the top
D | Not out. Ball pitched outside the line of the leg stump
FIELDING POSITIONS
