BASIC RULES OF CRICKET: It is a universal sport popularized since its ‘first innings’ in the 16th century.

Most cricketers and ardent supporters would rate the Cricket World Cup as the pinnacle of the international game.

But, other major cricketing events include the Test Series and the One Day Internationals. Add to that the very popular international championship of ICC World Twenty20.

Many countries host a combination of domestic competitions. But there are some that also present competitive International Tournaments.

The number of innings per cricket match is usually determined by the set number of days played by the teams.

For example, the Ashes Test match gets played between Australia and England. As a rule two teams have two innings in the competition and they play them out over five days.

Even though the two countries try to score as many runs as they can to win the tournament. In fact, ‘technically‘ cricket scores can – and often do – end in a match drawn due to the influence of the weather. The game is also a draw if the last bowling team fails to get all the opposing batsmen out.

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Cricket Rules and Regulations

Aim of Playing Cricket Game

The aim of cricket is to take turns scoring runs using a bat and a ball. As a rule the team with the highest points tally at the end is the winner. There are three variations of the game (Test, One Day, Twenty 20). That means there are 3 different allocated timescales to complete the matches.

The batting team scores points by hitting the ball around the pitch and scoring runs. The non-scoring fielding team attempts to bowl them out and restrict them to a low score.

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Cricket Players Positions

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Basic Rules of Cricket Equipment and Pitch

• Cricket pitches are oval shaped grassy fields according to the basic rules of cricket. The circumference of a county ground measures around 200 meters. The boundary edge governs the line between being in play and going out of play.
• The wicket is a narrow rectangle always located in the center of the pitch. There must be two sets of wickets consisting of three stumps with bails at either end.
• The two wicket sets must be 22 yards apart. There should be a marked line drawn about 2 yards across the wicket from the stumps – called the ‘crease‘.
• Batsmen usually wear padded clothing. It includes gloves, leg and thigh guards, a box, inner thigh guards, a helmet, a chest guard, and wear spiked shoes.
• Traditional cricket clothing is for players to wear a white uniform. The exception could be in shorter timescale games and the Cricket World Cup.
• The cricket ball is in fact made of cork. Teams use red color for test cricket rules games and white for one day games.
• Cricket bats are most often made from wood (usually English willow or Kashmir).

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General Rules and Regulations of Cricket

• One team bats first while the other team carries out the fielding tactics.
• An over occurs when a bowler bowls 6 legal deliveries (overarm technique) from one wicket end. The batsmen attempts to hit the ball from the crease at the other end.
• Fielding teams must have one designated wicket keeper. Cricket regulations say he can be the only fielder allowed to wear pads and gloves.
• The wicket keeper stands behind stumps at the opposite end to the bowler and will be ready to catch the ball.
• If the ball hits the batsman’s stumps after bowling, or if a fielding player catches the ball after the batter plays it, the batter gets ruled out of the game.
• Teams switch roles after the batting team loses all their wickets or the allotted time expires.
• Cricket Dismissals: Reasons for a batsman to get given ‘out‘:
  • Being Bowled: The ball hitting their stumps.
  • Being Caught: A fielder catches the ball without it bouncing.
  • Leg Before Wicket: The ball hits the batsmen’s pads impeding its line into the stumps.
  • Being Stumped: The wicket keeper strikes the stumps with their gloves whilst the batsmen is outside of their crease with ball in hand.
  • Hit Wicket: The batsmen hits their own wicket.
  • Handled Ball: The batsmen handles the cricket ball on purpose.
  • Timed Out: The player fails to reach the crease within 30 seconds of the previous batsmen leaving the field.
  • Hit Ball Twice: Batsmen hits the cricket ball twice with their bat.
  • Obstruction: The batsmen purposely prevents the fielder from getting the ball.
• Test cricket rules gets played over 5 days so scores are cumulative. That means each team has two innings or two chances with time spent batting at the wicket.
• Whereas, One Day cricket gets played through 50 overs. Each team finishes batting (or bowling) before swapping at the end of the 50 overs.

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Simple Cricket Rules for Scoring

A run occurs when a batsmen hits the ball with their bat and both batsmen manage to successfully run to each other’s end. They can both run as many times as they like providing they are not given ‘out‘.

Four (4) runs occur if the ball crosses the boundary rope having bounced at least once from leaving the bat. Six (6) runs will get given if the ball goes over the boundary rope without bouncing. Runs are also given:

• If the bowler bowls a wide delivery (a ball that is too far away from the stumps).
• For a no ball (where the bowler oversteps the front line on the wicket).
• For a bye (where no one touches the ball but the two batsmen run anyway).
• For a leg bye (where the ball hits the batsmen’s leg or body and a run goes ahead).

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Cricket Umpires and Officials

A game must have two umpires with one stood at either end of the wicket. Cricket umpire roles include counting the number of balls delivered in the over.

They make decisions on whether the batsmen is out after an appeal. Umpires will also check the bowler bowls a legal delivery.

International games have a further two umpires – known as the third and fourth umpire. Cricket regulations allow them to review any decisions that the on field umpires are unable to make.

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Winning a Game of Cricket

After swapping innings and completing the allocated number of overs (or days) the team with the most runs at the end of the game wins the match.

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Advanced Cricket Rules

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