Quick and Easy Guide to Rules of the Game Cricket

Like all other sports cricket has strict rules that every player must follow. In order to play the game correctly, one must first be able to comprehend the rules and regulations inside or outside the gaming field.

Starting a Cricket Match

At the beginning of a match the captains of both squads toss a coin to decide who will be first to play as the fielding team or the batting team. As with other decisions inside the game, the captain is responsible for directing and keeping the team together.

After that, two players (batsmen) from the batting team place themselves in the pitch, opposite to each other while the rest of the team spreads over the field to provide support. The remaining nine players will do this until it is their turn to bat.

To start a match, the pitcher (bowler) from the fielding team bowls the cricket ball. His main objective is to attempt to get the batsman out, which he could do in one of four ways:

• Caught

• Bowled

• LBW or Leg Before Wicket

• Run out

Like baseball, the first way to get the batsmen out is to have one of the 11 players of the fielding team catch the ball before hitting the ground. Secondly, the fielding team scores after the bowler bowls the ball and the striker fails to hit it, thereby letting it hit the wickets behind him. The leg before wicket is called if the umpires think that the ball should have hit the wickets hadn’t it been blocked the batsman’s leg. Lastly, if the fielding team is able to break the wickets before both batsmen crosses to the other ends, the umpire calls a run out and the fielding team scores.

Errors and Penalties in Cricket

The two umpires watch strictly during the game to keep either team from purposefully breaking the rules to score, or committing errors which would result to a penalty. If a rule is not followed prior to scoring, the score itself is forfeited and penalties are given.
Apparently penalties can award the batting team with extra runs (or sundries in Australian cricket) if the fielding team commits one of the following mistakes:

• Bye: If the batsman misses the ball and the wicketkeeper fails to catch it too—thereby giving the batsman enough time to run—is a penalty that gives extra(s) to the batting team.

• Leg bye: If the ball hits the batsman’s body and bounces away from the fielding team—thereby giving him the time to run—is a penalty that gives the batting team one or more extras.

• No ball: A no ball penalty gives the batting team 1 extra if the bowler is seen overstepping his popping crease, having one foot out off the return crease or using an improper arm action. Additionally he has to bowl once more to complete the turn.

• Wide: This is another mistake made by the bowler if he bowls the ball too far for the batsman to reach. As a result, the batting team is awarded one extra and the bowler has to re-bowl the ball.