In cricket, there are several different types of rules that can be applied or broken during play. These include things such as time limits, offside lines, field dimensions, number of balls per over, etc.
There are also some less well-known but just as important rules in the game. One of these is what we will call the “rule” for this article. This rule refers to the fact that if both batsmen step out at the same end of the pitch after a ball has been bowled then it is a collision which results in a runout.
In other words, a batsman cannot go for an easy chance unless he is sure that his opponent isn’t going to stop him from taking it!
This doesn’t mean that only runs can result from a bat-vs-ball confrontation though, because there are many times when a player must leave something behind in order to preserve a good opportunity. We will talk more about those in a bit.
But before we get into all of that, let us have a look at some examples of potential rule violations and how they are dealt with.
Keep your cricket bat in tip-top condition
In any sport, there are rules that govern how to play the game. For example, in football there is the offside rule where you can’t run until the ball has moved forward so players have to be careful not to start running before it does.
In rugby, there is the try line rule which says you must cross this line with the front foot or else it doesn’t matter what position you are in, you will get scored as if you were trying for a drop goal! (A try in rugby is when one team gains enough yardage to put the ball down and knock over a defensive player or the other team’s try line.)
Cricket also has some important rules but they don’t carry much weight compared to others. The most important of these is probably the law about being two runs short at the end of a match.
Know the rules before you argue about them
The game of cricket has an array of different types of rules that govern how to play it. These include things like whether or not a player is allowed to run with the ball, what kind of throw can be made when batting, and if a batsman can time his jump back after a bowler throws the ball at him.
There are also some less obvious ones such as which type of pitch is being played on, how many fielders there should be outside the boundary, and what happens when the clock reaches zero.
In this article we will look at all of these rules so that you know the laws of the game!
Disclaimer: We have no way of verifying the accuracy of everything said below, but we do hope you enjoy reading it and learn something new. If anything seems wrong or false, please feel free to correct us.
Field size
The length of each side of the wicket determines how big the field of play is. A regulation one-day international (ODI) field is 250 metres long by 160 metres wide, making it a 50×40 metre area. This means there is just enough space for two 50 yard singles along either side of the wicket and a couple of 20 yard squares towards the middle.
Test matches use three fields instead of two, giving 100 meters more room per end.
Eat your greens
In cricket, there are several types of rules that can be broken or not applied to the game. These include time limits, illegal actions, and how balls are batted with or without power. Some examples of these are discussed below!
Time limit violations occur when a player is called for an offside before the ball has crossed the border or being timed out after the ball has left the field of play. Since timing is such a crucial part of the game, this rule gets very high importance and usually results in a penalty or cancellation of the next goal of the team.
Another example of a time violation would be if a bowler bowls his/her last delivery outside the boundary line but within the field of play- this is referred to as overrunning the batsman and awarded five runs due to the time it took to complete the action.
A third type of time limit violation happens when the batting side calls for the clock to stop because they have reached their quota of overs per session. This is typically done at around 30 minutes into a 2 hour match, so only 10 more minutes are allowed to pass until play resumes.
These three examples show how important timing is in cricket.
Keep your cricket equipment up to date
As mentioned earlier, keeping your gear up to date is an important part of being a solid player. This includes buying new bats, balls, or gloves depending on what stage of play you are at.
Bats will thin out around winter time so buy a couple more for the season! Same goes for shoes, there’s no need to stick with the same pair year after year unless they are totally broken down and worn out.
General clothing like shirts and shorts can also start to look a little tired towards spring and summer, so do some cheapening up now! If your chest pocket starts looking a bit slimy then it’s time to say goodbye.
We wouldn’t suggest going too crazy though as that would make it harder to motivate yourself when games come round.
Play cricket in the right location
The size of the pitch is one of the most important rules in the game. A small or large field can make a big difference in how the match goes. This rule applies not only to international matches, but also to domestic games as well.
The size of the pitch really comes into play when it comes to bowling. As you may have noticed, there are different types of bowlers in cricket. Some do not need too much space to be effective, while others require more room to hit their stride.
As such, some teams will prefer to choose a side with less space so that they can put pressure on the other team by taking full advantage of the smaller area. That could mean giving up on run-out chances if they feel like the bowler is going to get lucky and pick off a runner. Or it could mean choosing a shorter type of bowler who will have to work harder for his rewards.
Location of the pitch also makes a difference when it comes to batting. If the pitch is close to the fence then batsmen will want to go out even farther than normal to score more quickly. It will give them an edge in terms of safety.
But this comes at a cost because they are leaving themselves open to being run down or picked off easily. Teams that focus on playing safe usually lose the match due to lack of excitement.
The umpire has the final say
As we have seen, there are three main people who influence a cricket match-the batsman, the bowler and the fielder/field. However, what many of these players do not realize is that even though they may see them as the most influential player during an event, it is actually the man in the middle who holds the key to the outcome.
The person in the middle is referred to as an “umpire” or a “referee” which means judge. They are the third person involved in the game and their decisions can either be fair or unfair depending on whether they like you or not!
This is why it is so important for every player to respect the rules of the sport and know how to deal with differences of opinion from other team members.
Keep your cricket skills updated
As we know, not all of the different types of shots in cricket are allowed under the Laws of the game. However, what many people do not realize is that there are actually several different versions of the laws in place. Different countries have made changes to the rules over time, making it difficult for players to stay informed.
In fact, some teams go as far as creating their own rule book! This is very common at international level where national team regulations can be vastly different from each other and even contradictory with each other.
This article will talk about some of the most commonly mistaken or forgotten laws in the game. If you remember these then you should make sure you are fully up-to-date on the law before playing a match.
Enjoy the game
This is probably one of the most important rules in cricket. If you are not having fun, then you should look into why you are watching this sport.
It will be hard to stick with it for very long. You have already invested your time in learning the game, so make sure you enjoy what you watch!
Sportsmanship is another key part of the game. Be honest, fair and don’t take too much advantage of the other team or players.
When someone does something bad, get rid of any lingering anger by laughing at them instead! It will help reset the mood and tone things down.
