The term “rules” in relation to cricket is a little bit tricky. Some people may associate the word with the rules of grammar, but that isn’t what we mean when referring to the game’s formal set of regulations here!
The rules of cricket refer to how the game is played. For example, there are certain time limits for each half of the match, so they’re called timing regulations. There are also restrictions on how many balls can be bowled per player or team per frame, so those are counted as count regulation rules.
There are even special types of cricket like rugby sevens where players use slightly different laws, so they’re referred to as variant rules. But other than that, you’ll find most versions of the sport have few, if any, unique rules.
The boundaries
The field or pitch where the game is played has boundary lines that separate the field in into different areas. These include the fence, the back fence, the halfway mark, and the cricket square. Each one of these has its own specific rules about how they are used during the game.
The field can be quite long and this means there are many types of boundaries that make up the length of the field. When the ball goes over any of the fences it is judged as being out and the batting team gets a chance to run down the other end and try to chase the remaining runs. If it stays in then either side can take advantage by trying to score more points.
If the batsman hits the ball before it reaches the ground then he will get a penalty called a timed catch. This costs him two points and the striker takes their place at the top of the order until the next time around. A bowler can only use his bowling arm when taking a catch so if someone makes a diving effort to grab the ball then they have done something right!
If the fielder catches the ball with both hands then it is considered a drop and he wins three points instead of zero.
The crease
A cricket field is divided into two halves by a line called the ‘crease’ or ‘wicket’. This is usually made out of grass, but it can be done out of any kind of soil or hard surface like concrete or stone.
The wickets
There are three main types of cricket wicket: outfield, boundary, and pitch. An outfield is anything other than grass or dirt that players run through to make it into the field. A one-yard line at home football fields is an example of an outdoor field with a boundary. This is referred to as a boundary in cricket.
A cricket pitch is just enough longer than it is wide. Like most sports, there is a goal area where balls go after being kicked off the field or batted down by a player. In cricket this is called the “field” because it creates more space for the ball to bounce and roll before going out for play.
The length and width of a cricket pitch determine how many runs can be scored. More lenght means more room for runners to take advantage of, while wider pitches give teams more scoring opportunities.
Bouncy pitches are not only fun to watch, but also helpful to fast bowlers looking to get lots of swings and bumps! (That’s why some say bowling on flat ground is boring.) Teams usually try to have a bouncy surface so that the game doesn’t come down to who makes the fewest mistakes.
Layout ize?
If you like the way the term ‘pitch’ sounds, then you should use layout instead.
The umpires
As we have discussed before, cricket is not just about who has better hands – it’s how well you use them that matters. This is why there are so many different types of players in the game!
The people who work as professional match officials or “umpires” (as they are called) are very important to the sport. They are responsible for making sure the rules are obeyed and that everything goes smoothly during a game.
Umpiring isn’t only limited to watching the ball being hit around a field, however; there are lots of other things that need to be checked. For example, an unofficial contest can start when two teams try to run a lap of the pitch together. Or maybe one team tries to sneak a sneaky throw at the wicket after the batting side has left the field.
These kinds of situations require someone with sound judgement to get to the bottom of what is happening. That person is usually an experienced official who knows the rules and who can interpret body language correctly.
But even if no cheating takes place, an umpire still needs to check whether the batsman was out or not. This is because some balls may go missing due to bad light or rain and it is up to the referee to determine whether or not the player got their hand over the bat properly.
The referees
In cricket, there are three types of people who have influence over gameplay. These are the match commissioner or referee, the team captain, and the umpire.
The ref is someone who oversees the game and makes sure it runs smoothly. They make decisions about whether the ball crossed the boundary, if a player was hit by a pitch, and so on. There are 3-5 professional refs at each tournament depending on how many games they have.
A ref can be either an amateur or professional, but both must go through very rigorous testing before being allowed to officiate in a competition. This includes taking lessons, practicing with a rec league team, and proving their skills via video.
There are also casual referees that organize some matches for free or low fees. While they don’t get paid much, they help grow the sport!
The captains decide which side will play and what time the game starts. They also choose the field size and goal size.
Umpires determine if the ball crosses the boundary line, if a batsman has been out (bowled/stumped), and if the batter called a fair or unfair ball.
The half-volley
This is one of the trickier shots in cricket. A half volley means only half of the ball is swinging when it comes off the bat, making it more difficult to determine where it will go.
The batsman has to decide whether to try to hit the ball with the front or back side of the blade, depending on how well the pitch is bouncing. If the bounce is good then trying to use the top edge can be a better option, but if the pitch is doing something funny then going for the lower edge may be your best bet.
The way to learn this shot is by practicing, practice, practice! There are many resources available online and through books that contain great drills you can do to improve your half volleys.
The full-volley
This is one of the most fundamental shots in cricket. A well-executed full volley will usually result in a batsman being hit hard or even out for a walk. However, if done wrong it can backfire very badly!
The full volley should be towards the stumps with enough strength behind it so that the ball actually bounces off the pitch more than once before hitting the ground. If there are no bounces then you have probably overbowled the bowler’s arm!
It is important to note that although this shot was made famous by Ian Botham, his success really came later in his career when he reworked his game to include strong bowling. His early version of the shot didn’t quite work as well because he wasn’t using all of the skills we talk about learning here.
The no-ball
The term No Ball comes from the game of cricket where, if a bowler is not able to bowl a certain type of ball due to poor conditions or time running out then they will drop their arm and use their hand as a whistle instead. This is how you get what we call a No Ball!
The umpire will cancel the delivery and award an indirect free run for a batsman to hit the next ball towards the field. It is similar to dropping a football pass because there is not enough space to kick it through the air.
This happens quite frequently in one day internationals when a fast bowler has trouble getting the ball over the wicket and/or off the pitch. A good example was during Australia’s match against India this season when Mitchell Starc could only lob the ball low so he used his hands as a whistle.
While this may sound funny at first, it can be very frustrating for the bowling side who are working hard to put up a decent amount of runs. In fact, it is almost impossible to win a cricket game with just two balls left unless your team is having a really bad day.
So why is this happening?
It is because the fielding team does not want to risk going for a batting opportunity that might result in a loss of the match. They do not want to give away any cheap points by letting the batter reach safely or giving them too much time to settle before taking action.
