Cricket News, Updates and Exclusive Interviews
For every sort of cricketing fan, whether you are new to the game, a test match purist or a casual viewer, SportsBoom is your trusted partner to deliver the game to you just the way you like it! For all your latest news, updates and exclusive interviews, SportsBoom is there every step of the way. From the history of the game dating back to the 1800s, niche insights from our writers and the occasional betting preview or prediction – complete with odds and betting suggestions, it is our pleasure to bring you your favourite sports in a fresh and dynamic way.
Featured Article
Harare Sports Club will once again play host to a T20 International between Zimbabwe and Afghanistan. In just 24 hours, these two teams once again do battle.
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Rules and Formats
Cricket, like many other sports, is governed by a recognized body – however, big cricket playing nations have powerful authorities which contribute to the running of the international game.
Basic Rules and Terminology
Here are some general cricket terms you will come across:
Bails: These are the small sticks that are placed horizontally over the stumps to form a cricket wicket.
*You should note that at least one bail must be knocked off the stumps for a batter to be dismissed.
Wicket: Keep up with this one will you, a wicket is the area where batting and bowling take place. It is the stumps with bails on top of them and when a batter is dismissed, you are seen to have taken a wicket.
Stumps: Three upright pieces of timber on either end of the pitch. You will also hear this word at the end of a day’s play during a test match.
Leg-side: The area of the field on the side of the batter’s non-dominant hand.
Off-side: The area which corresponds to the batter’s dominant hand.
Innings: The period of time spent by a batting team (or indeed an individual).
The Scoring System
Cricket is unique in that unlike any other sport, the scoring system is based simultaneously on the number of runs scored and the number of wickets broken. A team is made up of eleven players and so only 10 wickets can be broken before an innings is ended.
Current Cricket Scene
Cricket, like many other sports, is governed by a recognized body – however, big cricket playing nations have powerful authorities which contribute to the running of the international game.
Major Governing Bodies
The BCCI is the official governing body of India for cricket. They are custodians of the game in India, while the ECB looks after the game in England. These bodies wield quite substantial clout on the international stage due to the high participation of the sport in their countries – but also due to the success of their countries.
Top Cricket Nations
India and Australia have both put together a great bowling unit with aggressive batsman come together to produce two powerful national sides who have seen it all and won the lot!
History of Cricket
Cricket has its roots dating back all the way to the 13th century. Gaining popularity in England, cricket has developed and found its way through the expansion of the British Empire into many other countries.
Origin and Early Development
Although many see Lords as the home of cricket, its birthplace is arguably Hambledon in Hampshire. The cricket club established there sought to articulate how the game should be played and many of this is still relevant today!
Public schools in the UK are largely responsible for the game’s popularity. Famously, there was an annual game that was called the ‘Gentleman vs. Players” which was the highlight of the then summer season. The ‘Gentleman’ were amateur players from the schools who took on their semi-professional opponents, the ‘Players’.
Evolution of the Game
Although major traditional cricket matches last up to five days, alternatives soon crept in and made the game somewhat more palatable for the novice fan. Limited overs matches reduced the game to just a few hours at a time.
- Test Match Cricket: A match for the purist, it is the form of cricket with the longest match duration. A standard day of test match cricket usually sees three sessions of about two hours a day, the break between sessions being about 40 minutes and 20 minutes for lunch and tea respectively.
- One Day International: An ODI is a form of limited overs cricket, played between two teams. Usually the number of fixed overs is fifty. This was the first introduction of colours, a modernised atmosphere for fans and a commercial selling point for fans.
- T20: A form of cricket which changed the climate of the game once again. The T20 format was introduced in 2003. The focus shifted from traditional rules and etiquette per say and attracted a new audience to cricket. This, without question, ushered the sport into a new realm of relevance.
Major Historical Events and Rivalries
The game has seen various changes and developments, but some of them have shaped the way the game is marketed, others have seen a new approach to the game whilst others have engrained themselves into the minds of fans around the world.
- The ICC Cricket World Cup: It’s the fourth-biggest sporting event in the world! It is contested by all Test-playing nations, although it does provide latitude for some qualifiers. The inaugural event was held in 1975 and since then it is hosted every four years.
- Pakistan vs India: These two countries are without question, one of crickets biggest rivalries. Reports from broadcaster channels suggest this encounter garners the attention of some 300 million views around the globe.
- England vs Australia: Dating back to the 1800s, the fierce and electric rivalry between these two nations is always hotly contested. Given their political past, this encounter is often associated with an unapologetic dog-fight.
- The Ashes is simply one of the greatest sporting contests on the planet. Contested between Australia and England, it just simply never disappoints.
FAQs
A ‘duck’ is a term given to a batter who has failed to score any runs or was dismissed on the first ball he faced.
A cricket ball is made with a cork style core which is wound with string and then enclosed with a leather cover and stitched together.