I am an ignorant American, can anyone explain the game of cricket to me?

Answer 1

Here are two really good pages to explain it for an American. The second is good and uses baseball as a comparison, so you can compare it to something you know.
http://www.cricinfo.com/link_to_database/ABOUT_CRICKET/EXPLANATION/CRICKET_EXPLAINED_AMERICAN.html

http://members.tripod.com/~sccwa/crick.html

Answer 2

Ok, here goes with the absolute simplified basics of cricket:

1.Two teams, each with 11 players per team.

2. Each team has two attempts at batting, these are called "innings"

3. The team who are batting try to score as many "runs" as possible.

4. The team who are not batting, referred to as the fielding team, try to get the batting team "out" for as few runs as possible. They do this by taking "wickets", in other words dismissing batsmen from the game.

5. After 10 wickets have been taken, the batting side's innings ends. The fielding side now have to bat.

6.This all happens twice in a match

7. Here's an example. Lets say "team A" make 350 runs in their first batting innings...

Then "team B" make 455 runs in their first innings. This means "team B" have a lead of 105 runs in the first innings...

"Team A" then have their second innings, and make a further 300 runs, regaining the lead by 195 runs...

So, "team B" need to score 196 runs in their second innings to win the match, whilst "team A" need to take all of "B"'s wickets before "B" reach their target.

8. If neither team is in a position to force a win, the match is declared a draw. This is, in fact, the most common result of all in cricket. A team which finds itself with no realistic chance of winning can at least try to avoid losing, and will always do its best to acheive at least a draw.

9. A draw is NOT the same thing as a tie. A tied match is where both teams have identical and equal totals at the end of the game, and is an extremely rare occurrance.

10. Matches last betwen three to five days, depending on the type of competition. However, there is also an equally popular one day version, in which both teams have only one innings of limited duration each.




All clear now? Bear in mind that this is only a VERY basic explanation. The sport is actually pretty complex and has many specific rules and variations, but at least this'll give you a general idea...hopefully!

If you want to learn a little more, here's a link to a very good site written by an American, which explains in more detail but is aimed at complete beginners..http://www.cs.purdue.edu/homes/hosking/cricket/explanation.htm

Answer 3

Cricket is a fantastic game played throughout the world, too detailed to explain completely in this forum but I'll suggest some web sites for you to peruse at your leisure. Would also suggest you watch some games on satellite/cable TV if you access to it.
It really is a wonderful sport once you know what's happening and it's nice to see an American interested in it.

Answer 4

That's not a very good way to talk about yourself. Cricket is a team sport in which the goal of the two teams are to outscore each other. It may remind you of cricket with the fact that somebody has to hit a ball with as bat, but it's very different.

Answer 5

Cricket is a team sport played between two teams of eleven players each. It is a bat-and-ball game played on a roughly elliptical grass field, in the centre of which is a flat strip of ground 20.12 m (22 yards) long, called a pitch. At each end of the pitch is a set of wooden stumps, called a wicket. Note that, rather confusingly, the pitch itself is also often referred to as the wicket. A player from the fielding team (the bowler) propels a hard, fist-sized cork-centred leather ball from one wicket towards the other. The ball usually bounces once before reaching a player from the opposing team (the batsman), who defends the wicket from the ball with a wooden cricket bat. Another batsman (the "non-striker") stands in an inactive role near the bowler's wicket.

Generally, the batsman attempts to strike the ball with the bat and run to the other end of the pitch, exchanging places with his partner, scoring a run. However, he can attempt to run without hitting the ball, and vice versa. While the batting team scores as many runs as it can, the bowling team returns the ball to either wicket. If the ball strikes a wicket with enough force to knock a bail off before the batsman nearer to that wicket has reached safety, then the batsman is out, or "dismissed" - this is also known as a wicket. The batsman can also be out in a number of other ways, such as failing to stop the bowled ball from knocking the bails off, or if a fielder catches the ball before it touches the ground. Once the batsmen are not attempting to score any more runs, the ball is "dead" and is bowled again.

Once out, a batsman is replaced by the next batsman in the team. As there must always be two batsmen on the field, the team's innings ends when ten batsmen are out, and the teams exchange roles. The number of innings, and possible restrictions on the number of balls in each, depend on the type of game played. At the end of the match—of which there are several definitions—the team that has scored more runs wins. In first-class cricket, a draw can result if the team to bat last fails to match the required total before a time limit is reached or if the bowling teams fails to take 10 wickets. This can add interest to one-sided games by giving the team in the worse position an incentive to play for a draw. This is distinct from a tie, which results if scores are level at the completion of both teams' innings.

Cricket has been an established team sport for several centuries. It originated in its modern form in England and is popular mainly in the present and former members of the Commonwealth. In some countries in South Asia, including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka, cricket is by far the most popular sport. Cricket is also a major sport in England and Wales, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Zimbabwe and the English-speaking countries of the Caribbean, which are collectively known in cricketing parlance as the West Indies. There are also well established amateur club competitions in countries as diverse as the Netherlands, Kenya, Nepal, and Argentina (see also: International Cricket Council).

The length of the game — a match can last six or more hours a day for up to five days in one form of the game — the numerous intervals for lunch and tea and the rich terminology are notable aspects that can often confuse those not familiar with the sport. For its fans, the sport and the intense rivalries between top cricketing nations provide passionate entertainment and outstanding sporting achievements. It has even occasionally given rise to diplomatic outrage, the most notorious being the Basil D'Oliveira affair which led to the banning of South Africa from sporting events. Other examples include the Bodyline series played between England and Australia in the early 1930s, an event that almost meant diplomatic ties were severed with England or the 1981 underarm bowling incident involving Australia and New Zealand.

For more details about cricket, please check the following website:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cricket

Answer 6

by now u might hav understood wat is cricket , but i would like highlight tat-
1. cricket is a gentlemens game , which tests the true character of man
2. only mere talent will not do in tis game, u need a lot of patience, instincts sometimes.
3. u hav to be both physically and mently fit to play it,cricket is played in the mind coz its a long process of minimum 6 hrs and max.5 days, but still highly interesting coz something diff. happens at every ball
4. its a religion in India, people sleep cricket, eat cricket, drink cricket

5. its a team game but still can be won single handedly

6. most complex and beautiful game ever , a perfect combination of mental and physical exercise

7. u hav to play it to understand it, i m sure u'll love the game once u play it

Answer 7

Cricket is a fantastic game....the batsman hits the ball as hard as he could then run..if the ball is caught without hittin the ground u r out ..if the ball hits the wicket u r out....who has the most runs WIN ....thats basically it=)

Answer 8

it' where you rub your legs together to hit your balls...