If you’re interested in cricket but are a complete beginner, we’ve compiled this beginner’s guide to cricket to help you learn a bit more about this wonderful sport.
Let’s dive right in with the basics about the team.
There are two teams in cricket, both with eleven players. The teams consist of batsmen, bowlers and players called all-rounders.
What equipment do you need to play cricket?
- A round cricket ball.
- A flat piece of ground to play on.
- A cricket bat.
- Wickets (or stumps).
Typically, you wear pads and other protective equipment to stop you from getting hurt when you play cricket, as the ball is very hard. Bowlers can bowl the ball at fast speeds; protective gear is essential.
Scoring in cricket
Scoring is straightforward in cricket. The batsman and bowler stand at opposite ends of a strip in the field/area’s centre, facing each other. The bowler throws, or ‘bowls’, the ball to the batsman, who must swing the cricket bat to try and hit the ball.
If the batsman hits the ball, they run to the other end of the centre strip (batting strip) where the bowler is. This is called a ‘run’, and they score one point for each ‘run’ before the ball returns to the pitch.
There are two other ways you can score:
- By hitting the ball all the way to the edge of the field (called the boundary), this gets four points.
- By hitting the ball over the boundary without touching the ground. This gets six points.
A team can also score runs for bowling penalties called ‘extras’ which include:
- Wides: when the bowler bowls the ball too far left or right of the batsman.
- No-balls: when the bowler delivers the ball illegally (on the full over the waist or off the pitch).
- Byes: when the batsmen run without touching the ball.
- Leg-byes: when the ball hits the batsmen, and not his bat, and they successfully run between the wickets.
How do the batsmen get out?
The batsmen’s main goals are to:
- Score as many runs as possible
- Stay in as long as possible.
Once a batsman is declared ‘out’, they leave the pitch and can’t bat again.
Here are the five ways a batsman can get out:
- Bowled: when the ball hits the stumps.
- Caught: when the ball is caught by a fielder before it touches the ground.
- LBW (Leg Before Wicket): when a batsman puts their body between the ball and the stumps, not their bat.
- Run-out: when the fielder hits the stumps with the ball before the batsmen make it back into the area around the stumps called ‘the crease’. The run is only complete once the batter has entered the crease.
- Stumped: when the wicketkeeper hits the stumps with the ball and the batter is outside their crease.
How do you win a cricket match?
While there are several types of cricket matches, generally, whoever scores the highest wins the match.
What are the different types of cricket match?
- Test Cricket: this game is played over five days. Test matches are made up of four innings – two for each team. When 10 of the 11 batsmen are ‘out’, the game ends. The team with the most runs over all four innings wins.
- One Day: these matches take place over one day. Each team plays one innings of 50 overs (6 bowls per over) or until every player is out. The team with the most runs wins.
- Twenty20: Each team plays 20 overs per innings instead of 50. The team with the most runs wins.
What do the fielders do in cricket?
Ten fielders support the bowler, all trying to get the batsman out. There’s a range of positions fielders play which are used in different combinations to defend against runs. Fielding tactics change depending on the type of match being played. Typically, test match fielders use an aggressive approach as there’s no time limit for batsmen, so they must work harder to get them out. Fielders in One Dayers often change tactics throughout the day to match the game’s mood. And in Twenty20 matches, the fielders play as defensively as possible to minimise runs.
Cricket thrives off good sportsmanship
Though the game relies on individual skills and abilities, the sportsmanship of cricket teams is what holds it together and lifts from other sports. Cricket players often band together as a team, showing good sportsmanship to everyone on the field – including the opposing team whether they are winning or commiserating.
How to start playing cricket
If you’re thinking about joining a team, you can start by boosting your overall fitness. Try some cricket-related fitness drills to help build your endurance for sessions at the crease. Focus on interval training, as this helps prepare your body for the challenges ahead. Try running for two minutes, followed by a few seconds break, repeating it 5-6 times. Take a slightly longer break to recoup, and then repeat the cycle. Then head to your nearest cricket shop in Australia for cricket kit for sale..
Cricket in a nutshell
We hope this Beginner’s Guide to Cricket has helped you better understand the game and has encouraged you to pick up a bat and give it a go. It won’t take long for you to fall in love with this incredible sport.
Play this great game with a cricket bat from Meulemans Cricket Centre
Meulemans Cricket Centre has you covered with all the cricket products you’ll need to level up and master your cricket skills – whether on a professional pitch or simply in the backyard. Browse our full range of cricket gear online, or head to the South Perth Store or Joondalup Megastore for further assistance or to view our cricket gear for sale on-store.
