Here's the first of my quick-quick cricket lessons, where I hope to shed some light into a sport that has captured the hearts and minds of millions accross the world.
The game is so confusing because there are so many crazy terms, methods and ways to play the game...try first to simply understand the three forms of the sport - we'll get into the nuts and bolts later on...
There are now three popular forms of the game of cricket in which all the general rules are applied yet slightly altered according to the type of match being played.
The Test Match
The oldest, far more traditional, and hardest for most sane people to comprehend, is the 'Test Match'. This takes place over five whole days. Each side gets two chances, or innings, to make as many runs as possible. If a result is not reached in five days the match is a draw. Believe it or not, some of the most exciting Test Matches in history have been draws.
The One Day Match
As the name suggests this form of the game takes place over the course of one day and is generally regarded as the more entertaining and exciting form of the game. Each team gets one innings to make as many runs as possible, whilst the other team must field and try and either get their opponents all out, or restrict them to as few runs as possible in the allotted overs. An over is made up of six balls that the bowler (pitcher) must bowl (pitch) at the batsmen. One Day matches are usually 50 overs per innings, but can also be 45 overs or even 40 overs depending on the organizers.
20-20 Cricket
The traditionalists hate it almost as much as the new age cricketers hate Test Match cricket, yet one cannot deny that this form of the game has become increasingly popular, resulting in increased attendances and an increased over all interest in the other two forms of the game.
20-20 cricket is fast and explosive. In today's fast-food, fast-cars, fast-kicks culture, it has been a revelation in cricketing circles. Each team has only 20 overs, each over made up of six balls, to score as many runs as possible. The result is some very, very, very entertaining batting with some massive shots and plenty of lost balls. Fast paced and full of action, 20-20 cricket is certainly the rock concert form of the game.
