Two Games Divided by a Common Language

Cricket is often compared to baseball because some elements are similiar--innings, batters, fielders, runs and outs. Batsmen hit the ball, fieldsmen try to retrieve it before runs are scored, and batsmen can be called out.

But there are major differences in the playing fields and the games.

At the center of the oval-shaped cricket ground is a rectangle, about 22 yards long and 10 feet wide, called a pitch. On either end of the pitch is a wicket, about two feet high. Each wicket is made of three upright posts, called stumps, topped by two horizontal pieces called bails.

Two batsmen are up at a time, each standing in front of one wicket. Just one bats at a time, hitting until he is out. Then the second one bats while a third batsman stands at the opposite end.

The ball is bowled overhead with a straight arm, unlike a baseball pitch, in which the elbow bends. There are no strikes or balls; the first team is at bat until 10 of its 11 players are out, because two batsmen must be on the pitch at all times. Then the second team has its turn at bat. Each team’s “up” is called an innings.

A batsman is out if he flies out or if the bowler knocks over the wicket with the ball, so the batsman must hit defensively, keeping the ball away from the wicket, as well as offensively.

When the batsman hits the ball with his flat, wooden bat, he runs toward the opposite wicket, trying to reach it before the ball reaches the wicketkeeper (what baseball calls a catcher), who will also try to knock over the wicket and put out the runner.

At the same time, the second batsman, on the opposite side of the pitch, runs toward the wicket behind the hitting batsman.

One run scores if both batsmen make it to the opposite ends of the pitch before a wicket can be knocked over. If the fieldsmen are slow getting the ball back to the wicketkeeper, the batsmen can try to score more runs by running back and forth to the opposite wickets.

If the ball is caught in the air or a wicket is knocked over before the batsman reaches it, he is out. The fielding team must “appeal” all outs to the umpire, which they do with cries of “How’s that?” which sound more like a buzzing chorus of “Howzat?”

Once a batsman is out, he’s out for good--he may not come up again in that innings.

Six balls put into play count as an “over.” Most international matches have two innings per side, but the Mid-Atlantic Cricket Conference limits play to one innings per side and 30 overs, or 180 balls per innings.

Cricket also has its own version of a home run: If the ball is knocked past the field’s outer boundary in the air, it automatically earns the batsman six runs. If it rolls on the ground past the outer boundary, it earns four.

If you go to a game, plan to stay awhile. Depending on the level of competition, a cricket match can last all day--or even several days.