History of Cricket
There are many theories about the exact origins of cricket ranging from being of 13thcentury Saxon-Norman origin to ancient origins in India; but there is little doubt that the game developed and flourished in England. There is documentary evidence that a game called kreckett was played in Surrey as early as 1550. It may have even originated from a game called stoolball, which is though to have been the early version of other bat and ball sports such as rounders, baseball, and cricket where a long low stool or 'krickstoel' which may have been used as a wicket. The game is said to have been taken up by adults in the 17thcentury and was often associated with gambling. This led to the reputation of the game being slightly tarnished. The introduction of their own teams by gamblers between the end of the 17th and early 18th century is thought to be the origin of county teams, modern county teams were made as early as the 19th century. The game continued to grow in England and better records of games were kept from the 18th century onwards. The spread of cricket to other countries started surprisingly with its introduction in North America by English colonies in the 17thcentury. Unfortunately the game did not seem to catch on there, as today it is not very popular in this region. The colonies were also responsible for the introduction of the game to the West Indies, India and Australia in the 18th century and to New Zealand and South Africa in the 19th century. Fixed laws for the game known as 'The Code of Laws' were created in 1788 by the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC). These laws have formed the basis of the modern day regulations of the game. Cricket is the only sport in the world which is governed by laws as opposed to rules. A few noteworthy changes to the game were the legitimisation of overarm bowling in 1864, increases in the weight of the ball, length of stumps and standardization of bat size along with the introduction of the leg before wicket law, all in the early 19 th century. The number of balls per over was four in 1889 this was later changed to six in 1900. International cricket was born in 1844, and surprisingly had nothing to do with the UK when the USA took on Canada at Elysian Fields, Hoboken, New Jersey. The first test match was between Australia and England in 1877. Soon after, the legendary Ashes test series between Australia and England was born with Australia winning the first encounter in 1882 at the Kennington Oval in London. The domestic first class cricket contest known as the 'County Championship' was formally initiated in 1890. This period of time up until the First World War was known as 'The Golden Age of Cricket'. Test Cricket continued to grow from the late 19 th century onwards with the addition of new test cricket playing nations such as South Africa (1889), West Indies (1928), India (1932), New Zealand (1929- 1930), Pakistan (1952), Sri Lanka (1981), Zimbabwe (1992) and Bangladesh (2000). World Series Cricket was the brainchild of Australian media magnate Kerry Packer when he contracted high quality international cricketers to part take in a cricket league that was private and independent of the International Cricket Council (ICC). It lasted between 1977 and 1979. It paved the way to higher salaries for cricketers and also the introduction of coloured cricketing attire which was a massive change from the plain predominantly white cricket kit worn till then. A shorter version of the five-day test match was played in the 1960s. The popularity of this version soon caught on because results were obtained from matches in a single day. It also prompted batsmen to play more riskier strokes in order to maximise run scoring; and the fielding side playing a more aggressive game, all in all resulting in a much more entertaining match. The first limited overs international (also known as one day international ODI) was played at the Melbourne cricket Ground in 1971. The ICC soon recognised the marketability of this type of game which led to the organisation of the first Cricket World Cup, held in England. All the test playing nations at that time participated in this tournament. Twenty20 is another type of limited overs cricket which was introduced by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) in 2003. It is contested between counties in the United Kingdom. Although cricket has largely been a male dominated sport, the women's version has been played since December 1934. The ODI version has been played since 1973 - the same year as the first Women's Cricket World Cup was held, two years earlier than the Men's version.History of Cricket
What is Spin Bowling?
Inchoately described as ‘slow bowling’, spin has been a part of cricket for much of its history, yet it remains one of the most difficult concepts for any beginner of the sport to grasp. How is it possible for a bowler to be successful when dropping his pace by as much as 40 miles per hour? More incredible still, how can it be the case that the two most successful wicket takers in Test match history - Australia’s Shane Warne and Sri Lanka’s Muttiah Muralitharan - are both spinners? The answer is simple - cricket is as much a mental battle as a physical battle. In the contest between bat and ball, out-thinking your opponent is the key to victory and nowhere is this more evident than in the spinner’s efforts. By bowling the ball in such a way as to increase the number of revolutions while travelling through the air, the spin bowler is able to manipulate the direction, speed and bounce once it hits the pitch. The unpredictability of each delivery is what explains spin bowling’s incredible success over the years as well as its continued importance to any cricket side. However, spin bowling is a diverse art-form. While such bowlers are all united by the fundamental principle of making the ball spin (hence the term ‘spinners’), the means to that end are many. Consequently, the range of deliveries and the number of skills required of a spin bowler are daunting. Before you even start out, you have to ask yourself a number of questions about the path you want to take, and it certainly won’t be easy. That said, if you stick to your task and develop your skills, you will be a remarkably effective part of any team you play in - just look at the statistics! Types of Spins: Popularised by the irrepressible Australian Shane Warne during the 1990s and 2000s, leg spin is considered by many as the most effective form of spin bowling due to the range of deliveries possible and the amount of spin that can be imparted on the ball. It is typically associated with right-handed wrist spin bowlers, with the delivery making for anti-clockwise rotations on the ball. The threat of leg spin is made more acute by the adept practitioner’s ability to incorporate other elements in his delivery. For example, by using variations of flight - looping the ball into the air above the batsman’s initial line of sight to allow cross-breeze to come into play, which will also encourage a sharp dip due to the spin on the ball and will increase the level of deviation. The leg spinner’s arsenal is composed of the following deliveries: The off spinner is a right-handed bowler who spins the ball from the off-side to the leg-side when facing a right-handed batsman (the opposite of a leg spinner). It is generally thought to be easier to play because flight is not much of a factor, there are fewer deliveries to consider, and less spin is applied to the ball. However, contradicting that sweeping statement is Muttiah Muralitharan, one of the greatest spinners of all-time and one of the most successful bowlers of all-time. The off spinner’s arsenal is composed of the following deliveries: Spin bowling
Introduction
1. Leg spin
2. Off spin
What is Fast Bowling?
Comfortably the most popular, if not necessarily the most successful, type of bowling in the sport, fast bowling is an extremely broad term which unsurprisingly refers to the policy of using pace to challenge the batsman. This approach has existed as long as the sport itself, and no team is complete without at least three pacemen. Fast bowling has also been at the heart of most of cricket’s most significant periods - from the infamous ‘Bodyline’ Ashes series of 1932-1933 through to the great West Indian sides of the late 1970s and 1980s and, more recently, the emergence of reverse swing as a pivotal weapon. Even England have a pedigree of fast bowling, contributing greats like Sydney Barnes, Alec Bedser, Fred Trueman and Ian Botham. However, fast bowling is about more than just pace. The general aim may be to bowl the ball at pace to generate bounce and capitalise on any imperfections in the pitch, but there is more to it than that. As well as the immense physical demands, fast bowling requires excellent technique and a whole host of skills beyond mere pace. The ability to bowl at 90 miles per hour is a great advantage but, as the career of Pakistan’s Shoaib Akhtar (who delivered the fastest ball in history at 100.2 miles per hour in 2003) will show you, it isn’t everything. To be a decent fast bowler is to play intelligently with great technique and plenty of variety. A good way to start out on this journey is to work out what fast bowling entails. As you might expect, the first thing to get your head around is the categorisation of fast bowling. Not all pacemen bowl at the same speed and, in connection with this, neither do they use the ball in exactly the same way. The distinctions in pace are quite simple to explain, as all fast bowlers come under one of the following categories: Looking at bowlers in terms of pace can be somewhat misleading though. A fast bowler may utilise a slower delivery as a surprise option, for example. Moreover, two quicks may be distinguished by the line and length they choose to use - one may bang the ball in with his stock delivery approximating a bouncer, while the other may skid the ball on off the pitch. In general, fast bowling tends to be sub-categorised into three types - strike, seam and swing bowling - each of which provides different challenges to the batsman due to their speed, line, length and variety. Strike bowling is the rather agricultural policy of trying to get the batsman out through sheer pace and power, at the expense of fully utilising the ball or the conditions to extract movement and deceive the opponent. Unsurprisingly, this is almost exclusively the preserve of ‘fast’ bowlers like Australia’s Brett Lee and you’ll often see strike bowlers taking the new ball, as it comes on to the batsman quicker. Strike bowlers tend to be most successful against opening batsman - when the ball is fresh - and against tail-enders - who probably don’t want to be dealing with pace anyway. However, the effort required to generate such speeds means that they are generally only used in short spells of four or five overs. Despite this oft-referred to category, it is worth remembering that strike bowling is the least defined of the three. Skills from both seam and swing bowling can overlap into strike bowling with small adjustments, and many players like England’s Andrew Flintoff are known as strike bowlers with the ability to extract swing or use the seam. Nevertheless, they are marked out by their use of a few specific deliveries (which can be seen less frequently from other types): Seam bowling is again a rather confusing category in isolation, as any fast bowler will make use of the seam on the ball in some way. However, defined strictly, a seam bowler is anyone that bowls the ball directly onto its seam to cause deviation off the pitch. The logic for this is easily understood. A cricket ball is not a perfect sphere - the stitching on the seam (which joins the pieces of leather) is raised and the irregularity means that a bowler can create sideways movement if it bounces on the pitch. The stock delivery for the seam bowler is therefore one with the seam upright and the ball moving around its horizontal axis to ensure the seam faces the batsman vertically at all times. The minor deviation which can result is often the difference between a nick from the batsman and a regulation defensive stroke. Australia’s Glenn McGrath, in particular, was a master at this art and, generally speaking, seam bowling is the preserve of medium fast or fast medium bowlers. The importance of retaining good line and length means that speed is usually of secondary importance; otherwise the movement could only make an easy attacking shot even easier. There are also variations on the stock ball. By holding the seam in different ways, it is possible to experiment with the movement off the pitch: The science of swing is a matter of much debate and, while no one can be exactly certain what is the source on any given day, the end result is sideways movement, often significantly greater than that produced by seam bowlers. It is also generated through the air as opposed to off the pitch like seam bowlers. The key factors in producing swing are the following: There are two stock deliveries of the swing bowler which pertain to the grip and the raised seam of the ball: A buzzword during the 2005 Ashes series in England, reverse swing was developed in Pakistan during the 1970s by the international bowler Sarfraz Nawaz, although it was only seriously popularised by Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis (who learnt from the great Imran Khan) in the 1980s and 1990s. The irony wasn’t lost on Waqar Younis, who was accused by the English press of ball tampering due to reverse swing, when England defeated Australia in large part due to the skill (Waqar had even instructed Simon Jones in the art). There is much confusion amongst beginners to the game on what reverse swing is, but it is quite simple. Whereas conventional swing moves towards the rough side (think about the outswinger), reverse swing moves towards the polished side and into the right-handed batsman (although the seam angle is the same). Furthermore, in contrast to conventional swing, which can be seen as early as the first over, reverse swing typically kicks in around the 30 or 40 over mark. The type of swing is also markedly different, the movement coming later than in conventional swing and being quite dramatic. Devastating when combined with decent line and length, reverse swing is also extremely erratic and even more dependent on the appropriate weather conditions. However, it can be the difference when facing a top batting line-up and has become a major part of a swing bowler’s arsenal. The key to being an effective fast bowler is line and length. The great Australian fast bowler Glenn McGrath described his policy as ‘boring’ the batsman to induce an error and, with 563 Test match wickets at an average of 21.64 runs per wicket, who would argue against it being the right one? The temptation as a raw bowler is to focus all your attention on pace. However, it is important to bear in mind that a bowler’s job is to keep the runs down. Getting five wickets in an innings is all good and well, but if it comes at a cost of 150 runs, you’re probably not helping your team as much as you could. In terms of line, you should be aiming to bowl six balls out of six in what has been described rather poetically by former England batsman Geoffrey Boycott as ‘the corridor of uncertainty’. This is the area just outside off-stump, which forces the batsman to play (because sideways movement may expose him to an lbw decision or clean bowl him) but without giving a free scoring opportunity. Focus your training on being able to hit the line time and time again, then work on your pace. Length is also a hugely important part of either spin or fast bowling. Depending on whether you are bowling a Yorker, a Bouncer, an off-cutter or an in-swinger, you need to be able to hit the appropriate line. An excellent training method is to place cones on the wicket at various junctures and attempt to hit the right length for your chosen delivery. Keep practicing until you can do it comfortably before you even consider speed. Remember, patience and perseverance is absolutely pivotal to improving in any sport. Take your time, work hard and listen to any educated advice, and you’ll be taking wickets quick enough!Fast bowling
Introduction
Types of fast bowling
Strike bowling
Seam bowling
Swing bowling
Reverse swing
Improve your skills
What are Fielding Strategies and Fitness, Teamwork?
Fitness As Cricket is played over a very long period of time with test matches lasting five days, it is inevitable that the body takes a pounding over this period. This makes it very important to be in peak physical condition. Players should not only be able to deliver short bursts of power for running in between wickets and chasing after balls, but also have a good endurance base to last a full day's fielding in the hot sun, or to preserve your wicket over a few days to avoid a heavy test match loss. Quick reflexes are also very important for both batsman and bowler. A simple and efficient technique will also help to reduce wear and tear of joints and muscle. This will help to minimize injuries and increase the length of one's cricket career. Teamwork One factor that is often overlooked is the ability to function as a team. Internal rifts in teams between key players often lead to a poor performance. Also, one cannot depend on the star batsman or bowler in the team to constantly win matches. Each player has to contribute, and quite often one has to play the part of being the unexpected saviour of the team. Therefore each member has to be ready for that challenge, should it arise. Fielding Strategy Power Play - This is a rule involving ODI field restrictions introduced in 2006. Previously during the first 15 overs only 2 fielders were allowed outside the 30 yard circle. This resulted in batsman taking many risks in these first 15 overs, making this part of the match very interesting but resulting in the middle part of the match being dull. Under the new rule, the first 10 overs allow only two fielders outside the 30-yard circle after which there are two blocks of five overs each (known as Powerplay fives) in which the same restrictions apply. These blocks can be used by the captain at any stage of the match. If not, then they will be automatically enforced in the 41st and 46thover. The captain of the fielding side can use this rule to force a team to take risks at various stages of the match where there will be a good opportunity to pick up wickets. Another ploy involving the fielders is the field setting for batsmen according to their strengths and weaknesses. The bowler then bowls according to this setting forcing the batsman to take chances on his weaker side, resulting in him being caught out or so on.
What is Batting Strategy?
Batting Strategy The main duty of the batsman is to conserve his wicket as much as possible while trying to score as many runs as he can at a good rate. The aim is to try and keep a respectable run rate of about four or more runs per over which would result in a defendable total. In an ODI the batting line-up is such that the opening batsmen are attacking players. While trying to wear down the new ball they also try to make use of the fielding restrictions in the first 15 overs. The 3rd and 4th batsmen are probably the best in the team. Their role is to make sure that there is at least one batsman who has settled down and is scoring steadily and is set to play a long innings. This batsman also supports any new batsmen that come in and help them to settle in. The middle order consists of batsmen that are very steady. These batsmen see the side through the middle part of the match where they keep the scoreboard ticking with singles and doubles rarely scoring a boundary. They help to lay down the foundation for attacking batting in the final 15 overs. The batsmen take more chances in the final 15 overs trying to maximise the run rate. The tail end batsmen are mainly bowlers who do not have much batting skills. They are encouraged to let loose and go for boundaries as as result they are known as pinch hitters. In a test match there is no haste to score runs. The batsmen take their time to settle in and try to score as much runs as possible. The opening pair are technically sound and solid. They wear down the new ball and try to stay on top of the bowler friendly conditions on the opening day. The next batsman in is also technically sound and should be capable of playing a very long innings trying to maintain stability at one end. The upper middle order are also capable of playing long innings. If a wicket is dropped nearer the end of the days play a fairly capable tail ender is sent in as the 'night watchman' to see through the end of the day without the loss of more wickets. If the batting team has set a good 1st innings total then in the third innings it will try to score aggressively to increase the total runs scored in as few balls as possible. This normally occurs on the fourth day. The opposing team is sent in to bat near the final few hours of the day. This tactic results in the team batting last having to deal with a high total and the bowling side having an ample number of overs to try and bowl out the batting side. If the team batting first has not managed to score a respectable total and is behind on the fourth day, then the strategy reverts to defence where the batsman will play extremely cautiously and bat out as much time as possible so that come the end of the 5th day the match will end in draw as the allocated time runs out.
What are Bowling Strategy?
The Strategies employed during the game are usually dependent on the type of game being played. The batting side and the bowling side have varying strategies for each of these types of matches. Bowling strategy The main objective of the bowler is to obtain wickets. The batting order of a team is such that the best batsman make up the first 3-4 players (or top order) of the line-up. The next 3-4 players consist of batsmen with reasonable batting abilities and the remaining player consist of unremarkable batsmen. The duty of the opening bowlers is to breakthrough the opening line up so that batsmen with lesser ability are exposed. Normally a fast bowler opens the bowling line-up. With the ball being new and hard at the beginning of the match it will zip through with a lot of bounce, this creates many wicket taking opportunities. A good line and length ensures that the batsman is kept in check. An example would be waist high balls pitched on the offside between the batsman and his body where the ball isn't deep enough to play a shot off the backfoot and is not short enough to play off the front foot. The other objectives of the bowler is to reduce the number of runs and extras given. In ODIs the fast bowlers usually bowl the first 10 overs, whereas in test matches they bowl the first two hours, after which medium pacers and spinners are brought on. As there is less pace on the ball with these bowlers the batsman has more time to prepare his shots and therefore score more runs. Using variety, the bowlers can stem the flow of runs as well as create opportunities for wickets by confusing the batsman with the flight, swing and spin of the ball. In ODIs these bowlers continue till about the 35th over after which the fast bowlers are brought back into the bowling attack. This is because in an ODI, towards the end of the innings the batsmen are on the lookout to maximise the runs scored and will therefore, have a better chance to do so with the slower bowlers, because they are looking to take more risks. It is therefore wise to use a fast bowler as opposed to a slow one. This period is ripe with opportunity to capture a wicket and to try and force a breakdown in the batting order. Bowlers often use the slower or faster ball to catch the batsman off guard. These deliveries are particularly useful to surprise the batsman, when the batsman has got into a rhythm and is expecting the same pattern to continue. In a test match, where the overs are plentiful, there is no hurry to score runs. Therefore batsmen have to take fewer risks. The duty of the bowler is to try and obtain wickets because more wickets translate into fewer runs being scored over a long period of time. The restrictions for wides are eased so that the bowler can afford to be less accurate. He is also allowed two short pitched balls per over as opposed to just one in ODIs. These balls can be used to unsettle the batsman and cause him to play a loose shot.
Rules & Law
The Code of Laws created by the MCC in 1788 still form the basis of the laws of cricket. These laws cover all parts of the game from equipment to fielding restrictions to preparation and maintenance of the pitch. If new additions or changes are to be made to this set of laws it is done in co-ordination with the ICC. These laws explain the workings of the game and its regulations there are 42 in all. Players and officials Equipment and Pitch layout All out - When an innings is ended where 10 out of 11 batsmen have been dismissed or are unable to play due to injury etc. All rounder - A batsman who can bowl too, or a batsman who can also keep wickets Around the wicket - When a right handed bowler passes the right side of the stumps during his delivery action and vice versa for left handed bowlers. BBI or Best - An abbreviation for the best bowling figures in a bowler's career. Beamer - a delivery that without bouncing, reaches the batsman at around head height. Brace - Two wickets off two consecutive deliveries. Chip - A subtle lob played over the infielders Covers - A fielding position between point and mid off. Cut - A shot made square on the off side a delivery that is short pitched and wide of off stump. Dot ball - A delivery from which no runs have been scored. Drive - A forceful shot hit along the ground cover point on the off side and mid wicket on the leg side. Duck - A batsman's score of zero Duckworth and Lewis method - A mathematical model that predicts the runs required by the team batting second after the match has been interrupted due to rain. Flick - A quick and light movement of the wrist which moves the bat. Full toss - A delivery that reaches the batsman with bouncing. Glance - A shot played finely on the leg side behind the batsman. Gully - A fielder close to the slip fielder. Hat trick - Three wickets off three consecutive balls by the same bowler. Leg side - As he takes position, the half of the ground to the rear of the batsman Maiden Over - An over where no runs are given. Nelson - scores of 111, 222 or 333 sometimes considered as bad luck Nick - An edge (of bat) Off side - The half of the field in front of the batsman's body. On side - Same as leg side One down - the batsman who is number 3 in the batting line up Outfield - part of the field lying outside the 30 yard circle Overpitched - A ball that is fully pitched but not a yorker, often easily dispatched. Overthrow - An inaccurate throw by the fielder resulting in the batsmen gaining more runs Pads - Protective equipment for the legs. Plumb - Obviously out leg before wicket. Pull - A shot played to the leg side on a ball that is pitched short. Seam - The stitching on the ball Seam bowling - A style that uses the unevenness of the ball. Silly - to indicate a position close to the batsman Sledging - Verbal abuse to psychologically upset a player. Slip - A fielder close behind the batsman. Spell - The total number of overs a bowler bowls. Strike - The position as batsman. Tail ender - A batsman at the end of the batting order. Twelfth man - The first substitute Yorker - A delivery pitched expecting to bounce under the batsman's bat.
