Is Cricket Just as Much Fun as Baseball?

Many people who have heard a brief description of the game cricket seem to think that it greatly resembles baseball. That is both true and not true. What do I mean by that? Well these to games do look and sound very similar, however the rules of how the games are played are very different. Many people also tend to become very frustrated with the game of cricket. As with baseball, cricket has two opposing teams. Each team is made up of 11 men, with one in reserve known as the 12th man. This contrasts with the nine-man baseball team. The term “batsman,” rather than “batter,” is used for the player striking the ball, and the shape of the cricketer’s bat is quite different from that of a baseball bat. There are also additional differences such as, the dress and stance of players, the design and layout of the oval cricket field versus the baseball diamond, the positioning of fielders, and the speed of play appear to have little in common.

So what exactly do you need to play cricket? You need a large area in the shape of an oval. In the center is the pitch. At each end of the pitch are the wickets, which are made up of three upright wooden stumps. The ball can not pass between the stumps. Small bails, which can be two pieces of wood, fit in grooves on top, from one end to the other, spanning the three stumps. Then a white line which is called a crease is marked across the pitch in from of and parallel to each of the wickets. These are considered the safe areas for the batter when the ball in in motion or play. The person who is designated to be the bowler must not overstep this line when delivering the ball. If they do than the other side will get an automatic free run. A coin toss determines who gets to be at bat first. After this is done then two bowlers are delegated by the captain to be on duty for as long as he determines.

Each bowls six consecutive balls from alternate ends of the pitch. Unlike baseball the ball can not be thrown or pitched, it instead has to be rolled. The cricket ball is usually red and made of leather. This ball is slightly smaller, heavier than a baseball. The job of the batsman in cricket is very similar to baseball. In cricket the batsman must each protect their wicket and avoid being declared out. Each team stays at the batting crease until 10 of their number are dismissed, for the 11th batsman is always termed “not out,” since he is left without a batting partner. The opposing team is then sent in to try to score more runs than their opponents. If it is a one-innings match, the highest total score determines which team wins.
So as you can see their really are a lot of similarities between baseball and cricket. If you have never played cricket than why not get a group of friends together and give it a try. It really is a lot of fun. Once you get the hang of the rules and how to play the game you will definitely become more enthusiastic about cricket.