Test Cricket / The Ashes - Rules
Field of Play
Cricket is played on a large flat or oval circular field with a pitch in the middle. On the field of play at any time there will always be two umpires two batsmen and all of the fielding team this comprises of the wicketkeeper batsman and nine fielders. The fielding captain will organize his team in to positions that he feels will either prevent runs being scored or to affect a dismissal. At the end of each over a new bowler bowls from the opposite end of the pitch and all the fielders and umpires are repositioned accordingly.
The pitch
The closely mown even surface at the centre of the field of play is known as the pitch. The pitch is 22 yards long and 12 feet wide, it is marked with a bowling crease at each end a wicket is placed on each of the bowling creases. The popping crease is in front of the bowling crease, unless running the batsman needs to keep at least his bat behind the popping crease or he runs the risk of being stumped. The bowler's front foot must be behind this line when the ball is delivered or the umpire will call no ball.
The Rules and how the game is played
Test Cricket is played over five days and it is cricket's flagship event, each side has two innings, bowlers bowl an unlimited number of overs. Winning a test match is not a straight forward affair. England must bowl out Australia by taking all ten wickets before the Australian's have scored more than the total runs England have scored, If neither side can do this before the five days are up then the result is a draw. However winning the ashes is an altogether different affair firstly you have to win the series or the team who is holding the ashes gets to keep them.
Playing The Game
Cricket despite many attempts to change that is still a gentlemen's game and before play the two captains toss a coin to see which side will 'bat' and which side will 'field'. All the fielding side take their positions but only two batters are on the field at a time. There are also two umpires on the field of play.
At the start of play the batter who is considered to be on strike assumes a batting stance (this is usually body side on to the bowler but head facing) he is now ready to receive the ball. His partner the non batter stands at the opposite end of the pitch. The bowler must deliver a ball overarm towards the striker's wicket. Should the batter miss the ball the wicket keeper will usually catch it. Should the batter hit the ball the two batters have a choice to run or not, should the ball land inside the field of play but then cross the boundary the batter has scored a 'four', should the ball not touch the field of play before crossing the boundary then the batter has scored a 'six'. After 6 legal deliveries have been bowled the umpire calls 'over'.
The aim of the batters is to score as many runs as possible while the aim of the fielders is to try and dismiss the batters, the means of dismissal are:
Bowled. to be bowled out the bowler must deliver a ball that breaks the wicket that is to dislodge at least one bail,
Timed Out. If the oncoming batsman takes longer than 3 minutes to reach the pitch.
Caught, if a fielder catches the ball after the batter hits it and before it touches the ground
Handled the Ball. If a batter handles the ball without the consent of the fielding side.
Hit the ball twice, if the batter strikes the ball twice 'unless guarding the wicket'
Hit Wicket. Should the bat or any part of the batter breaks the wicket
LBW. When part of the batter intercepts the ball that would have hit the wicket. The most complex of cricket rules.
Obstructing the field. If the batter deliberately obstructs or distracts the fielding side.
Run Out. If the wicket is broken and the batter or bat are not behind the popping crease.
Stumped. If the wicketkeeper breaks the wicket and the batter is outside the popping crease.
Scoring
The scorer uses numbers and a set of symbols entered in a special cricket scorebook to keep a tally of runs scored and associated statistics. To ensure the scorebook is filled in correctly an umpire signals to the scorer when particular circumstances arise. The scoreboard provides the spectators and players with an ongoing summary of the ongoing match situation.
Extras: These are runs scored that do not arise from the batter striking the ball the most common of these are no balls, byes, leg byes and wides.
No Ball When the delivery is deemed illegal, usually when the bowler oversteps the popping crease.
Bye When the batting pair complete a run, but the ball did not touch the bat or the batter, Byes usually arise from a mistake by the wicket keeper.
Leg Bye when the batting pair complete a run after the ball struck any part of the batter except the glove or bat.
Wide. when a delivery passes out of the reach of the batter when in normal batting stance
Ashes News
The Aussie series of this great sporting rivalry will start on the 25th of November will visit Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide, and finish in Sydney by which time if the Aussies haven't totally exhausted our guys by dragging them half way round the world we should have retained our ashes.
