Cricket Speak
Date: 14/05/2005
A match is played between 2 teams of 11 players. The games are in two halves. The first team tries to score as many runs as possible in an allotted time. The fielding team try their hardest to dismiss the batting side by getting all the batsmen out. Both teams then break for twenty minutes or so to eat as many sandwiches and cakes as they can lay their hands on. They then swap round. The batting side then try to beat the score set by their opposition. If they don't, they lose. Are you all following this?. Each side can bat for as long as 42 overs ( each over contains 6 balls bowled by the bowler, extra balls can be added if the bowler bowls too many looseners, see below for loosener.
Batsman...this is a player who scores runs (points) for the team by smashing the ball to various parts of the field. If he can hit it past the boundary ( the edge of the playing area ) he doesn't have to run. If he doesn't he has to run to score any points. He has to run a total of 22 Yards. A good test to judge a cricketer is to ask him or her what they do. If they reply "I AM A BATSMAN/BOWLER" then they are probably serious cricketers. If they say " I DO A BIT OF BATTING AND I TURN MY ARM OVER EVERY NOW AND THEN" it means that they will have a go at everything with varied success but without excelling in anything (I am in this group along with most of the cricket playing nation). If the reply is "I AM A FIELDER" then this means that they are a danger when they bowl and don't know what to do with a bat. These are people who have, through the years invented shots that you wont find in any coaching manual. They are probably the most valuable players a club can have, people that try hard and are reliable. They know their strengths( none) and they play to them.
Bowler...this a player entrusted by the captain of the team to try and get the batman out. The bowler runs in and bowls the ball in the general direction of the batsman at the other end. Almost everyone who plays at village level has bowled at some stage in their career. Getting the batsman out can be achieved in number of ways. Here are just a few
By Knocking over the stumps ( three wooden posts behind the batsman that he has to defend)
By knocking over the batsman ( this is considered to be unsporting and dangerously have seen many a batsman leave the playing area for this reason)
By getting the player caught by a fielder ( batsman hits ball into air and is caught by fielder before ball hits ground)
LBW (leg before wicket)...this is simple enough... the ball hits the batsman on the leg and if it had not done so, would have hit the wooden posts behind him ( see 1 above). Sounds easy. This rule has some very strange interpretations at village cricket level and a lot seems to hinge on where the umpire comes from and how loud you can shout at him or her.
By running the batsman out...this is where the batsman believes he is a faster runner than he is and attempts to do his 22 yards before the ball is returned, with interest, by the fielder in the direction of the stumps (wooden posts as above). This scenario has led to some of the most comical results with batsman colliding, falling over, diving athletically or both ending up at the same end as each other.
Its a good time to note some of the different types of deliveries that the bowlers bowl in village cricket..
The good length delivery...this is what bowlers aim for. It difficult to score runs off.
The full toss....this is a delivery that does not bounce before it reaches the batsman. Commonly referred to as "the loosener". It can reach the batsman at varying heights and can be both a gift to the batsman...or a danger.
The Beamer...a full toss directed at the head of the batsman. Normally connected to the loosener.
The Yorker...the bowler tries to hit the batsman on the foot. It's difficult to do and can result in either 2 or 3 above.
The bouncer... the bowler, normally angered by something or someone, tries to bowl as short as he can so that the ball bounces up around the batsman's face, making it unpalatable and sending a message to the batsman that which says "I AM MEAN AND I AM ANGRY". A poorly delivered bouncer can result in "the LONG HOP" or it can bounce 2 or 3 times before reaching the batsman, drawing much amusement from onlookers and much anger from the captain.
Off spin/leg spin...ball bounces and spins to the right or the left (or hits bump in the ground and bounces to right or left, these are claimed by spin bowlers)...lots of village cricketers have practiced this art at one time or another. Its a graceful art and can lead to sub categories of spin bowling such as the pie, the skier and the gift.
The wrong un ,the googly and the top spinner are other types of delivery but if you are that interested, then look at a genuine cricket site!
The loosener...worthy of a mention I feel. Village cricketers are a different breed of sporting athlete. They come in all shapes and sizes and can be playing village cricket well into their 50's and sometimes longer, They are just normal people who work all week before strutting their stuff on the field. They don't hold with, warming up, warming down, practicing or anything else for that matter. Pulled muscles and back problems are common place. Bowlers in particular are susceptible. The first bit of physical exertion will be when the captain throws the ball to "the chosen one" with the instructions to "unleash hell" on the batting side. This lack of preparation, followed by the sheer determination to "hit the mark" results in the loosener. The loosener brings several persons into play.
8a...The batsman...makes an effort to hit the ball which is not heading on the course intended by the bowler.
8b...The umpire...using selected arm signals, signals to the scorer that the batman would not have hit the ball if he had a bat the size of a barn door
8c...The scorer...acknowledges the frantic gestures of the umpire and adds at least 1 point to the batting sides total
8d...The wicketkeeper...has to dive to the left or the right in an effort to stop the ball. He too will not have warmed up and is generally at risk from muscular injury.
8e...One other fielder...must retrieve the ball that has disappeared into the hedgerow in order to return it to the bowler.
The whole process then starts again.
The loosener can result in a wide (ball that can't be reached by the batsman), a "no ball" called because of some form of technical infringement by the bowler. (These both add points or runs to the batting sides score.), a beamer, full toss or long hop.
Fielding
The aim of the fielder is to catch the ball if it is in the air or stop it using any part of your body that you feel comfortable with, and some you don't. Fielding can be a lonely existence for some and non stop action for others. It depends on where you are fielding. It also offers you the chance to improve your suntan. The further away from the action, the more you will have to run and the fitter you need to be. So if you are one of the younger members of the side then you can bet yer backside that you are heading for the outfield.
The umpire...there are two in each game. One provided by each team. Umpiring requires constant concentration and the ability to make decisions under pressure. Umpires are independent ( yes they are, honestly) and should have a good grasp of the rules. They wear long white coats with many pockets and they double up as a clothes horse, being required to carry clothing worn by the fielders such has jumpers, hats and sunglasses. It is a common sight on a hot, sticky summers day to see the umpire wearing two hats, three woollen jumpers and two pairs of sunglasses. Skills required are the ability to count as far as 6 and good upper body flexibility. Most teams are lucky enough to have a regular umpire but when they are not available, the captain, nominates a member of the team to carry out this important role. This is where the problems arise. Not all players actually know the rules. This can be particularly difficult when it comes to making LBW (leg before wicket(( ball hits leg and would have hit wooden sticks behind batsman)) decisions. The captain can be sat with 8 of his team one minute and as soon as he announces that someone is needed to umpire...they seem to have disappeared....funny that. The umpire also needs to learn various arm signals to communicate with the scorers.
The scorer. Ours is Jane...she's a babe. Scorers need to be able to write in code....cricket scoring code...a mixture of dots, crosses, lines and numbers. At the end of it all we need to be able to make some sense of it. If you look in Jane's score book you will find that it's neat and tidy and rarely will you find any mistakes. However, there will always come a time in the season when Jane is not around and that is when we get to fill the book in. The result is similar to that of giving a felt tip to a 2 year old and asking them to draw you a picture.
