PHYSICAL EDUCATION PROJECT ON

CRICKET

Cricket – “A magic word in the sphere

of sports.”

Submitted by:

Ishmeet Singh
INTRODUCTION
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of
11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a
rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score
as many runs as possible while the other
team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus
limit the runs scored by the batting team. A run is scored by
the striking batsman hitting the ball with his bat, running to
the opposite end of the pitch and touching the crease there
without being dismissed. The teams switch between batting
and fielding at the end of an innings.

In professional cricket the length of a game ranges from 20

overs of six bowling deliveries per side to Test cricket played
over five days. The Laws of Cricket are maintained by
the International Cricket Council (ICC) and
the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) with additional
Standard Playing Conditions for Test matches and One Day
Internationals.[1]

Cricket is the second most popular sport in the world

behind soccer. The ICC, the game's governing body, has
tenfull members.[3] The game is played particularly
in Australasia, the Indian subcontinent, the West Indies,
Southern Africa and England.
HISTORY
The game of cricket has a known history spanning from the
16th century to the present day, with international matches
played since 1844, although the official history of
international Test cricket began in 1877. During this time,
the game developed from its origins in England into a game
which is now played professionally in most of
the Commonwealth of Nations.

The first evidence of cricket being played was recorded in the

year 1550, by the pupils of Royal Grammar School,
Guildford. In the year 1611 it is reported that two young men
from Sussex were punished for playing cricket instead of going
to the church. The first match is recorded to have been played
at Coxheath in Kent in the year 1646.

Cricket was in fact a major gambling sport towards the end of

the 17th century. It is recorded that in the year 1679, a 11-a-
side match was played with stakes as high as 50 guineas per
side.
During the 18th century cricket survived and thrived due to
the huge amounts of money via monetary backing and
gambling. The first instance of a match to be played between
counties in England is recorded to be on 29th June in the year
1709. This match was played between Surrey and Kent at
Dartford Brent.

The first English touring team on board ship at Liverpool in

1859

The 18th century also witnessed the emergence of two types

of cricket players. They were known as the retained player
and the individual player. Generally the retained player was
the servant of the lord and a cricketer as well. On the other
hand the individual player was free to play anywhere with his
skills

In the year 1787, the Marylebone Cricket Club also known

MCC was created. The MCC has since then gone on to become
one of the most prominent bodies in world cricket. The late
18th century was a very crucial phase for the development of
the game, both within and outside Britain. The game was
spread far and wide mainly due to England’s imperialism. The
first official match was held between Canada and United
States was held in the year 1844.

In the present times, cricket has its own following of loyal fans.
The International Cricket Council, better known as the
ICC is the governing body in world cricket. The ICC was
founded on the 15th of June in the year 1909. All laws relating
to ODIs and Test Cricket are framed and implemented by the
ICC.

INDIAN CRICKET
Cricket was popularized by English settlers and the British
army. The Oriental Club was the first all-Indian cricket club,
specifically for a Indian religious sect. In 1906, a triangular
match was played with the Hindus, the Parsis, and the
Europeans; however in 1912, it became a quadrangular
tournament with a Muslim team. The National championship
has been played since 1934 for the Ranji Trophy, named for
K.S. Ranjitsinhji, one of the most famous Indian cricketers.

21ST-CENTURY CRICKET
Cricket remains a major world sport in terms of participants,
spectators and media interest.

Cricket's newest innovation is Twenty20, essentially an

evening entertainment. It has so far enjoyed enormous
popularity and has attracted large attendances at matches as
well as good TV audience ratings. The inaugural ICC Twenty20
World Cup tournament was held in 2007 with a follow-up event
in 2009. The formation of Twenty20 leagues in India – the
unofficial Indian Cricket League, which started in 2007, and
the official Indian Premier League, starting in 2008 – raised
much speculation in the cricketing press about their effect on
the future of cricket.
HOW IS CRICKET PLAYED?
In cricket, there are two teams, the batting and the
nonbatting. Nine members of the nonbatting team are in the
field, one is the wicketkeeper, and one is the bowler, for a total
of 11 players. The batting team designates the order of the
batters, where the first batter is called the striker. A batsman
tries to guard his wicket, while the bowler tries to hit it.

The batsman tries to keep the bowler from hitting the wicket
with the ball, while also attempting to hit the ball hard enough
to give him time to run to the other end of the pitch, before
any of the nonbatting team picks up the ball and hits the
wicket. If the wicket is broken, by a thrown ball or by the
wicketkeeper or bowler, the batsman is dismissed. The striker
does not have to run after he hits the ball, and a miss does not
count against him. However, if he gets a hit and thinks he can
score a run, he runs for the opposite wicket while the second
batsman - the nonstriker - runs toward him. If they each reach
the opposite wicket before a wicket is broken, a run is scored.
Also, if the batsmen theing there is time, they may run back
for two or more runs, crossing each time. If they score an even
number of runs, the striker is the next to hit the ball. However,
if an odd number is scored, the nonstriker will be facing the
bowler and thus getting his chance to hit the ball. Any runs
scored in this manner go to his personal score for the game.

When a hit ball goes beyond the boundary, the game is paused
and four runs are added to the team's score. In order for the
team's score to go up, several other things may happen other
than the batsman scoring runs. A bye occurs when a ball from
the bowler is missed by the batsman, but he can still make a
run. A leg bye happens when the ball touches part of the
batsman's body, but he can still make good a run. A wide
occurs when the ball is out of reach of the striker, and this
counts for a run. No balls occur when the ball is improperly
bowled. Each of these extras add points to a side's score.
If a bowler bowls six balls, not counting wides and no balls, he
completes what is termed an over. A new over is then begun
by a different bowler at the opposite wicket. The field must
also adjust accordingly. If a bowler bowls a complete over
without a batsman personally scoring a run, it is called a
maiden over.

A bowler may bowl either right or left armed, propelling the

ball overhand without bending his elbow. He is allowed any
number of steps to give a delivery, but he may not cross the
bowling crease. A good bowler must be able to control length
and direction, which includes the spin placed on the ball to
attempt to deceive the batsman into being dismissed.

A batsman may hit either right or left handed, based on a

vertical bat with its entire blade faced to the ball. There are
many different batting strokes, including the forward stroke,
the back stroke, the leg glance, and the cut.

Fieldsmen must be quick runners, with good hand-eye

coordination and the ability to throw a cricket ball far. He
should be able to guess the batsman's strokes, and act
accordingly.

The wicketkeeper should have exceptionally good reaction

time and sharp sight. He must concentrate fully on every ball.

CRICKET EQUIPMENTS
WICKET AND CREASES - A wicket is three stakes or stumps
placed into the ground so that a cricket ball cannot pass
between them. There are two wickets, which the bowler
attacks and which the batsman defends. The creases are lines
of whitewash that mark the ground at each wicket. The
bowling and return creases mark the area where the bowler's
rear foot must be placed when bowling the ball; the popping
crease marks the area which is the batsman's ground.

BAT AND BALL - The bat is paddle shaped made of willow

and approximately 11 centimeters wide. It, including the
handle, may not under regulation exceed 97 centimeters in
length. The ball is made of a core of cork encased in red
leather. The two leather halves are sewn together with a
raised seam. A baseball is slightly heavier, softher, and larger
than a standard cricket ball.

DRESS - The players usually wear white flannel pants and

shirt, white canvas or buck shoes, a white woolen sweater
(often times with their club colours trimming it), and
multicoloured club caps. A batsman wears protective white
pads, or leg guards, rubber or leather batting gloves, and a
body protector. The wicketkeeper also wears pads and
reinforced gloves. However, the fielders in cricket do not wear
gloves when fielding.

CRICKET LANGUAGE
CAPPED - A cricket player is "capped" when he is selected to
play for a representative team. This term comes from the use
of club caps in the game.

REPRESENTATIVE TEAM - A "representative team" is a

team of cricket players selected by their ability to represent a
county, a country, etc. These players are normally selected
from among club teams or minor teams.)

INNINGS - An innings has actually several term usages in

cricket. (1) It is a turn of a batsman to bat, (2) a turn of a team
to bat, or (3) when results are being given, it is when one team
still has a turn to bat but has scored more runs than the
opposing team (which has completed its two innings.)
FOLLOW ON - To "follow on" occurs when a team bats out of
turn (e.g. second innings directly after first innings) after
scoring less than the opposing team in first innings by a
certain number of runs.

HIT A SIX - To "hit a six" means to hit the ball over a

boundary without it touching the ground, thus scoring six
runs.

PITCH - A "pitch" can be used in several ways. (1) It is the

area going 1.5 meters on either side of the center line between
the wickets, (2) the impact of a bowled ball on the ground, or
(3) the distance from one wicket to the other.

WICKET - The word "wicket" has four meanings in cricket.

First, it is the goal, consisting of three stakes, which two sticks
lay on top of. The batsman defends them and the bowler
attempts to hit. Secondly, it is a turn to bat. Thirdly, a wicket
is, in scoring, if a side is batting last, it is the number of
batsmen who have to be put out (dismissed) when the
opponent's score is passed. And lastly, it is the area between
two sets of stumps (also known as pitch.)

STICKY WICKET - A "sticky wicket" is a wicket (pitch) that is

drying after a rain. Any soft soil - turf - makes playing more
difficult for a batsman.

LAWS OF CRICKET
The laws of cricket are a set of rules established by
the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) which describe the laws
of cricketworldwide, to ensure uniformity and fairness. There
are currently 42 laws, which outline all aspects of how the
game is played .

PLAYERS AND OFFICIALS

The first four laws cover the players, the umpires and the
scorers.

Law 1: The players. A cricket team consists of eleven players,

including a captain. Outside of official competitions, teams can
agree to play more than eleven-a-side, though no more than
eleven players may field.

Law 2: Substitutes. In cricket, a substitute may be brought

on for an injured fielder. However, a substitute may not bat,
bowl, keep wicket or act as captain. The original player may
return if he has recovered. A batsman who becomes unable to
run may have a runner, who completes the runs while the
batsman continues batting. Alternatively, a batsman may retire
hurt or ill, and may return later to resume his innings if he
recovers.

Law 3: The umpires. There are two umpires, who apply the
Laws, make all necessary decisions, and relay the decisions to
the scorers. While not required under the laws of cricket, in
higher level cricket a third umpire (located off the ground and
available to assist the on-field umpires) may be used under the
specific playing conditions of a particular match or
tournament.

Law 4: The scorers. There are two scorers who respond to

the umpires' signals and keep the score.

AN UMPIRE
EQUIPMENT AND LAYING OUT THE PITCH

Law 5: The ball. A cricket ball is between 8 13/16 and 9

inches (22.4 cm and 22.9 cm) in circumference, and weighs
between 5.5 and 5.75 ounces (155.9g and 163g). Only one ball
is used at a time, unless it is lost, when it is replaced with a
ball of similar wear. It is also replaced at the start of each
innings, and may, at the request of the fielding side, be
replaced with a new ball, after a certain number of overs have
been bowled (80 in Test matches, 34 inODIs). The gradual
degradation of the ball through the innings is an important
aspect of the game.

Law 6: The bat. The bat is no more than 38 inches (97 cm) in
length, and no more than 4.25 inches (10.8 cm) wide. The
hand or glove holding the bat is considered part of the bat.
Ever since the Heavy Metal incident, a highly publicized
marketing attempt by Dennis Lillee, who brought out
an aluminium bat during an international game, the laws have
provided that the blade of the bat must be made of wood (and
in practice, they are made from White Willowwood).

Law 7: The pitch. The pitch is a rectangular area of the

ground 22 yards (20 m) long and 10 ft (3.0 m) wide. The
Ground Authority selects and prepares the pitch, but once the
game has started, the umpires control what happens to the
pitch. The umpires are also the arbiters of whether the pitch is
fit for play, and if they deem it unfit, with the consent of both
captains can change the pitch. Professional cricket is almost
always played on a grass surface. However, in the event a non-
turf pitch is used, the artificial surface must have a minimum
length of 58 ft (18 m) and a minimum width of 6 ft (1.8 m).

Law 8: The wickets. The wicket consists of three wooden

stumps that are 28 inches (71 cm) tall. The stumps are placed
along the batting crease with equal distances between each
stump. They are positioned so they are 9 inches (23 cm) wide.
Two wooden bails are placed on top of the stumps. The bails
must not project more than 0.5 inches (1.3 cm) above the
stumps, and must, for men's cricket, be 45⁄16 inches (10.95 cm)
long. There are also specified lengths for the barrel and
spigots of the bail. There are different specifications for the
wickets and bails for junior cricket. The umpires may dispense
with the bails if conditions are unfit (i.e. it is windy so they
might fall off by themselves).
Law 9: Bowling, popping, and return creases. This law
sets out the dimensions and locations of the creases. The
bowling crease, which is the line the stumps are in the middle
of, is drawn at each end of the pitch so that the three stumps
in the set of stumps at that end of the pitch fall on it (and
consequently it is perpendicular to the imaginary line joining
the centres of both middle stumps). Each bowling crease
should be 8 feet 8 inches (2.64 m) in length, centred on the
middle stump at each end, and each bowling crease terminates
at one of the return creases. The popping crease, which
determines whether a batsman is in his ground or not, and
which is used in determining front-foot no balls (see law 24), is
drawn at each end of the pitch in front of each of the two sets
of stumps. The popping crease must be 4 feet (1.2 m) in front
of and parallel to the bowling crease. Although it is considered
to have unlimited length, the popping crease must be marked
to at least 6 feet (1.8 m) on either side of the imaginary line
joining the centres of the middle stumps. The return creases,
which are the lines a bowler must be within when making a
delivery, are drawn on each side of each set of the stumps,
along each sides of the pitch (so there are four return creases
in all, one on either side of both sets of stumps). The return
creases lie perpendicular to the popping crease and the
bowling crease, 4 feet 4 inches (1.32 m) either side of and
parallel to the imaginary line joining the centres of the two
middle stumps. Each return crease terminates at one end at
the popping crease but the other end is considered to be
unlimited in length and must be marked to a minimum of 8
feet (2.4 m) from the popping crease.

Law 10: Preparation and maintenance of the playing

area. When a cricket ball is bowled it almost always bounces
on the pitch, and the behaviour of the ball is greatly influenced
by the condition of the pitch. As a consequence, detailed rules
on the management of the pitch are necessary. This law
contains the rules governing how pitches should be prepared,
mown, rolled, and maintained.

Law 11: Covering the pitch. The pitch is said to be 'covered'

when the groundsmen have placed covers on it to protect it
against rain or dew. The laws stipulate that the regulations on
covering the pitch shall be agreed by both captains in advance.
The decision concerning whether to cover the pitch greatly
affects how the ball will react to the pitch surface, as a ball
bounces differently on wet ground as compared to dry ground.
The area beyond the pitch where a bowler runs so as to deliver
the ball (the 'run-up') should ideally be kept dry so as to avoid
injury through slipping and falling, and the Laws also require
these to be covered wherever possible when there is wet
weather.
STRUCTURE OF THE GAME

Law 12: Innings. Before the game, the teams agree whether
it is to be over one or two innings, and whether either or both
innings are to be limited by time or by overs. In practice, these
decisions are likely to be laid down by Competition
Regulations, rather than pre-game agreement. In two-innings
games, the sides bat alternately unless the follow-on (law 13)
is enforced. An innings is closed once all batsmen are
dismissed, no further batsmen are fit to play, the innings is
declared or forfeited by the batting captain, or any agreed
time or over limit is reached. The captain winning the toss of a
coin decides whether to bat or to bowl first.

Law 13: The follow-on. In a two innings match, if the side

batting second scores substantially fewer runs than the side
batting first, the side that batted first can force their
opponents to bat again immediately. The side that enforced
the follow-on risks not getting to bat again and thus the
chance of winning. For a game of five or more days, the side
batting first must be at least 200 runs ahead to enforce the
follow-on; for a three- or four-day game, 150 runs; for a two-
day game, 100 runs; for a one-day game, 75 runs. The length
of the game is determined by the number of scheduled days
play left when the game actually begins.

Law 14: Declaration and forfeiture. The batting captain can

declare an innings closed at any time when the ball is dead. He
may also forfeit his innings before it has started.

Law 15: Intervals. There are intervals between each day's

play, a ten-minute interval between innings, and lunch, tea and
drinks intervals. The timing and length of the intervals must be
agreed before the match begins. There are also provisions for
moving the intervals and interval lengths in certain situations,
most notably the provision that if nine wickets are down, the
tea interval is delayed to the earlier of the fall of the next
wicket and 30 minutes elapsing.

Law 16: Start of play; cessation of play. Play after an

interval commences with the umpire's call of "Play", and at the
end of a session by "Time". The last hour of a match must
contain at least 20 overs, being extended in time so as to
include 20 overs if necessary.

Law 17: Practice on the field. There may be no batting or

bowling practice on the pitch except before the day's play
starts and after the day's play has ended. Bowlers may only
have trial run-ups if the umpires are of the view that it would
waste no time.

SCORING AND WINNING

The laws then move on to discuss how runs can be scored and
how one team can beat the other.

Law 18: Scoring runs. Runs are scored when the two
batsmen run to each other's end of the pitch. Several runs can
be scored from one ball.

Law 19: Boundaries. A boundary is marked round the edge

of the field of play. If the ball is hit into or past this boundary,
four runs are scored, or six runs if the ball didn't hit the
ground before crossing the boundary.

Law 20: Lost ball. If a ball in play is lost or cannot be

recovered, the fielding side can call "lost ball". The batting
side keeps any penalty runs (such as no-balls and wides) and
scores the higher of six runs and the number of runs actually
run.

Law 21: The result. The side which scores the most runs
wins the match. If both sides score the same number of runs,
the match is tied. However, the match may run out of time
before the innings have all been completed. In this case, the
match is drawn.
Law 22: The over. An over consists of six balls bowled,
excluding wides and no balls. Consecutive overs are delivered
from opposite ends of the pitch. A bowler may not bowl two
consecutive overs.

Law 23: Dead ball. The ball comes into play when the bowler
begins his run up, and becomes dead when all the action from
that ball is over. Once the ball is dead, no runs can be scored
and no batsmen can be dismissed. The ball becomes dead for a
number of reasons, most commonly when a batsman is
dismissed, when a boundary is hit, or when the ball has finally
settled with the bowler or wicketkeeper.

Law 24: No ball. A ball can be a no ball for several reasons: if

the bowler bowls from the wrong place; or if he straightens his
elbow during the delivery; or if the bowling is dangerous; or if
the ball bounces more than twice or rolls along the ground
before reaching the batsman; or if the fielders are standing in
illegal places. A no ball adds one run to the batting team's
score, in addition to any other runs which are scored off it, and
the batsman can't be dismissed off a no ball except by being
run out, or by handling the ball, hitting the ball twice, or
obstructing the field.

Law 25: Wide ball. An umpire calls a ball "wide" if, in his or
her opinion, the batsman did not have a reasonable
opportunity to score off the ball. A ball is called wide when the
bowler bowls a bouncer that goes over the head of the
batsman. A wide adds one run to the batting team's score, in
addition to any other runs which are scored off it, and the
batsman can't be dismissed off a wide except by being run out
or stumped, or by handling the ball, hitting his wicket, or
obstructing the field.

Law 26: Bye and Leg bye. If a ball that is not a no ball or
wide passes the striker and runs are scored, they are called
byes. If a ball that is not a no ball hits the striker but not the
bat and runs are scored, they are called leg-byes. However,
leg-byes cannot be scored if the striker is neither attempting a
stroke nor trying to avoid being hit. Byes and leg-byes are
credited to the team's but not the batsman's total.

MECHANICS OF DISMISSAL

Law 27: Appeals. If the fielders believe a batsman is out, they

may ask the umpire "How's That?", commonly shouted
emphatically with arms raised, before the next ball is bowled.
The umpire then decides whether the batsman is out. Strictly
speaking, the fielding side must appeal for all dismissals,
including obvious ones such as bowled. However, a batsman
who is obviously out will normally leave the pitch without
waiting for an appeal or a decision from the umpire.

Law 28: The wicket is down. Several methods of being out

occur when the wicket is put down. This means that the wicket
is hit by the ball, or the batsman, or the hand in which a fielder
is holding the ball, and at least one bail is removed.

Law 29: Batsman out of his ground. The batsmen can be

run out or stumped if they are out of their ground. A batsman
is in his ground if any part of him or his bat is on the ground
behind the popping crease. If both batsman are in the middle
of the pitch when a wicket is put down, the batsman closer to
that end is out.

WAYS TO GET OUT

Law 30: Bowled. A batsman is out if his wicket is put down by

a ball delivered by the bowler. It is irrelevant whether the ball
has touched the bat, glove, or any part of the batsman before
going on to put down the wicket, though it may not touch
another player or an umpire before doing so.

Law 31: Timed out. An incoming batsman must be ready to

face a ball (or be at the crease with his partner ready to face a
ball) within 3 minutes of the outgoing batsman being
dismissed, otherwise the incoming batsman will be out.
Law 32: Caught. If a ball hits the bat or the hand holding the
bat and is then caught by the opposition within the field of play
before the ball bounces, then the batsman is out.

Law 33: Handled the ball. If a batsman willfully handles the

ball with a hand that is not touching the bat without the
consent of the opposition, he is out.

Law 34: Hit the ball twice. If a batsman hits the ball twice,
other than for the sole purpose of protecting his wicket or with
the consent of the opposition, he is out.

Law 35: Hit wicket. If, after the bowler has entered his
delivery stride and while the ball is in play, a batsman puts his
wicket down by his bat or his body he is out. The striker is also
out hit wicket if he puts his wicket down by his bat or his body
in setting off for a first run. "Body" includes the clothes and
equipment of the batsman.

Law 36: Leg before wicket (LBW). If the ball hits the
batsman without first hitting the bat, but would have hit the
wicket if the batsman was not there, and the ball does not
pitch on the leg side of the wicket, the batsman will be out.
However, if the ball strikes the batsman outside the line of the
off-stump, and the batsman was attempting to play a stroke, he
is not out.

Law 37: Obstructing the field. If a batsman willfully

obstructs the opposition by word or action, he is out.

Law 38: Run out. A batsman is out if at any time while the
ball is in play no part of his bat or person is grounded behind
the popping crease and his wicket is fairly put down by the
opposing side.

Law 39: Stumped. A batsman is out when the wicket-keeper

(see Law 40) puts down the wicket, while the batsman is out of
his crease and not attempting a run.

FIELDERS
Law 40: The wicket-keeper. The keeper is a designated man
from the bowling side allowed to stand behind the stumps of
the batsman. He is the only player from his side allowed to
wear gloves and external leg guards.

Law 41: The fielder. A fielder is any of the eleven cricketers

from the bowling side. Fielders are positioned to field the ball,
to stop runs and boundaries, and to get batsmen out by
catching or running them out.

FIELDING POSITIONS :

Fair and unfair play

Law 42: Fair and unfair play.

OBJECTIVES OF CRICKET
The objective of each team is to score more runs than the
other team and to completely dismiss the other team. In
limited overs cricket, winning the game is achieved by scoring
the most runs within the overs allowed, even if the opposition
has not been completely dismissed. In Test cricket, it is
necessary to score the most runs and dismiss the opposition
twice in order to win the match, which would otherwise be
drawn.

DISTINCTIVE DECESSIVE ELEMENTS

1. Individual focus
2. Spirit of the Game
3. Influence of weather
4. Uniqueness of each field

TYPES OF MATCHES
Cricket is a multi-faceted sport which, in very broad terms, can
be divided into major cricket and minor cricket based on
playing standards. A more pertinent division, particularly in
terms of major cricket, is between matches in which the teams
have two innings apiece and those in which they have a single
innings each. The former, known as first-class cricket, has a
duration of three to five days (there have been examples of
"timeless" matches too); the latter, known as limited overs
cricket because each team bowls a limit of typically 50 or 20
overs, has a planned duration of one day only (a match can be
extended if necessary due to bad weather, etc.).

Typically, two-innings matches have at least six hours

of playing time each day. Limited overs matches often last
six hours or more. There are usually formal intervals on each
day for lunch and tea with brief informal breaks for drinks.
There is also a short interval between innings. Historically, a
form of cricket known as single wicket had been extremely
successful. In this form, although each team may have from
one to six players, there is only one batsman at a time and he
must face every delivery bowled while his innings lasts.

Test cricket
 .

Test cricket is the highest standard of first-class cricket. A Test

match is an international fixture between teams representing
those countries that are Full Members of the ICC.

Although the term "Test match" was not coined until much
later, Test cricket is deemed to have begun with two matches
between Australia and England in the1876–77 Australian
season. Subsequently, eight other national teams have
achieved Test status: South Africa (1889), West
Indies (1928), New
Zealand (1929), India(1932), Pakistan (1952), Sri
Lanka (1982), Zimbabwe (1992) and Bangladesh(2000).
Zimbabwe suspended its Test status in 2006 due to its inability
to compete against other Test teams,[38] and returned in 2011.
[39]

Test matches between two teams are usually played in a group

of matches called a "series". Matches last up to five days and
a series normally consists of three to five matches. Test
matches that are not finished within the allotted time are
drawn. In the case of Test and first-class cricket: the possibility
of a draw often encourages a team that is batting last and well
behind to bat defensively, giving up any faint chance at a win
to avoid a loss.[40]

Since 1882, most Test series between England and Australia

have been played for a trophy known as The Ashes. Some
other bilateral series have individual trophies too: for example,
the Wisden Trophy is contested by England and West Indies;
the Frank Worrell Trophy by Australia and West Indies and
the Border-Gavaskar Trophy between India and Australia.
Limited overs

Standard limited overs cricket was introduced in England in

the 1963 season in the form of a knockout cup contested by
the first-class county clubs. In 1969, a national league
competition was established. The concept was gradually
introduced to the other major cricket countries and the first
limited overs international was played in 1971. In 1975, the
first Cricket World Cup took place in England. Limited overs
cricket has seen various innovations including the use of multi-
coloured kit and floodlit matches using a white ball.

A "one day match", named so because each match is

scheduled for completion in a single day, is the common form
of limited overs cricket played on an international level. In
practice, matches sometimes continue on a second day if they
have been interrupted or postponed by bad weather. The main
objective of a limited overs match is to produce a definite
result and so a conventional draw is not possible, but matches
can be undecided if the scores are tied or if bad weather
prevents a result. Each team plays one innings only and faces
a limited number of overs, usually a maximum of 50.
The Cricket World Cup is held in one day format and the last
World Cup in 2011 was won by the co-hosts, India. The next
World Cup will hosted byAustralia and New Zealand in 2015.

Twenty20 is a new variant of limited overs itself with the

purpose being to complete the match within about three hours,
usually in an evening session. The original idea, when the
concept was introduced in England in 2003, was to provide
workers with an evening entertainment. It was commercially
successful and has been adopted internationally.

National championships

Yorkshire County Cricket Club in 1895. The team won the first
of its 30 County Championship titles in 1893.

First-class cricket includes Test cricket but the term is

generally used to refer to the highest level of domestic cricket
in those countries with full ICC membership, although there
are exceptions to this. First-class cricket in England is played
for the most part by the 18 county clubs which contest
the County Championship. The concept of a champion
county has existed since the 18th century but the official
competition was not established until 1890. The most
successful club has beenYorkshire County Cricket Club with
30 official titles.

Australia established its national first-class championship in

1892–93 when the Sheffield Shield was introduced. In
Australia, the first-class teams represent the various
states. New South Wales has won the maximum number of
titles with 45 to 2008.

National championship trophies to be established elsewhere

included the Ranji Trophy (India), Plunket Shield (New
Zealand), Currie Cup (South Africa) and Shell
Shield (West Indies). Some of these competitions have been
updated and renamed in recent years.

Domestic limited overs competitions began with

England's Gillette Cup knockout in 1963. Countries usually
stage seasonal limited overs competitions in both knockout
and league format. In recent years, national Twenty20
competitions have been introduced, usually in knockout form
though some incorporate mini-leagues.

Other types of matches

Indian boys playing cricket on the street with a tennis ball

in Uttar Pradesh,India.

There are numerous variations of the sport played throughout

the world that include indoor cricket, French
cricket, beach cricket, Kwik cricket and all sorts of card
games and board games that have been inspired by cricket. In
these variants, the rules are often changed to make the game
playable with limited resources or to render it more
convenient and enjoyable for the participants.

Indoor cricket is played in a netted, indoor arena, and is quite

formal but many of the outdoor variants are very informal.

Families and teenagers play backyard cricket in suburban

yards or driveways, and the cities of India and Pakistan play
host to countless games of "Gully Cricket" or "tapeball" in
their long narrow streets.
In Samoa a form of cricket called Kilikiti is played in
which hockey stick-shaped bats are used. In Estonia, teams
gather over the winter for the annual Ice Cricket tournament.

INTERNATIONAL STRUCTURE-ICC

ICC member nations. The (highest level) Test playing nations

are shown in orange; the associate member nations are shown
in yellow; the affiliate member nations are shown in purple.

The International Cricket Council (ICC), which has its

headquarters in Dubai, is the international governing body of
cricket. It was founded as the Imperial Cricket Conference in
1909 by representatives from England, Australia and South
Africa, renamed the International Cricket Conference in 1965,
and took up its current name in 1989.
The ICC has 104 members: 10 Full Members that play official
Test matches, 34 Associate Members, and 60 Affiliate
Members.[41] The ICC is responsible for the organisation and
governance of cricket's major international tournaments,
notably the Cricket World Cup. It also appoints the umpires
and referees that officiate at all sanctioned Test matches, One
Day International and Twenty20 Internationals. Each nation
has a national cricket board which regulates cricket matches
played in its country. The cricket board also selects the
national squad and organises home and away tours for the
national team. In the West Indies these matters are addressed
by the West Indies Cricket Board which consists of members
appointed by four national boards and two multi-national
boards.

Vision of Success
As a leading global sport , cricket will captivate and inspire
people of every age, gender, background and ability, while
building bridges between continents, countries and
communities.

Strategic Direction
A Bigger Better Global Game
Targeting more players, more fans, more competitive teams.
Our long-term success will be judged on growth in
participation and public interest and the competitiveness of
teams participating in men's and women's international
cricket.

Mission Statement - Leading World Cricket by:

* Providing a world class environment for international cricket

* Delivering "major' events across three formats

* Providing targeted support to Members

* Promoting the global game.

STRATEGIC PLAN
The Way Forward for International Cricket

The ICC Strategic Plan 2011-15 was launched at the ICC's

Annual Conference in Hong Kong in June 2011.
After a two-year consultation period with the game's
stakeholders, including Members, players, media and
supporters, the plan sets out a vision for international cricket.

By following through on our commitment to develop new

competition structures and meritocratic pathways for men's
and women's teams across Test, ODI and T20I cricket,
supported by effective targeting, the ICC will be well-placed to
achieve a truly global game with more players, more fans and
more competitive teams.

The ICC vision for 2011-15 is to create ‘A bigger, better, global

game' aimed at ‘Targeting more players, more fans, more
competitive teams.'

Our success between 2011 and 2015 will be judged on growth

in participation and public interest and the competitiveness of
teams participating in men's and women's international
cricket.

ICC WORLD CUP

The ICC Cricket World Cup is the showpiece event of the
cricket calendar and takes place every four years, with
matches contested in a 50 overs per side format.

There have been ten events so far, with the first tournament
taking place in England in 1975.

The last ICC Cricket World Cup took place in 2011 in which
was won by India, who hosted the tournament along with
Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

Other winners of the event include Australia (1987, 1999,

2003, 2007), West Indies (1975, 1979), India (1983), Pakistan
(1992) and Sri Lanka (1996).

The next ICC Cricket World Cup will be staged in Australia and
New Zealand in 2015.

ICC WORLD CUP 2001 WINNER - INDIA