Cricket

*For the insect, see Crickets.*
**Cricket** is a bat-and-ball game that is different from baseball, but similar enough to provide fascination with the exotic.

Here is a quick introduction to the game.

## One-sentence version

Imagine baseball if you weren't required to run to first base, you stayed at-bat until out, there were only two bases, the bases were always loaded, and after you scored a run, you remained a runner and could try to advance to first base for another trip around the bases.

## Setting up

 One team's turn at bat
 Ends with
 Turns at bat per team
 Who bats first?
 Substitutions
 Foul territory?
 Gloves?
 Defensive shifts?

The winner of the coin toss typically chooses to bowl first and bat last.

## Running

In cricket, the bases are always loaded: There is always a runner at the opposite wicket. (Cricket had the zombie runner before it was cool.)

 To be safe
 To put runner out
 To score a run

In front of each wicket is drawn a line. A runner is safe from being put out ("in their ground") if the runner or their bat touches the ground behind that line.

**Fun fact**: Replay made it possible to observe runners with both feet off the ground due to the natural act of running. The rules were amended to exclude such incidental loss of contact. The podcast mentions this in Episode 1875 as part of a larger discussion of replay review.
Atop the wicket is are two little pieces of wood known as the "bails". To put runners out, knock at least one bail off the wicket with the ball (or your hands that are holding the ball) when runners are out of their ground.

## Batting

In cricket, the batsman is not required to run after hitting the ball. In practice, the batsmen will run only if the ball is hit a safe distance. As in baseball, two batsmen may not occupy the same wicket, so both batsmen must run simultaneously.

In cricket, the batsman is permitted to step forward and leave his/her ground to hit the ball. However, the batsman is at risk of being put out, for example, if the batsman swings and misses, and the wicketkeeper catches the ball and strikes the bails before the batsman can return to his/her ground ("stumped").

In the case of a no-ball, the ball is still live, and the batsman may attempt to hit it without liability to be put out except by being thrown out trying to advance (and a few other fringe offenses). Furthermore, a no-ball does not count toward the six-ball over.

After each over, the roles of the wickets are reversed: The "home plate" wicket becomes the "first base" wicket, and vice versa. The batsmen do not change places.

Whichever batsman is at the "home plate" wicket is the one that is at bat. This can change due to the completion of an over or due to the batsmen changing places an odd number of times.

## Formats

There are two general formats for international cricket: Test cricket and limited-overs cricket.

### Test cricket

A **test match** lasts 4 innings (2 turns at bat per team) over 5 six-hour days. And you thought baseball games were too long.

In test cricket, there is no limit on the number of balls. A team remains at bat until 10 outs are recorded.

If time runs out, then the match is a draw regardless of score. There are provisions to discourage stalling for time.

A team with a commanding lead may forfeit ("declare") its remaining outs to try to get the match to finish before time runs out.

### Limited-overs cricket

A common way to speed up the match is to play only 2 innings (1 turn at bat per team) and limit the number of "overs" (6-ball groups) per innings. The baseball equivalent would be to give each team three outs or (say) 15 pitches, whichever comes first.

Limiting the number of overs forces the batting team to play more aggressively.

Some restrictions are imposed on where fielders may stand. (Ban the shift!)

No bowler may deliver more than one fifth of a team's overs. (Every game is a bullpen game.)

If time is lost (say, due to inclement weather), the number of overs is reduced, and scores are adjusted according to a complicated formula designed to preserve the odds of winning.

In **One-Day International (ODI)** cricket, each team receives up to 50 overs. A typical match lasts around six hours, often split with three hours played in daylight and three at night.

In **Twenty20 (T20)** cricket, each team receives up to 20 overs. A typical match lasts around three hours.