3Physical Education

CRICKET

- Description of the game

- Equipment
- Scoring runs
- Dismissal of a batsman
- Skills
- The Cricket Pitch
- The Cricket Field
- Physical fitness factors
- Transfer of skills

Cricket is a sport played all over the world between two teams of eleven players each on a field at the centre of
which is a 20.12-metre pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps.
Pitch sizes vary greatly in cricket but are usually played on a circular grass field with a circumference of
aroundfi 200m. Around the edge of the field is what’s known as the boundary edge and is basically the line
between being in play and out of play. The game starts with the toss of a coin by the captains in the presence of
the umpire. The winner of the toss gets to choose either to bat or bowl first. The objective of the game is to
score as many runs as possible before the end of your innings.

An innings is when each team has finished batting or when the allotted number of overs is finished.

An over consists of six legal deliveries by the bowler. After an over is finished, the bowler changes and the
incoming bowler bowls to the other batsman.

Some types of Cricket matches include:

- Test Match: each team plays 2 innings (all out- they get to bat until ten of their batsmen are out) and
these matches can last up to 5 days
- ODI (One day Internationals): each team plays 1 innings of 50 overs, if ten of their batsmen are out
before the 50th over, then that is the end of their innings.
- T20: each team plays I innings of 20 overs, if ten of their batsmen are out before the 20 th over, then that
is the end of their innings.

The equipment needed to play Cricket is a Cricket bat, Cricket ball, wickets, protective gear, appropriate
footwear and uniform.

Scoring runs

A run occurs when a batsman hits the ball with their bat and the two batsmen at the wicket manage to
successfully run to the other end. The batsmen can run as many times as they like before being given out. If the
ball crosses the boundary rope after it has bounced at least once from leaving the bat, then 4 runs are given. If
the ball goes over the boundary rope without bouncing, then 6 runs are awarded to the batting team.

Runs can also be scored when the bowler bowls a wide delivery (a ball that is too far away from the stumps), a
no ball (where the bowler oversteps the front line on the wicket), a bye (where no one touches the ball but the
two batsmen run anyway) and a leg bye (where the ball hits the batsmen’s leg or body and a run is taken).
Dismissal of a batsman

There are many ways a batsman can get “out” or dismissed during a game of Cricket.

1. Bowled: occurs when the bowler bowls a legal delivery and it hits the wicket, removing the

bails.

2. Caught: occurs when the batsman hits the ball with his bat or gloves and the fielder catches it

before it touches the ground.

3. Leg before wicket: This occurs if the ball pitches in line with the stumps or just outside the line

of the off-stump and appears to be heading for the stumps but is blocked by

the batsman with any art of his body.

4. Stumped: occurs if the batsman misses the ball and is outside his crease as the wicket keeper

catches the ball and uses it to remove the bails.

5. Run out: occurs is a fielder knocks down the batsman’s wicket using the ball while the batsman

is attempting a run and is out of his crease.

6. Hit wicket: occurs if the batsman breaks the wicket while attempting to hit a ball or when taking

off for a first run.

7. Handle the ball: occurs if a batsman touches the ball with the hand that is not currently holding

the bat, without the permission of the fielding side.

8. Obstructing the field: occurs if a batsman deliberately interferes with the efforts of fielders.

9. Hit the ball twice: occurs if a batsman hits a delivery with his bat and then deliberately hits the

ball again for no reason other than to defend his wicket.

10. Timed out: occurs if a new batsman takes more than 2 minutes to appear on the field from the

time the last wicket fell.

SKILLS

 Batting:
- Gripping the bat
- Ideal Stance
- Back lift
- Front Foot defence
- Back Foot defence
- Drives
- Pull shot

Batting involves using the bat to score runs or defend the wicket. The skill of batting requires a keen eye, good
shot selection, quick foot movement and a cool relaxed approach. The grip, stance and back lift take place
before the ball is bowled, then the actual shot or stroke and the follow through.
  Bowling

- Full toss
- Yorker
- Half volley
- Good length
- Short of a length
- Long hop or bouncer

The bowler is the main person from the fielding side who tries to get the batsman out. Bowlers have six legal
deliveries in every over bowled to try to get a wicket. There are 3 main categories of bowlers: spin bowler,
medium pace bowler and the fat bowler.

 Fielding
- Low catch
- Skim catch
- High catch
- Overarm throw
- Long barrier
- Wicket keeping

Fielding is very important in the game of cricket. When a batsman executes a shot, it is the job of the fielders to
limit the number of runs scores. The fielders also assist in trying to get the batsman out.

The Cricket Pitch

In the game of cricket, the cricket pitch consists of the central strip of the cricket field between the wickets. It is
22 yards (20.12 m) long and 10 feet (3.05 m) wide. The surface is flat and normally covered with extremely
short grass though this grass is soon removed by wear at the ends of the pitch.
The Cricket Field

Physical fitness factors

- Cardiovascular and muscular endurance is needed to execute the necessary skills and participate in
tournaments.
- Muscular endurance, strength and joint flexibility are needed to prevent injuries to various joints
especially the elbows and shoulders
- Flexibility is needed to allow for a wide range of movements that are requires in batting, bowling and
throwing
- Speed and power is needed in fielding, batting and sprinting to score runs.

Transfer of skills

Cricket like softball and baseball belongs to the family of “batting” games which involve the actions of
throwing, hitting, catching and running. However, there are many differences:

- The bat is wider and the ball can be sent in any direction
- The bowler may execute a run-up before throwing the ball and may bounce the ball unlike the other
sports
- The stumps are the objects of hitting /tagging and there is no body contact like in baseball
- The bowler in cricket bowls with a straight arm whereas the pitcher in baseball throws with a bent
elbow.