#stick in the face getting hit so hard his helmet pops off etc etc

[tiger-balm]

all better <3

[littlemeowmeowschimmy]

Play With Me [Jungkook x Reader] 2

credit: littlemeowmeowschimmy

Requests opened // prev - m.list - next

Genre: Thrilling // Mysterious // Smut [later]

Summary: After a fateful night, Jungkook realizes that he was put up against something more dangerous than he imagined. He never thought that through his undercover work that you were much more than just cunning, you were also seductive.

Word C: 3.0k

A/N: I hope you guys really enjoy this as much as I enjoy writing it. Please let me know any and all feedback, it would be great to hear from y’all :) 

Warning: Mention of abuse, blood, sensitive topic. 

Again, nighttime was his favorite. Daytime? Well, he didn’t mind the sunshine, nor did he mind the bustling city. However, he would prefer to be on top of a roof looking over. It brought Jungkook such joy just watching people, protecting his city and even making the most out of the night. During the day, he would stay inside, train, and do other things. Such as research the person they seek and tried as hard as he may become better. 

Jungkook didn’t have Namjoon’s brains. He didn’t have his talent, but what he had was his wits. He knew this city inside and out, and he knew how to take down an enemy. You, on the other hand, that was a different story. Jungkook hadn’t come across someone like you before, and he was curious about it. He was curious about how you acted outside of your tight fitted clothes, mask, and other aspects. 

Namjoon counted on Jungkook, everyone did. He had to figure out how to get close to you, but he didn’t want to scare you away. One thing that Jungkook had that Namjoon didn’t was his flirting skills. Yes, as previously mentioned Namjoon was the brains. He and Yoongi mostly teamed up to do as much research as they possibly could. Not to say that everyone was dumb, no. They were all trained under Seokjin, everyone besides Taehyung. But Jungkook didn’t really like discussing his background. It was too messy, to begin with. 

Jungkook straightened his tie, grabbed his badge, and a few other things. He pushed some hair back, then moved out from the manner. Jungkook would have preferred Namjoon to go on the mission. Mostly because he could easily outsmart you, but his flirting skills just weren’t as well as Jungkook’s. Plus, Namjoon wasn’t old enough to be a cop, let alone a detective. They had to send in Jungkook because he had been in the precinct. Everyone knew that Jungkook was a damn good detective, he learned from the best. 

Grabbing his keys, Jungkook made his way to his bike. He didn’t wear a helmet because he didn’t want to. He was just as stubborn as Jimin when it came to wearing a helmet. Something about feeling the wind in his hair, made him feel free. It made the ride a lot better when he wasn’t trapped in his own mind. Kicking the stand, reeving the engine, Jungkook soon took off. Speeding down the manner’s pavement then onto the streets of Gotham. 

He had to arrive at the precinct earlier so he could get everything taken care of. Since he had to make up a backstory on why he was joining again, he took the time to think of such on his ride. 

“Stick to the plan Kook.” Yoongi spoke in his ear. Per usual, Yoongi had made damn sure that Jungkook had his headphones. He could hack into them and speak directly to him to make sure that everything was on the plan. Also to go over the plan and to remind him to not get so involved. Another reason Jungkook wanted Namjoon to step in. He didn’t get too emotionally involved in most things. Hard-headed, smart, stubborn, and not easily swayed. 

“Yeah yeah. Suck information, watch her, I know.” Jungkook mumbles at a stop sign. He could see Yoongi rolling his eyes whilst he heard paper being flipped. He seemed like Yoongi was going over some information, trying to get as much as he possibly could. The other line was silent, well not completely. There were a few beeps that could be heard, some small typing and Yoongi sighing. 

Jungkook moved his way down into the inner city. The noise levels beginning to rise, meaning that Yoongi didn’t have much time to explain everything he found. Going in, Jungkook knew that you had popped out of nowhere. There were no records on your birth, where you were from, etc. It was rather odd to find someone like you that wouldn’t have anything. It concerned him, mostly because it sounded fishy to him. Everything about this was fishy to him. 

Yoongi said his final words, hung up, and Jungkook’s music started again. Right as he pulled up into the lot he saw you get out of a car. Your hair was pulled up in a tight bun, some bangs framing your face. You wore a long pencil skirt with a white button up. To match the color of your skirt, you wore black five inched heels. Reaching forwards, you picked up a few things, shutting your door and then noticing Jungkook. 

Something about him seemed familiar, however, you didn’t want to jump to conclusions. Instead, you watched him carefully. Noting out he parked his bike, swung his leg over and stood with his back towards you. The way his clothes fitted him made your eyes darken for a second. Of course, you couldn’t help but turn your eyes down to his ass, it was one of his most prominent features. Or one that stuck out to you the most. 

“Good morning miss.” Jungkook calls grabbing his work bag to sling it over his shoulder. He turns around, his smile widening. Making his eyes turn into small crescents. You were blown away by his presence, but was determined not to let it completely take over. You were more focused on getting as much information sucked out from the police officer and where to hit next than some attractive male. 

“Good morning to you too sir.” you call back, turning yourself around and walking off. Your heels clicking against the pavement. Jungkook watched as you held yourself high. Puffing your chest up and making sure your back was straightened. He could easily see how you held yourself, thought of yourself, and even more, he admired it. It wasn’t every day that one would see a villain blend into society as well as you. And Jungkook had only seen you for no more than a few minutes. 

He was already impressed. But that wasn’t saying much because Jungkook was easily amused and impressed all the time. So it kind of made it invalid to him. Or that’s what Jimin and Taehyung would say. You walked into the building, Jungkook following just a few steps behind you. He held the door open, you looking over his shoulder and winking. He was taken aback by how forwards you were, meaning that this would be easy for him. 

Little did he know that it would be more difficult than you lead on...

»»————-　★　————-««

Everything about your past was kept from the public. Who your parents were, who you were raised by, and how you got your education. The only thing you knew was a jumble of numbers and every single way in how to kill someone. To say that your childhood was rough would be an understatement. Once again, your public record was completely demolished. 

You were like a nobody and grew up in a twisted environment. When you were seven years old you were picked up by Harleen Quinzel . Later to be known as Harley. She took you under her wing at a very young age. Eventually teaching you everything you could possibly know about Gotham. Within the time period of around ten to twelve years, you stayed with Harley and Joker. 

Harley was like a mother to you, and Joker was someone you didn’t want to piss off. You saw how he took care of Harley. Being as sweet as possible, only to use her to his advantage. You quickly learned not to trust the opposite sex, based on his actions. You despised men, often comparing them to the horrors you had seen from someone who was supposed to be a “father” figure for you. Instead, Joker taught you how to kill, how to steal, and worpe your mind. 

You had never met Batman, but you had seen him many times. He had seen you many times, although you believed he never remembered you. You were always running behind the scenes, getting smarter each day. Harley introduced you to her friends and even cried on your shoulders. She had become more than just a friend, as mentioned she was a mother. 

Since your mind was a jumble of numbers and how to kill someone, you could easily switch in between. The jumble of numbers was the knowledge that you had picked up through the years. You saw life as a puzzle. Taking each and every problem in a logical sense, then quickly thinking of a solution. It’s how you swindled your way out of most of everything in front of you. 

It’s ultimately how you stole almost half of Joker’s money stash before he even realized it. The other half of you was a side you didn’t like to see, but it felt right. Everything about holding a knife in your hand, feeling someone’s blood upon your fingers was enough to get you high. The high of threatening someone’s life, the endless possibilities of tiptoeing yourself on the edge, made your heart race. 

You knew that you were insane. You grew up around chaos and when someone became “normal” you freaked out. You needed to feed your hunger for chaos and by that, you ended up shifting your way into normal life. Doing most of your dirty deeds during the nights, and when you needed to. No one knew you were living a double life, one that could easily get you into Arkham. 

You sat down at your desk, crossing your legs and bringing your pencil up to your mouth. Chewing on the end, you looked at the string of numbers that were in front of you. These numbers were a secret language you and Harley had created. It’s how you planned everything in broad daylight, and it kept you calm. You were reading the notes you made the night before. How your fight with Nightwing went, and how you had gotten what you came for. 

Joker had you twisted around his pinky finger. He was toying with you, making you pay for everything that happened. You couldn’t get yourself out of the situation, because you knew Joker would easily turn you in. He only cared about himself, nothing else. You were secretly trying to find a way out, to make sure in the end you were on top. 

Speaking of which, you had to break into Arkham tonight. Harley had gotten herself into a pickle, and you needed to get her out right away. Of course, you were going to Red as well too. Harley wouldn’t go anywhere without her girlfriend, and you would make damn sure to get her out. Sighing heavily, you sat back in your chair rubbing your forehead. A few distant memories popped up, making you shudder at the thought of them. 

“Puddin’!” Harley yells grabbing Joker by the arm and tugging at him. Her face paled at the sight that was in front of her. You were a bloody mess, worse than before. Joker wasn’t too pleased with how you had taken so much from him, and even stabbed him in the back. Landing him in Arkham where you certainly believed he belonged. Harley was trying to define you from him. But his anger had clearly proven to be worse than you had ever seen it. 

“I told you not to call me puddin!” He screams turning around and smacking Harley. The echo of skin to skin contact made you twitch. Harley’s body fell limp behind him. You could tell that she had blood in her mouth due to how hard he had hit her. You were starting to get dizzy with the amount of blood you had lost, making it harder to pay attention. 

Joker had dragged you from your bed. In doing so, he had cut a bunch of your hair, because it was too long for him. He was humiliating you in front of Harley, in front of everyone. Making an example out of those who had stolen from him. At first, you thought he was going to run you over like he had done Harley. Instead, he was going to beat you to death. Leave you to rot wherever he left you, to make damn well sure you wouldn’t do it again. 

“I don’t want to wreck such a pretty face~” Joker laughs with a flick of his wrist his switchblade came out. You attempted to jerk away, only for him to slash you across your torso. You screamed out, hand instantly coming forwards to try to cover the wound. Only to be met with blood and another slash. Soon enough he had kicked you over, stomping his foot upon your back. 

Your fresh wounds were pressing into the mud, instantly getting them infected and dirty. He continued to cut you, kick you, and beat you. By the end of it, he tossed his blade on your stomach, after kicking you over. The whole ordeal had lasted well over half an hour. You had lost consciousness after the fourth time he kicked your body. Only later to be awoken in Red’s house. Red, more commonly known as Ivy was taking care of you. 

At Harley’s request. To which you didn’t know where she was, or how she was doing. You were left alone in Red’s small guest bedroom. Unable to move properly, and a small rose with the letter “J” written on a card next to it. 

How pathetic you thought...his sick attempt to ask for forgiveness. 

“Y/n?” You snapped out of your memories, quickly pulling yourself back to reality. There you saw Jungkook standing beside you, his hands holding onto the straps of his bag. You were unaware of how long he was standing there. Quickly, you pushed some papers over the code, opening files and then standing. You pushed your skirt down, then fixed your blouse. 

“Sorry to startle you,” he spoke taking a step back to shake your hand. “I’m Jungkook, I’ll be working with you,” he spoke giving a small smile. You reflected it back, although it wasn’t a large as he was. You seemed to be skeptical of him, but who could blame you? 

“Perfect, we’ll you already know mine so that’s a good start.” You answered nodding your head then proceeding to move back down. Jungkook walked over across you, sitting down and still smiling. He opened up his laptop, his smile soon going away. It seemed like he was getting right into work, or whatever work he had. You were used to working alone, so having another person was going to be difficult. 

After the small introduction, there was silence. You weren’t exactly expecting it, however, you knew in the back of your mind it was bound to happen. Pushing your chair back in, you started to look through the files. In front of you were, of course, Joker and a few other villains. You were on a case trying to hunt down random attacks lead by Joker, most of which you orchestrated, and others he teamed up with. 

 You knew in the end that you couldn’t blow your cover. Joker needed you in to figure out how close they were getting to him. Just so that he could scare them away, or do a magic trick. Whatever magic trick he would pull would have to be a good one. One that would hopefully not land him back in Arkham because you weren’t busting his ass out. Instead, you wanted him to rot in there. Plus, if he were in there, and claimed that you were working with him, who would believe him? 

Most if not all of Gotham hates the Joker, and no one believes a word he preaches. Unless lives are in danger, and he wants to manipulate someone. But that wouldn’t be possible, not unless he held someone or something over your head. Not to zone out again, you started to read some of these files. Taking mental notes that they were creeping up on Joker a lot faster than you imagined. 

“I heard one of the new accomplices of Joker was out last night.” Jungkook starts his eye never leaving his computer screen. 

“Oh yeah?” You mused pushing some paper aside then turning your attention towards your computer. Where once again a bunch of numbers you recognized and helped you stay calm awaits you. 

“Yes, she stole half a million dollars,” he continues strolling through the notes Yoongi sent him in the morning. “With a rare diamond. I wonder if it’ll show on the black market.” 

“Maybe, I wouldn’t be surprised.” You answered without thinking. Jungkook arches a brow, this time looking up and curious as to why you would answer such. You looked up at him, unphased by your answer but freaking out on the inside. “I mean,” you began shifting yourself in your seat, and crossing your legs afterward. “Most villains sell their goods on the black market or use it as collateral for something larger than life,” you explained picking up your pencil then scribbling a few notes. 

“Yes, you’re right,” Jungkook answers turning his attention back to his screen. It was silent again, the conversation not lasting as long as you figured it would. Instead, you both were busy putting two and two together. Your chief walked over to your desk, standing in front of it. Welcoming himself to Jungkook then handing over another file. Opening it, you saw once again Joker’s Arkham picture with a dead body right next to it. 

“You have a case,” he answers turning around and continuing to talk. “Another Joker venom case. Go investigate and see if this connects to the larger picture.” You gazed back at Jungkook, watching as his hands gently shut his laptop. He shrugs his shoulders, grabbing some keys and then twirling them. The universal sign that you needed to get up and out there. Standing, you push down your skirt, grabbed your badge and move with him. 

Something about Jungkook was throwing you off, and the same could be said about you to Jungkook. Right from the start, you two didn’t trust each other at all. 

[jaivendra]

 Cricket - A Bat & Ball Game

Overview

Cricket is a team sport that is played outdoors. Cricket originated in England and gradually became popular across the globe. This sport requires complete physical fitness and athleticism to play. The sport is played between two teams of 11 players each.

Australia is the current World Champion (2015). Countries like India, Pakistan, England, South Africa, New Zealand, West Indies, and Sri Lanka also have equally dominant cricket teams.

Objective

Cricket is played outdoors on the ground. The objective of the game is that a team should score more runs than the opponent team. It is all about attempting to score more runs while restricting the score and dismissing the batsmen of the opponent team. Further in the document, one can closely understand the game, its popular terms, and rules.

Team Size

In cricket, each playing side has 11 players and one of them is appointed as captain. Apart from these 11 players, there are a few more players on each side who can only field as a substitute for an injured team member. The fielding team should have 11 players and the opposition can send only two batsmen on the ground at the time of play.

A 15-member squad is a must for all international tournaments conducted by the cricket’s governing body, International Cricket Council (ICC).

Cricket - Participating Countries

Cricket as a sport began in England. The evidence available leads us to believe in south-east England at the beginning of the 1900s. During those days, Australia, South Africa, and West Indies were the other countries where the sport was played. Gradually, the sport picked up popularity in the Asian continent as well. India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh also started playing the sport.

Asian Countries Participating in Cricket

In the late 1900s, Asian countries like India, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan have made a mark in world cricket with each winning World Cup once. It led to the founding of the Asian Cricket Conference in 1983 that took charge of developing the sport in the rest of Asia. By the 21st century, Bangladesh had become a new force in Asian cricket. Nepal, Malaysia, and Afghanistan also play competitive cricket now. Amongst these three nations, Afghanistan made headlines by qualifying for the World Cup in 2014.

The Asian Cricket Conference was renamed Asian Cricket Council in 2003, headquartered in Kuala Lumpur. The council is subordinate to ICC and has an association of 25 countries.

Non-Asian Countries Participating in Cricket

England, Australia, West Indies, and South Africa started playing cricket in the early 20th century. It was the brain of Abe Bailey, the then President of South Africa Cricket Association, to form an international council. Imperial Cricket Conference was formed in 1906 that was later renamed as International Cricket Council. Zimbabwe, Kenya, Ireland, Netherlands, Canada, Scotland, and UAE have all been part of international tournaments for over two decades. The United States also adopted the game in the last few years. Currently, there are more than 100 countries playing this sport and associated with ICC.

International cricket is played in three formats. A five-day match called Test match; same-day match comprising 50-over a side called One-day International; and 20-over a side called T-20 International are the three formats. T-20 is the latest and the most popular format over the last five years.

Cricket - Playing Environment

Cricket is a team sport and is played on a big ground. The pitch in the center and ground is prepared for any format of the match. Later, stumps are rooted along the breadth of the pitch, and players are called on to the ground to start the play. The team fielding will have 11 players guarding the boundary and two batsmen from the opposition will come to bat. There will be two umpires on the field to monitor the match proceedings.

Cricket Field Dimensions

The sport is played on presumably a circular leveled ground with pitch as the center. The pitch is 24-yards in length and 4-yards in breadth. A rope is placed around the ground at a distance of 80 yards from the pitch. This rope is observed as a boundary. The stumps are rooted at both ends with a distance of 22-yards between them. Two carved small pieces of wood are placed on stumps, called bails. White parallel lines are drawn on both ends of stumps, called batting/bowling crease. It is 1.2 meters from stumps. Another set of parallel lines are drawn perpendicular to the batting crease, called the return crease. This is at a distance of half-meter from the length of the pitch.

Dimensions of Cricket Equipment

ICC has formed certain rules for cricket equipment along with the rules of play. The bat, ball, glove, pads, and all other equipment have to meet the standards set by the governing body. It’s not only the size of equipment but also the logos used on the equipment that should conform to the standards set by ICC. Given below is a list of cricket equipment with permissible measures −

Bat − A cricket bat should not be more than 38 inches in length and 4.25 inches wide.

Ball − The cricket ball must weigh between 155.9 and 163 g. Apart from weight, the circumference should be between 224 and 229 mm.

Keeper glove − The keeper glove doesn’t have specific measurements but should not be made of stretchable material. The glove has webbing between the thumb and the index finger.

The rest of the equipment is all used to protect body parts, hence there aren’t any specific measures or design standards, with safety as a priority.

Cricket - Equipment

As cricket is a game of bat and ball, the players are subjected to wear protective gear to not getting hurt. In this chapter, we will discuss all the important gear and equipment that the players use while playing the game.

Bat − Bat is a nicely carved piece of equipment made out of special wood, with a handle on top to hold and play. These vary in weight and size with age and requirement of the batsman.

Ball − It is a spherical object made out of cork and covered with leather. Two pieces of leather are stitched around the cork ball. The color of the ball for test matches is red and white for ODI and T20 matches.

Keeper Glove − These are worn on both hands to protect the fingers from injury. Cloth and leather are stitched together in the shape of the fingers and palm to fit exactly. The inner side of the glove has finger gaps with cork tips for more protection.

Batsman Glove − This gear is similar in shape but smaller and softer on the outer part when compared to the keeper glove. It is used to hold the bat firmly. The finger part of the glove has extra protection with a hard sponge on the outer area.

Keeper/Batsman Pads − These are worn to protect the lower limbs of the batsman/keeper. They are made of cloth and leather. The front portion of the pads is very hard as there are hard plastic or wood sticks beneath. The rear portion is spongy and soft to soothe and comfort the legs. Keeper pads are a little shorter than batsman pads.

Helmet − A headgear for the batsman/keeper while batting or wicket-keeping behind the stumps. It is a mix of metal and hard plastic. It has a metallic grill in the front to protect the face.

Stumps − These are cylindrical and long in shape with a shard end like a spear. This end goes into the ground so that stumps stand erect in the ground.

Bails − Bails are the smallest equipment placed on stumps. It helps in giving easy decisions by umpires to dismiss the batsman when the wicket is broken.

Popular Terms in cricket

By now, you must have got the hang of terms like a batsman, bowler, umpire, stumps, etc. Now, let’s know the terms used at play.

Striker − A batsman facing the bowler is a caller striker and the opposite end is called a non-striker.

Off-side/leg-side − One half of the ground is called off-side and the other side is called leg-side. From the perspective of a right-handed batsman, the pitch in front of his body as he takes a strike, i.e. the right side of the pitch is called off-side. Similarly, the left half of the pitch, i.e. the pitch behind his body while taking a strike is called leg-side.

Run − It is the basic unit of scoring in cricket. It is scored when a striking batsman hits the ball bowled and runs between the stumps along with a non-striker. It is usually scored in ones, twos, and threes.

Four − The ball hit by the batsman crosses the boundary rope by rolling on the ground. Then, it is called a boundary or four runs.

Six − The shot that ensures the ball lands directly outside the rope is called six or six runs are allotted to the batsman.

No-ball − If a bowler’s foot crosses the popping crease while delivering the ball then, it is called a no-ball. The ball bowled that is directed above the waist of the batsman without pitching on the ground is a no-ball too.

Wide − A ball that is bowled away from the batsman and moves wide of the return crease on the off-side at the batting end is called wide. Another definition is a ball bowled that bounces over the head of the batsman after pitching is also called wide.

Out − When a batsman gets out, it gives an opportunity to the next person on the batting side to play until 10 players out of 11 are dismissed in various ways. Bowled, Caught, Run-out, LBW, and Stumped are the most common ways of getting out.

Bowled − It is a way of getting out where the batsman misses the ball bowled and the stumps behind are disturbed.

Caught − A batsman is declared out when the fielder catches the ball on full that is hit by the batsman. If it is caught by the wicket-keeper then, it is called caught-behind.

LBW − LBW stands for a leg-before wicket. A batsman is declared out as lbw when he tries to play the ball with the body that is directed on to stumps.

Run-out − If a fielder disturbs the stumps with the ball in hand while the batsman is not increased after playing a shot, then the batsman is declared run-out.

Stumped − A batsman moves out of the crease to play a ball and misses, the keeper gathers the ball and hits the stumps with the ball in hand. Then, the batsman is declared out as stumped.

Spin bowling − Bowlers run a short distance from stumps and release the ball with the use of wrist or fingers to get maximum revolutions. The ball tossed in the air spins after pitching. Off-break and leg-break are two varieties of spin bowling.

Fast bowling − Bowlers sprint and deliver the ball at high speed to batsmen. To do so, they take long run-up from stumps. Slow-medium, medium-fast, and fast are the popular fast bowling varieties.

Extra runs − All the runs given by the fielding team where the batsmen have not hit the ball with the bat are considered as extra runs. For example, wide, no-ball, etc.

Innings − A session of batting and bowling where either the batting team is all-out or the permissible number of overs to be bowled by the fielding team is completed.

How to Play Cricket?

Cricket is a game that requires physical agility to bat, bowl, and field. Two teams of 11 players each play at one time. A set of rules were designed for the game by ICC. These are the same for both men and women players. The game begins with captains of both teams and the match's referee gathering for a toss. The toss winning captain is allowed to elect to bat/field first. This process is the same across all formats. However, the dress code and fielding restrictions vary by format. It is mandatory for players to wear all white for a Test match, and colored tees and trousers for ODI and T20.

Umpires have a key role in the game as they monitor the proceedings. They decide whether the batsman is out, decide on no-ball, wide, and ensure both teams are playing according to the rules.

In this section, we will understand a few laws of the game and how a cricket match is played. The cricket game begins with the on-field umpire’s signal “Let’s play!”

Scoring

Manual and electronic scoring is done during the match to avoid any errors.

The scoring is done on a cumulative basis. All the runs scored with a bat, extra runs like no-ball, wide, etc. are added to the team’s total.

In some instances, on-field umpires find it tough to give few decisions like boundaries, out, no-ball, etc. Therefore, they seek the help of another umpire, called third-umpire.

The third-umpire looks at video visuals and gives a final decision.

Cricket - Formats

In the golden era, cricket was played for days as each team almost played more than 100 overs a day. We can relate that to the current format of Test cricket. In the early days of cricket, an over-involved eight legal deliveries. Gradually, new formats and rules came into existence and an over was reduced to six legal deliveries across all formats. We’re going to discuss the different formats of professional cricket in this chapter and a few rules about them.

Test Cricket

Test cricket is considered the format of the highest level as it required both mental and physical strength to excel. All players wear white tees and trousers for this format. A red cricket ball is used to play. The earliest format of test cricket was played for six days with a day as a reserve. The field restrictions are quite different compared to limited-overs cricket.

Teams A and B have to play two innings each, if necessary. 90 overs are to be bowled every day. Team A batting first scores X runs. Team B gets to bat if team A declares their innings or is all-out. Team B should score X or more runs to stand a good chance of winning the match. Then, team A gets to bat for the second time and sets a target for team B. Now, Team B has to achieve the target in the time left and overs to be bowled.

In the case of team B gets all-out during the chase in the second innings, team A is declared winner, else the match is drawn between the teams.

One-Day International

One-day international (ODI) is limited over the format of cricket. It was introduced in the 1980s and 60 over a side were bowled. The dress code was the same as that of test cricket. Over the years, this format also went through drastic changes in rules and it was reduced to 50 over a side and colored uniform. The red-ball was replaced with a white-ball.

Team A batting first had to set a target for team B in 50 overs. Batting second, team B had to chase down the target in the same number of overs. If they fail to do so, team A is declared as the winner irrespective of team A bowling out team B or not.

T20 International

T20 is the latest and the most successful format of cricket. It has attracted a lot of spectators to the ground and witnessed the match. Cricket became a widespread game in this format and new countries like the United States, Malaysia, Canada, and the Netherlands adapted to it swiftly. It originated in the Caribbean islands, West Indies. Each team gets to play 20-over aside. Since it is the shortest format of the game, it is played under floodlights.

Batting first, team A sets a target for team B in 20 overs. Team B has to achieve the target in their stipulated number of overs while batting second.

Team B is declared the winner if they achieve the target else, team A is declared victorious. Team A is declared the winner even if they restrict team B from scoring the required number of runs and don’t get themselves bowled-out.

Cricket - Tournaments

ICC is the supreme governing body of all the international cricket events and tours. All the international teams are ranked based on their performance in a calendar year. Ranking for cricket teams is based on their progress during international events and tours. These ranks are assigned individually for each format.

Currently, there are 10 test playing nations that are eligible for all three formats. The rest of the countries have to play qualification rounds for entry into international events like the ODI World Cup and T20 World Cup. The World Cup is conducted at senior and under-19 levels.

Test status is given to a national team depending on the performance at the domestic level and global events. We will look at champions of different formats in the last chapter. Here is a list of all the global events organized recently by ICC and multiple nations participate for the ultimate trophy.

Tournament Name Venue T20 World Cup 2015 India ODI World Cup 2015 Australia, New Zealand ICC Champions Trophy 2013 England, Wales ICC U-19 World Cup 2014 UAE ICC Women’s World Cup 2013 India

The venue for all the international events is finalized by ICC based on its facilities, playing area standards, and security measures.

All the cricket playing nations have their individual bodies that manage cricket events at the domestic level. The domestic level matches are also played as one-day and five-day games. The one-day games at the domestic level are called List-A and the five-day format is called First-class. Best players are picked from the domestic tournaments to represent the country at the highest level. These national cricket boards also manage venues when another national team is touring their country. They are responsible for visiting the player’s facilities and security.

The following table illustrates the domestic tournaments with respect to country and format.

Tournament Name Country Format Ranji Trophy India Five-day Challenger Trophy India One-day Big Bash League Australia T20 The Sheffield Shield Australia Five-day English County Cricket England Five-day Caribbean T20 League West Indies T20

[the-firebird69]

and i help my sons build New Vegas and he is shilo and is surrounded now we moved several inlast night...and have foundations being built if we have to we move. one casino by s only we surround him.  and moved several in, about ten.   and it is huge each casino dwarfs Vegas Casinos which are vast, ours are ten times the size several million square feet each, about 50 thousand rooms each...tons of space no we have it now..the raili s almost done and lots paved tons of equipment...tons. and we see it is about the future... huge Casinos  and we speak to Hooters they are wiating.....he sits adn thinks...this always goes pop in my face.   we use thier girls in ours. they can go on the outskirts.  no Hardrock they took him for a ride too, we use it now...no to Hooters nope....stole it from our boy and used it on him lots and he hurts still..nah....we f you up too. we have a few in they want to knoow which Willie Wonka’s Chocolate Factory and it is fully operational and you wear protective gear and enter and sign an agreement noswimming touching even w your gloves and so on y ou may veiw it remotely in the store, and movecameras and all. it is amazing most see it in the store and run to the line.  huge pieces of candy that are edible for aprice you may buy a piece or the whole thing andedible decorative pieces are for sale in thelobbytons of them all different shapes....a favorite the white swan...all candy and fluffy marshmellow mainly, but the kind at easter,and he says it...tons love it...huge ones too that are about the sizeof a giantpolar bear in the shape of men women and more even ofy ou.  tons do it and bring it to tier parties they hvae off campus or in rented rooms or halls tons of halls huge ones. and he will be offered candy bars by bg. tons.  each scanned so they wont let him no want him to and be dissapointed. he doesnt want to go to iether so ou watch ok. Kid Hotel  we named it that.  and it is for you s and your kids your kids now ok.  a baby lamb or soemthing yes.  goat.  and it has the track.  they check first and entered thier cars to be in the ride only a few were selected as were collectors items.  wie hadone.  and th two with him.  we knew....and they loaded up all collectors cars.  old new and the first off the line. tons willride moslty adults at firs to the kid hotel. Auto Mile it is a big attractor he says anchor.  and it is massive.  it has tons of his dispensors and it is usually Pennywise Inc most  think it is these here.  and we hear himno wedont care it is not.  huge too and plenty of showrooms andhis ideas, a track to try them and all feed to it....it is massive, tons like it and hit has a main street you go to and from the  track on. and beep and play loud music.  nad more.....huge with ppl huge. they all go and buy tons of things. his cars too are intermingled and are like Tesla, no, same name only branded differently.  he calls them Thor but are not called that  go and see.  he is a genius with marketing with yours s.  genius.   we have our brands too that are intermingled lots buy them we know what to do with the money Apollo showed us. and it is good.  bg runs Willie Wonka’s Chocolate Factory, and he is happy doing it.  has funny costume as he does in the movie and it is geat tey all love it...says try wait thought a few days too.  then vrooooommmmmm  you will wash away iwth customers....wash away..he laughs and booze there too, tons of candy flavored....and mine yes....for those who need health..he laughs....tons of cars all big four.  all fast car makers.  all specialty, alltrucks up to six tons.  and all other means basically, Harley all japanese and all usa ktm and the trke one and the smallco he liked.  asked they sent some....are a huge hit on the strip...he likes it asked to be in the Man Cave....so he did they like seeing him...and he is like this what am i to do it is buietifiul a bueitiful ride lol. ohno fun. and he runs the Hammer the popular Carnival strength test but right in the middle of th man cave you hear the ding and he chose, the prize, a free room.    the Hammer and bell means your the man...and its yourhammer and night etc.  so not many can. bill hit it right away....and preston...have the swing and arc.  tons laughed it is them.  they won.  saw went at it..... thror tried missed came back jacked an hour or two later andwon. got a roomloved the room too had a great time...beer galore the room is setup like a mancave allof them and you can pick Patriots and so on..not just pillows,chairs and tbles lamps andash trays and much much more you can buy thingsin the room too almostany of them.  amarkenting guru but wethougt of that.  he had itfor a while we did too lots of hft so no Movie Casino and of course bob wanted more and gt it, ceo of the movie casino...a real one and ours.  a drive in or three, huge. roller skated servers.....tons of movie theatres like man caves rentable,headlinemovies in the middle, and more...and we see allare in and weheari t cfo is Enzo fromhere.  and John C Rielly is the Ceo  Death Race Casino and Bar and Raw Bar lori runs the latter saki served there too. ahuge track. she is the CEo and it is massive.  tons of space and huge tracks.  massive and weloadedit allin.  tons of it is fromcali.  huge amounts. and down the street all the refinery stuff  and we see t is like howw ilwe and we know how. massive lines to this one folks it is an alltimefav....and weheard this like Arlen Ness they can buy sign certify and race.  tons like it andneeded the break lol..... we outfit them too.  racin gear customized....and a special request for veep, crazy chicken el polloloco heagreed has sharesnow....and knwe who andwas upset allnight...youi can bo buy a car like the transporter had and outfit it using our stuff, and go and race, get up on the board your name too, tons of stars signedonright away most go for hp first and other stuff later, smart if you canarmor as wieght ruins speed and we know it s true tons of drop plates and more...huge with fans.tons see stars buy one and drive it in traffic it is only outfited the day of the race. not before entreing the pit area...you watch it fromabove andtattoed guys there...and Kat von d has a shop there in New Vegas only two shops now are yours s.  one is  a casion it is Shilo’s  but named Saul’s..and is huge.  he is rich already.  tons go there are comfortable... Bar Cafe is huge too it has so many bars you could choke a thousand small ones pubs from allover Earth are replicated he says a bunch are real lots of real memorabilia from Three Cheers and Bullfinch...and more tons of boston bar memorabelia. a realone here and theretoo.  lost fromnh the strip. huge ones there arefrom all over all clean. decon notnecessary...wekeep it allnice. and ahuge beer factory,allcan see andor tour. it is huge samples at each batch.  and are safely handed out.  no trouble pls or arrested...it is easy no thsor that simple rules.  huge vats of beer. huge. tons arrive. and wine halls thatare massive and cigars and bill is ceo. a huge jobhe says i have to count it andmore tonsof things could g wrongor right.  it is hard. like a factory ihadin lewof this beer thing.  so i am disgruntled.  weill lastonly  afewmonths nah he says it willmove...if need be. wesee it hesays. dontlike it. but im the bar restoring guy who never gavehim  abreak got a job ok.  see how itis  Superhero Bar and Casino  tons of cosplay and all workers are in costume some are s some are not real ones and cosplay all have fun and like it.  occasionally Superman shows, looks real form the last movie series Zod too and co all look real helmets and all. ons love it..huge huge conventions now...huge.  allover Earth they show tons of star wars and Darth Maul allover he is athome now it isterrible again. lol.  huge crowds ovewhealm him andhe hisses at them like the real thing would.  they are shocked he moves so fast and they call thiers security always intercepts, he is agymnist and they move on bt mark him up somehow some stick things to him athey did caa.  huge lines there too to get  in get a room or play the outragesou games wonder women is there....and he got it off the Seminoles, who want him to open a branch there a whole branch....Superhero Branch, says ask Uriel on  a seperate occasion they shall...and will. and they laugh ti will sell Vegas but it is a taste of it and they see he gets it. massive cranes get it done and we plan need land andhe sees.  we work now. tons see it more friendly or appearst o be Jurrasic Park and Casino with real dinasours setup like he said vip pay and get a real view.  others the zoo and it has relics there meaning old lions and tigers and bears no Kaiju. it is very tame but holy crap real dinasours..real. and eat large animals that areskinned anddead.  full cows trex swallows one a day. huge ones too.  fullblownsteer. and he eats allday too. snacks. on chickens andmore.  tons seehim andboast i can kill that and more. and wesee....he likes tosee it live.  it is the dinasour....andhe is the LIzard King andhe has justin as Ceo well justin says he is andi s.  and he is Jim Morrison........and he thankshim but no ok lol. movies yes and a few theatres and tons of film like museums and tons of toys and artifacts for sale and viewing real fossils galore tons...and we see. more there now ok he is tired. Thor

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=094MOX6ALMc

[jaivendra]

 Cricket - A Bat & Ball Game

Overview

Cricket is a team sport that is played outdoors. Cricket originated in England and gradually became popular across the globe. This sport requires complete physical fitness and athleticism to play. The sport is played between two teams of 11 players each.

Australia is the current World Champion (2015). Countries like India, Pakistan, England, South Africa, New Zealand, West Indies, and Sri Lanka also have equally dominant cricket teams.

Objective

Cricket is played outdoors on the ground. The objective of the game is that a team should score more runs than the opponent team. It is all about attempting to score more runs while restricting the score and dismissing the batsmen of the opponent team. Further in the document, one can closely understand the game, its popular terms, and rules.

Team Size

In cricket, each playing side has 11 players and one of them is appointed as captain. Apart from these 11 players, there are a few more players on each side who can only field as a substitute for an injured team member. The fielding team should have 11 players and the opposition can send only two batsmen on the ground at the time of play.

A 15-member squad is a must for all international tournaments conducted by the cricket’s governing body, International Cricket Council (ICC).

Cricket - Participating Countries

Cricket as a sport began in England. The evidence available leads us to believe in south-east England at the beginning of the 1900s. During those days, Australia, South Africa, and West Indies were the other countries where the sport was played. Gradually, the sport picked up popularity in the Asian continent as well. India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh also started playing the sport.

Asian Countries Participating in Cricket

In the late 1900s, Asian countries like India, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan have made a mark in world cricket with each winning World Cup once. It led to the founding of the Asian Cricket Conference in 1983 that took charge of developing the sport in the rest of Asia. By the 21st century, Bangladesh had become a new force in Asian cricket. Nepal, Malaysia, and Afghanistan also play competitive cricket now. Amongst these three nations, Afghanistan made headlines by qualifying for the World Cup in 2014.

The Asian Cricket Conference was renamed Asian Cricket Council in 2003, headquartered in Kuala Lumpur. The council is subordinate to ICC and has an association of 25 countries.

Non-Asian Countries Participating in Cricket

England, Australia, West Indies, and South Africa started playing cricket in the early 20th century. It was the brain of Abe Bailey, the then President of South Africa Cricket Association, to form an international council. Imperial Cricket Conference was formed in 1906 that was later renamed as International Cricket Council. Zimbabwe, Kenya, Ireland, Netherlands, Canada, Scotland, and UAE have all been part of international tournaments for over two decades. The United States also adopted the game in the last few years. Currently, there are more than 100 countries playing this sport and associated with ICC.

International cricket is played in three formats. A five-day match called Test match; same-day match comprising 50-over a side called One-day International; and 20-over a side called T-20 International are the three formats. T-20 is the latest and the most popular format over the last five years.

Cricket - Playing Environment

Cricket is a team sport and is played on a big ground. The pitch in the center and ground is prepared for any format of the match. Later, stumps are rooted along the breadth of the pitch, and players are called on to the ground to start the play. The team fielding will have 11 players guarding the boundary and two batsmen from the opposition will come to bat. There will be two umpires on the field to monitor the match proceedings.

Cricket Field Dimensions

The sport is played on presumably a circular leveled ground with pitch as the center. The pitch is 24-yards in length and 4-yards in breadth. A rope is placed around the ground at a distance of 80 yards from the pitch. This rope is observed as a boundary. The stumps are rooted at both ends with a distance of 22-yards between them. Two carved small pieces of wood are placed on stumps, called bails. White parallel lines are drawn on both ends of stumps, called batting/bowling crease. It is 1.2 meters from stumps. Another set of parallel lines are drawn perpendicular to the batting crease, called the return crease. This is at a distance of half-meter from the length of the pitch.

Dimensions of Cricket Equipment

ICC has formed certain rules for cricket equipment along with the rules of play. The bat, ball, glove, pads, and all other equipment have to meet the standards set by the governing body. It’s not only the size of equipment but also the logos used on the equipment that should conform to the standards set by ICC. Given below is a list of cricket equipment with permissible measures −

Bat − A cricket bat should not be more than 38 inches in length and 4.25 inches wide.

Ball − The cricket ball must weigh between 155.9 and 163 g. Apart from weight, the circumference should be between 224 and 229 mm.

Keeper glove − The keeper glove doesn’t have specific measurements but should not be made of stretchable material. The glove has webbing between the thumb and the index finger.

The rest of the equipment is all used to protect body parts, hence there aren’t any specific measures or design standards, with safety as a priority.

Cricket - Equipment

As cricket is a game of bat and ball, the players are subjected to wear protective gear to not getting hurt. In this chapter, we will discuss all the important gear and equipment that the players use while playing the game.

Bat − Bat is a nicely carved piece of equipment made out of special wood, with a handle on top to hold and play. These vary in weight and size with age and requirement of the batsman.

Ball − It is a spherical object made out of cork and covered with leather. Two pieces of leather are stitched around the cork ball. The color of the ball for test matches is red and white for ODI and T20 matches.

Keeper Glove − These are worn on both hands to protect the fingers from injury. Cloth and leather are stitched together in the shape of the fingers and palm to fit exactly. The inner side of the glove has finger gaps with cork tips for more protection.

Batsman Glove − This gear is similar in shape but smaller and softer on the outer part when compared to the keeper glove. It is used to hold the bat firmly. The finger part of the glove has extra protection with a hard sponge on the outer area.

Keeper/Batsman Pads − These are worn to protect the lower limbs of the batsman/keeper. They are made of cloth and leather. The front portion of the pads is very hard as there are hard plastic or wood sticks beneath. The rear portion is spongy and soft to soothe and comfort the legs. Keeper pads are a little shorter than batsman pads.

Helmet − A headgear for the batsman/keeper while batting or wicket-keeping behind the stumps. It is a mix of metal and hard plastic. It has a metallic grill in the front to protect the face.

Stumps − These are cylindrical and long in shape with a shard end like a spear. This end goes into the ground so that stumps stand erect in the ground.

Bails − Bails are the smallest equipment placed on stumps. It helps in giving easy decisions by umpires to dismiss the batsman when the wicket is broken.

Popular Terms in cricket

By now, you must have got the hang of terms like a batsman, bowler, umpire, stumps, etc. Now, let’s know the terms used at play.

Striker − A batsman facing the bowler is a caller striker and the opposite end is called a non-striker.

Off-side/leg-side − One half of the ground is called off-side and the other side is called leg-side. From the perspective of a right-handed batsman, the pitch in front of his body as he takes a strike, i.e. the right side of the pitch is called off-side. Similarly, the left half of the pitch, i.e. the pitch behind his body while taking a strike is called leg-side.

Run − It is the basic unit of scoring in cricket. It is scored when a striking batsman hits the ball bowled and runs between the stumps along with a non-striker. It is usually scored in ones, twos, and threes.

Four − The ball hit by the batsman crosses the boundary rope by rolling on the ground. Then, it is called a boundary or four runs.

Six − The shot that ensures the ball lands directly outside the rope is called six or six runs are allotted to the batsman.

No-ball − If a bowler’s foot crosses the popping crease while delivering the ball then, it is called a no-ball. The ball bowled that is directed above the waist of the batsman without pitching on the ground is a no-ball too.

Wide − A ball that is bowled away from the batsman and moves wide of the return crease on the off-side at the batting end is called wide. Another definition is a ball bowled that bounces over the head of the batsman after pitching is also called wide.

Out − When a batsman gets out, it gives an opportunity to the next person on the batting side to play until 10 players out of 11 are dismissed in various ways. Bowled, Caught, Run-out, LBW, and Stumped are the most common ways of getting out.

Bowled − It is a way of getting out where the batsman misses the ball bowled and the stumps behind are disturbed.

Caught − A batsman is declared out when the fielder catches the ball on full that is hit by the batsman. If it is caught by the wicket-keeper then, it is called caught-behind.

LBW − LBW stands for a leg-before wicket. A batsman is declared out as lbw when he tries to play the ball with the body that is directed on to stumps.

Run-out − If a fielder disturbs the stumps with the ball in hand while the batsman is not increased after playing a shot, then the batsman is declared run-out.

Stumped − A batsman moves out of the crease to play a ball and misses, the keeper gathers the ball and hits the stumps with the ball in hand. Then, the batsman is declared out as stumped.

Spin bowling − Bowlers run a short distance from stumps and release the ball with the use of wrist or fingers to get maximum revolutions. The ball tossed in the air spins after pitching. Off-break and leg-break are two varieties of spin bowling.

Fast bowling − Bowlers sprint and deliver the ball at high speed to batsmen. To do so, they take long run-up from stumps. Slow-medium, medium-fast, and fast are the popular fast bowling varieties.

Extra runs − All the runs given by the fielding team where the batsmen have not hit the ball with the bat are considered as extra runs. For example, wide, no-ball, etc.

Innings − A session of batting and bowling where either the batting team is all-out or the permissible number of overs to be bowled by the fielding team is completed.

How to Play Cricket?

Cricket is a game that requires physical agility to bat, bowl, and field. Two teams of 11 players each play at one time. A set of rules were designed for the game by ICC. These are the same for both men and women players. The game begins with captains of both teams and the match's referee gathering for a toss. The toss winning captain is allowed to elect to bat/field first. This process is the same across all formats. However, the dress code and fielding restrictions vary by format. It is mandatory for players to wear all white for a Test match, and colored tees and trousers for ODI and T20.

Umpires have a key role in the game as they monitor the proceedings. They decide whether the batsman is out, decide on no-ball, wide, and ensure both teams are playing according to the rules.

In this section, we will understand a few laws of the game and how a cricket match is played. The cricket game begins with the on-field umpire’s signal “Let’s play!”

Scoring

Manual and electronic scoring is done during the match to avoid any errors.

The scoring is done on a cumulative basis. All the runs scored with a bat, extra runs like no-ball, wide, etc. are added to the team’s total.

In some instances, on-field umpires find it tough to give few decisions like boundaries, out, no-ball, etc. Therefore, they seek the help of another umpire, called third-umpire.

The third-umpire looks at video visuals and gives a final decision.

Cricket - Formats

In the golden era, cricket was played for days as each team almost played more than 100 overs a day. We can relate that to the current format of Test cricket. In the early days of cricket, an over-involved eight legal deliveries. Gradually, new formats and rules came into existence and an over was reduced to six legal deliveries across all formats. We’re going to discuss the different formats of professional cricket in this chapter and a few rules about them.

Test Cricket

Test cricket is considered the format of the highest level as it required both mental and physical strength to excel. All players wear white tees and trousers for this format. A red cricket ball is used to play. The earliest format of test cricket was played for six days with a day as a reserve. The field restrictions are quite different compared to limited-overs cricket.

Teams A and B have to play two innings each, if necessary. 90 overs are to be bowled every day. Team A batting first scores X runs. Team B gets to bat if team A declares their innings or is all-out. Team B should score X or more runs to stand a good chance of winning the match. Then, team A gets to bat for the second time and sets a target for team B. Now, Team B has to achieve the target in the time left and overs to be bowled.

In the case of team B gets all-out during the chase in the second innings, team A is declared winner, else the match is drawn between the teams.

One-Day International

One-day international (ODI) is limited over the format of cricket. It was introduced in the 1980s and 60 over a side were bowled. The dress code was the same as that of test cricket. Over the years, this format also went through drastic changes in rules and it was reduced to 50 over a side and colored uniform. The red-ball was replaced with a white-ball.

Team A batting first had to set a target for team B in 50 overs. Batting second, team B had to chase down the target in the same number of overs. If they fail to do so, team A is declared as the winner irrespective of team A bowling out team B or not.

T20 International

T20 is the latest and the most successful format of cricket. It has attracted a lot of spectators to the ground and witnessed the match. Cricket became a widespread game in this format and new countries like the United States, Malaysia, Canada, and the Netherlands adapted to it swiftly. It originated in the Caribbean islands, West Indies. Each team gets to play 20-over aside. Since it is the shortest format of the game, it is played under floodlights.

Batting first, team A sets a target for team B in 20 overs. Team B has to achieve the target in their stipulated number of overs while batting second.

Team B is declared the winner if they achieve the target else, team A is declared victorious. Team A is declared the winner even if they restrict team B from scoring the required number of runs and don’t get themselves bowled-out.

Cricket - Tournaments

ICC is the supreme governing body of all the international cricket events and tours. All the international teams are ranked based on their performance in a calendar year. Ranking for cricket teams is based on their progress during international events and tours. These ranks are assigned individually for each format.

Currently, there are 10 test playing nations that are eligible for all three formats. The rest of the countries have to play qualification rounds for entry into international events like the ODI World Cup and T20 World Cup. The World Cup is conducted at senior and under-19 levels.

Test status is given to a national team depending on the performance at the domestic level and global events. We will look at champions of different formats in the last chapter. Here is a list of all the global events organized recently by ICC and multiple nations participate for the ultimate trophy.

Tournament Name Venue T20 World Cup 2015 India ODI World Cup 2015 Australia, New Zealand ICC Champions Trophy 2013 England, Wales ICC U-19 World Cup 2014 UAE ICC Women’s World Cup 2013 India

The venue for all the international events is finalized by ICC based on its facilities, playing area standards, and security measures.

All the cricket playing nations have their individual bodies that manage cricket events at the domestic level. The domestic level matches are also played as one-day and five-day games. The one-day games at the domestic level are called List-A and the five-day format is called First-class. Best players are picked from the domestic tournaments to represent the country at the highest level. These national cricket boards also manage venues when another national team is touring their country. They are responsible for visiting the player’s facilities and security.

The following table illustrates the domestic tournaments with respect to country and format.

Tournament Name Country Format Ranji Trophy India Five-day Challenger Trophy India One-day Big Bash League Australia T20 The Sheffield Shield Australia Five-day English County Cricket England Five-day Caribbean T20 League West Indies T20

[jaivendra]

 Cricket - A Bat & Ball Game

Overview

Cricket is a team sport that is played outdoors. Cricket originated in England and gradually became popular across the globe. This sport requires complete physical fitness and athleticism to play. The sport is played between two teams of 11 players each.

Australia is the current World Champion (2015). Countries like India, Pakistan, England, South Africa, New Zealand, West Indies, and Sri Lanka also have equally dominant cricket teams.

Objective

Cricket is played outdoors on the ground. The objective of the game is that a team should score more runs than the opponent team. It is all about attempting to score more runs while restricting the score and dismissing the batsmen of the opponent team. Further in the document, one can closely understand the game, its popular terms, and rules.

Team Size

In cricket, each playing side has 11 players and one of them is appointed as captain. Apart from these 11 players, there are a few more players on each side who can only field as a substitute for an injured team member. The fielding team should have 11 players and the opposition can send only two batsmen on the ground at the time of play.

A 15-member squad is a must for all international tournaments conducted by the cricket’s governing body, International Cricket Council (ICC).

Cricket - Participating Countries

Cricket as a sport began in England. The evidence available leads us to believe in south-east England at the beginning of the 1900s. During those days, Australia, South Africa, and West Indies were the other countries where the sport was played. Gradually, the sport picked up popularity in the Asian continent as well. India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh also started playing the sport.

Asian Countries Participating in Cricket

In the late 1900s, Asian countries like India, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan have made a mark in world cricket with each winning World Cup once. It led to the founding of the Asian Cricket Conference in 1983 that took charge of developing the sport in the rest of Asia. By the 21st century, Bangladesh had become a new force in Asian cricket. Nepal, Malaysia, and Afghanistan also play competitive cricket now. Amongst these three nations, Afghanistan made headlines by qualifying for the World Cup in 2014.

The Asian Cricket Conference was renamed Asian Cricket Council in 2003, headquartered in Kuala Lumpur. The council is subordinate to ICC and has an association of 25 countries.

Non-Asian Countries Participating in Cricket

England, Australia, West Indies, and South Africa started playing cricket in the early 20th century. It was the brain of Abe Bailey, the then President of South Africa Cricket Association, to form an international council. Imperial Cricket Conference was formed in 1906 that was later renamed as International Cricket Council. Zimbabwe, Kenya, Ireland, Netherlands, Canada, Scotland, and UAE have all been part of international tournaments for over two decades. The United States also adopted the game in the last few years. Currently, there are more than 100 countries playing this sport and associated with ICC.

International cricket is played in three formats. A five-day match called Test match; same-day match comprising 50-over a side called One-day International; and 20-over a side called T-20 International are the three formats. T-20 is the latest and the most popular format over the last five years.

Cricket - Playing Environment

Cricket is a team sport and is played on a big ground. The pitch in the center and ground is prepared for any format of the match. Later, stumps are rooted along the breadth of the pitch, and players are called on to the ground to start the play. The team fielding will have 11 players guarding the boundary and two batsmen from the opposition will come to bat. There will be two umpires on the field to monitor the match proceedings.

Cricket Field Dimensions

The sport is played on presumably a circular leveled ground with pitch as the center. The pitch is 24-yards in length and 4-yards in breadth. A rope is placed around the ground at a distance of 80 yards from the pitch. This rope is observed as a boundary. The stumps are rooted at both ends with a distance of 22-yards between them. Two carved small pieces of wood are placed on stumps, called bails. White parallel lines are drawn on both ends of stumps, called batting/bowling crease. It is 1.2 meters from stumps. Another set of parallel lines are drawn perpendicular to the batting crease, called the return crease. This is at a distance of half-meter from the length of the pitch.

Dimensions of Cricket Equipment

ICC has formed certain rules for cricket equipment along with the rules of play. The bat, ball, glove, pads, and all other equipment have to meet the standards set by the governing body. It’s not only the size of equipment but also the logos used on the equipment that should conform to the standards set by ICC. Given below is a list of cricket equipment with permissible measures −

Bat − A cricket bat should not be more than 38 inches in length and 4.25 inches wide.

Ball − The cricket ball must weigh between 155.9 and 163 g. Apart from weight, the circumference should be between 224 and 229 mm.

Keeper glove − The keeper glove doesn’t have specific measurements but should not be made of stretchable material. The glove has webbing between the thumb and the index finger.

The rest of the equipment is all used to protect body parts, hence there aren’t any specific measures or design standards, with safety as a priority.

Cricket - Equipment

As cricket is a game of bat and ball, the players are subjected to wear protective gear to not getting hurt. In this chapter, we will discuss all the important gear and equipment that the players use while playing the game.

Bat − Bat is a nicely carved piece of equipment made out of special wood, with a handle on top to hold and play. These vary in weight and size with age and requirement of the batsman.

Ball − It is a spherical object made out of cork and covered with leather. Two pieces of leather are stitched around the cork ball. The color of the ball for test matches is red and white for ODI and T20 matches.

Keeper Glove − These are worn on both hands to protect the fingers from injury. Cloth and leather are stitched together in the shape of the fingers and palm to fit exactly. The inner side of the glove has finger gaps with cork tips for more protection.

Batsman Glove − This gear is similar in shape but smaller and softer on the outer part when compared to the keeper glove. It is used to hold the bat firmly. The finger part of the glove has extra protection with a hard sponge on the outer area.

Keeper/Batsman Pads − These are worn to protect the lower limbs of the batsman/keeper. They are made of cloth and leather. The front portion of the pads is very hard as there are hard plastic or wood sticks beneath. The rear portion is spongy and soft to soothe and comfort the legs. Keeper pads are a little shorter than batsman pads.

Helmet − A headgear for the batsman/keeper while batting or wicket-keeping behind the stumps. It is a mix of metal and hard plastic. It has a metallic grill in the front to protect the face.

Stumps − These are cylindrical and long in shape with a shard end like a spear. This end goes into the ground so that stumps stand erect in the ground.

Bails − Bails are the smallest equipment placed on stumps. It helps in giving easy decisions by umpires to dismiss the batsman when the wicket is broken.

Popular Terms in cricket

By now, you must have got the hang of terms like a batsman, bowler, umpire, stumps, etc. Now, let’s know the terms used at play.

Striker − A batsman facing the bowler is a caller striker and the opposite end is called a non-striker.

Off-side/leg-side − One half of the ground is called off-side and the other side is called leg-side. From the perspective of a right-handed batsman, the pitch in front of his body as he takes a strike, i.e. the right side of the pitch is called off-side. Similarly, the left half of the pitch, i.e. the pitch behind his body while taking a strike is called leg-side.

Run − It is the basic unit of scoring in cricket. It is scored when a striking batsman hits the ball bowled and runs between the stumps along with a non-striker. It is usually scored in ones, twos, and threes.

Four − The ball hit by the batsman crosses the boundary rope by rolling on the ground. Then, it is called a boundary or four runs.

Six − The shot that ensures the ball lands directly outside the rope is called six or six runs are allotted to the batsman.

No-ball − If a bowler’s foot crosses the popping crease while delivering the ball then, it is called a no-ball. The ball bowled that is directed above the waist of the batsman without pitching on the ground is a no-ball too.

Wide − A ball that is bowled away from the batsman and moves wide of the return crease on the off-side at the batting end is called wide. Another definition is a ball bowled that bounces over the head of the batsman after pitching is also called wide.

Out − When a batsman gets out, it gives an opportunity to the next person on the batting side to play until 10 players out of 11 are dismissed in various ways. Bowled, Caught, Run-out, LBW, and Stumped are the most common ways of getting out.

Bowled − It is a way of getting out where the batsman misses the ball bowled and the stumps behind are disturbed.

Caught − A batsman is declared out when the fielder catches the ball on full that is hit by the batsman. If it is caught by the wicket-keeper then, it is called caught-behind.

LBW − LBW stands for a leg-before wicket. A batsman is declared out as lbw when he tries to play the ball with the body that is directed on to stumps.

Run-out − If a fielder disturbs the stumps with the ball in hand while the batsman is not increased after playing a shot, then the batsman is declared run-out.

Stumped − A batsman moves out of the crease to play a ball and misses, the keeper gathers the ball and hits the stumps with the ball in hand. Then, the batsman is declared out as stumped.

Spin bowling − Bowlers run a short distance from stumps and release the ball with the use of wrist or fingers to get maximum revolutions. The ball tossed in the air spins after pitching. Off-break and leg-break are two varieties of spin bowling.

Fast bowling − Bowlers sprint and deliver the ball at high speed to batsmen. To do so, they take long run-up from stumps. Slow-medium, medium-fast, and fast are the popular fast bowling varieties.

Extra runs − All the runs given by the fielding team where the batsmen have not hit the ball with the bat are considered as extra runs. For example, wide, no-ball, etc.

Innings − A session of batting and bowling where either the batting team is all-out or the permissible number of overs to be bowled by the fielding team is completed.

How to Play Cricket?

Cricket is a game that requires physical agility to bat, bowl, and field. Two teams of 11 players each play at one time. A set of rules were designed for the game by ICC. These are the same for both men and women players. The game begins with captains of both teams and the match's referee gathering for a toss. The toss winning captain is allowed to elect to bat/field first. This process is the same across all formats. However, the dress code and fielding restrictions vary by format. It is mandatory for players to wear all white for a Test match, and colored tees and trousers for ODI and T20.

Umpires have a key role in the game as they monitor the proceedings. They decide whether the batsman is out, decide on no-ball, wide, and ensure both teams are playing according to the rules.

In this section, we will understand a few laws of the game and how a cricket match is played. The cricket game begins with the on-field umpire’s signal “Let’s play!”

Scoring

Manual and electronic scoring is done during the match to avoid any errors.

The scoring is done on a cumulative basis. All the runs scored with a bat, extra runs like no-ball, wide, etc. are added to the team’s total.

In some instances, on-field umpires find it tough to give few decisions like boundaries, out, no-ball, etc. Therefore, they seek the help of another umpire, called third-umpire.

The third-umpire looks at video visuals and gives a final decision.

Cricket - Formats

In the golden era, cricket was played for days as each team almost played more than 100 overs a day. We can relate that to the current format of Test cricket. In the early days of cricket, an over-involved eight legal deliveries. Gradually, new formats and rules came into existence and an over was reduced to six legal deliveries across all formats. We’re going to discuss the different formats of professional cricket in this chapter and a few rules about them.

Test Cricket

Test cricket is considered the format of the highest level as it required both mental and physical strength to excel. All players wear white tees and trousers for this format. A red cricket ball is used to play. The earliest format of test cricket was played for six days with a day as a reserve. The field restrictions are quite different compared to limited-overs cricket.

Teams A and B have to play two innings each, if necessary. 90 overs are to be bowled every day. Team A batting first scores X runs. Team B gets to bat if team A declares their innings or is all-out. Team B should score X or more runs to stand a good chance of winning the match. Then, team A gets to bat for the second time and sets a target for team B. Now, Team B has to achieve the target in the time left and overs to be bowled.

In the case of team B gets all-out during the chase in the second innings, team A is declared winner, else the match is drawn between the teams.

One-Day International

One-day international (ODI) is limited over the format of cricket. It was introduced in the 1980s and 60 over a side were bowled. The dress code was the same as that of test cricket. Over the years, this format also went through drastic changes in rules and it was reduced to 50 over a side and colored uniform. The red-ball was replaced with a white-ball.

Team A batting first had to set a target for team B in 50 overs. Batting second, team B had to chase down the target in the same number of overs. If they fail to do so, team A is declared as the winner irrespective of team A bowling out team B or not.

T20 International

T20 is the latest and the most successful format of cricket. It has attracted a lot of spectators to the ground and witnessed the match. Cricket became a widespread game in this format and new countries like the United States, Malaysia, Canada, and the Netherlands adapted to it swiftly. It originated in the Caribbean islands, West Indies. Each team gets to play 20-over aside. Since it is the shortest format of the game, it is played under floodlights.

Batting first, team A sets a target for team B in 20 overs. Team B has to achieve the target in their stipulated number of overs while batting second.

Team B is declared the winner if they achieve the target else, team A is declared victorious. Team A is declared the winner even if they restrict team B from scoring the required number of runs and don’t get themselves bowled-out.

Cricket - Tournaments

ICC is the supreme governing body of all the international cricket events and tours. All the international teams are ranked based on their performance in a calendar year. Ranking for cricket teams is based on their progress during international events and tours. These ranks are assigned individually for each format.

Currently, there are 10 test playing nations that are eligible for all three formats. The rest of the countries have to play qualification rounds for entry into international events like the ODI World Cup and T20 World Cup. The World Cup is conducted at senior and under-19 levels.

Test status is given to a national team depending on the performance at the domestic level and global events. We will look at champions of different formats in the last chapter. Here is a list of all the global events organized recently by ICC and multiple nations participate for the ultimate trophy.

Tournament Name Venue T20 World Cup 2015 India ODI World Cup 2015 Australia, New Zealand ICC Champions Trophy 2013 England, Wales ICC U-19 World Cup 2014 UAE ICC Women’s World Cup 2013 India

The venue for all the international events is finalized by ICC based on its facilities, playing area standards, and security measures.

All the cricket playing nations have their individual bodies that manage cricket events at the domestic level. The domestic level matches are also played as one-day and five-day games. The one-day games at the domestic level are called List-A and the five-day format is called First-class. Best players are picked from the domestic tournaments to represent the country at the highest level. These national cricket boards also manage venues when another national team is touring their country. They are responsible for visiting the player’s facilities and security.

The following table illustrates the domestic tournaments with respect to country and format.

Tournament Name Country Format Ranji Trophy India Five-day Challenger Trophy India One-day Big Bash League Australia T20 The Sheffield Shield Australia Five-day English County Cricket England Five-day Caribbean T20 League West Indies T20

[jaivendra]

 Cricket - A Bat & Ball Game

Overview

Cricket is a team sport that is played outdoors. Cricket originated in England and gradually became popular across the globe. This sport requires complete physical fitness and athleticism to play. The sport is played between two teams of 11 players each.

Australia is the current World Champion (2015). Countries like India, Pakistan, England, South Africa, New Zealand, West Indies, and Sri Lanka also have equally dominant cricket teams.

Objective

Cricket is played outdoors on the ground. The objective of the game is that a team should score more runs than the opponent team. It is all about attempting to score more runs while restricting the score and dismissing the batsmen of the opponent team. Further in the document, one can closely understand the game, its popular terms, and rules.

Team Size

In cricket, each playing side has 11 players and one of them is appointed as captain. Apart from these 11 players, there are a few more players on each side who can only field as a substitute for an injured team member. The fielding team should have 11 players and the opposition can send only two batsmen on the ground at the time of play.

A 15-member squad is a must for all international tournaments conducted by the cricket’s governing body, International Cricket Council (ICC).

Cricket - Participating Countries

Cricket as a sport began in England. The evidence available leads us to believe in south-east England at the beginning of the 1900s. During those days, Australia, South Africa, and West Indies were the other countries where the sport was played. Gradually, the sport picked up popularity in the Asian continent as well. India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh also started playing the sport.

Asian Countries Participating in Cricket

In the late 1900s, Asian countries like India, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan have made a mark in world cricket with each winning World Cup once. It led to the founding of the Asian Cricket Conference in 1983 that took charge of developing the sport in the rest of Asia. By the 21st century, Bangladesh had become a new force in Asian cricket. Nepal, Malaysia, and Afghanistan also play competitive cricket now. Amongst these three nations, Afghanistan made headlines by qualifying for the World Cup in 2014.

The Asian Cricket Conference was renamed Asian Cricket Council in 2003, headquartered in Kuala Lumpur. The council is subordinate to ICC and has an association of 25 countries.

Non-Asian Countries Participating in Cricket

England, Australia, West Indies, and South Africa started playing cricket in the early 20th century. It was the brain of Abe Bailey, the then President of South Africa Cricket Association, to form an international council. Imperial Cricket Conference was formed in 1906 that was later renamed as International Cricket Council. Zimbabwe, Kenya, Ireland, Netherlands, Canada, Scotland, and UAE have all been part of international tournaments for over two decades. The United States also adopted the game in the last few years. Currently, there are more than 100 countries playing this sport and associated with ICC.

International cricket is played in three formats. A five-day match called Test match; same-day match comprising 50-over a side called One-day International; and 20-over a side called T-20 International are the three formats. T-20 is the latest and the most popular format over the last five years.

Cricket - Playing Environment

Cricket is a team sport and is played on a big ground. The pitch in the center and ground is prepared for any format of the match. Later, stumps are rooted along the breadth of the pitch, and players are called on to the ground to start the play. The team fielding will have 11 players guarding the boundary and two batsmen from the opposition will come to bat. There will be two umpires on the field to monitor the match proceedings.

Cricket Field Dimensions

The sport is played on presumably a circular leveled ground with pitch as the center. The pitch is 24-yards in length and 4-yards in breadth. A rope is placed around the ground at a distance of 80 yards from the pitch. This rope is observed as a boundary. The stumps are rooted at both ends with a distance of 22-yards between them. Two carved small pieces of wood are placed on stumps, called bails. White parallel lines are drawn on both ends of stumps, called batting/bowling crease. It is 1.2 meters from stumps. Another set of parallel lines are drawn perpendicular to the batting crease, called the return crease. This is at a distance of half-meter from the length of the pitch.

Dimensions of Cricket Equipment

ICC has formed certain rules for cricket equipment along with the rules of play. The bat, ball, glove, pads, and all other equipment have to meet the standards set by the governing body. It’s not only the size of equipment but also the logos used on the equipment that should conform to the standards set by ICC. Given below is a list of cricket equipment with permissible measures −

Bat − A cricket bat should not be more than 38 inches in length and 4.25 inches wide.

Ball − The cricket ball must weigh between 155.9 and 163 g. Apart from weight, the circumference should be between 224 and 229 mm.

Keeper glove − The keeper glove doesn’t have specific measurements but should not be made of stretchable material. The glove has webbing between the thumb and the index finger.

The rest of the equipment is all used to protect body parts, hence there aren’t any specific measures or design standards, with safety as a priority.

Cricket - Equipment

As cricket is a game of bat and ball, the players are subjected to wear protective gear to not getting hurt. In this chapter, we will discuss all the important gear and equipment that the players use while playing the game.

Bat − Bat is a nicely carved piece of equipment made out of special wood, with a handle on top to hold and play. These vary in weight and size with age and requirement of the batsman.

Ball − It is a spherical object made out of cork and covered with leather. Two pieces of leather are stitched around the cork ball. The color of the ball for test matches is red and white for ODI and T20 matches.

Keeper Glove − These are worn on both hands to protect the fingers from injury. Cloth and leather are stitched together in the shape of the fingers and palm to fit exactly. The inner side of the glove has finger gaps with cork tips for more protection.

Batsman Glove − This gear is similar in shape but smaller and softer on the outer part when compared to the keeper glove. It is used to hold the bat firmly. The finger part of the glove has extra protection with a hard sponge on the outer area.

Keeper/Batsman Pads − These are worn to protect the lower limbs of the batsman/keeper. They are made of cloth and leather. The front portion of the pads is very hard as there are hard plastic or wood sticks beneath. The rear portion is spongy and soft to soothe and comfort the legs. Keeper pads are a little shorter than batsman pads.

Helmet − A headgear for the batsman/keeper while batting or wicket-keeping behind the stumps. It is a mix of metal and hard plastic. It has a metallic grill in the front to protect the face.

Stumps − These are cylindrical and long in shape with a shard end like a spear. This end goes into the ground so that stumps stand erect in the ground.

Bails − Bails are the smallest equipment placed on stumps. It helps in giving easy decisions by umpires to dismiss the batsman when the wicket is broken.

Popular Terms in cricket

By now, you must have got the hang of terms like a batsman, bowler, umpire, stumps, etc. Now, let’s know the terms used at play.

Striker − A batsman facing the bowler is a caller striker and the opposite end is called a non-striker.

Off-side/leg-side − One half of the ground is called off-side and the other side is called leg-side. From the perspective of a right-handed batsman, the pitch in front of his body as he takes a strike, i.e. the right side of the pitch is called off-side. Similarly, the left half of the pitch, i.e. the pitch behind his body while taking a strike is called leg-side.

Run − It is the basic unit of scoring in cricket. It is scored when a striking batsman hits the ball bowled and runs between the stumps along with a non-striker. It is usually scored in ones, twos, and threes.

Four − The ball hit by the batsman crosses the boundary rope by rolling on the ground. Then, it is called a boundary or four runs.

Six − The shot that ensures the ball lands directly outside the rope is called six or six runs are allotted to the batsman.

No-ball − If a bowler’s foot crosses the popping crease while delivering the ball then, it is called a no-ball. The ball bowled that is directed above the waist of the batsman without pitching on the ground is a no-ball too.

Wide − A ball that is bowled away from the batsman and moves wide of the return crease on the off-side at the batting end is called wide. Another definition is a ball bowled that bounces over the head of the batsman after pitching is also called wide.

Out − When a batsman gets out, it gives an opportunity to the next person on the batting side to play until 10 players out of 11 are dismissed in various ways. Bowled, Caught, Run-out, LBW, and Stumped are the most common ways of getting out.

Bowled − It is a way of getting out where the batsman misses the ball bowled and the stumps behind are disturbed.

Caught − A batsman is declared out when the fielder catches the ball on full that is hit by the batsman. If it is caught by the wicket-keeper then, it is called caught-behind.

LBW − LBW stands for a leg-before wicket. A batsman is declared out as lbw when he tries to play the ball with the body that is directed on to stumps.

Run-out − If a fielder disturbs the stumps with the ball in hand while the batsman is not increased after playing a shot, then the batsman is declared run-out.

Stumped − A batsman moves out of the crease to play a ball and misses, the keeper gathers the ball and hits the stumps with the ball in hand. Then, the batsman is declared out as stumped.

Spin bowling − Bowlers run a short distance from stumps and release the ball with the use of wrist or fingers to get maximum revolutions. The ball tossed in the air spins after pitching. Off-break and leg-break are two varieties of spin bowling.

Fast bowling − Bowlers sprint and deliver the ball at high speed to batsmen. To do so, they take long run-up from stumps. Slow-medium, medium-fast, and fast are the popular fast bowling varieties.

Extra runs − All the runs given by the fielding team where the batsmen have not hit the ball with the bat are considered as extra runs. For example, wide, no-ball, etc.

Innings − A session of batting and bowling where either the batting team is all-out or the permissible number of overs to be bowled by the fielding team is completed.

How to Play Cricket?

Cricket is a game that requires physical agility to bat, bowl, and field. Two teams of 11 players each play at one time. A set of rules were designed for the game by ICC. These are the same for both men and women players. The game begins with captains of both teams and the match's referee gathering for a toss. The toss winning captain is allowed to elect to bat/field first. This process is the same across all formats. However, the dress code and fielding restrictions vary by format. It is mandatory for players to wear all white for a Test match, and colored tees and trousers for ODI and T20.

Umpires have a key role in the game as they monitor the proceedings. They decide whether the batsman is out, decide on no-ball, wide, and ensure both teams are playing according to the rules.

In this section, we will understand a few laws of the game and how a cricket match is played. The cricket game begins with the on-field umpire’s signal “Let’s play!”

Scoring

Manual and electronic scoring is done during the match to avoid any errors.

The scoring is done on a cumulative basis. All the runs scored with a bat, extra runs like no-ball, wide, etc. are added to the team’s total.

In some instances, on-field umpires find it tough to give few decisions like boundaries, out, no-ball, etc. Therefore, they seek the help of another umpire, called third-umpire.

The third-umpire looks at video visuals and gives a final decision.

Cricket - Formats

In the golden era, cricket was played for days as each team almost played more than 100 overs a day. We can relate that to the current format of Test cricket. In the early days of cricket, an over-involved eight legal deliveries. Gradually, new formats and rules came into existence and an over was reduced to six legal deliveries across all formats. We’re going to discuss the different formats of professional cricket in this chapter and a few rules about them.

Test Cricket

Test cricket is considered the format of the highest level as it required both mental and physical strength to excel. All players wear white tees and trousers for this format. A red cricket ball is used to play. The earliest format of test cricket was played for six days with a day as a reserve. The field restrictions are quite different compared to limited-overs cricket.

Teams A and B have to play two innings each, if necessary. 90 overs are to be bowled every day. Team A batting first scores X runs. Team B gets to bat if team A declares their innings or is all-out. Team B should score X or more runs to stand a good chance of winning the match. Then, team A gets to bat for the second time and sets a target for team B. Now, Team B has to achieve the target in the time left and overs to be bowled.

In the case of team B gets all-out during the chase in the second innings, team A is declared winner, else the match is drawn between the teams.

One-Day International

One-day international (ODI) is limited over the format of cricket. It was introduced in the 1980s and 60 over a side were bowled. The dress code was the same as that of test cricket. Over the years, this format also went through drastic changes in rules and it was reduced to 50 over a side and colored uniform. The red-ball was replaced with a white-ball.

Team A batting first had to set a target for team B in 50 overs. Batting second, team B had to chase down the target in the same number of overs. If they fail to do so, team A is declared as the winner irrespective of team A bowling out team B or not.

T20 International

T20 is the latest and the most successful format of cricket. It has attracted a lot of spectators to the ground and witnessed the match. Cricket became a widespread game in this format and new countries like the United States, Malaysia, Canada, and the Netherlands adapted to it swiftly. It originated in the Caribbean islands, West Indies. Each team gets to play 20-over aside. Since it is the shortest format of the game, it is played under floodlights.

Batting first, team A sets a target for team B in 20 overs. Team B has to achieve the target in their stipulated number of overs while batting second.

Team B is declared the winner if they achieve the target else, team A is declared victorious. Team A is declared the winner even if they restrict team B from scoring the required number of runs and don’t get themselves bowled-out.

Cricket - Tournaments

ICC is the supreme governing body of all the international cricket events and tours. All the international teams are ranked based on their performance in a calendar year. Ranking for cricket teams is based on their progress during international events and tours. These ranks are assigned individually for each format.

Currently, there are 10 test playing nations that are eligible for all three formats. The rest of the countries have to play qualification rounds for entry into international events like the ODI World Cup and T20 World Cup. The World Cup is conducted at senior and under-19 levels.

Test status is given to a national team depending on the performance at the domestic level and global events. We will look at champions of different formats in the last chapter. Here is a list of all the global events organized recently by ICC and multiple nations participate for the ultimate trophy.

Tournament Name Venue T20 World Cup 2015 India ODI World Cup 2015 Australia, New Zealand ICC Champions Trophy 2013 England, Wales ICC U-19 World Cup 2014 UAE ICC Women’s World Cup 2013 India

The venue for all the international events is finalized by ICC based on its facilities, playing area standards, and security measures.

All the cricket playing nations have their individual bodies that manage cricket events at the domestic level. The domestic level matches are also played as one-day and five-day games. The one-day games at the domestic level are called List-A and the five-day format is called First-class. Best players are picked from the domestic tournaments to represent the country at the highest level. These national cricket boards also manage venues when another national team is touring their country. They are responsible for visiting the player’s facilities and security.

The following table illustrates the domestic tournaments with respect to country and format.

Tournament Name Country Format Ranji Trophy India Five-day Challenger Trophy India One-day Big Bash League Australia T20 The Sheffield Shield Australia Five-day English County Cricket England Five-day Caribbean T20 League West Indies T20