Two teams, eleven players each, one ball, one bat… It doesn’t seem that complicated to understand cricket (pronounced “cricket”). However… A few months before the 13th edition of the Men’s Cricket World Cup, which will be held from Thursday 5 October to Sunday 19 November in India and while the team qualifiers take place between this June and July, it is time to learn more about this collective sport very much. little known in France, but very well known in the United Kingdom and in the member countries of the Commonwealth.

Origin

With over 1.5 billion cricket fans in 53 Commonwealth member countries (including South Africa, Australia, Bangladesh, Canada, India, Pakistan, New Zealand…), it is legitimate to think the sport originated in England. At least that’s what we believed until the surprising discovery, three years ago, of the first written traces of a match report that dates back to 1478 and took place… in France. . This is the oldest document referring to cricket ever found. According to experts, the sport would have been imported from France to Great Britain from the 16th century and would thus have accompanied the development of the British colonial empire, due to its popularity in India or Australia for example.

How does it work ?

It sounds like baseball but don’t get me wrong, cricket is a whole different sport.

Ground rules

A collective sport of ball and bat, it is played against two teams of 11 players – who cannot be substituted during the game – in a series of sets on a pitch, which is mostly oval. Each team alternates between attacking and defending, players from both sides taking turns after each “over,” in other words each six-ball series.

In the field

During an innings, there is a pitcher and ten other members of his team, called chasers, and two batsmen from the opposing team on the field. The process is simple: the pitcher sends the ball toward the “gate,” a wooden structure located behind the drummer. The latter must defend it and return the ball as far as possible in order to have as much time as possible to run and switch positions with the second batsman, who is located in the opposite area (placed a little over 20 yards).
The object is for the batsmen to change their places before one of the chasers from the opposing team takes the ball back to the “gate”. If so, he then scores a point (called a “run”). Usually in an inning, only one or two runs are scored.

However, when the batsman sends the ball directly out of bounds, he scores six runs (called a “sixier”) and when the ball goes out of bounds by one or more bounces, he scores four (called a “bound”).
If either fielder catches the ball in the air or if the ball hits a wooden structure, the batsman is immediately out of the inning – which ends when only one batsman remains in the outfield. Also, if the batsman prevents the ball from passing with his body, especially his feet, he is out (called “feet before wicket”).

Who won the game?

To win the game all you have to do is score the most points and therefore win the most rounds. The latter ends when the batting team has only one batsman available, or when the team captain makes a declaration or refusal (voluntary end of innings), or in “twenty twenty” when the total number of bowls has been reached.

Game duration

The duration of a cricket match may vary. The “traditional” form, which is used during test matches (international matches), is the longest. Matches, which span four rounds – two rounds per team – can then last up to five days (with a limit of six hours a day), except in the case of an early win for one of the two opponents.
In the World Cup, this long version is reduced to “one day”. As the name suggests, the match lasts for one day.

Finally, there is also “twenty 20”, even shorter and simplified. It is played in one round with 20 bowls for each team and does not exceed several hours of play.