Cricket

Introduction

Cricket is a famous game which is played in many places all over the world and is most popular in India. As a sport, this game involves the use of a bat and a ball.

The game is played by two teams against each other. The two teams wearing different uniforms each feature eleven players for either side making a total of twenty two players in the field at any given time. This game is played on a pitch 2o meters long. Wickets are set up on different ends of the pitch. Each wicket in turn has three stumps balancing a couple of bails. When a match between any two teams is in session, the match is overseen by a referee in the case of international matches but when it is not, then there is a couple of umpires that supervise the game.

History

Cricket as a sport has an origin that can be linked to South-East England. In fact, the name cricket is drawn from an English word “cryce” meaning staff. There is also a theory that suggests that the name cricket originates from the word “krick” that resulted from the association between the English and the Dutch. Either way, both krick and cryce have grown to become the present day cricket. This sport has managed to spread to the rest of the world with time until the first time when cricket featured as an international match; that was in mid 1800s between United States and Canada. The first time that cricket was played in India, however, was in 1721. Before the 19^th century, cricket was only played by military men of British origin as well as the civil servants. Records have shown that the first cricket club to have ever been formed was the Calcutta cricket club which was set up in the year 1792.

Basic rules

1. In cricket, there are two teams at any particular match. The two teams each feature eleven team members but then there is a twelfth man who plays in the event that another player is hurt and needs to be replaced.
2. The only thing that is expected of the twelfth man is to serve as a substitute. In this regard therefore, he is not allowed to bowl, bat or even wicket.
3. When the injured player feels better and is able to get back into the game, he is allowed.
4. A couple of umpires are involved in the overseeing of the game for the purpose of order.
5. A third umpire is tasked to make decisions based on what is witnessed on video. This means that should the field umpires have trouble coming up with a resolution, then the third umpire checks what is recorded on video for a confirmatory decision.

Basic skills of cricket

For one to feature as a good cricket player, he or she is expected to have certain skills. These skills are crucial in the delivery of the goal of the game and can be boxed into three groups.

1. Batting– This is one of the most crucial skills in this game in that a batsman is expected to have reliable eye coordination. The standing position of a batsman is near his wicket in a position where he will be able to hit the ball when it comes in different angles.
2. Bowling- Knowing how to properly bowl is a crucial skill in the game of cricket. There are two different types of bowling. The first type of bowling is referred to as spin bowling. This is basically a slow kind of bowling where the bowler spins the ball. By spin bowling, the ball is made to go in a way that it will either turn towards the batsman or away from him in that it will go in an untaught fashion. The second type of bowling is the seam and swing bowling. In this type of bowling, the ball is bowled at a very high speed and it can reach to about 100mph. this type of bowling is dependent on the deviation of the pitch and swing bowling is dependent upon the deviation through the air.
3. Fielding- This is also another critical skill. Fielding requires that every player who is playing cricket to ensure that they maximize their athletic ability. This especially comes in handy to the fielders in the game. They should be able to run very fast so that they can retrieve the ball, stop the ball or throw the ball. A fielder who is positioned behind the wicket has to be very good at having swift and speedy reactions and have swift hands to help them catch the ball in an equally swift manner.

World cup

The ICC Cricket world Cup is spearheaded by the cricket governing body, also called the International Cricket Council (ICC). It features after every four years with preparatory matches beginning and going on until finals of the tournament. The World Cup tournament is one of the major sporting events with a lot of viewership around the world. Different teams from varying parts of the world, having qualified for the event, come together to compete for the title. This event is also the beginning of a new international cricket calendar.

Popularity of cricket in India

Cricket is played in different parts of the country and when compared to other sports, cricket ranks highly. India has been attributed to producing some of the world’s most famous players. The country started participating in cricket since the era of the British colonization. The popularity of cricket in India can be seen from the fact that India has won the Cricket World Cup title for two times.

Benefits of playing cricket

1. One of the benefits of playing cricket is that it gives one a platform where they can interact with other people. This is because people get to meet other players both in their teams and in other teams.
2. Cricket also is great in improving one’s physical health. This is through playing the game and training.
3. Cricket also helps one to learn the art of team work. When one becomes part of a cricket team, they work hard to ensure the success of their team. This makes them learn how to be good team players.
4. Cricket also helps to foster and develop talents. This is by players who are good at the game getting noticed and taking part in local and international competitions.
5. Cricket helps to create employment for various people. This includes the players and other people who work for various teams.
6. Another benefit of cricket is that it helps to bring national and international integration. This is by people in a country or different countries coming together to take part in various competitions.

Conclusion

Cricket is a leading sport in India as it is the most favorite game. The main reason for this is that the sport traces back its origins to the English people who used to play the sport in the country. Indians learnt to play the sport later and have been playing since 1792. India has been able to produce very popular players in cricket who have been recognized worldwide. The ICC is the world’s organizing body for the sport as they spearhead and oversee Cricket World Cup. This event attracts member countries from all over the world. The sport is simple and requires basic rules to be followed. The players of the game have to ensure that they have the skills that are required to play the sport well.