| If you have been countries to outside of North | | | | runs". If neither team is ahead with more runs, |
| America you may have noticed a major sport in | | | | the cricket match can end in a "tie" or "draw". |
| places such as England and Wales, Australia, New | | | | The differences between a baseball bat and a |
| Zealand, South Africa, Zimbabwe, and the | | | | cricket bat are very obvious. While the cricket bat |
| Caribbean that is known as "Cricket". Cricket is | | | | is made up of a long handle and a flat surface, |
| extremely popular in many countries of the world | | | | more like a paddle, the baseball bat is round and |
| and is considered to be one of the most popular | | | | essentially tube shaped. Though the batting in |
| spectator's sports in the regions it is played in. | | | | cricket is very similar to batting in baseball, it is |
| The game of cricket appears very similar to | | | | not the same. The same holds good for bowling |
| baseball at first glance though there is significant | | | | and pitching. |
| difference between the two. They are both Bat | | | | When the ball is hit by the batsmen in cricket it is |
| and Ball games and can confuse an untrained eye | | | | called a stroke (or shot). Sometimes the batsmen |
| that is unfamiliar with the sport. | | | | will hit the ball with the side of the bat (as |
| There are many things common to both these | | | | opposed to hitting it with the flat surface, it is hit |
| games. Just as is the case in baseball, the game is | | | | with the edge). This is referred to as a "snick". |
| divided into halves called 'innings'. As is the case in | | | | Batters bat in a batting order which may be |
| baseball, during the 'inning' one team bats while the | | | | changed up to any point in the game if necessary |
| other team 'fields' and 'bowls'. | | | | to obtain a strategic advantage over the opposing |
| The team who bats first sets a target score that | | | | team. |
| the other team attempts to match. The team | | | | Some find that it is due to the subtle differences |
| that is bowling or playing the field attempts to limit | | | | in strategy that make cricket a more compelling |
| the amount of points or "runs" that the opposing | | | | sport to both participate in and follow |
| team scores. When a team is at bat they always | | | | recreationally. Indeed, these subtle differences |
| have two batters (or batsmen) on the field. | | | | make for a different experience in both playing |
| Innings do not change until 10 batsmen are | | | | and watching the game. |
| declared out. This is referred to as "taking their | | | | If you have an opportunity, you should see if you |
| wickets" and results in the end of the inning. | | | | can find a cricket match, especially if you are |
| At the end of the game the winner is the team | | | | visiting one of the countries in which it is a popular |
| with the highest amount of runs. If the losing | | | | pastime. Cricket is great fun once you decipher |
| team bats last, the team is said to have lost by | | | | the jargon, rules and nomenclature of the sport. |
| (the difference in the runs of the winning team | | | | With a little bit of a primer on the sport, you can |
| and the losing team). If the winning team is bats | | | | enjoy the game as much as others who love the |
| last, they have won by (the total amount of) | | | | game. |