County cricket

The earliest account of Cricket goes back to the 11th century but it’s not before 1646 that the game received an organized approach. The first rules were set in 1744 and the first governing body came up in 1787 along with the MCC at the Lord’s Cricket Ground. It’s said that MCC is the copyright holder of the Cricket Laws.

While MCC looked after the matches with teams from Australia and New Zealand, the domestic matches kept on occurring on their own and soon, the inaugural County Cricket Championship took place between eight regional teams. The eight county cricket teams doubled within the next ten years and the inter-county cricket competition had been real crowd pullers in England and Wales. The county cricket championship introduced the first fixed setup after the Second World War and in 1968, the first systematic format was laid that held till the 1990s. The rules needed to be changed since county cricket was going disarray and an eighteenth county was added to set-up a two-division championship for countering the diminished interest. The effort was a futile one and county cricket still struggles. The gate revenue proved insufficient to compensate the overheads.

The County Championship, as we know it today, has its roots mainly in England and its teams named after the historic English counties they represent; Glamorgan, the only exception, is however, a Welsh county.

According to the modern rules, county cricket comprises two innings and the match lasts for four days unless victory comes sooner. The older point system is still functional in county cricket; the change introduced in 1910 to allow the team with the best winning ratio of the wins to the matches to be announced the champion underwent dismissal in 1968 to establish the new “10 points for a win”. Bonus points were introduced for successful and speedy play in the first innings and in 1999, the league was split into two divisions. The split was a successful step in creating a new interest and ticket sales went up.

The counties taking part in county cricket are Yorkshire, Lancashire, Gloucestershire, Nottinghamshire, Middlesex, Sussex, Surrey and Kent. Somerset entered the league the next year, and in 1895 the tournament began to acquire something of its modern shape when Essex, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Warwickshire and Hampshire were added. It was only then that MCC officially realized the competition’s existence and fierceness. Glamorgan, Northamptonshire and Worcestershire were admitted before the 1899 Championship.

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Live cricket scores

Let there be a tournament and cricket fanatics shall go hell bent to find out every possible means for knowing the live cricket scores. That’s a common picture at every place where cricket is a way of life; irrespective of whether it’s the Caribbean regions or Australia or India, the picture remains roundabout the same.

Live cricket scores are the only way to know how a team is doing, especially, when one is away from the field or the TV or the radio. That also shows the popularity the game of cricket enjoys today; had it been not, we wouldn’t see every second person on the road updated with the latest live cricket scores. Live cricket scores are also the only way to rate the performance of a particular player when one cannot attend a cricket match visually and in person.

Perhaps it is the World Cup matches that find the cricket enthusiasts hunting mostly for the latest live cricket scores. That’s why information is made readily available for the people over the Internet nowadays; while news related websites are the ones that featured them mostly even a few years back, now, we have witnessed many-a- cricket-specific websites to deliver accurate live cricket scores and other related information.

Thus, when you are to miss the next big cricket match and especially, if you hate bothering people every now and then to know the live cricket scores, make sure to subscribe to a web portal dedicated to the subject of cricket. The biggest privilege for doing so is a web portal can be accessed from anywhere and it saves a lot of embarrassment as well. But then again, be prepared for being pestered by the rest of the crowd who remain equally interested about knowing the live cricket scores as much as you do.

Therefore, if you want to remain updated with the latest information on an ongoing match even without watching it, live cricket match scores can let you have the all the pleasure, which goes beyond just knowing the average. But the best part is when a tournament involves teams that are of equal prowess; it has been found that more number of people (even the ones who are not so much into the game) get interested on knowing the live cricket scores. For nothing else delivers better statistics in a game of cricket than live cricket scores and it is the only way to add a new dimension to the cricketing knowledge of those who swear by the name of the game.

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Cricket rules

Cricket involves a set of rules that are over two and a half centuries old that underwent additions and alterations as per the requirements and preferences of the governing authorities of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), who are also the sole authority holding the power to do so. Cricket rules compel the cricketers to play in accordance with the Laws, besides keeping the Spirit of the Game intact as well.

At the onset of the new millennium, i.e. year 2000, the MCC revised and re-wrote the Cricket Rules to match the modern times. The new code introduced the Spirit of Cricket as a Preamble to the Laws, whereas, during the past eras, the implicit Spirit of the Game was more of a factor to be understood. MCC took it a step forward this time and clear guidelines came up to maintain the unique character and enjoyment that the game of cricket is famous for. The new measure also dispensed the Notes, for incorporating all the points into Cricket Rules and to alter and change, wherever possible, and remove any ambiguities that may be present, to allow captains, players and umpires to enjoy a game irrespective of the level they are playing for.

There are a total of forty-two laws that the game of cricket involves; they are directed towards the regular players; substitutes and runners; the umpires and the scorers; the ball and the bat; the pitch and the wickets; the bowling, popping and return creases; the preparation and maintenance of the playing area; the innings, and the follow-on; declaration and forfeiture; intervals, game beginning and cessation; field practice; scoring runs; bowling, batting and fielding as well as fair and unfair play.

But there is also something called indoor cricket that varies slightly from the normal cricket rules; indoor cricket comprises rules that are similar but for a few ones. These are regarding the number of overs that are played (16); overs per bowler restricted to 2 while for batsmen it’s 4; getting a batsman caught out off the net is prohibited and he loses 5 runs though is allowed to stay in until 4 overs are completed; runs are calculated by hitting to different sections of the court besides scoring them through hit and run and a bowler bowling a no ball or a wide. In case of the last one, two runs are given to the batting side.

Also worth mentioning is the Duckworth Lewis system which was developed by the ICC (International Cricket Council) to decide how the game would proceed in case it is interrupted by rain or any other natural calamity during the second innings. The system takes into account the number of runs made by each side till the point of interruption and the number of wickets lost by the team batting second. Though it’s a whole lot of complex theory to explain but it does favor the one in the driver’s seat in the game.

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Cricket Masterclass

Masterclass: A class given to talented students by an expert. It’s a common saying in English – “There’s hope in despair” and nothing, perhaps nothing applies that more than to a game of cricket. But then, the usual, run-of-the-mill cricket tutorial centers fail to deliver this to the willing crowd of children to whom a boost can traverse miles. This is where the ordinary trainers lag behind and attending any of the cricket Masterclasses shall reveal the difference.

The modern versions being workshop, depicts clearly that in the cricket Masterclasses, one has more to work and less to shop. That translated, the lessons given in a Masterclass are fruitful only if one is willing to sweat it out and a grade cannot be bought simply with money.

Among a few lessons that are taught in cricket Masterclasses, the first one is that a player must not brood or sit still on his shortcomings; how much ever humiliating they might appear, a tough mind and a focused approach on the move ahead should be the prime criteria. The second valuable lesson that’s commonly received from the cricket Masterclasses is “resistance against distraction”. The only goal in the field is the beat the opponent despite any psychosomatic suffering; with proper measures, a person can develop the capabilities to stay unperturbed while inside the field. This is for the greater benefits of the team, for we all know how a grimacing face can break the morals of the fellowmen.

Now, while these cricket Masterclasses are chiefly for boosting the morals, there are also others that teach the basics of batting, bowling, fielding and wicket keeping – not only the stances and the techniques but also how to create a mental pressure on the opponent team. There are also certain cricket Masterclasses that exclusively teach about equipment handling and maintenance to derive the most out of the items.

The reason that cricket Masterclasses are not that common is due to the fact that commercialization has taken its toll and none of the prominent figures are now willing to devote their time for the next generation of cricketers. The small time cricket teaching clubs also fall short on budget to invite the stars for a session or two; it’s sad to see the ideologies that were meant for applying in the life outside the field as well now fails to suffice the needs within its own domain.

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Cricket bats

If you are planning to go for a new cricket bat, then certain things are important to know and follow. Good cricket bats are not always about the looks and how much ever you get flooded with the smooth talks of the salesman, it’s vital that you stick to the tried and tested properties to differentiate your own “cricket bat” from the other cricket bats. These tips and inputs shall also help you to recognize the best cricket bat before you decide upon one; they shall also explain to you the general feel that’s different for every new cricket bat.

* Selecting the model: The selection should match an individual’s batting style perfectly. That translated, it should not hinder one’s natural flow. There are, of course, bats that are designed as per the specific batting styles of renowned batsmen; while they are good to show off, may not match everybody. Therefore, know first exactly your own batting skills.

* The size: Size does matter and bigger is not always the better, especially when skills stay involved. Thus, it is important that you lay some special emphasis on the size of the bat. Size is a variable factor and one size fits all doesn’t apply here; rather, it needs to be determined according to the build and style of the player. The stance also plays a major role and lastly, it’s the willow, for which, the English variety is considered the best.

* The weight: This is a much-discussed topic among the professionals. While some believe heavy bats to be the cause of intense injuries, others deny the fact on the ground of the higher momentum generated during the swings, making hard-hitting actions possible. So follow the middle path till you get used to it, go for the weight that won’t ground you while driving the ball off.

The next part is seasoning and maintenance. With proper care, cricket bats remain spic and span for long durations, thus a regular oiling is recommended. An initial oiling with linseed oil is an essential thing to perform before putting the bat to use, even if you can’t sand before the bat’s surface with fine-grade sand paper. But allow the oil sufficient time to dry before applying the next coat. After the oiling is done, the bat should be left to dry over the night. However, this doesn’t apply for the cricket bats with an artificial coating. And during off seasons, it should be kept away from heat and humidity, but after applying a light coat of linseed oil.

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Cricket terms

When talking about Cricket terms, it is best to keep a pen and a notebook ready, for no game other than chess and fencing comprise such a vast terminology. The team sport that involves eleven people in each of the teams is even famous for its arcane and humorous nature, so let us have a look at some of the uncommon cricket terms.

* Agricultural shot: A swing of the bat across the line traced by the ball.
* All out: Depicts the end of an innings when ten out of the eleven players on the batting side are sent back to the pavilion.
* All-round spin: Depicts a bowler proficient in both wrist and finger spin.
* Anchor: A batsman of top-order and capable of long-duration batting.
* Appeal: Asking for consent of an umpire to send a batsman back when bowled/caught/stumped. Represented as howzat (how-is-that?).
* Approach: Also called a run-up, it is the motion of the bowler prior to throwing the ball.
* Arm ball: Deception, in one word. It is a delivery by an off-spin bowler that does not spin.
* Around the wicket: The passing of a right-handed bowler to the right of the stumps during the bowling action or vice-versa, in case of left-handed bowlers.
* Back foot: The stance of a batsman with one foot nearer to the stumps or a bowler’s foot that stays on the ground before the other touches the ground.
* Backspin: Also called an under-spin, it is a delivery by the bowler that rotates backwards for slowing down immediately after pitching.
* Ball on a string: A skillful flight of the ball; the delivery is made by a spin bowler from a considerable height to confuse the batsman.
* BBI / Best: Used to denote the best bowlers rated according to the most number of wickets taken and the minimum runs granted for the number of wickets taken.
* Beamer: A delivery that never touches the ground at a height more or less equal to head height. Increases the risk of injury and is illegal.
* Beat the bat: Denotes a close call when the ball misses the bat’s edge.
* Bend your back: An extra effort for extracting more speed or bounce by a fast bowler.
* Block: A shot appropriate for defending or protecting.
* Bodyline: A tactic (now illegal) that involves bowling directly targeting the batsman’s body. Also called fast leg theory.
* Bosie: The tactics applied when making a delivery of the cricket ball by the bowler; the ball is bowled in a way that depicts as if it is going to break one way but breaks the other way round in reality.
* Bouncer: A short-pitched and fast delivery that bounces up to a height almost equal to the batsman’s head.

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