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121-493: In modern cricket, the MCC coaching manual is usually cited idiomatically in reference to orthodox techniques: a well-executed classical batting stroke may be described as "straight out of the coaching manual", while unorthodox shots such as the reverse sweep are ones "you wouldn't find in the MCC coaching manual." This article related to cricket media is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This article about

242-434: A cover drive (struck towards the cover fielding position), an off drive (towards mid-off), straight drive (straight past the bowler), on drive (between stumps and mid-on) or square drive (towards point). A drive can also be played towards midwicket, although the phrase "midwicket drive" is not in common usage. Drives can be played both off the front and the back foot, but back-foot drives are harder to force through

363-846: A reference book is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Batting (cricket)#Reverse sweep In cricket , batting is the act or skill of hitting the ball with a bat to score runs and prevent the loss of one's wicket . Any player who is currently batting is, since September 2021, officially referred to as a batter regardless of whether batting is their particular area of expertise. Historically, batsman and batswoman were used, and these terms remain in widespread use. Batters have to adapt to various conditions when playing on different cricket pitches , especially in different countries; therefore, as well as having outstanding physical batting skills, top-level batters will have quick reflexes, excellent decision-making skills, and be good strategists. During an innings two members of

484-500: A batter during the first few balls he receives, to give himself time to judge the conditions of the pitch and the bowling before attempting to play a shot. Leaving a delivery is a matter of judgement and technique. The batter still has to watch the ball closely to ensure that it will not hit him or the wicket; he also has to ensure that his bat and hands are kept out of the path of the ball so that it cannot make accidental contact and possibly lead to him being out caught . Batters only leave

605-596: A batting team in Test matches usually includes its most skilled batters in terms of shot-playing ability, because during the middle overs of a day batting is relatively easier than in the initial stages of the innings. If the batting innings of a team begins after the last half-hour of the day, the team might employ a nightwatchman to bat after a dismissal. The nightwatchman is usually a lower-order player, able to protect his wicket primarily by defending dangerous balls and leaving non-dangerous ones rather than looking to produce

726-463: A captain. Outside of official competitions, teams can agree to play more than eleven-a-side, though no more than eleven players may field. Law 2: The umpires . There are two umpires, who apply the Laws, make all necessary decisions, and relay the decisions to the scorers. While not required under the Laws of Cricket, in higher level cricket a third umpire (located off the field, and available to assist

847-461: A career Test average of 99.94, 38 more than any other batter. Sachin Tendulkar set many modern-day batting records, including being the first player to score 100 international centuries across all three formats of the game. Brian Lara holds the record for the highest individual score in a first-class match (501 not out), and in a Test innings, with 400 not out. Mithali Raj is widely regarded as

968-578: A fielding team cannot manoeuvre fielders while the bowler is in their run-up, the fielding side is effectively wrong-footed with the fielders out of position. The shot was pioneered by Kevin Pietersen , first performed off the bowling of Muttiah Muralitharan in England's 2006 home series against Sri Lanka. It was subsequently used in the New Zealand series in England in 2008 when Pietersen performed

1089-409: A full straight delivery on the stumps is generally not recommended because of the risk of lbw . Since a batter is free to play any shot to any type of delivery as he wishes, the above list is by no means a complete list of the strokes that batters choose to play. Many unorthodox, typically high-risk, shots have been used throughout the history of the game. The advent of limited overs cricket has seen

1210-420: A lack of defensively minded lower-order batters. In the third innings, the batting team may score quickly to set a large target to the opposition. This scenario usually occurs on the fourth day's play. The batting captain decides how many overs he is prepared to allow the opposition to chase the batting team's total in their fourth innings. The captain usually declares his team's innings at a predetermined time on

1331-432: A large number of runs for his team, but not a complete rabbit , liable to expose other players late in a day. This move prevents a regular players from having to face the last few overs left in the day or bat early the following morning; however, some teams do not employ nightwatchmen for various reasons, including a belief that middle-order player should be able to protect their wicket in poor conditions as well as good, or

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1452-410: A low bouncing ball, usually from a slow bowler (However, players like Mal Loye also play the sweep against fast bowlers), by kneeling on one knee, bringing the head down in line with the ball and swinging the bat around in a horizontal arc near the pitch as the ball arrives, sweeping it around to the leg side, typically towards square leg or fine leg. A paddle sweep shot is a sweep shot in which

1573-445: A measure of a player's effectiveness. The main statistic for batting is a player's batting average . This is calculated by dividing the number of runs they have scored by the number of times they have been dismissed (not by the number of innings they have played). Don Bradman is widely regarded as the greatest batter of all time, and he set many batting records during his career in the 1930s and 1940s which remain unbeaten. He achieved

1694-495: A minimum width of 6 ft (1.83 m). Law 7: The creases . This Law sets out the dimensions and locations of the creases. The bowling crease, which is the line the stumps are in the middle of, is drawn at each end of the pitch so that the three stumps at that end of the pitch fall on it (and consequently it is perpendicular to the imaginary line joining the centres of both middle stumps). Each bowling crease should be 8 feet 8 inches (2.64 m) in length, centred on

1815-455: A six. Kevin Pietersen , who pioneered switch-hitting, is adept at this, but one could argue that the resulting shot is basically a sweep rather than a reverse sweep. A more classic example of such a shot would be Yusuf Pathan 's six off Robin Peterson. South Africa's AB de Villiers is well known for his ability to hit sixes with the reverse sweep at ease and Glenn Maxwell also often plays

1936-442: A stroke and will shift their weight onto the balls of their feet. By doing this they are ready to move swiftly into position to address the ball once they see its path out of the bowler's hand. Although the textbook, side-on stance is the most common, a few international players, such as Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Steve Smith , use an "open" or "square on" stance. Backlift is how a batter lifts his bat in preparation for hitting

2057-437: A substitute may be brought on for an injured fielder. However, a substitute may not bat, bowl or act as captain. The original player may return if he has recovered. Law 25: Batter's innings ; Runners A batter who becomes unable to run may have a runner, who completes the runs while the batter continues batting. (The use of runners is not permitted in international cricket under the current playing conditions.) Alternatively,

2178-487: A target of 48 to win. Small batted last of the Hambledon Five and needed 14 more to win when he went in. He duly scored the runs and Hambledon won by 1 wicket but a great controversy arose afterwards because, three times in the course of his second innings, Small was beaten by Lumpy only for the ball to pass through the two-stump wicket each time without hitting the stumps or the bail. As a result of Lumpy's protests,

2299-399: A team's innings does not end on the fifth day then the match is drawn , or a stalemate is reached. However, in trying to do so, if the batting team manages to overhaul its deficit and gain a substantial lead (an excess of runs) over the opposition, the captain may consider declaring the innings so they can "force" a victory on the final day, depending on the size of the lead, the readiness of

2420-467: A traditional sweep. The advantage of a reverse sweep is that it effectively reverses the fielding positions and thus is very difficult to set a field to. It is also a risky shot for the batter as it increases the chance of lbw and also is quite easy to top edge to a fielder. It was first regularly played in the 1970s by the Pakistani batter Mushtaq Mohammad , though Mushtaq's brother Hanif Mohammad

2541-415: A two-day game, 100 runs; for a one-day game, 75 runs. The length of the game is determined by the number of scheduled days play left when the game actually begins. Law 15: Declaration and forfeiture . The batting captain can declare an innings closed at any time when the ball is dead, and may also forfeit an innings before it has started. Law 16: The result . The side which scores the most runs wins

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2662-422: Is a cross-batted sweep shot played in the opposite direction to the standard sweep, thus instead of sweeping the ball to the leg side, it is swept to the off side, towards a backward point or third man . The batter may also swap his hands on the bat handle to make the stroke easier to execute. The batter may also bring his back foot to the front, therefore, turning the shot into a switch-hit and making it more like

2783-479: Is considered to have unlimited length, the popping crease must be marked to at least 6 feet (1.83 m) on either side of the imaginary line joining the centres of the middle stumps. The return creases, which are the lines a bowler must be within when making a delivery, are drawn on each side of each set of the stumps, along each sides of the pitch (so there are four return creases in all, one on either side of both sets of stumps). The return creases lie perpendicular to

2904-460: Is increasingly the preferred term in some media outlets. Over time a standard batting technique has been developed which is used by most batters. Technique refers to the batter's stance before the ball is bowled as well as the movement of the hands, feet, head, and body in the execution of a cricket stroke. Good technique is characterized by quickly getting into the correct position to play the shot, especially getting one's head and body in line with

3025-490: Is limited. However, the Marillier shot is played over the batter's shoulder to fine leg, but the basis of the scoop stroke is for the batter to go down on one knee to a good length or slightly short-of-length delivery off a fast or medium paced bowler and scoop the ball over the head of the wicket-keeper. The scoop shot is a risky shot to play as the improper execution of this shot may lead to a catch being offered. A version of

3146-418: Is no requirement to score runs as quickly as possible, thus allowing the batter to choose which deliveries to play. A leg glance is a delicate straight-batted shot played at a ball aimed slightly on the leg side, using the bat to flick the ball as it passes the batter, and requiring some wrist work as well, deflecting towards the square leg or fine leg area. The stroke involves deflecting the bat-face towards

3267-409: Is sometimes credited as the inventor. Cricket coach Bob Woolmer has been credited with popularising the stroke. The most famous example of a reverse sweep backfiring was in the case of Mike Gatting of England against Allan Border of Australia in the 1987 Cricket World Cup Final . With England on course for victory, Gatting attempted a reverse sweep off the first delivery bowled by Border, top-edged

3388-420: Is specified in women's cricket, and slightly smaller and lighter again in junior cricket (Law 4.6). Only one ball is used at a time, unless it is lost, when it is replaced with a ball of similar wear. It is also replaced at the start of each innings, and may, at the request of the fielding side, be replaced with a new ball, after a minimum number of overs have been bowled as prescribed by the regulations under which

3509-471: Is widely used in modern cricket. The shot is advantageous in fast bouncy tracks and is seen commonly in Twenty20 cricket. Notable players to hit upper cut include Sachin Tendulkar , Virender Sehwag and Brendan Taylor . A switch hit is a shot where a batter changes their handedness and posture to adopt a stance the mirror image of their traditional handedness while the bowler is running in to bowl. As

3630-586: The Star and Garter in Pall Mall . A summary of the main points: The 1744 Laws do not say the bowler must roll (or skim) the ball and there is no mention of prescribed arm action so, in theory, a pitched delivery would have been legal, though potentially controversial. Underarm pitching is believed to have begun in the early 1760s when the Hambledon Club was rising to prominence. The modern straight bat

3751-567: The Wicket allowed. Points that differ from the modern Laws (use of italics is to highlight the differences only): (a) the wickets shall be pitched at twenty three yards distance from each other; (b) that twelve Gamesters shall play on each side; (c) the Batt Men for every one they count are to touch the Umpire 's Stick ; (d) no Player shall be deemed out by any Wicket put down, unless with

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3872-457: The clip off the legs . The shot is played with the bat coming through straight as for the on drive, but the bat face is angled towards the leg side. It can be played both off the front foot or the back foot, either off the toes or from the hips. The shot is played between the mid-on and square leg region. Typically played along the ground, the flick can also be played by lofting the ball over the infield. The second class of cricket stroke comprises

3993-471: The "Laws of Cricket 2017 Code" which replaced the 6th Edition of the "2000 Code of Laws". Custodianship of the Laws remains one of MCC's most important roles. The ICC still relies on MCC to write and interpret the Laws, which are the responsibility of MCC's Laws sub-committee. The process in MCC is that the sub-committee prepares a draft which is passed by the main committee. Certain levels of cricket, however, are subject to playing conditions which can differ from

4114-400: The "with design" clause was omitted and a new clause was introduced that the ball must have pitched straight. Also in 1788, protection of the pitch was first included in the Laws. By mutual consent between the teams, the pitch could be rolled, watered, covered and mown during a match and the use of sawdust was authorised. Previously, pitches were left untouched during a match. MCC has revised

4235-514: The Ball in Hand . In modern cricket: (a) the pitch is 22 yards long; (b) the teams are eleven-a-side; (c) runs were only completed if the batsman touched the umpire's stick (which was probably a bat ) and this practice was eventually replaced by the batsman having to touch the ground behind the popping crease ; (d) run outs no longer require the ball to be in hand. The earliest known code of Laws

4356-462: The Laws and it remains the maximum width. On Friday, 25 February 1774, the Laws were revised by a committee meeting at the Star and Garter . Chaired by Sir William Draper , the members included prominent cricket patrons the 3rd Duke of Dorset , the 4th Earl of Tankerville , Charles Powlett , Philip Dehany and Sir Horatio Mann . The clubs and counties represented were Kent , Hampshire , Surrey , Sussex , Middlesex and London . A summary of

4477-582: The Laws may be agreed for particular competitions as required. Those applying to international matches (referred to as "playing conditions") can be found on the ICC's website. The origin of cricket is uncertain and it was first definitely recorded at Guildford in the 16th century. It is believed to have been a boys' game at that time but, from early in the 17th century, it was increasingly played by adults. Rules as such existed and, in early times, would have been agreed orally and subject to local variations. Cricket in

4598-404: The Laws periodically, usually within the same code, but at times they have decided to publish an entirely new code: Changes to the Laws did not always coincide with the publication of a new code and some of the most important changes were introduced as revisions to the current code and, therefore, each code has more than one version. Starting on 1 October 2017, the current version of the Laws are

4719-425: The Laws. Law 9: Preparation and maintenance of the playing area . When a cricket ball is bowled it almost always bounces on the pitch, and the behaviour of the ball is greatly influenced by the condition of the pitch. As a consequence, detailed rules on the management of the pitch are necessary. This Law contains the rules governing how pitches should be prepared, mown, rolled, and maintained. Law 10: Covering

4840-602: The Laws. At international level, playing conditions are implemented by the ICC; at domestic level by each country's board of control. The code of Laws consists of: Starting from the third edition of the 2017 version of the code, the term "batter" was substituted from the term "batsman", to make the laws use gender-neutral terminology. The first 12 Laws cover the players and officials, basic equipment, pitch specifications and timings of play. These Laws are supplemented by Appendices B, C and D (see below). Law 1: The players . A cricket team consists of eleven players, including

4961-432: The accuracy of its conception and the technical ability with which it is carried out. A key aspect of the strategy of batting is the trade-off between the level of aggression (trying to score) and the risk involved of being dismissed. An optimal batting strategy balances several considerations: the number of wickets left, the target that has been set (if batting last) and how the risk of losing a wicket increase when increasing

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5082-441: The action from that ball is over. Once the ball is dead, no runs can be scored and no batsmen can be dismissed. The ball becomes dead for a number of reasons, most commonly when a batter is dismissed, when a boundary is hit, or when the ball has finally settled with the bowler or wicketkeeper. Law 21: No ball . A ball can be a no-ball for several reasons: if the bowler bowls from the wrong place; if he straightens his elbow during

5203-403: The back foot is known as a backward defensive . These strokes may be used to score runs, by manipulating the block to move the ball into vacant portions of the infield, in which case a block becomes a "push". Pushing the ball is one of the more common ways batters manipulate the strike. Leaving and blocking are employed much more often in first-class cricket (including Test matches ), as there

5324-477: The bail six inches long". There were only two stumps then, with a single bail. At the Artillery Ground on 22–23 May 1775, a lucrative single wicket match was played between Five of Kent (with Lumpy Stevens ) and Five of Hambledon (with Thomas White). Kent batted first and made 37 to which Hambledon replied with 92, including 75 by John Small. In their second innings, Kent scored 102, leaving Hambledon

5445-404: The ball , one's feet placed next to where the ball would bounce and then swinging the bat at the ball to make contact at the precise moment required for the particular stroke being played. The movement of the batter for a particular delivery depends on the shot being attempted. Front-foot shots are played with the weight on the front foot (left foot for a right-hander ) and are usually played when

5566-412: The ball and was caught by wicketkeeper Greg Dyer. England subsequently lost momentum and eventually lost the match. Because of the unorthodox nature of hand and body position, it is often difficult to get a lot of power behind a reverse sweep; in many situations, the intention is to glance or cut the ball to the back leg area. However, on rare occasions, players have been able to execute reverse sweeps for

5687-399: The ball downwards. A mistimed cut with an open-faced bat (with the face of the bat facing the bowler) will generally lead to the ball rising in the air, giving a chance for the batter to be caught. Although confusingly named a drive, the square drive is actually a horizontal bat shot, with identical arm mechanics to that of the square cut. The difference between the cut and the square drive is

5808-407: The ball into gaps where there are no fielders . Unorthodox shots are typically—but not always—more high-risk than orthodox shots due to some aspects of good batting technique being abandoned. The stance is the position in which a batter stands to have the ball bowled to them. An ideal stance is "comfortable, relaxed and balanced", with the feet 40 centimetres (16 in) apart, parallel and astride

5929-403: The ball is deflected towards fine leg with a stationary or near-stationary bat extended horizontally towards the bowler, whereas the hard sweep shot is played towards square leg with the bat swung firmly in a horizontal arc. Typically the sweep shot will be played to a legside delivery, but it is also possible for a batter to sweep the ball to the leg side from outside off stump. Attempting to sweep

6050-412: The ball is pitched up to the batter, while back-foot shots are played putting the weight onto the back foot, usually to bowling that is pitched short. Shots may also be referred to as vertical or straight-bat shots, in which the bat is swung vertically at the ball (e.g. when playing a drive or leg glance), or horizontal or cross-bat shots, in which the bat is swung horizontally at the ball (e.g. when playing

6171-407: The ball when they are certain that it will not hit the stumps. A drive is a straight-batted shot, played by swinging the bat in a vertical arc through the line of the ball , hitting the ball in front of the batter along the ground. It is one of the most common shots in a batter's armory and often the first shot taught to junior cricketers. Depending on the direction the ball travels, a drive can be

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6292-427: The ball, bending their front knee to bring the bat down to the anticipated height of the ball. By moving forward, the batter is also able to intercept the ball immediately after it has pitched, thus nullifying any potentially dangerous lateral movement. A back foot shot is typically used to address a ball arriving at between thigh and head height. The batter will step back and, if necessary, stand on their tiptoes to raise

6413-421: The ball. While the bat should be raised as vertically as possible, coaching manuals often suggest that correct technique is for the bat to be slightly angled from the perpendicular; a common instruction is to point the face of the bat in the direction of first or second slip . Some players (notably, in recent times, Brian Lara , Virender Sehwag ) have employed an exaggerated backlift. Others, who have employed

6534-423: The bat is a vertical alignment at the point of contact. Vertical-bat shots are typically played with the batter's head directly above the point of contact so he is able to accurately judge the line of the ball. At this point, the bat can either be stationary and facing straight back down the wicket – known as a block or defensive shot; angled to one side – known as a glance or deflection; or travelling forwards towards

6655-493: The bat is considered part of the bat. Ever since the ComBat incident, a highly publicised marketing attempt by Dennis Lillee , who brought out an aluminium bat during an international game, the Laws have provided that the blade of the bat must be made of wood. Law 6: The pitch . The pitch is a rectangular area of the ground 22 yards (20.12 m) long and 10 ft (3.05 m) wide. The Ground Authority selects and prepares

6776-430: The bat to the height of the ball. By stepping back towards the wicket, the batter also receives the advantage of having an extra small amount of time to react to any unexpected lateral movement or variation in bounce. Vertical-bat or straight-bat shots can be played off either the front foot or the back foot depending upon the anticipated height of the ball at the moment it reaches the batter. The characteristic position of

6897-449: The batter have time to sight the length and adopt the kneeling position required for the slog sweep. The front leg of the shot is usually placed wider outside leg stump to allow for a full swing of the bat. An upper cut is a shot played towards third man , usually hit when the ball is pitched outside the off stump with an extra bounce. It is a dangerous shot which can edge the ball to keeper or slips if not executed correctly. The shot

7018-431: The batter must take into consideration the bowler's strategy, the position of the fielders, the pitch conditions, and his own strengths and weaknesses. The strategy he will decide on will incorporate a number of preconceived attacking responses to the various deliveries he may anticipate receiving, designed specifically to score runs with minimal risk of being dismissed. The success of this strategy will be dependent upon both

7139-405: The batter's head typically not being perfectly in line with the ball at the point of contact. A cut is a cross-batted shot played at a short-pitched ball, placing it wide on the off side. The batter makes contact with the ball as it draws alongside or passes him and therefore requires virtually no effort on his part as he uses the bowler's pace to divert the ball. A square cut is a shot hit into

7260-419: The batting side are on the pitch at any time: the one facing the current delivery from the bowler is called the striker , while the other is the non-striker . When a batter is out , they are replaced by a teammate. This continues until the end of the innings , which in most cases is when 10 of the team members are out, whereupon the other team gets a turn to bat. Batting tactics and strategy vary depending on

7381-419: The batting side speeds up the run rate (runs per over) until the captain declares. If, however, a batting team is significantly behind the opposition in terms of runs going into the fourth day of a Test match, a typical strategy by the batting team involves playing defensively to avoid losing their wickets. This ensures that they occupy the most time until the match draws to a close on the fifth day, because if

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7502-402: The boundary edge. The slog can be an effective shot because all the batter's power and body weight can be put into swinging the bat at the ball. A slog sweep is a slog played from the kneeling position used to sweep. Slog sweeps are usually directed over square-leg rather than to mid-wicket. It is almost exclusively used against reasonably full-pitched balls from slow bowlers, as only then does

7623-432: The bowler – known as a drive. A block stroke is usually a purely defensive stroke designed to stop the ball from hitting the wicket or the batter's body. This shot has no strength behind it and is usually played with a light or "soft" grip (commentators often refer to "soft hands") and merely stops the ball moving towards the wicket. A block played on the front foot is known as a forward defensive , while that played on

7744-592: The bowlers, and the state of the pitch. As One Day International matches have a limited set of overs , batters try to score quickly. Doing so, batters should aim for a higher run rate than the one which would maximize their expected personal score. It is optimal for batters to take the risk of being dismissed and being replaced by another teammate. This higher risk strategy makes the best of the limited number of overs. Scoring quickly typically means trying to score at least one run per ball bowled. Most batter manage to score at an average of four runs an over (i.e. four runs in

7865-494: The crease markings can be found in Appendix C. Law 8: The wickets . The wicket consists of three wooden stumps that are 28 inches (71.12 cm) tall. The stumps are placed along the bowling crease with equal distances between each stump. They are positioned so that the wicket is 9 inches (22.86 cm) wide. Two wooden bails are placed on top of the stumps. The bails must not project more than 0.5 inches (1.27 cm) above

7986-458: The crease. Additionally, the front shoulder should be pointing down the wicket, the head facing the bowler, the weight equally balanced and the bat near the back toe. A slight crouch is adopted in order to be in a more effective striking posture whilst also isometrically preloading the muscles; this allows the stroke to be played more dynamically. As the ball is about to be released, the batter will lift their bat up behind in anticipation of playing

8107-402: The delivery; if the bowling is dangerous; if the ball bounces more than once or rolls along the ground before reaching the batter; or if the fielders are standing in illegal places. A no-ball adds one run to the batting team's score, in addition to any other runs which are scored off it, and the batter cannot be dismissed off a no-ball except by being run out, hitting the ball twice, or obstructing

8228-406: The direction of the fine leg fielding position. The stroke is very difficult to play intentionally, and is more often a mistake by the batter. It is a risky stroke, and can easily result in the batter playing on to their stumps, resulting in the batter being dismissed as bowled . The fundamental aim of each batter is to find a means of safely scoring runs against each bowler he faces. To do this,

8349-402: The end of limited-overs matches because it is difficult to hit such balls to the boundary. The shot got its fame through MS Dhoni , who played it on a regular basis as a way to score boundaries against full and yorker length deliveries. The French cut is a stroke where the ball is hit with the inside edge of the bat, meaning it is directed between the batter and the stumps, and moves away in

8470-435: The field. Law 22: Wide ball . An umpire calls a ball "wide" if, in his or her opinion, the ball is so wide of the batter and the wicket that he could not hit it with the bat playing a normal cricket shot. A wide adds one run to the batting team's score, in addition to any other runs which are scored off it, and the batter cannot be dismissed off a wide except by being run out or stumped, by hitting his wicket, or obstructing

8591-469: The field. Law 23: Bye and leg bye . If a ball that is not a wide passes the striker and runs are scored, they are called byes. If a ball hits the striker but not the bat and runs are scored, they are called leg-byes. However, leg-byes cannot be scored if the striker is neither attempting a stroke nor trying to avoid being hit. Byes and leg-byes are credited to the team's but not the batter's total. Law 24: Fielders' absence; Substitutes . In cricket,

8712-417: The fourth day so they can bowl at least 20 overs on that day and 90 overs on the last day. A good number of overs to bowl at the opposition team in the fourth innings is essential because usually on the fourth and fifth days of a Test match conditions are good for bowling (especially slow bowling), with the pitch having experienced a fair degree of wear and tear. Thus, to make the target as difficult as possible,

8833-553: The game is to be played. MCC has re-coded the Laws six times, each with interim revisions that produce more than one edition. The most recent code, the seventh, was released in October 2017; its 3rd edition came into force on 1 October 2022. Formerly cricket's official governing body, the MCC has handed that role to the International Cricket Council (ICC). But MCC retains copyright of the Laws and remains

8954-412: The greatest batter of all time in women's cricket . She set many modern-day records, including being the highest run-scorer in women's international cricket. Any player, regardless of their area of special skill, is referred to as a "batter" (historically as a "batsman" or "batswoman") while they are batting. The batter's act of hitting the ball is called a "shot" or "stroke". A player who is selected for

9075-429: The height of the ball at contact: the cut is played to a ball bouncing waist high or above with the batting batter standing tall, whereas the square drive is played to a wide ball of shin height with the batter bending his knees and crouching low to make contact. A pull is a cross-batted shot played to a ball bouncing around waist height by swinging the bat in a horizontal arc in front of the body, pulling it around to

9196-419: The horizontal-bat shots, also known as cross-bat shots: the cut, the square drive, the pull, the hook, and the sweep. Typically, horizontal bat shots have a greater probability of failing to make contact with the ball than vertical bat shots and therefore are restricted to deliveries that are not threatening to hit the stumps, either by dint of being too wide or too short. The bat is swung in a horizontal arc, with

9317-437: The increased use of unorthodox shots to hit the ball into gaps where there are no fielders placed. Unorthodox shots are rarely used in first-class cricket as the pace of the game is slower and it is relatively more important to keep one's wicket than to try to score runs off every ball. A few unorthodox shots have gained enough popularity or notoriety to have been given their own names and entered common usage. A reverse sweep

9438-424: The innings when the number of overs left is small (there is not much to lose in taking the risk of ending all out). Research has shown that teams broadly follow these principles. A noticeable exception is when batters face the possibility of scoring a personal milestone (e.g. century ), in that case, they tend to decrease their risk-taking below what is optimal for the team in order to increase their chance of reaching

9559-526: The intervals must be agreed before the match begins. There are also provisions for moving the intervals and interval lengths in certain situations, most notably the provision that if nine wickets are down, the lunch and tea interval are delayed to the earlier of the fall of the next wicket and 30 minutes elapsing. According to Law 11.8, a drinks interval "shall be kept as short as possible and in any case shall not exceed 5 minutes." Law 12: Start of play; cessation of play . Play after an interval commences with

9680-410: The late 17th century became a betting game attracting high stakes and there were instances of teams being sued for non-payment of wagers they had lost. In July and August 1727, two matches were organised by stakeholders Charles Lennox, 2nd Duke of Richmond and Alan Brodrick, 2nd Viscount Midleton . References to these games confirm that they drew up Articles of Agreement between them to determine

9801-417: The leg side at the last moment, head and body moving inside the line of the ball. This shot is played "off the toes, shins or hip". It is played off the front foot if the ball is pitched up at the toes or shin of the batter, or off the back foot if the ball bounces at waist/hip height to the batter. Although the opposite term off glance is not employed within cricket, the concept of angling the bat face towards

9922-420: The leg side towards mid-wicket or square leg. The term hook shot is used when the shot is played against a ball bouncing at or above chest high to the batter, the batter thus "hooking" the ball around behind square leg, either along the ground or in the air. Pull and hook shots can be played off the front or back foot, with the back foot being more typical. A sweep is a cross-batted front foot shot played to

10043-417: The leg side. To play a scoop shot, the batter is on the front foot and aims to get beneath the bounce of the ball and hit it directly behind the stumps, up and over the wicket-keeper. This shot, though risky in the execution, has the advantage of being aimed at a section of the field where a fielder is rarely placed – particularly in Twenty20 and One Day International cricket where the number of outfielders

10164-401: The line of the ball. Although most drives are deliberately struck along the ground to reduce the risk of being dismissed caught, a batter may decide to play a lofted drive to hit the ball over the infielders and potentially even over the boundary for six. A flick shot is a straight-batted shot played on the leg side by flicking a full-length delivery using the wrists. It is often also called

10285-463: The main points added in the 1774 code: The main innovation was the introduction of leg before wicket (lbw) as a means of dismissal. The practice of stopping the ball with the leg had arisen as a negative response to the pitched delivery. As in 1744, there is nothing about the bowler's delivery action. The maximum width of the bat was confirmed following the incident in 1771. As in 1744, the 1774 code asserted that "the stumps must be twenty-two inches,

10406-421: The match is taking place (currently 80 in Test matches). The gradual degradation of the ball through the innings is an important aspect of the game. Law 5: The bat . The bat is no more than 38 inches (96.52 cm) in length, no more than 4.25 inches (10.8 cm) wide, no more than 2.64 inches (6.7 cm) deep at its middle and no deeper than 1.56 inches (4.0 cm) at the edge. The hand or glove holding

10527-502: The match. If both sides score the same number of runs, the match is tied. However, the match may run out of time before the innings have all been completed; in this case, the match is drawn. The Laws then move on to detail how runs can be scored. Law 17: The over . An over consists of six balls bowled, excluding wides and no-balls. Consecutive overs are delivered from opposite ends of the pitch. A bowler may not bowl two consecutive overs. Law 18: Scoring runs . Runs are scored when

10648-426: The middle stump at each end, and each bowling crease terminates at one of the return creases. The popping crease, which determines whether a batter is in his ground or not, and which is used in determining front-foot no-balls (see Law 21), is drawn at each end of the pitch in front of each of the two sets of stumps. The popping crease must be 4 feet (1.22 m) in front of and parallel to the bowling crease. Although it

10769-543: The middle stump was introduced, although it was some years before its use became universal. MCC was founded in 1787 and immediately assumed responsibility for the Laws, issuing a new version on 30 May 1788 which was called "The LAWS of the NOBLE GAME of CRICKET as revised by the Club at St. Mary-le-bone". The third Law stated: "The stumps must be twenty-two inches out of the ground, the bail six inches in length". These were

10890-468: The milestone. Laws of Cricket The Laws of Cricket is a code that specifies the rules of the game of cricket worldwide. The earliest known code was drafted in 1744. Since 1788, the code has been owned and maintained by the private Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) in Lord's Cricket Ground , London . There are currently 42 Laws (always written with a capital "L"), which describe all aspects of how

11011-455: The more unorthodox open stance, such as Peter Willey , had a more abbreviated backlift. Depending upon the path of the ball, the batter will either move forward or back in his attempt to intercept it. A forward movement is designated a front foot shot , whereas a backward movement is designated a back foot shot . A front foot shot is typically used to address a ball arriving at between ankle and thigh height. The batter will step forward towards

11132-406: The off side at near to 90 degrees from the wicket (towards point). A late cut is played as or after the ball passes the batter's body and is hit towards the third man position. The cut shot is typically played off the back foot but is also sometimes played off the front foot against slower bowling. The cut should be played with the face of the bat rolling over the ball to face the ground thus pushing

11253-412: The offside to deflect the ball away from the wicket for the purpose of scoring runs through the off side is a commonly used technique. This would commonly be described instead as "running (or steering) the ball down to the third man". The leave is sometimes considered a cricket shot, even though the batter physically does not play at or interfere with the ball as it passes him. The leave is often used by

11374-444: The on-field umpires) may be used under the specific playing conditions of a particular match or tournament. Law 3: The scorers . There are two scorers who respond to the umpires' signals and keep the score. Law 4: The ball . A cricket ball is between 8.81 and 9 inches (22.4 cm and 22.9 cm) in circumference, and weighs between 5.5 and 5.75 ounces (155.9g and 163g) in men's cricket. A slightly smaller and lighter ball

11495-458: The only body that may change them, although usually this is only done after close consultation with the ICC and other interested parties such as the Association of Cricket Umpires and Scorers . Cricket is one of the few sports in which the governing principles are referred to as "Laws" rather than as "rules" or "regulations". In certain cases, however, regulations to supplement and/or vary

11616-427: The overall dimensions and the requirement for a third stump was unspecified, indicating that its use was still not universal. The 1788 code is much more detailed and descriptive than the 1774 code but, fundamentally, they are largely the same. The main difference was in the wording of the lbw Law. In 1774, this said that the batsman is out if, with design , he prevents the ball hitting the wicket with his leg. In 1788,

11737-433: The pitch . The pitch is said to be 'covered' when the groundsmen have placed covers on it to protect it against rain or dew. The Laws stipulate that the regulations on covering the pitch shall be agreed by both captains in advance. The decision concerning whether to cover the pitch greatly affects how the ball will react to the pitch surface, as a ball bounces differently on wet ground as compared to dry ground. The area beyond

11858-411: The pitch where a bowler runs so as to deliver the ball (the 'run-up') should ideally be kept dry so as to avoid injury through slipping and falling, and the Laws also require these to be covered wherever possible when there is wet weather. Law 11: Intervals . There are intervals during each day's play, a ten-minute interval between innings, and lunch, tea and drinks intervals. The timing and length of

11979-439: The pitch, but once the game has started, the umpires control what happens to the pitch. The umpires are also the arbiters of whether the pitch is fit for play, and if they deem it unfit, with the consent of both captains can change the pitch. Professional cricket is almost always played on a grass surface. However, in the event a non-turf pitch is used, the artificial surface must have a minimum length of 58 ft (17.68 m) and

12100-401: The popping crease and the bowling crease, 4 feet 4 inches (1.32 m) either side of and parallel to the imaginary line joining the centres of the two middle stumps. Each return crease terminates at one end at the popping crease but the other end is considered to be unlimited in length and must be marked to a minimum of 8 feet (2.44 m) from the popping crease. Diagrams setting out

12221-461: The pull or cut shot). While a batter is not limited in where or how they may hit the ball, the development of good technique has gone hand in hand with the development of a standard or orthodox cricket shots played to specific types of deliveries. These "textbook" shots are standard material found in many coaching manuals. The advent of limited overs cricket , with its emphasis on rapid run-scoring, has led to increasing use of unorthodox shots to hit

12342-546: The reverse sweep. A slog is a powerful pull shot played over mid-wicket, usually, hit in the air in an attempt to score a six . A shot would be referred to as a slog when it is typically played at a delivery that would not ordinarily be pulled. A slog can also be described as hitting the ball to " cow corner ". This phrase is designed to imply that the batter is unsophisticated in their stroke play and technique by suggesting they would be more at home playing on more rudimentary cricket fields in which there may be cows grazing along

12463-508: The rules that must apply in their contests. The original handwritten articles document drawn up by Richmond and Brodrick has been preserved. It is among papers which the West Sussex Record Office (WSRO) acquired from Goodwood House in 1884. This is the first time that rules are known to have been formally agreed, their purpose being to resolve any problems between the patrons during their matches. The concept, however,

12584-689: The scoop stroke called the Dilscoop was developed by Sri Lankan right-handed batter Tillakaratne Dilshan during the 2009 ICC World Twenty20 . The helicopter shot is the act of hitting the ball by means of a wristy flick, using the bottom-hand as the dominant force. The shot gets its name from the flourish completing the stroke, with the bat being circled overhead. It has been considered an unconventional and innovative stroke which, when hit executed effectively, can be used to score boundaries, even against good yorkers or fuller-length deliveries, which have traditionally been used by faster bowlers towards

12705-524: The shot twice in the same over against Scott Styris on his way to making an unbeaten century. David Warner , the Australian opener, is also a frequent user of the switch hit and used it to great effect against the Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin in the first Twenty20 of the Indian cricket team's tour to Australia 2012. Glenn Maxwell and Ben Stokes also play the switch hit. The legality of

12826-416: The side batting second scores substantially fewer runs than the side which batted first, then the side that batted first can require their opponents to bat again immediately. The side that enforced the follow-on has the chance to win without batting again. For a game of five or more days, the side batting first must be at least 200 runs ahead to enforce the follow-on; for a three- or four-day game, 150 runs; for

12947-402: The sides bat alternately unless the follow-on (Law 14) is enforced. An innings is closed once ten batsmen are dismissed, no further batsmen are fit to play, the innings is declared or forfeited by the batting captain, or any agreed time or overs limit has expired. The captain winning the toss of a coin decides whether to bat or to bowl first. Law 14: The follow-on . In a two-innings match, if

13068-464: The situation, batters may abandon attempts at run-scoring in an effort to preserve their wicket, or may attempt to score runs as quickly as possible with scant concern for the possibility of being dismissed. Unlike various other bat-and-ball sports , cricket batters may hit the ball in any direction to score runs, and can use creative shots to do so. As with all other cricket statistics , batting statistics and records are given much attention and provide

13189-402: The six ball over). The optimal level of risk should vary depending on different factors. It should be higher when the team has more wickets left as they provide of a cushion of security (against the risk of ending all out). It should be higher when the pitch provides good conditions for batting, making it easier to score without great risk of being dismissed. It should increase towards the end of

13310-510: The starting players in Test cricket are often chosen for their sound technique and ability to defend their wicket, because the first 1–2 hours of an innings, especially if it begins in the morning, are usually characterized by good conditions for bowling, specifically in terms of the pace and bounce of the pitch and the lateral movement of the ball in the air. The first-drop batter is usually also chosen for his sound technique, so as to stabilize his end in case an opener gets out. The middle order of

13431-453: The strike rate. These strategies depend on the match situation and on the match format. Strategies therefore vary greatly between the three forms of international cricket: Test , One Day International and T20 cricket. In Test cricket, the usual aim is to score as high a total as possible. As the overs are unlimited, a batter can take his time to score runs. In general, 90 overs have to be bowled per day in Test match cricket. The openers or

13552-436: The stumps, and must, for men's cricket, be 4.31 inches (10.95 cm) long. There are also specified lengths for the barrel and spigots of the bail. There are different specifications for the wickets and bails for junior cricket. The umpires may dispense with the bails if conditions are unfit (i.e. it is windy so they might fall off by themselves). Further details on the specifications of the wickets are contained in Appendix D to

13673-440: The switch hit was questioned when first introduced but cleared by the International Cricket Council as legal. The shot is risky because a batter is less proficient in the other handedness and is more likely to make a mistake in the execution of the shot. A scoop shot has been used by a number of first-class players. It is played to short-pitched straight balls that would traditionally be defended or, more aggressively, pulled to

13794-460: The team mainly for their batting skill is often referred to as simply a batter, regardless of whether they are currently batting, or sometimes as a specialist batter. A specialist bowler or wicket-keeper, on the other hand, would only be referred to as a batter when they are actually batting. In 2021 the Laws of Cricket were amended to officially use the term "batter" for gender neutrality , and this

13915-440: The two batsmen run to each other's end of the pitch. Several runs can be scored from one ball. Law 19: Boundaries . A boundary is marked around the edge of the field of play. If the ball is hit into or past this boundary, four runs are scored, or six runs if the ball does not hit the ground before crossing the boundary. Law 20: Dead ball . The ball comes into play when the bowler begins his run-up, and becomes dead when all

14036-443: The type of match being played as well as the current state of play. The main concerns for the batters are not to lose their wicket and to score as many runs as quickly as possible. These objectives generally conflict—to score quickly, risky shots must be played, increasing the chance that the batter will be dismissed, while the batter's safest choice with a careful wicket-guarding stroke may be not to attempt any runs at all. Depending on

14157-622: The umpire's call of "Play", and ceases at the end of a session with a call of "Time". The last hour of a match must contain at least 20 overs, being extended in time so as to include 20 overs if necessary. Laws 13 to 16 outline the structure of the game including how one team can beat the other. Law 13: Innings . Before the game, the teams agree whether it is to be one or two innings for each side, and whether either or both innings are to be limited by time or by overs. In practice, these decisions are likely to be laid down by Competition Regulations, rather than pre-game agreement. In two-innings games,

14278-462: The wicket. There was no rule in place to prevent this action and so all the Hambledon players could do was register a formal protest which was signed by Thomas Brett , Richard Nyren and John Small , the three leading Hambledon players. As a result, it was decided by the game's lawmakers that the maximum width of the bat must be four and one quarter inches; this was included in the next revision of

14399-509: Was enacted in 1744 but not actually printed, so far as it is known, until 1755. They were possibly an upgrade of an earlier code and the intention must have been to establish a universal codification. The Laws were drawn up by the "noblemen and gentlemen members of the London Cricket Club ", which was based at the Artillery Ground , although the printed version in 1755 states that "several cricket clubs" were involved, having met at

14520-458: Was introduced as a consequence, replacing the old "hockey stick" bat which was good for hitting a ball on the ground but not for addressing a ball on the bounce. In 1771, an incident on the field of play led to the creation of a new Law which remains extant. In a match between Chertsey and Hambledon at Laleham Burway , the Chertsey all-rounder Thomas White used a bat that was the width of

14641-519: Was to attain greater importance in terms of defining rules of play as, eventually, these were codified as the Laws of Cricket . The Articles are a list of 16 points, many of which are easily recognised despite their wording as belonging to the modern Laws of Cricket , for example: (a) a Ball caught , the Striker is out; (b) when a Ball is caught out, the Stroke counts nothing; (c) catching out behind

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