2. The playing field

The Field

[Cricket ground - notice the oval nature and pitch in the center] The field is grassy, and in the center is the "Pitch". There is a 30 yard (27.43m) radial circle (more elliptical actually) drawn around the pitch. This is the 30 yard line. The area inside this is the INFIELD. The area outside the perimeter is the OUTFIELD. There is no limit on the size of the outfield. However, the field's radius averages 450 feet (137m) wide by 500 feet (150m) long measured from the pitch center.

At the end of the outfield there is a circular rope called the "Boundary." The boundary is the outer limit of the field.
If the ball is played along the ground and bounces past the boundary, 4 runs automatically are scored. If the ball goes directly over the rope, it results in 6 runs.
6 runs is the cricket equivalent of a baseball home run.

The Pitch

The pitch is 22 yards long (20m) & 8ft 8in (2.64m) wide. It may be bare,[Wickets] have some grass, be hard, cracked or dusty or completely flat. At both ends 3 wooden cylindrical sticks called 'STUMPS' are hammered into the pitch. On top of the stumps are present 2 small wooden sticks called 'BAILS'. Bails connect the 2 stumps. The 3 stumps and 2 bails are collectively known as 'wickets'. 

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             "-" represent the bails &"|" represents the stump.

[The Pitch]The wickets are placed on either end of the pitch. 4 feet inside the pitch a chalk line is drawn. This line is called the "CREASE" The crease is either the batting crease, return crease, bowling crease or popping crease. The Popping crease extends 6 feet (1.83m) on either side of the Pitch (sideways). Behind the popping crease a line marked 4 feet (1.22m) is the bowling crease. 4 feet behind that is the return crease.


Field Positions

The field is divided into two playing regions for a batsman depending on if he is left [Field Positions] or right-handed. The axis between the two central stumps, along the length of the pitch, divides the playing regions.

For a right-handed batsman, the region to the right of the batsman is called the OFF-SIDE and the region to the left is called the LEG-SIDE OR ON-SIDE . For a left handed batsman, the region on his left, is his Offside and his right is the onside (leg-side).
A right handed bowler, if he bowls on the left side of the stumps, he is bowling "Over the wicket". If he bowls on the right side of the wicket, he is bowling "Around the wicket". For a left handed bowler, the reverse conditions apply. Also the stump on the leg-side is the leg-stump and the one on the offside is the off-stump.

Wicket

The term 'Wicket' is confusing as it has multiple meanings, so here some examples:

  1. Wicket (n) : The Pitch
    eg. Does the Wicket have any grass?
  2. Wicket (n) : The 3 Stumps & 2 Bails
    eg. Has the batsman hit the wickets?
  3. Wickets (n): Batsmen who are out/not out
    eg. How many wickets have fallen? /
    How many wickets are left?
  4. Take Wickets: To get batsmen out.
    eg. How many wickets has the bowler taken?

Bowling & Scoring Runs

A bowler bowling the ball is akin to a pitcher pitching the ball in baseball, and a tennis player serving the ball. The ball is hurled in the air so that it bounces just before the batsman. To bowl, the bowler must throw the ball like a catapult, with his elbow [Bowling Action]straight and the ball must be released once his hand is above his head.

At a given moment, two batsmen are at the center. The one who faces is the 'Striker', and the other batsman is the 'non-striker'.

After a bowler bowls the ball, the batsman tries to hit it. The term used, if the batsman hits the ball, is called a SHOT. There is no penalty if he misses the ball. All he has to do is defend his wicket from being hit.
[Names of Cricketing Shots] When he hits the ball, he has to try and hit the ball between the fielders. The ball can be hit anywhere in the field in any direction. The ball can be hit along the ground like a golf shot or in the air like a baseball hit.

Once the ball is hit away from the fielder, the batsmen exchange their ends. After exchanging ends 1 run is scored. If the ball is hit well enough the batsmen can run 2, 3 or even 4 runs. Meanwhile the fielders try and collect the ball and throw it towards the fielders near the stumps, to cut off further running of additional runs. As spoken of above 4 bonus runs & 6 runs are also possible.
If an odd run is scored (1 or 3) the non striker now becomes the striker and faces the bowler.

[Cricket can be considered to be a two base, baseball game].