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The toss
Each side has 11 players. The combination includes 5-6 batsmen, a wicketkeeper and 4-5 bowlers. Playing 4 bowlers is more common. To decide who would bat or field first, a coin is tossed half an hour before the game. Only the captains and the match refree are represent, with an occasional winner of a contest. At the toss, the changes to the team are announced. The inclusion, exclusion and the injuries.
The start
Each team is allowed to bat for a maximum of 50 overs. Two batsmen from the team batting first come out to bat on the pitch, which is in the middle of the ground. There are two bowling ends, both of which are used. Each end has a wicket, consisting of three stumps dug into the ground and two bails on top of them. An over consists of 6 legitimate deliveries. No balls, wides and dead balls are extra delivers.
Runs
When a batsman hits the ball, he tries to take a run with his partner. To complete a run, both batsmen need to have reached the other end, exchanged ends in other words. The batsmen can take a maximum of 4 runs on a single delivery. If the batsman running towards the end where the stumps are dislodged, he is out. If the ball reaches the boundary directly (no bounce), six runs are added to the team's total and the batsman's individual score. If the ball reaches the boundary with one or more bounces, four runs are awarded.
Each team is allowed to bat for a maximum of 50 overs. Two batsmen from the team batting first come out to bat on the pitch, which is in the middle of the ground. There are two bowling ends, both of which are used. Each end has a wicket, consisting of three stumps dug into the ground and two bails on top of them. An over consists of 6 legitimate deliveries. No balls, wides and dead balls are extra delivers.
Runs
When a batsman hits the ball, he tries to take a run with his partner. To complete a run, both batsmen need to have reached the other end, exchanged ends in other words. The batsmen can take a maximum of 4 runs on a single delivery. If the batsman running towards the end where the stumps are dislodged, he is out. If the ball reaches the boundary directly (no bounce), six runs are added to the team's total and the batsman's individual score. If the ball reaches the boundary with one or more bounces, four runs are awarded.
Dismissal
Ways in which a batsman can get out are being run out, bowled, caught, leg before wicket (LBW), stumped, hit wicket, hit the ball twice, handled the ball, obstructing the field and timed out. The first four are seen regularly, alongwith run out. If a batsman gets out by the rarer ways, he is laughed at.
Run out
The fieldsmen try to run out the batsmen by hitting the stumps with the ball while they are attempting a run. They do so with a direct hit or by throwing to the wicketkeeper or the bowler who then dislodges the stumps.
Bowled
If the delivery of a bowler hits the stumps and dislodges the bails, whether or not it touched the batsman, he is out. However, once the ball touches another person, being bowled is ruled out.
Caught
If a batsman hits the ball and a fielder or the bowler catches it without bounce, he is caught out.
LBW
If the ball strikes any part of the batsman and the umpire rules that it would have gone to hit the stumps, the batsman is given out LBW. This is the most controversial way of getting out.
Stumped
If the batsman leaves the crease to play a shot, not to attempt a run and the wicketkeeper strikes the stumps, he is stumped out.
Hit wicket
If the batsman dislodges the stumps while playing a shot or taking off for the first run, this is ruled as hit wicket.
Hit the ball twice
If the ball strikes the bat twice, the batsman is out by the law of hit the ball twice.
Handled the ball
If the ball is not in contact with the bat and the batsman touches the ball with his hand, it is ruled handled the ball and he is out.
Obstructing the field
If the batsman stops the fielder from fielding by touching him or striking a throw with the bat, it is called obstructing the field.
Timed out
If a new batsman takes more than three minutes to reach the crease and be ready for play, he is timed out.
Illegitimate deliveries
When a bowler bowls a delivery, if his front foot lands outside the crease, or if the back foot is not fully inside the return crease, it is a no ball. If two bouncers are bowled in an over, the second one is also ruled a no ball. Other illegitimate delivers, like underarm bowling are also no balls. If a ball is bowled too wide or high to be hit, it is a wide. In the case of both no ball and wide, a run is awarded to the batting side. Runs can be taken on no balls, boundaries can be hit, but the only way to dismiss a batsman is run out. Nowadays, the next ball following a foot fault no ball is a free hit, on which the batsman can only get out in the following ways: run out, handled the ball, obstructing the field and hit the ball twice no matter. This gives the batsman an opportunity to swing his bat without fear. If the free hit is a no ball or wide, the next delivery automatically becomes a free fit. If the ball bounces more than once on its way to the batsman, it is a dead ball.
Winning
The team batting second has to chase the target set by the first team. For example, if the first team scores 300, the team batting second has to score 301 to win. If they do so with the loss of two wickets, they are said to be won by 8 wickets, regardless of the number of wickets the team batting first lost. If the team batting second fails to chase the target, the team which batted first wins. If the second team scores 20 runs less than the first team, it is said to have lost by 20 runs.
Ways in which a batsman can get out are being run out, bowled, caught, leg before wicket (LBW), stumped, hit wicket, hit the ball twice, handled the ball, obstructing the field and timed out. The first four are seen regularly, alongwith run out. If a batsman gets out by the rarer ways, he is laughed at.
Run out
The fieldsmen try to run out the batsmen by hitting the stumps with the ball while they are attempting a run. They do so with a direct hit or by throwing to the wicketkeeper or the bowler who then dislodges the stumps.
Bowled
If the delivery of a bowler hits the stumps and dislodges the bails, whether or not it touched the batsman, he is out. However, once the ball touches another person, being bowled is ruled out.
Caught
If a batsman hits the ball and a fielder or the bowler catches it without bounce, he is caught out.
LBW
If the ball strikes any part of the batsman and the umpire rules that it would have gone to hit the stumps, the batsman is given out LBW. This is the most controversial way of getting out.
Stumped
If the batsman leaves the crease to play a shot, not to attempt a run and the wicketkeeper strikes the stumps, he is stumped out.
Hit wicket
If the batsman dislodges the stumps while playing a shot or taking off for the first run, this is ruled as hit wicket.
Hit the ball twice
If the ball strikes the bat twice, the batsman is out by the law of hit the ball twice.
Handled the ball
If the ball is not in contact with the bat and the batsman touches the ball with his hand, it is ruled handled the ball and he is out.
Obstructing the field
If the batsman stops the fielder from fielding by touching him or striking a throw with the bat, it is called obstructing the field.
Timed out
If a new batsman takes more than three minutes to reach the crease and be ready for play, he is timed out.
Illegitimate deliveries
When a bowler bowls a delivery, if his front foot lands outside the crease, or if the back foot is not fully inside the return crease, it is a no ball. If two bouncers are bowled in an over, the second one is also ruled a no ball. Other illegitimate delivers, like underarm bowling are also no balls. If a ball is bowled too wide or high to be hit, it is a wide. In the case of both no ball and wide, a run is awarded to the batting side. Runs can be taken on no balls, boundaries can be hit, but the only way to dismiss a batsman is run out. Nowadays, the next ball following a foot fault no ball is a free hit, on which the batsman can only get out in the following ways: run out, handled the ball, obstructing the field and hit the ball twice no matter. This gives the batsman an opportunity to swing his bat without fear. If the free hit is a no ball or wide, the next delivery automatically becomes a free fit. If the ball bounces more than once on its way to the batsman, it is a dead ball.
Winning
The team batting second has to chase the target set by the first team. For example, if the first team scores 300, the team batting second has to score 301 to win. If they do so with the loss of two wickets, they are said to be won by 8 wickets, regardless of the number of wickets the team batting first lost. If the team batting second fails to chase the target, the team which batted first wins. If the second team scores 20 runs less than the first team, it is said to have lost by 20 runs.