The encyclopedia defines cricket as "a bat and ball,team game played
during the summer in the British Isles and in several countries influenced
by the British,such as Australia, New Zealand, India, Pakistan,
South Africa, and West Indian nations".
What though accounts for popularity (especially since many find it to be over-long sport full
of unintelligable terms)? Having 800 million plus playing it on the Indian sub-continent
helps. Also,being able to beat so frequently the country that invented the game must lend
satisfaction to who play it outside of the British Isles. Let us look at
some of the elements on the sport
Cricket is played between two teams of 11 players on a
grassy field, in the center of which are two wickets - the
equivalent of baseball's 'bases'. When a team is 'in', the
other team attempts to get each of them 'out'. Then the team
that was 'in' is 'all out', and takes its place in the 'out field'.
The team that was in the out field in turn goes 'in'until they too
are 'all out'. This process (an innings) may be repeated once more
(a match can last one day or take as many as five).
The team with the highest number of 'runs' (points scored primarily
by running between wickets after hitting the ball) wins the match,
after which the players and spectators from the confusion
over a beer in the pavilion, crickets equivalent of golf Nineteenth hole.
