Cricket For Dummies E-Book

Julian Knight

• Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 559

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2013

Beschreibung

A complete guide to cricket for players and fans alike Whether you're a budding player or aspiring armchair expert, Cricket For Dummies helps you get to grips with this fascinating sport. Completely revised and updated for the first back-to-back Ashes series in 38 years, this hands-on guide gives you clear explanations of the cricket's laws, step-by-step explanations of techniques and tactics, and exciting coverage of the tournaments, global rivalries, and great players. * Fully revised and updated to chronicle the rise of twenty20 cricket and the IPL, the implementation of DRS, and the changing face of the game * Covers cricket basics--the pitch, the laws, the equipment and more * Provides an in-depth look at cricket formats * Offers a guide to building cricket skills--bowling, batting, and fielding * Includes coverage of the best players and the biggest tournaments throughout the world Complete with Top Ten Lists of the greatest cricketers, the most memorable cricket matches, and the biggest controversies, Cricket For Dummies is your one-stop resource on this popular sport.

Leseprobe

Cricket For Dummies®, 2nd Edition

Published by: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., The Atrium, Southern Gate, Chichester, www.wiley.com

This edition first published 2013

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ISBN 978-1-118-48032-8 (paperback); ISBN 978-1-118-48035-9 (ebk);

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Cricket For Dummies®, 2nd Edition

Visit www.dummies.com/cheatsheet/cricketuk to view this book's cheat sheet.

Table of Contents

Introduction

About This book

How to Use This book

Conventions Used in This Book

Foolish Assumptions

How This Book Is Organised

Part I: Getting Started with Cricket

Part II: Playing the Game

Part III: Welcome to Planet Cricket

Part IV: The Part of Tens

Icons Used in This Book

Where to Go from Here

Part I: Getting Started with Cricket

Chapter 1: Taking In the Joy of Cricket

Glancing at Cricket’s Global Appeal

Gauging the Difference: Amateur and Professional Cricket

Understanding the great divide: Amateurs and professionals

Getting involved in the amateur game

Exploring the Strange World of Cricket Speak

Looking at Batsman Against Bowler

Understanding That Cricket is a Dangerous Game

Taking in the Dark Side: Cricket Frustrations

Scorebooks, Scoreboards and Scorecards

Equipping Yourself as a Fan

Showing off your cricket knowledge

Coaching and cricket tactics

Getting to Grips with the Laws of the Game

Gauging the Importance of the Umpire

Chapter 2: Getting to Grips with the Basics

Introducing the Players

Remembering Cricket Helpers

Taking in the Field of Play

Understanding the importance of the pitch

Taking in the creases

Changing ends explained

Protecting the pitch

Talking Stumps and Bails

Umpiring: The Men in White Coats

Making the big calls

Working together as a team

Respecting the umpire

Looking at umpiring signals

Embracing new technology: The Decision Review System

Protecting the umpires: Decision review system safeguards

Understanding the Scoring System

Understanding runs and boundaries

Totting up the extras

Incurring penalty runs

Keeping count: The role of the scorer

Dismissing the Batsmen

Comprehending the LBW law

Understanding retirements

Looking at Breaks in Play

Going off the field for rain

Going off the field for bad light

Chapter 3: From 20 Overs to 5 Days: The Many Formats of Cricket

Looking at an Innings

Throwing the second innings into the mix

Taking extra time to complete two innings

Taking a Closer Look at Test Cricket

Taking it slowly: Test and first class tactics

Taking a Peek at English First Class Cricket

Ensuring a result: One-day cricket

Gauging the differences between one-day, test and first class matches

Understanding the one-day trade-off

Day-night one-day cricket

Crash, Bang, Wallop: Twenty20 Is Born

Bringing in the Big Bucks: The Indian Premier League

Signing up the talent: The IPL player auction

Looking at the teams of the Indian Premier League

Aping the IPL: The Big Bash in Australia

Maths Geniuses Required: The Duckworth/Lewis Formula

Getting into Hot Water: Breaking Cricket Rules

Chapter 4: Grabbing the Right Gear: Cricket Equipment

Getting It Together: The Essentials

The furniture: Understanding what the club supplies

Taking a peek at the cricket ball

Getting Personal: Choosing a Bat

Pricing up a cricket bat

Deciding on the right bat

Buying a bat or having it made

Preparing the bat for play

Getting the Right Protection

Using your head: Wearing a helmet

Protecting your hands and arms

Looking after the rest of you

Guarding your legs from injury

Getting Kitted Out Top-To-Toe

Being whiter than white

Taking care of your feet

Choosing a Kit-Bag

Kitting Out a Youngster for the Game

Part II: Playing the Game

Chapter 5: Honing Your Batting Skills

Understanding What It Takes to be Good at Batting

Starting Out in the Middle

Taking guard

Gripping stuff

Listening to the umpire

Setting the sight screens

Facing up to the bowler: Stance

Executing the shot: Backlift

Judging ‘Line and Length’

Looking at the line of the ball

Looking at the length of the delivery

Standing up to seam and swing bowling

Playing spin bowling

Pulling Up the Drawbridge: Defensive Shots

Playing a front-foot defensive shot

Playing a back-foot defensive shot

Expanding Your Horizons: Playing Aggressive Shots

Cover drive

Straight drive

Leg glance

The pull shot

The sweep

The cut shot

Taking wrist movements into account

Taking Control in the Middle

Getting off the mark

Getting your eye in

Judging a run

Putting your foot on the accelerator

Reaching personal landmarks

Preparing to Do Battle

Remembering practice makes perfect

Exercising for successful batting

Taking care of the mental side

Choosing a Batting Role

Dividing up the batting order

Chapter 6: Making It Big as a Bowler

Looking at the Object of Bowling

Getting to Grips with Bowling Basics

Getting started

The run-up

The action

The follow through

Examining the line and length of the delivery

Choosing between over or round the wicket

Checking Out the Different Bowling Types

Understanding the Importance of the Ball’s Seam

Mastering Seam Bowling

The leg cutter

The off cutter

Swinging Your Way to Success

Putting swing under the microscope

Turning things on their head: Reverse swing

Taking It to the Batsmen: Spin Bowling

Understanding the types of spin bowler

Looking at finger spin bowling

Focusing on wrist spin bowling

Focusing On What You’re Good At

Bowling with Your Brain

Teaming up with the captain

Remembering to bowl to the field

Winning with patience

Thinking clearly

Being Fit for the Task

Chapter 7: Fielding Made Easy

Catching On to Why Fielding Matters

Understanding Fielding Positions

Close catching fielding positions

Run-saving fielding positions

Preparing Properly for Fielding

Getting Out on the Grass

Taking the perfect catch

Collecting the ball

Throwing the ball

Making it Big as a Wicket-keeper

Finding your stance

Getting into the right line

Gloving the ball

Standing back . . . standing up

Taking throws from the outfield

Chapter 8: Talking Tactics: Captaining a Cricket Team

Understanding the Role of the Captain

Selecting the Right Team

Calling Heads or Tails . . . the Toss of the Coin

Captaining the Team in the Field

Deciding on the new ball bowlers

Choosing when to change the bowlers

Handling bowlers with care

Setting the field

Enforcing the follow-on

Batting Tactics

Drawing up the batting order

Declaring the innings

Looking At One-Day Captaincy

Organising the bowling

Understanding one-day fielding restrictions

Chapter 9: Talented Training and Cricket Coaching

Improving Your Fitness and Cricket Skills

Getting Match Fit

Honing Your Technique in the Nets

Giving your batting a boost

Taking Giant Steps Forward with Your Bowling

Looking at Fielding Drills

Explaining Stretching

Warming up

Looking at stretching exercises

Coaching Kids to Play Cricket

Encouraging all-round ability

Understanding coaching qualifications

Getting your son or daughter involved

Taking it to another level: Colt cricket

Part III: Welcome to Planet Cricket

Chapter 10: Grasping the Global Rivalries

Exploring the History of Cricket

From earliest times to test cricket

The ‘Golden Age’

The Bradman years

Steady as she goes

Calypso cricket

The ‘New Golden Age’

Jockeying for position: the 2010’s

Looking at the Test-Playing Nations

England and Australia

South Africa

India

Pakistan

The West Indies

New Zealand

Sri Lanka

Zimbabwe

Bangladesh

Cricket’s second division

Taking in the Cathedrals of Cricket

Lords, England

The Oval, England

Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne, Australia

Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney, Australia

Newlands, Cape Town, South Africa

Sabina Park, Kingston, Jamaica

Troubling Times for Test Cricket

Understanding the Zimbabwe controversy

Struggling Bangladesh

Falling popularity in Asia

Who Runs World Cricket?

Breaking the Hoodoo: England’s Renaissance

Chapter 11: Taking in Big International Tournaments

Raking over the Ashes

Understanding what makes the Ashes unique

Understanding the secrets of Australian success

Australia’s Ashes heroes

England’s Ashes heroes

Developing Rivalries around the Globe

Pakistan v India: Asia’s ‘Ashes’

The clash of the titans: West Indies v Australia

Southern hemisphere rivalry: South Africa v Australia

Crossing the final frontier: India v Australia

Beating England is Everyone’s Goal

Competing for the World Cup

Growing out of humble beginnings

Taking off in Australia

Stumbling in England and South Africa

Shaming of the world cup: West Indies 2007

Fighting back: India 2011

Examining how the World Cup works

Looking at Other One-Day International Tournaments

The Asia Cup

The Australian Tri-series

The NatWest series

Putting bums on seats: the ICC Twenty twenty world cup

Checking Out the World’s Leading Cricketers

The great batsmen

The great all rounders

The great bowlers

Chapter 12: The Domestic Cricket Scene

Laying Bare the English County Cricket Scene

Understanding different county cricket formats

Explaining the County Championship

Gauging how counties are run

The Minor Counties

Losing Cricket’s Stuffy Image: Introducing One-Day Cricket

The Pro40 League

The Twenty20 Cup

Putting on a party: One-day razzmatazz

Coming Up Trumps: English Women’s Cricket

Looking at competitions for women

Getting involved in women’s cricket

Chapter 13: Becoming a Cricket Fan

Watching International Cricket Live

Grabbing yourself a ticket

Counting the cost of rising ticket prices

Going on an overseas tour

Becoming a County Member

Hob-Nobbing with Cricket’s Elite: Joining the MCC

Enjoying Your Day at the Cricket

Understanding the times of play in test matches

Understanding the times of play in a one-day international

Observing proper etiquette

Deciding what to take with you to the cricket

Partying on the terraces

Being an Armchair Fan

Following cricket on the radio

Keeping up with cricket through the newspapers

Experiencing Grass Roots Cricket

Getting to Grips with the Statistics

Reading a scorecard

Working out a batting average

Working out a bowling average

Telling good from bad players using statistics

Part IV: The Part of Tens

Chapter 14: Ten Greatest Ever Cricketers

Sir Donald Bradman, Australia

Sir Jack Hobbs, England

Sachin Tendulkar, India

Sir Gary Sobers, West Indies

Imran Khan, Pakistan

Sir Richard Hadlee, New Zealand

Adam Gilchrist, Australia

Dennis Lillee, Australia

Malcolm Marshall, West Indies

Shane Warne, Australia

Chapter 15: Ten Most Memorable Cricket Matches

England v Australia: Third Test Match, Headingley, 1981

Australia v England: Centenary Test, Melbourne, 1977

Australia v West Indies: First Test, Brisbane, 1960

England v Australia: Test Match, The Oval, 1882

India v Australia: Test Match, Kolkata, 2002

England v Australia: Test Match, Edgbaston, 2005

South Africa v Australia: World Cup Semifinal, Edgbaston, 1999

England v India: NatWest Trophy Final, Lords, 2002

South Africa v Australia: One-Day International Match, Johannesburg, 2006

Surrey v Glamorgan: One-Day Match, The Oval, 2002

Chapter 16: Ten Mind-boggling Cricket Feats

Brian Lara’s Record High Scores

Jim Laker’s Destruction of Australia

Australia’s 16-Test Winning Streak

Sir Jack Hobbs: The Ultimate Golden Oldie

Ian Botham’s Miracle Ashes Triumph

Australia’s Backs to the Wall Triumph at Adelaide

Sir Donald Bradman’s Colossal Batting Average

Denis Compton of Arsenal and England Fame

Kapil Dev Flays Zimbabwe for 175

Wilfred Rhodes: Never Ending Career

Cheat Sheet

Introduction

Welcome to the fascinating world of cricket, a sport loved around the globe by millions of die-hard fans.

To the casual observer cricket can appear complex and at times, well, just plain bizarre. What other sport is there which involves people dressing all in white and then throwing themselves around a muddy, grassy field? But those in the know treasure the game as simply the supreme test of brains and brawn.

I’ve written this book so that newcomers to cricket can get to know the game quickly, without feeling overwhelmed or intimidated. I also explain the history of the game and show you how to get out there and play . In double quick time you’ll be appreciating fully the great game of cricket, whether as a player or a spectator.

About This book

This book provides you with everything you need to know about the sport of cricket. All the information you need to get started as a player or become an A1 fan is here between the pages of this book. But the good news is that you don’t have to read this book from cover to cover. You can easily just dip into those chapters that catch your interest. Perhaps you’ll be watching a game of cricket on television or listening to radio coverage and you’d like to know more about a particular aspect of the game and its history then just turn to the chapter which does the job.

If you’re keen to get playing cricket there is lots in this book for you. It has chapters dedicated to developing batting, bowling and fielding techniques as well as explaining the tactical nuances of cricket captaincy. In addition, there is a chapter on training which is essential reading for anyone looking to develop their playing technique and all round physical conditioning.

If playing the game isn’t for you, – and you’d rather be a fan,this book has an enormous amount to offer. The domestic and international cricket scene is laid out in full for you and there is a whole chapter dedicated to showing you how to get to watch big match cricket.

Whatever draws you to the sport, Cricket For Dummies will have something for you.

How to Use This book

Don’t be restricted by the order in which the contents of this book appear. Flip through it, maybe starting with Chapter 1 where we explain the basics of the game. The book contains diagrams, drawings and tables to make it easy for you to immediately understand the most important aspects of the game.

You may find that in a discussion of a particular aspect of cricket in one chapter, we refer to another aspect of the game. Whenever this happens we tell you which chapter to turn to for more information about that other aspect. For example, when we talk about fielding positions we will tell you which chapter to turn to for more detailed information on positions.

Conventions Used in This Book

To help you navigate this book, I use the following conventions:

Italic text is used for emphasis and to highlight new words and terms that we define in the text.

Bold text is used to indicate key words and phrases in bulleted lists or the action parts of numbered steps.

Sidebars are shaded grey boxes containing text that’s interesting to know but not necessarily critical to your understanding of the chapter or topic.

Foolish Assumptions

While writing this book, I’ve made some assumptions about you. First of all, I’ve assumed you’re human. Cricket is played by both men and women, though the men’s game grabs the lion’s share of the headlines. Throughout this book, for convenience, I have used terms such as ‘batsman’ and ‘fieldsman’, and the associated pronoun ‘he’, even though I know it won’t cover everyone who reads this book.

Don’t feel intimidated if you know nothing about cricket. This book will bring you up to speed, fast. Cricket can be a complex game and even some cricketers have difficulty grasping some aspects. But before long – after reading this book – you’re going to be transformed into a cricket expert.

Why are some cricket matches done with in a single day, while others last five whole days?

How does spin bowling work?

What does all the jargon mean? What on earth is bowling a maiden over, a new cherry and a silly mid-off?

Why are Australia so good at cricket?

This book answers these questions, and many, many more. Our assumption is that you know nothing and we take it from there.

How This Book Is Organised

To make things easier for you, this book is divided into four parts. Each part focuses on an important aspect of the game of cricket.

Part I: Getting Started with Cricket

This part arms you with the basics. The basic rules are explained, as are the pitch, and the roles of individual players. Also I examine the different formats of the game from five-day test matches to quick-fire Twenty20 cricket. I also explain how you can get in on the action and start playing the game. This part ends with handy hints on what you need to kit yourself out with to play cricket.

Part II: Playing the Game

If you want to take up the game, this part is full of must-know tips and explanataions. But even if you just want to appreciate the skills of professional players, then this part is a real eye-opener. The first chapter explores batting, from starting out through to how to play aggressive and defensive shots. Bowling is the subject of the next chapter. Read this chapter and you could soon become a batsman’s worst nightmare. The art of fielding the ball – catching the ball or stopping the batsmen from scoring runs through athletic stops and accurate throws – used to be overlooked by many cricketers, even some professionals. But nowadays fielding is seen as a key skill and in this part there is a whole chapter dedicated to showing you how to be a top class fielder. Next, captaining a cricket team and the tactical side of the sport are explored. This really is a must-read for would-be players and fans alike. The part ends with a chapter on how to train properly for cricket.

Part III: Welcome to Planet Cricket

This part tells you about all the competitions and tournaments played around the globe. In particular, what makes Test cricket so special – where the best players from around the world square off against each other – is honed in on. Cricket’s greatest contest – The Ashes – is also looked at in depth as are some of the past and present heroes of the game. A light is also shined on other great global rivalries – such as between Pakistan and India. If that wasn’t enough, this part also talks about the cricket scene in the UK, we look at the county championship and one day competitions. This part ends with an indispensable guide to be a cricket fan – where you can see top class cricket in the UK and abroad.

Part IV: The Part of Tens

The part without which no For Dummies book would be complete. This part is packed full of fascinating bits of information that you can store away and draw on whenever you feel like impressing everyone you know at the cricket club. It contains our unique take on the great cricketers and matches which have illuminated the history of cricket.

Icons Used in This Book

To help your navigation through this book keep an eye out for the icons, the little pictures that sit in the margin. They guide you to particular types of information. This list tells you what the icons in this book mean.

This Icon highlights tips and snippets of advice that can help you, whether you aim to become a better player or a better spectator.

Paragraphs with this icon attached contain information that is especially useful to remember.

You won’t see this icon very often, but, when you do take heed, because it indicates areas which may cause concern.

This icon indicates a technical discussion is under way. You can skip this stuff if you want, because it isn’t necessary for an understanding of the basics. If you read it, though, your cricket know-how will be boosted.

This icon highlights the laws of the game, the sort of lingo you’ll hear other players, umpires and commentators using, and those intricate little facts that all sports fans love to know about their game.

Every so often I look in-depth at a great player from today or the past or just a quirky cricketing character; the idea is to give you an idea of the big names in the sport.

Where to Go from Here

What direction you take depends on your needs. Take a look at the table of contents because it’s very detailed and gives you an excellent overview of the book and the way in which it’s structured.

For the beginner, the best place to start is the beginning! But if you want to familiarise yourself with the basics of the game, go to Part I. If you’re an aspiring player, Part II is the place for you, while if you want to know more about Test cricket – the ultimate contest in the sport – then go seek out Part III. In short, it’s up to you, go enjoy the greatest sport of all!

Part I

Getting Started with Cricket

Go to www.dummies.com/extras/cricket for online bonus content.

In this part . . .

Getting to know the rules and regulations.

Finding your way round the field of play.

Understanding the different formats of the game.

Kitting yourself out with the right gear.

Go to www.dummies.com/extras/cricket for online bonus content, including an extra Part of Tens chapter: 'Ten Great Cricket Controversies'.

Chapter 1

Taking In the Joy of Cricket

In This Chapter

Assessing the gulf between pros and amateurs

Looking at the battle between bowler and batsman

Exploring the strange, strange world of cricket speak

Discovering what you need to be a cricket fan

Understanding the role of the umpires

Millions of people around the globe follow cricket. For many, cricket is the number one sport, offering a unique blend of physical strength, lightning reflexes, huge skill and tactics galore. In fact, there is a strong case for the game which, first spread by the British empire in the eighteenth and nineteenth century is the world’s second most popular sport behind football.