CRICKET FOR DUMMIES 3RD EDITION

Curious about the game of cricket? Start here! Cricket For Dummies, Third Edition will help you understand the basics of cricket, the internationally popular sport that has leagues around the globe. With this guide, you can enjoy watching matches, and even set up a casual game with friends. The book includes clear explanations of the rules, step-by-step guides to strategy and tactics, and info on all the most popular tournaments around the globe. Learn about the cricket greats of today and yesterday, plus get updates on the latest developments, including Major League Cricket and the Cricket World Cup. This new edition of Cricket For Dummies is a fascinating and thorough introduction to the sport, in the classic, easy-to-understand Dummies style. Learn the laws of cricket so you can watch games and follow league play Set up a game of cricket and play with your friends Get the latest updates in the cricket world, including upcoming must-watch tournaments Figure out the strategies and techniques that make cricket so interesting Cricket For Dummies, Third Edition is a valuable resource for new fans who want to understand the game of cricket. Title Page Copyright Page Table of Contents Introduction About This Book Foolish Assumptions Icons Used in This Book Beyond the Book Where to Go from Here Part 1 Getting Started with Cricket Chapter 1 Taking In the Joy of Cricket Understanding Cricket’s Global Appeal Gauging the Difference: Amateur and Professional Cricket Reviewing the great divide: Amateurs and professionals Getting involved in the amateur game Exploring the Strange World of Cricket Speak Pitching Batter 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 Knowing 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 People in White Coats Making the big calls Working together as a team Respecting the umpire Looking at umpiring signals Embracing new technology Protecting the umpires: 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 Batters 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 10 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 Embracing Modern Tastes: Shorter-Format Cricket 50-over matches: Traditional one-day cricket Crash, bang, wallop: T20 is born Hundred-ball games: Novelty or new frontier? 10-over cricket: Blink and you’ll miss it Taking a Closer Look at Test Cricket Taking it slowly: Test and first-class tactics Following 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 Bringing in the Big Bucks: The Indian Premier League Signing up the talent: The IPL player auction Looking at the teams of the IPL Aping the IPL: The Big Bash in Australia Math Geniuses Required: The Duckworth/ Lewis/Stern Formula Chapter 4 Becoming a Cricket Fan Watching International Cricket Live Grabbing yourself a ticket Counting the cost of rising ticket prices Going on an overseas tour Traveling with a supporters’ tour Traveling independently Becoming an English County Member Hobnobbing 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 matches Observing proper etiquette Deciding what to take with you to the cricket Partying on the terraces Being an Armchair Fan Watching the action on TV Following on the radio Reading up on the detail 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 Batting benchmarks Bowling benchmarks Wicket-keeping benchmarks Part 2 Welcome to Planet Cricket Chapter 5 Grasping the Global Rivalries Exploring the History of Cricket From earliest times to test cricket The “golden age” The Bradman years Going steady Calypso cricket The “new golden age” Growing as never before Looking at the Test-Playing Nations England and Australia South Africa India Pakistan The West Indies New Zealand Sri Lanka Zimbabwe Bangladesh Afghanistan Ireland Doing it for themselves: Women’s cricket Cricket’s second division Taking in the Cathedrals of Cricket Lords, London, England The Oval, London, 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 Falling popularity in Asia Who Runs World Cricket? Breaking the Hoodoo: England’s Renaissance Chapter 6 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 Donald Bradman Dennis Lillee Allan Border, Mark Taylor, and Steve Waugh Shane Warne England’s Ashes heroes Jack Hobbs Len Hutton Ian Botham Developing Rivalries around the Globe Pakistan versus India: Asia’s “Ashes” The clash of the titans: West Indies versus Australia Southern hemisphere rivalry: South Africa versus Australia Crossing the final frontier: India versus Australia Competing for the World Cup Growing out of humble beginnings Taking off in Australia Stumbling in England and South Africa Shaming the World Cup in the West Indies Fighting back in India, Australia, and England Blazing a trail: The women’s 50-over World Cup Examining how the World Cup works Pulling in the crowds: The ICC T20World Cup Soaring success: The T20 women’s World Cup Checking Out the World’s Leading Cricketers The great batters Virat Kohli (India) Joe Root (England) Steve Smith (Australia) Meg Lanning (Australia) Laura Wolvaardt (South Africa) Beth Mooney (Australia) The great all rounders Natalie Sciver (England) Marizanne Kapp (South Africa) Ben Stokes (England) Ravichandran Ashwin (India) The great bowlers Kagiso Rabada (South Africa) Pat Cummins (Australia) James Anderson (England) Hayley Matthews (West Indies) Megan Schutt (Australia) Chapter 7 Domestic Men’s and Women’s Cricket Getting to Grips with Crick-onomics: Franchises Bringing home the bacon: T20 format competitions Bigging it up: The Australian Big Bash League Unleashing the big beast: The Indian Premier League Throwing The Hundred into the mix Laying Bare the Men’s English County Cricket Scene Understanding different county cricket formats Explaining the County Championship Scoring points in the County Championship Troubling times: The declining County Championship crowd Looking at the English first-class counties Taking on board overseas players Losing cricket’s stuffy image: One-day county cricket Putting on a party: One-day razzmatazz Injecting some excitement Picking up the pace of scoring Coming Up Trumps: English Women’s Cricket Chapter 8 Cricket Lands in the United States Digging into the History of American Cricket The founding fathers of cricket Outdoing The Ashes: The Auty Cup Hitting the skids in the Civil War Losing ground to baseball Growing the game Importing talent and filling the ranks Looking at Team U.S.A. The stars of men’s Team U.S.A. The stars of women’s Team U.S.A. Troubling times for Team U.S.A. Understanding the Challenges Faced By American Cricket Changing the Game: T20 Cricket Stumbling towards the light: American Pro Cricket Welcoming the world: The 2024 T20 Men’s World Cup Birthing a New Era: Major League Cricket Supplying the money: India’s involvement Understanding India’s importance Developing the Next Generation: Minor League Cricket Looking at the Minor League conferences Checking out Minor League Cricket franchises Scaling the Barriers: Women’s Cricket Growing the women’s game Focusing on the future Part 3 Playing the Game Chapter 9 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 Preparing the bat for play Getting the Right Protection Using your head: Wearing a helmet Protecting your hands and arms Guarding your groin Protecting your legs 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 Chapter 10 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 Taking wrist movements into account 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 against spin 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 Having Fun with Your Batting: Super-aggressive Scoring Shots The Dilshan scoop The ramp shot The slog sweep The reverse sweep 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 that practice makes perfect Exercising for successful batting Taking care of the mental side Choosing a Batting Role Chapter 11 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 Batters: Spin Bowling Understanding the types of spin bowler Looking at finger spin bowling The off-break The arm ball The doosra Focusing on wrist spin bowling The leg-break The googly The top spinner The flipper 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 12 Fielding Made Easy Catching On to Why Fielding Matters Understanding Fielding Positions Close catching fielding positions Run-saving fielding positions Silly, short, and deep fielding positions Preparing Properly for Fielding Getting Out on the Grass Taking the perfect catch Collecting the ball Throwing the ball Getting the underarm throw right Getting the overarm throw right Making it Big as a Wicket-keeper Finding your stance Getting into the right line Gloving the ball Standing back . . . standing up Standing back Standing up Taking throws from the outfield Chapter 13 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 Going for the jugular: Using aggressive field settings Treading carefully: Knowing when to set defensive fields Looking at fields that mix attack and defense Enforcing the follow-on Batting Tactics Drawing up the batting order Declaring the innings Looking at declaration scenarios Forfeiting an innings Delving into One-Day Captaincy Organizing the bowling Understanding one-day fielding restrictions and powerplays 50-over powerplays T20 and 100 ball powerplays Powerplays in women’s cricket Chapter 14 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-around ability Understanding coaching qualifications Getting your child involved Taking it to another level: Age-group cricket Part 4 The Part of Tens Chapter 15 Ten Greatest Ever Cricketers Sir Donald Bradman, Australia Sir Jack Hobbs, England Sachin Tendulkar, India Sir Gary Sobers, West Indies Imran Khan, Pakistan Ellyse Perry, Australia Rachael Heyhoe-Flint, England Mithali Raj, India Malcolm Marshall, West Indies Shane Warne, Australia Chapter 16 Ten Most Memorable Cricket Matches England versus Australia: Men’s Test Match, The Oval, 1882 Australia versus West Indies: Men’s First Test, Brisbane, 1960 Australia versus England: Men’s Centenary Test, Melbourne, 1977 England versus Australia: Men’s Third Test Match, Headingley, 1981 South Africa versus Australia: Men’s World Cup Semifinal, Edgbaston, 1999 India versus Australia: Men’s Test Match, Kolkata, 2002 England versus Australia: Men’s Test Match, Edgbaston, 2005 England versus India: Women’s World Cup Final, Lords, 2017 England versus New Zealand: Men’s World Cup Final, Lords, 2019 Australia versus England: Women’s Test Match, Canberra, 2022 Chapter 17 Ten Mind-boggling Cricket Feats Brian Lara’s Record-High Scores Betty Wilson: From Lamppost to Limelight 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 Charlotte Edwards: The T20 Pioneer Chris Gayle’s 100 off 30 balls Wilfred Rhodes’s Never-Ending Career Index EULA Whether you're a weekend cricketer or aspiring armchair expert, Cricket For Dummies helps you make sense of this fascinating sport. Not just a jargon busting guide to cricket's laws, techniques and tactics, it also contains advice on kitting yourself out and provides lessons on playing the game and improving your batting, bowling and fielding skills. For the budding fan, there's a guide to the greatest players, the memorable matches, and a tour through the cricketing scene -- both domestic and international -- giving you the knowledge you need to fully appreciate this special game. This book has been updated for the Ashes 2009, featuring revised information on new players, the Indian premier league, Stanford 20:20 and the latest coverage of past and future competitions. Julian Knight is a BBC journalist, writer, and cricket enthusiast. He is a former youth coach and captain, and has been a club cricketer for over 20 years. Consultant Editor Gary Palmer played first class cricket for ten years with Somerset before becoming a professional coach.