Rules Applying to Different Formats of Cricket
Main Changes Apply to the Bowling and Fielding Aspects of the Game
Sep 7, 2009
Though all forms cricket are played at the same grounds mainly using the same equipment, there are subtle changes in certain areas.
When Test Match Cricket was first played each over consisted of eight legal balls bowled. A legal ball is one that is bowled according to the rules of cricket and is not a 'no-ball' or a 'wide'. The number of legal balls in an over was later reduced to six.
What is an Over
Currently an over is when a bowler bowls six legal balls. If a 'no-ball', that is the bowler over-stepping the mark from behind which he is supposed to release the ball, then the batting side is awarded a run and the ball has to be re-bowled. A wide is when the ball is bowled in such a way that the it is beyond the batsman's reach. Again, the batting side is awarded a run and the ball is re-bowled. The runs awarded for a no-ball or a wide is called an 'extra'.
Therefore, sometimes in an over there is more than six balls bowled.
Bowling in Test Match Cricket
There is no restrictions as to how many overs a bowler can bowl when playing in a test match. The number bowled by a bowler is at the discretion of the captain of the team. The captain decides who bowls when and how many overs depending on many factors. The condition of the pitch, the batsmen batting at the time, the state of the game and weather factors.
Bowling in a One-day 50-over Game
In this format a bowler is restricted to bowling only ten over per game. He may bowl this at a stretch or break it up into two sessions of five over each or any other ratio that his captain things fit. However. when the bowler bowls, how many over he bowls is at the discretion of his captain.
Bowling in Twenty20 Cricket
Since the whole innings consists of only 20 overs, each bowler is allowed only four overs. Once again the timing and how many over are bowled at a stretch is a sole perogative of the captain.
Fielding in Cricket Matches
Although all forms of the game are played in the same ovals or grounds, some fielding restrictions apply when playing the shorter forms of cricket.
- Test match cricket has no fielding restrictions other than the one covering a safety issue for the players- that no fielder can be too close to the bats.
- One-day 50-over cricket has overs that are designated as 'powerplays' and when these overs are being bowled fielding restrictions apply. During the powerplay overs only three fielders are allowed outside of the inner fielding circle.
- The Twenty20 cricket game perhaps has the most restrictions. Only two fields are allowed outside the inner circle during the first six over of the game and only five fielders for the other fourteen overs. Only five fielders are allowed on the 'led-side' of the batsman at any one time. If a 'no-ball' is bowled by over-stepping the mark, apart from awarding the run to the batting side and have to bowl another ball, it is also term a 'free hit'. This means that the batsman cannot get out in any of the normal ways other than by being run out.
Reason for the Fielding Restrictions
Having a limited number of fielders outside the inner circle gives the batsman the opportunity to hit some big shots which is what the spectators want to see. The short forms of the game are all about entertainment.
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