Greg Vaughan - The Cricket Pocket Bible

THE

CRICKET
POCKET BIBLE

GREG VAUGHAN

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The Cricket Pocket Bible

Greg Vaughan

This first edition is published in 2011 by Crimson Publishing

Crimson Publishing, Westminster House, Kew Road, Richmond, Surrey TW9 2ND

Crimson Publishing, 2011

Epub edition 2011 ISBN: 978-1-907087-65-3

The author Greg Vaughan has asserted his moral rights to be identified as the author of this work in accordance with the Copyrights, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

British Library cataloguing in Publication data

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this ebook on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of Crimson Publishing ebooks.

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Many thanks to all who helped in the research and writing of this book, including stuart at berwyn books, ian for advice on umpiring and the laws, and my beloved jenny for tea and sympathy.

What do they know of cricket, who only cricket know?

CLR James

Welcome to a wonderful world. Right from the start weve got to get something straight cricket is not a sport. Sport is something that needs skill, training regimes and athleticism. Ok, so thats something that cricketers at the highest level need as well, but for the rest of us, the people who watch from the comfort of an armchair, a deckchair or a stand, even the people who spend their evenings or weekends playing the game itself, it is just that. A game.

So why is that distinction important? Well, firstly because games are typified by rules except in cricket theyre called laws and these can be read, understood and analysed by anyone, from players to spectators to officials, which makes everyones participation very active. Its a game because anyone can play it, at any level, using even the most basic equipment. Its a game because people love it, and because it becomes part of life. Its a game because it doesnt have to matter which is what makes it matter even more.

Thats what this book celebrates; the game from root to branch, from its basics to its complexities and from its highs to its lows. Youll find all the essentials explained in these pages from the laws of the game, to the right kind of kit, to the right way to behave on and off the field. Youll also find a full explanation of all the terms of reference and nicknames that appear like a secret code to a newcomer to the game. But most of all youll find a wealth of information, hints, tips and background which will immediately draw you into the ranks of the cricket lover if youre not there yet. Or it will underline your passion for the game if youve already given it your heart.

This book offers more than simply guidance on how to play, it also takes a closer look at the history and playing records of the teams at the top of the game, at their star performers and their grounds, at their notorious scandals and exhilarating victories. It looks at the relationship between cricket and the world around it in the political world, in books, on film, even in music and at how the way we watch and play cricket is changing.

For me, cricket has been a lifelong partner and while it hasnt been one Ive had the smoothest relationship with (best bowling 412, best batting 20) at least Ive always tried to understand and respect its ways. Thats not always an easy task, but I know this book will give you a head start. So enjoy what you find in here. I hope its the start of something beautiful. But if not, dont worry. Its only a game, after all.

Important note: Throughout this book, the male pronoun he has been used to refer to cricketers, but there is nothing in this book, nor in the laws or spirit of cricket, that does not apply equally to women as it does to men.

Cricket: a sport of which the contenders drive a ball with sticks in opposition to each other.

Definition in Samuel Johnsons dictionary, published 1755

As the above quote shows, its pretty hard to sum up the richly textured and much-loved game of cricket in a single, simple sentence. And as you might expect its equally hard to pinpoint the where, when and why of the sports genesis and transformation into the worldwide phenomenon we recognise today.

What we do have, however, is the knowledge that by the time Johnson was putting together his dictionary, cricket was a firmly established sport throughout society and all around the world.

There are many different theories about the origins of the sport references to bat and ball games played in medieval Holland, France and even Scandinavia all point to the existence of a form of the game in the 13th century, but theres no definitive evidence laid down until 1598, when John Derrick, a coroner from the town of Guildford in Surrey, noted in an official document that he had played cricket as a boy on a patch of land in the town as far back as the 1550s.

Stoolball crickets older brother?

The game of stoolball is closely linked to cricket and many people believe the two games have the same roots. But while both sports became popular in the south east UK counties of Kent, Sussex and Surrey 500 years ago, cricket has become an international sport while stoolball has remained local to that area.

The word stool has nothing to do with seating it is an old Sussex dialect word for a tree stump. Like cricket, stoolball has teams of 11 players and boundaries, runouts and fielders, but there are some differences:

The bat is small and round, more like a table tennis bat than a traditional cricket bat, and the ball is softer, like in baseball.

The target is a wooden panel on a stake and the ball must be bowled underarm and cannot hit the ground after it is bowled.

There are eight balls in an over.

Stoolball is still widely played in Sussex and Surrey, where competitive amateur leagues keep the old game alive and well.

After John Derrick there are a handful of references to cricket over the following 50 years but most of these relate to unofficial matches played on Sundays, which met with the disapproval of the church authorities and fines or penance for the unfortunate players involved. The first official match on record was played at Coxheath near Maidstone in Kent on May 29 1646.