Keeping the proper proportions, it is played in almost the same way as in the game of “cue” or “bete”, practiced by children all over Brazil. Little known around here, cricket is a very popular bat and ball game among British colonized countries. The main difference between him and his “cousin” Brasuca is that there are more people on the field – there are 11 players trying to knock down the “little houses” protected by the batting pair. A traditional match can last for days, with breaks for rest and food. In competitions with greater visibility, such as the World Cup, the game lasts a few hours. The main powers of the sport today are Australia – champion of the last World Cup -, Sri Lanka and South Africa. In Brazil, there are just over 200 cricket practitioners, concentrated in São Paulo, Curitiba, Brasília and Fortaleza. 🙂
THE BEST ATTACK IS DEFENSE
Whoever defends their stakes the most wins the game.
PLAYING ON TRACK
The field can be oval or circular, with up to 150 meters in diameter – a soccer field has a maximum length of 120 meters. But the main actions of the game take place in the pitch – the central strip, 20 meters long by 3.6 meters wide, with three small wooden stakes driven into the ends.
HEAVY AMMUNITION
Each pitcher is entitled to six pitches – or an over – to try to knock down the opponent’s stakes and put out a batter. In World Cup games, each playing period lasts 50 overs (300 pitches), if the bowling team does not put out ten batters first.
ONE AT A TIME
The game takes place in two halves, and the teams have 11 athletes who throw, hit or intercept depending on the moment of the game. In the 1st half, a team has a pitcher, a receiver and nine defenders spread across the field – their objective is to prevent the opponent from scoring. The rival team, in turn, has two hitters in action (the others stay outside, waiting their turn to enter) – their goal is to protect the stakes and send the ball away from the defenders. In the 2nd half, the teams change roles.
PARTS AND ACCESSORIES
The wooden bat measures up to 96.5 centimeters and weighs almost 1.5 kilograms. Hitting is done with the smooth face of the bat. The ball, made of cork and coated with leather, weighs about 160 grams and is almost 7 centimeters in diameter. Accessories such as pads (the shin guard that goes from the ankle to above the knee), helmets and boxes 3 (genital protectors) protect athletes from possible balls. Gloves protect your hands.
RELEASING THE ARM
When shooting, the player has to rotate the arm without bending the elbow. The ball must be thrown while running, with the athlete’s feet inside the painted area (crease). In general, the aim is to make the ball bounce on the ground before reaching the stakes. The bounce makes life difficult for the hitter.
BALL TO THE KILL
The score can exceed 100 points. Isolating the ball is the main move to score. If the ball is hit away, the batsmen change positions crossing the pitch in succession (when crossing, they hit the clubs), until a defender catches the ball and threatens the stakes – each cross is worth 1 point. If the ball is hit out of the field without touching the ground, there are 6 points; if it sticks to the ground before leaving, 4 points. The batting team also earns 1 point when the pitcher falters and throws the ball out of reach of the bat.
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