Cricket is defined as "a bat and ball, team game played during the summer in the British Isles and in several countries influenced by the British, such as Australia, New Zealand, India, Pakistan, South Africa, and West Indian nations".

Cricket is played between two teams of 11 players on a grassy field, in the centre of which are two wickets - the equivalent of baseball's 'bases'. When a team is 'in', the other team attempts to get each of them 'out'. When the team that was 'in' is 'all out', it then takes its place in the 'out field'. The team that was in the out field in turn goes 'in' until they too are 'all out'. This process (an innings) may be repeated once more (a match can last one day or take as many as five).

The team with the highest number of 'runs' (points scored primarily by running between wickets after hitting the ball) wins the match.

Forms of the game

(Gloucestershire play in all formats)

County Championship

Gloucestershire play in Division One of the LV= County Championship. A County Championship game is a 4 day match. Each team has two innings of batting and bowling each. The match can finish early if the opposition bowl out the other team before they reach the targeted score.

Royal London Cup

Royal London One-Day Cup is a 50 over match which is played over a one day period. Each team has 50 overs to bowl and 50 overs to bat. Whoever scores the most runs within their 50 overs, wins the match.

Vitality Blast

A Vitality Blast match involves two teams, each has a single innings, batting for a maximum of 20 overs. A Twenty20 game is completed in about three hours, with each innings lasting around 75–90 minutes, with a 15 minute interval.

Terms in Cricket

All-Rounder

Refers to a player who is good at both batting and bowling.

Average

The total figure reached by computation of a batter’s run scoring performance measured against the number of deliveries faced or a bowlers performance measure against the number of runs conceded as compared to the number of wickets taken.

Block

The position taken by the batter when waiting for a ball to be bowled. Can also be used to describe a defensive batting stroke.

Boundary

Indicates the outer limit of the playing area. Also used to describe a stroke by the batter that immediately results in 4 runs.

Duck

A score of zero believed to have got its name from the shape of the numeral for zero and the fact it resembles a duck's egg.

Edge

The outermost perimeter of the bat. Also refers to a ball only just struck by the edge of the bat by a batter. Sometimes called a "snick".

Innings

The period of time spent batting by a team or individual.

LBW - Leg Before Wicket

Better known as Leg Before Wicket. This is a method of dismissal where the ball when having been bowled would normally strike the stumps if not for the fact it strikes the batter’s leg first.

Middle Order

Refers to the batting positions or batter numbered between 5 and 7.

Over

The set number of balls bowled by a bowler. An over consists of 6 balls. The term “Over” is also called by the umpire when the bowler has completed his 6 balls.

Run Out

A method of dismissing the batter by disturbing the stumps before the batter has made his ground and is within the batting crease.