That much I've got. But there's a lot of technical slang, like "overs" and "centuries" that folks need to know (only some of which I know). The scoring announcing in cricket is very confusing to the uninitated as a result.
And then there's the fact that the number of runs scorred might not matter in a test match if it's not finished in time--resulting in a draw--hence the (to my mind perfectly charming) fact that one can 'declare'--end your side's inning early by your team's choice--so that a draw doesn't result by taking up too much time (and keep an eye on the sky, the five days don't get extended simply because you can't play in the rain). (A tie--very rare--is what it sounds like, both sides have scored the same number or runs when the last batsman is out. A draw is a match ending without winnner because it was not completed.)
(The fact that the crucial stategict decision in a test match is when to decide you've scored enough, and be gentlemanly and let the other side have their inning, while charming to me, is probably the main reason cricket has very little chance of catching on in the US.)
Good luck and godspeed to our team, though.
You've actually got a pretty good grip on the game, from your explanation.
The thing I initially thought when I first started watching cricket was that it was pretty goofy that a game could go on for five days and result in a draw. That was before I ever saw one and understood what a draw really meant and how it could affect a series.
In reality, a draw gives a team who doesn't have a chance at winning something to play for. There is nothing more boring than a baseball game where a team like the Yankees is leading 15-1 in the fifth inning. Might as well turn the channel and see what else is on, maybe check back in 10-15 minutes and yup, they're still ahead by about a thousand runs.
The option of the draw actually gives that team losing 15-1 something to play for. Imagine being down by that amount and actually having the ability to prevent the team who just piled runs on you from winning the game! It is the ultimate form of revenge if you think about it.
In the context of a multi-match series, the draw can be extremely important. In last summer's five match series between England and Australia, the Aussies won the first match easily, while England won the second by 2 runs in a thriller.
In the third match, England (batting first) declared, and were leading by 422 runs when Australia began their second innings. Needing either 423 runs to win (a very improbable target), or to bat all day long for a draw, Australia batted defensively, which made it harder for England's bowlers to get them out. But they attacked, and wickets fell all day.
One man stood up to the attack of the bowlers, the Aussie captain, Ricky Ponting, who scored a "century" (which is an individual total of 100 runs or more), scoring 156 off of 275 balls, spending a total of 6 hours, 51 minutes at bat in the middle of the field. Then, with only 25 balls left for Australia to earn their draw, Ponting was out.
In walked Australia's weakest batter, Glenn McGrath. Imagine your favorite baseball team needing a clutch hit late in the game, but no pinch hitters left on the bench, and a pitcher with about a .175 average finds he must bat for himself. That was what Australia faced. McGrath and another bowler, Brett Lee (who is actually a decent hitter, think Bronson Arroyo's hitting performance for the Cincinnati Reds earlier this season) faced the final 24 balls, knowing that if either of them got out, England, the "home team," would take a powerful 2-1 lead in the 5 match series with 2 matches to go.
Lee and McGrath defended the final 24 balls to earn the draw for Australia. In the end, it didn't make much difference as England went on to win the fourth match and draw the fifth, winning the series 2-1. However, at the time, it was a very important result.
I basically initiated myself into the world of cricket by watching recordings of international matches. The terminology isn't entirely familiar at first, but it isn't too hard to pick up as you go along. Some of the announcers, like former Australian batsman Michael Slater, former Indian batsman Sanjay Mandrekar, former Australian legspinner Richie Benaud, and former England batsman Geoffrey Boycott, are very entertaining to listen to.
Overs are sets of six balls thrown in one direction to the batsman. After each set of six balls, the bowling is done to the other end for the next six "pitches" (in baseball terms). This switching of ends being bowled to occurs regardless of whether the batsmen too have switched ends due to a successfully batted ball.
A century is just when a batsmen scores 100 runs without making an out. a double-century, 200.
If a ball rolls over the endline boundaries, its automatically 4 runs. If it goes over the boundary on a fly, then its 6 runs.
If the ball hits the wicket, then the batsman is out.
If the batsman blocks the ball with his pads, and the umpire determines that the ball WOULD have hit the stumps, dislodging the "bails" then the batsman is declared out, LBW or "leg before wicket."
A ball hit into the air and caught makes a batsman out, and will result in shouting of the phrase "HOWZEE!" a bastardized pidgin English version of "How is it?" asked to the umpire, or in other words, "Is the dang batter out?"
If the batsmen are running back and forth after a hit ball, and the other team hits the stumps with the ball before the batter is in the safe area, then the batter is out.
Pimm's Cup is mixed with fruit to make a refreshing punch.
Gin and tonics with limes can be offered to players or spectators.
Red Stripe will be considered a friendly gesture if your opponents are from the Caribbean area.