Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players. It is the national sport of England.

The game is most popular in Australia, England, the Indian subcontinent, the West Indies and Southern Africa. A cricket match is divided into periods called innings. Cricket is played on a grassy field. The game on the field is regulated by two umpires. The bowler delivers the ball to the batsman who attempts to hit the ball with his bat far enough for him to run to the other end of the pitch and score a run. Each batsman continues batting until he is out. The bowler bowls the ball in sets of six deliveries and each set of six balls is called an over. The bat is made of wood. Batsmen come in to bat in a batting order, decided by the team captain. Each wicket on the pitch consists of three wooden stumps placed vertically, in line with one another. They are surmounted by two wooden crosspieces called bails.