A CRICKET MATCH

Cricket remains for me the game of games, the sanspareil, the great metaphor, the best marriage ever devised of mind and body. For me it remains the Proust of pastimes, the subtlest and most poetic, the most past- and-present; whose beauty can lie equally in days, in a whole, or in one tiny phrase, a blinding split second. - John Robert Fowles A cricket match is played between two teams of eleven players each on a field of variable size and shape. The objective of each team is to score more runs than the other team and to completely dismiss the other team. In one form of cricket, winning the game is achieved by scoring the most runs, even if the opposition has not been completely dismissed. In another form, it is necessary to score the most runs and dismiss the opposition in order to win the match, which would otherwise be drawn. The match is played on a ground which is grassy and is prepared by curators whose jobs include fertilizing, mowing, rolling and leveling the surface. Field diameters of 137 150 metres are usual. The perimeter of the field is known as the boundary and this is sometimes painted and sometimes marked by a rope that encircles the outer edge of the field. The Laws of Cricket do not specify the size or shape of the field but it is often oval. Cricket is a multi-faceted sport which, in very broad terms, can be divided into major cricket and minor cricket based on playing standards. Typically, two-innings matches have at least six hours of playing time each day. A limited over matches often last six hours or more. There are usually formal intervals on each day for lunch and tea with brief informal breaks for drinks. There is also a short interval between innings. Historically, a

form of cricket known as single wicket has been extremely successful and many of these contests in the 18th and 19th centuries qualify as major cricket matches. Cricket holds great importance in the desi due to its immense popularity in every nook and corner of our Bharath.Cricket is celebrated as a religion and every Indians little spirits are rustled, ignited and the patriotic fervor is on due to the mere presence of cricketing genius Sachin Tendulkar on the field. The Indian Premier League (IPL), Champions League and other domestic twenty-20 leagues have added the glam and the glitz factor/quotient to the highest in the markets. A Test match is an international fixture between teams representing those countries that are Full Members of the ICC. Test matches between two teams are usually played in a group of matches called a "series". Matches last up to five days and a series normally consists of three to five matches. Test matches that are not finished within the allotted time are drawn. Test matches though unimpressive from the point of view of majority of the cricket fans it calls for endurance, patience and tests the composure of both the batsmen and the bowlers. It is regarded as the real test for cricketers who aspire to hitch the wagon to the stars. The concept of limited overs international was introduced and played in 1971.Limited overs cricket has seen various innovations including the use of multicoloured kit and floodlit matches using a white ball. A "one day match", named so because each match is scheduled for completion in a single day, is the most common form of limited overs cricket played on an international level. The World cup/Championship is played in limited over format and is held once in four years. Twenty20 is a new variant of limited overs itself with the purpose being to complete the match within about three hours, usually in an evening session. The original idea was

to provide workers with an evening entertainment. It has been commercially successful and has been adopted internationally. A cricket match in the T-20 format will entertain the crowds by the fast paced games and strikes whereas the limited overs had become now slow paced and Test matches are on the verge of extinction due to the arrival of instant damaka package. Mouth watering game strokes and thrilling encounters captivate the audience. Nowadays a Cricket match has gone beyond the distance of sportsmanship, entertainment but it is laden with money, cash, match fixing scams, allegations. The entertainment factor is gone with the west wind of money, recreation in pubs and private parties. The spirit of the game in a cricket is dead and is no more Hope let us revive the game !!!