field [3]

Oval surface covered with natural or synthetic grass on which a cricket match is played; it is made up of a pitch and a field.

pitch

Rectangular surface in midfield where the bowler and the batsman face each other; it contains two wickets that are 20 m apart.

delivery

Thrown at speeds reaching 100 mph, the ball usually bounces once before reaching the batsman.

return crease

The two lines on each side of wicket that demarcate the space in which the ball must be thrown or hit.

umpire

Official responsible for applying the rules of delivery; this umpire is positioned behind the bowler’s wicket.

bowler

Player who throws the ball toward the opposing batsman, who stands in front of the wicket; if the bowler topples the wicket, the batsman is retired.

bowling crease

Line perpendicular to the return crease; the wicket is embedded in the center of it.

popping crease

Line drawn 4 feet from the wicket; at the end of a run, the batsman is safe after touching the ground behind this line with the bat or a part of the body.

wicket

Piece made up of stumps with detachable bails; a defender can retire a batsman by toppling the wicket before the batsman completes the run between wickets.

wicketkeeper

Player positioned behind the batting wicket; the only defensive player who wears gloves, the wicketkeeper tries to catch balls missed by the batsman.

batsman

Player who takes position to hit the ball and protect the wicket; each time the player runs between the two wickets before the ball arrives, one point is scored.