Cricket is a national sport which is played between two teams of eleven players each who score runs (points) by running between two sets of three small, wooden posts called wickets. Each of the wickets is at one end of a rectangle of flattened grass called the pitch. Around the pitch is a much larger oval of grass called the cricket ground.^[1]

The game started in England in the 16th century. The earliest definite reference to the sport is in a court case of 1598.^[2] The court in Guildford heard a coroner, John Derrick, that when he was a scholar at the "Free School at Guildford", fifty years earlier, "he and diverse of his fellows did run and play [on the common land] at cricket and other players".^[3][4] Later, the game spread to countries of the British Empire in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Today, it is a popular sport in England, Australia, the Indian subcontinent (India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh), South Africa, New Zealand, the West Indies and a few other countries such as Afghanistan, Ireland, Kenya, Scotland, the Netherlands and Zimbabwe

Test matches

Test matches are the top international matches played between countries. The countries permitted to play test matches are accredited by the ICC: the International Cricket Council. The ten countries are listed above, with 'West Indies' counting for this purpose as a country. Tests last for up to five days: it is the longest format of cricket.

National league systems

Called counties in England, and states in Australia and islands in the West Indies. These are three or four day matches.

Limited overs cricket

 

In these games, the length is determined by the number of overs, and each side has one innings only. A special formula, known as the 'Duckworth–Lewis method' is applied if rain reduces the time for play. It calculates the target score for the team batting second in a limited overs match interrupted by weather or other circumstance.

One day internationals

Usually restricted to 50 overs batting for each side

Twenty20 cricket

Twenty20 cricket has 20 overs for each side.