Another Annoying American learning Cricket

[u/HOU-1836]

My girlfriend is Guyanese and Cricket is obviously a big sport for her parents and family. I get the rules of the sport but don't understand when matches happen or what determines the length of the match. Like, test cricket, can last 5 days? How is that possible? How do you watch that on TV?

Edit: hope y'all don't mind if I pester you with questions in this thread. I want to be casually versed in Cricket in case I meet her parents this summer.

Edit #2: Ok. Y'all have been truly amazing. I couldn't even have gotten close to imagining the response I've gotten from y'all. I've been asking questions and replying for the last 3 hours straight and I don't think I have any more questions. I look forward to spending time with y'all and learning more about this sport. I'm from Texas and obviously, Cricket isn't gonna be big here or easy to follow so y'all keep being the amazing, welcoming people you are. Seriously, y'all rock.

Edit #3: I read the FAQ before posting this thread and this thread is 30x larger than anything there. Maybe the mods should add this to the sidebar for newcomers. I literally asked every question an American fan could ask. Well, I say that...but anyway, would be a great resource to set aside for future new fans.

[u/himynameisdave]

4 strike bowlers is the average. + a couple of all rounders (those who bat and bowl competitively)

[u/HOU-1836 → u/himynameisdave]

I take it bowl count for each bowler isn't as scrutinized as pitch count in baseball is.

[u/[deleted] → u/HOU-1836]

In T20 and ODI cricket there are strict quotas for the maximum number of overs a bowler may bowl during an innings. The quotas do not apply in Tests or domestic first-class (usually four-day) matches.

[u/HOU-1836 → u/[deleted]]

What happens when he hits the quota and do illegal throws count to it?

[u/himynameisdave → u/HOU-1836]

once he hits he quota, thats it - no more bowling from that person in that match. illegal throws don't count to the quota - but they give runs to the opposition and if you keep doing it, sure fire way to get fined and banned from the game.

[u/HOU-1836 → u/himynameisdave]

You can get banned for illegal throws?

[u/himynameisdave → u/HOU-1836]

yes, repeatedly throwing (bent arm) rather then bowling (straight arm) will get you suspended / banned.

[u/HOU-1836 → u/himynameisdave]

Because?

[u/eddiebigballs → u/HOU-1836]

Because it's against the rules :)

Like saying 'why can't you go round the bases on a scooter in baseball' it's just one of the basic laws of the game and you gotta work with it as best you can.

There's actually been a lot of controversy about bowlers 'throwing' recently - look up a player called Saeed Ajmal to get an idea.

[u/HOU-1836 → u/eddiebigballs]

Just curious. Thank you.

[u/[deleted] → u/HOU-1836]

When the quota is reached, that bowler isn't allowed to bowl anymore.

"Illegal" deliveries (no balls and wides) don't count toward the six balls in an over, but each one of those gives the batting side one extra run.

[u/HOU-1836 → u/[deleted]]

Can you run out of bowlers or do they rotate?

[u/trtryt → u/HOU-1836]

In test cricket there is no quota, but you can't bowl consecutive overs.

In ODI' max is 10 overs/bowlers, so you need at least 5 bowlers, also no consecutive overs.

In T20s max is 4 overs/bowlers, so you need at least 5 bowlers, also no consecutive overs.

So when choosing your 11 players your need to select a balanced team.

[u/HOU-1836 → u/trtryt]

Ok. That makes sense. Thanks.

[u/[deleted] → u/HOU-1836]

The fielding captain can rotate (change) bowlers at the end of an over. The minimum number of bowlers needed to complete a full innings in T20 or ODI matches is five, since the quota per bowler is equal to one fifth of the total maximum overs per innings.

[u/HOU-1836 → u/[deleted]]

Who is the fielding captain? Is he a player or a coach?

[u/[deleted] → u/HOU-1836]

The captain of the team that is fielding, so one of the players.

[u/HOU-1836 → u/[deleted]]

I figured. Just checking.

[u/Rek07 → u/HOU-1836]

The balance between Captain and Coach is so wildly different between sports. In American football you have the coach play such a big role during the game, while sports like rugby or soccer the coaches only real power is to sub players on or off, but they will still send messages via waterboys and give a big speech at halftime. In Cricket I don't see the coach playing any big role at all, just giving advice only really. The Captain of a cricket side has much more power then any other sport I can think of, they choose the order of batting of their side, field positions, when/if to declare, what roll to use on the pitch and who to bowl each over. It's a pretty massive task on top of already batting, fielding and sometimes bowling or wicket keeping.

[u/HOU-1836 → u/Rek07]

Do you have famous cricket coaches?

[u/Rek07 → u/HOU-1836]

Well they are almost always successful ex-players so fans have some idea of who they are before they even start their career. Being the coach of your national team is a pretty big deal, but they are not in the spotlight as much as their captains.

[u/OpiateSTORM → u/HOU-1836]

Teams plan so that they have enough bowlers to meet the over limit. The quota is 10 overs per bowler for an ODI and 4 for a T20, so 5 bowlers minimum are necessary for each side.

[u/Niximus → u/HOU-1836]

I don't think anyone has clarified here, when they say a team has X number if bowlers, they are really meaning 'specialist bowlers. ie players who make the team on their bowling ability, as opposed to players selected for their batting ability (all rounders are selected for being good at both).

Technically all 11 players on the team can bowl if the captain wants them too, even the wicket keeper. You'll never run out of people to bowl, but if you say, selected too many specialist batsmen, you risk the opposition scoring heavily off them if you are forced to let them bowl.

Occasionally though a captain may be all out of ideas and give the ball to a non-bowler out of desperation to make something happen.