How to Play Cricket: Rules, Scoring & Beginner’s Guide

What Is Cricket?

Cricket is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 11 players each. One team bats (tries to score runs) while the other team bowls and fields (tries to get batters out). After one team finishes batting, the teams switch roles. The team that scores more runs wins.

The game is played on a large oval grass field. In the center of the field sits the pitch — a flat, rectangular strip of ground that measures exactly 22 yards (20.12 meters) long. At each end of the pitch stand three vertical wooden sticks called stumps, topped by two small crosspieces called bails. Together, the stumps and bails form a wicket (Rules of Sport).

If you live in the Jersey City, NJ area and have watched baseball, cricket will feel both familiar and different. Both sports use a bat and ball, both have fielders spread across the ground, and both reward hitting the ball far. But the mechanics of batting, bowling, and scoring are distinct — and that’s what makes cricket worth learning.

How Scoring Works

Scoring in cricket is counted in runs. There are several ways to score them:

Running between the wickets. After hitting the ball, both batters run to the opposite end of the pitch. Each time they swap ends, the batting team scores one run. They can run as many times as they want before the fielding team returns the ball to the pitch — though the risk of being run out increases with each run.

Boundaries. If the batter hits the ball along the ground and it crosses the rope marking the outer edge of the field, the batting team scores 4 runs automatically. If the ball clears the boundary without bouncing (similar to a home run in baseball), the team scores 6 runs (Rules of Sport). Boundaries are the fastest way to add runs to the scoreboard.

Extras. The batting team can also score runs without hitting the ball. Wide balls (too far from the batter to hit), no-balls (illegal deliveries, such as overstepping the bowling crease), byes (the ball passes the batter and the wicketkeeper, allowing the batters to run), and leg byes (the ball deflects off the batter’s body) all award extra runs.

How Batters Get Out

A batter stays at the crease until they are “dismissed” — the cricket term for getting out. There are 10 ways to be dismissed, but five are most common:

Bowled. The bowler’s delivery hits the stumps and dislodges the bails. The batter is out immediately, regardless of whether they swung at the ball.

Caught. A fielder catches the ball before it hits the ground after the batter makes contact. This is the most frequent dismissal in professional cricket.

Leg Before Wicket (LBW). The ball hits the batter’s leg (or body) instead of the bat, and the umpire judges that it would have gone on to hit the stumps. LBW decisions are among the most debated calls in the sport.

Run out. While the batters are running between the wickets, a fielder throws the ball and hits the stumps before the batter reaches the crease (the safe zone marked by a white line).

Stumped. The batter steps forward out of the crease to hit the ball, misses, and the wicketkeeper quickly removes the bails before the batter can get back behind the line.

Match Formats: T20, ODI, and Test

Cricket is played in three main formats, each with a different pace and length:

T20 (Twenty20). Each team bats for 20 overs (an over = 6 legal deliveries from the bowler). A full T20 match takes about 3 hours. This is the format used by Major League Cricket (MLC) in the United States and the ICC T20 World Cup. T20 rewards aggressive batting and fast scoring.

One Day International (ODI). Each team bats for 50 overs. Matches last 6 to 8 hours and are typically played in a single day. The ICC Cricket World Cup uses this format. ODIs balance patience and aggression — teams build their innings gradually before accelerating in the final overs.

Test cricket. The oldest format, played over up to 5 days with 6 hours of play each day. Each team bats twice (two innings). There is no over limit — batters stay until they are dismissed. Test matches can end in a draw if neither team finishes its innings in time. Test cricket rewards technique, concentration, and endurance over raw power.

For beginners and kids, T20 is the easiest entry point. The games are short, the action is constant, and the rules are slightly simplified compared to Test cricket. Most cricket coaching programs, including those at Sparc Cricket Academy in Jersey City, NJ, teach batting and bowling skills that apply across all three formats.

Equipment You Need to Get Started

One of cricket’s advantages for beginners is that you don’t need much equipment to start:

Bat. A flat-faced wooden bat. For children, bat sizes range from size 0 (for ages 4-5) to size 6 (for ages 13-15). Adults use full-size bats. Beginners should start with a bat they can comfortably swing — weight matters more than brand.

Ball. Beginners and young children should start with a tennis ball or a soft training ball to reduce injury risk (Cricket Store Online). Harder leather or composite balls are introduced as players develop proper technique and start wearing protective gear.

Stumps and bails. Three stumps and two bails per end. Portable plastic sets work for backyards and parks. Organized coaching facilities like Sparc Cricket Academy’s indoor facility provide permanent equipment.

Protective gear (as skills advance). A batting helmet, leg pads, batting gloves, and an abdominal guard become necessary once players face harder balls from faster bowlers. Proper fit matters — equipment that’s too large doesn’t protect well and can interfere with movement.

Cricket for Kids: How to Get Your Child Started

Cricket is one of the few sports where children as young as 5 can start learning the basics. Most youth cricket programs structure their training by age group:

Ages 5-8: Focus on hand-eye coordination, throwing, catching, and hitting a soft ball. Sessions are short (45-60 minutes) and built around games rather than drills. The goal is to build comfort with a bat and ball, not to teach complex technique.

Ages 9-11: Players start learning batting stance, bowling action, and basic fielding positions. Coaches introduce the rules of the game and run modified matches with shorter boundaries and fewer overs.

Ages 12-15: Technique work gets more specific — footwork for batting, swing and spin bowling, positional fielding. Players at this age compete in organized matches and tournaments with standard rules.

At Sparc Cricket Academy in Jersey City, NJ, head coach Sushanth Konda (former captain of the Karnataka state team in India) and ICC Level 1 certified coach Vishal Patel lead year-round training for ages 6 and up. Age-appropriate groups (U-10, U-13, U-15, and older) ensure that each child works at the right level. The academy’s summer camp (June 29 through August 21, ages 5-14+) is a popular starting point for families new to the sport.

Cricket in the United States: A Growing Sport

Cricket has been played in the United States since the 18th century, but its modern growth has been rapid. According to Profluence, there are now approximately 3.37 million cricket fans in the US, with over 200,000 active players across local leagues and academies. Participation has grown 40% since 2018, and native-born American participation specifically has increased 67%.

The launch of Major League Cricket (MLC) in 2023 brought professional T20 cricket to American audiences for the first time. Six city-based franchises — including teams backed by IPL ownership groups like Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings — compete each summer. The 2024 ICC T20 World Cup, co-hosted by the USA and West Indies, drew 34,000 fans to a single India-Pakistan match in New York.

For families in New Jersey, this means cricket coaching and playing opportunities are more available than ever. Year-round coaching programs offer 2, 3, or unlimited sessions per week, and local tournaments give young players match experience throughout the season.