CRICKET, the name of an exercise or game with bats and balls. The laws of this game, as settled by the cricket club in 1744, and played at the Artillery Ground, London, are as follow. The pitch ing the first wicket is to be determined by the cast of a piece of money. When the first wicket is pitched, and the popping crease cut, which must be exactly three feet ten inches from the wicket, the other wicket is to he pitched directly opposite, at twenty-two yards distance, and the other popping-crease cut three feet ten inches before it. The bowling•creases must be cut in a direct line from each stump. The stumps must be twenty-two inches long, and the bail six inches. The ball must weigh between five and six ounces. When the wickets are both pitch ed, and all the creases cut, the party that wins the toss up may order which side shall go in first, at his option.
The laws for the bowlers. Four balls and over.—The bowler must deliver the ball with one foot behind the crease even with the wicket, and when he has bowled one ball, or more, shall howl to the number four before he changes wickets; and he shall change but once in the same innings. He may order the player that is in at his wicket to stand on which side of it he pleases, at a reasonable distance. If he de livers the ball with his hinder foot over the bowling-crease, the umpire shall call no ball, though she be struck, or the player is bowled out, which he shall do without being asked, and no person shall have any right to ask him.
Laws for the strikers, or those that are in.
—If the wicket is howled down, it is cut.
If he strikes or treads down, or he falls himself upon the wicket in striking, but not in over-running, it is out. A stroke or nip over or under his bat, or upon his hands, but not arms, if the ball be held before she touches ground, though she be hugged to the body, it is out. If in strik ing, both his feet are over the popping crease, and his wicket put down, except his bat is down within, it is out. If he runs out of his ground to hinder a catch, it is out. If a ball is nipped up, and he strikes her again wilfully before she come to the wicket, it i s out. If the players have cross ed each other, he that runs for the wicket that is put down is out: if they are not crossed, he that returns is out. if i n run ning a notch, the wicket is struck down by a throw before his foot, hand, or bat, is over the popping-crease, or a stump hit by the ball, though the ball was down, it is out. But if the bail is down before, he that catches the ball must strike a stump out of the ground•ball in hand, then it is out. if the striker touches or takes up the ball before sine is lain quite still, un less asked by the bowler or wicket-keep er, it is out.
fiat, foot, or hand over the crease.—When the ball has been in hand by one of the keepers or stoppers, and the player has been at home, he may go where he pleases till the next ball is bowled. if either of the strikers is crossed in his running ground designedly, which design must be deter mined by the umpires, the umpires may order that notch to be scored. When the ball is hit up, either of the strikers may hinder the catch in his running ground, or if she is hit directly across the wickets, the other player may place his body where within the swing of the bat, so as to hinder the bowler from catching her: but he must neither strike at her, nor touch her with his hands. If a striker nips a ball up just before him, he may fall before his wicket, or pap down his bat before she comes to it, to save it. The hail hanging on one stump, though the ball hit the wicket, it is not out.
Laws for the wicket-keeper shall stand at a reasonable distance behind the wicket, and shall not move till the ball is out of the bowler's hand, and shall not by any noise incom mode the striker ; and if his hands, knees, foot, or head, be ove r or before the wicket, though the ball hit it, it shall not be out.
Laws for the umpires.—To allow two minutes for each man to come when one is out, and ten minutes between each hand. To mark the ball, that It may not be changed. They are sole judges of all outs and ins, of all fair or unfair play, of all frivolous delays, of all hurts, whether real or pretended, and are dis cretionally to allow what time they think proper before the game goes on again. In case of a real hurt to a striker, they are to allow another to remain, and the person hurt to come in again ; but are not to allow a fresh man to play on either side on any account. They are sole judges of all hinderances, crossing the players in running, and standing unfair to strike ; and in case of hinderance, may order a notch to be scored. They are not to order any man out, unless appeal ed to by one of the players. Those laws are to the umpires jointly.
Each umpire is the sole judge of all nips and catches, ins and outs, good or bad runs, at his own wicket, and his de termination shall be absolute, and he shall not be changed for another umpire without the consent of both sides. When the four balls are bowled, he is to call over. These laws are separately.
When both umpires call play three times, it is at the peril of giving the game from them that refuse to play.