Individual focus
For a team sport, cricket
places individual players under unusual scrutiny and pressure. Bowler, batsman,
and fielder all act essentially independently of each other. While team
managements can signal bowler or batsman to pursue certain tactics, the
execution of the play itself is a series of solitary acts. Cricket is more
similar to baseball than many other team sports in this regard: while the
individual focus in cricket is slightly mitigated by the importance of the batting partnership and the practicalities of running, it is enhanced by the
fact that a batsman may occupy the wicket for a long time.
Spirit of the Game
Cricket is a unique game where
in addition to the laws, the players must abide by the "Spirit of the
Game". The standard of sportsmanship has historically been considered so
high that the phrase "it's just not cricket" was coined in the 19th
century to describe unfair or underhanded behavior in any walk of life. In the
last few decades though, cricket has become increasingly fast-paced and
competitive, increasing the use of appealing and sledging,
although players are still expected to abide by the umpires' rulings without
argument, and for the most part they do. Beginning in 2001, the MCC has held an
annual lecture named after Colin
Cowdrey on the spirit of the game. Even in the modern game fielders are
known to signal to the umpire that a boundary was hit, despite what could have
been considered a spectacular save (though they might be found out by the TV
replays anyway). In addition to this, some batsmen have been known to
"walk" when they think they are out even if the umpire does not
declare them out. This is a high level of sportsmanship, as a batsman can easily
take advantage of incorrect umpiring decisions.
Influence of weather
Floodlight
at M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
Cricket is a sport played
predominantly in the drier periods of the year. But, even so, the weather is a
major factor in all cricket matches.
A scheduled game of cricket
cannot be played in wet weather. Dampness affects the bounce of the ball on the
wicket and is a risk to all players involved in the game. Many grounds have
facilities to cover the cricket pitch (or the wicket). Covers can be in the
form oftarpaulins being laid over the wicket to elevated covers on wheels
(using the same concept as an umbrella) to even hover covers which form an
airtight seal around the wicket. However, most grounds do not have the
facilities to cover the outfield. This means that in the event of heavy bouts
of bad weather, games may be cancelled, abandoned or suspended due to an unsafe
outfield.
Another factor in cricket is
the amount of light available. At grounds without floodlights (or in game formats
which disallow the use of floodlights), umpires can stop play in the event of
bad light as it becomes too difficult for the batsmen to be able to see the
ball coming at them, (and in extreme cases, members of the fielding team).
On the other hand, in instances
of good light, batsmen can utilize sight-screens which enable batsmen to have a
white background against which they can pick out the red ball (or black
background for white ball) with greater ease.
The umpires always have the
final decision on weather-related issues.
Uniqueness of each field
Unlike those of most sports,
cricket playing fields can vary significantly in size and shape. While the
dimensions of the pitch and infield are specifically regulated, the Laws of
Cricket do not specify the size or shape of the field. The field boundaries are
sometimes painted and sometimes marked by a rope. Pitch and outfield variations
can have a significant effect on how balls behave and are fielded as well as on
batting. Pitches vary in consistency, and thus in the amount of bounce, spin,
and seam movement available to the bowler. Hard pitches are usually good to bat
on because of high but even bounce. Dry pitches tend to deteriorate for batting
as cracks often appear, and when this happens to the pitch, spinners can play a
major role. Damp pitches, or pitches covered in grass (termed "green"
pitches), allow good fast bowlers to extract extra bounce. Such pitches tend to
offer help to fast bowlers throughout the match, but become better for batting
as the game goes on. While players of other outdoor sports deal with similar
variations of field surface and stadium covering, the size and shape of their
fields are much more standardised. Other local factors, such as altitude and
climate, can also significantly affect play. These physical variations create a
distinctive set of playing conditions at each ground. A given ground may
acquire a reputation as batsman friendly or bowler friendly if one or the other
discipline notably benefits from its unique mix of elements. The absence of a
standardised field affects not only how particular games play out, but the
nature of team makeup and players' statistical records.
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