10 similarities between cricket and baseball.
- Bats and Balls.
Bats and balls are used in both cricket and baseball, and the object in both is to hit the balls with the bats to score runs. Baseballs are regulated to a 9 to 9.25-inch circumference, while cricket balls are subject to an 8 and 13/16ths to 9-inch circumference. Baseball bats are round all the way through and are never to exceed 2.625 inches in diameter, while cricket bats have round handles with flat blades that can be no longer than 38 inches or 4.25 inches in width.
2. The team with the most runs wins.
The object in both sports is to score runs. Hits in baseball put runners on base, and those runners score by advancing around the bases on additional hits. A run is scored when a batter advances to every base and comes back around to touch home plate. In cricket, a batter hits the ball and sprints back and forth down the 66-foot pitch trading places with his teammate. A run is scored when the two batters successfully trade places.
3. Everyone digs the long ball.
Hitting the ball out of the park is just as awesome in cricket as it is in baseball. A Home run occurs in baseball when a batter hits a bitch over the outfield walls and out of the playing field. Depending on how many runners are on base, a home run can score anywhere from one to four runs. Cricket batsmen can score “fours” or “sixes” when they hit a ball out of their respective playing boundary. If they hit a ball that rolls past the defense and beyond the boundary line, their team is awarded four runs. If they hit the ball and it sails over the boundary line without ever hitting the ground, they are awarded six runs.
4. Defense, defense, defense.
Both sports feature an offense and a defense playing against one another. Although players have set positions in baseball, technically they can float around the playing field wherever they choose. Cricket defense is the same. Players frequently move places according to tendencies of the batter. There are no more that 9 defensive players allowed on a baseball diamond compared to a maximum of 11 on a cricket field.
5. “You’re oouuttaaa there!”
The ways to get a player out in cricket are very similar to baseball. Balls can be caught on a fly to record an out, and cricket batsmen can strike out if the bowled ball strikes the stumps which are the three sticks in the ground on both ends of the pitch.
If a defender in baseball throws the ball to a base ahead of a runner, the runner can be out out by being tagged or if the defender steps on the base with possession of the ball. Instead of cricket defenders throwing the ball to a teammate, they try and throw the ball and hit the stumps before the runner gets any part of his body or bat across the safe line.
6. ZZZzzzzzZZzzzzZZZZZzzzz
One of the biggest criticisms of baseball is that it takes too long to play. Cricket is even worse. In international play, teams can play two different game styles that can last anywhere from 7 hours to 5 days. A newer and shorter game style was created called 20–20 which lasts the same amount of time as the typical baseball game, but the traditional style is used in international play like the World Cup.
7. Field of dreams
The playing fields in cricket and in baseball are fairly similar aside from one big difference. There is no foul territory in cricket. A baseball diamond falls within a quadrant of fair territory outlined by two perpendicular foul lines. the third edge of fair territory is the outfield wall. Cricket is played on a wide open oval of grass and batters can hit the ball in any direction the choose. Similar to the outfield wall, the boundary line in cricket surrounds the entire field.
8. Must be the money
Given the length of the baseball season, salaries in baseball are higher than they are in any other sport. The best players make anywhere from $15 million to $25 million per year, plus additional income from endorsements. The best cricket players in the world can bring in anywhere from $20 million to $30 million per year in team and endorsement contracts also.
9. Oooo I like your style.
Cricket bowlers, like pitchers in baseball, have many different styles. Some bowlers are known for their extremely aggressive and fast bowls, while others rely more on ball spin to fool batters. They can also throw at mid-speeds that are very confusing for the batters to time. Baseball pitchers usually have at least two pitches in their repetoir, and good pitchers know how keep hitter off balance by switching between pitches effectively. Some pitchere are also know for the way they throw the ball. Side-arm and submarine pitchers are great examples of this.
10. Anyone can play!
People of all ages can go out to their local park and enjoy America’s past time just like anyone can go out and enjoy a recreational game of cricket. It’s always alright to manipulate certain rules to foster competitive balance among your playing group, and no one should ever be discouraged to play either sport based on their age, gender, size, or nationality.
