Baseball and cricket are two of the most popular sports in the world. These games have similar rules, with both activities being played by people in different countries.
However, they have several differences between them. If you’re a newbie in this realm, you might be confused as to what type of game you should play.
This guide will help you know the difference between baseball and cricket so that you can make an informed decision when picking your favorite pastime.
Baseball
The first thing you should know about baseball is that it is a bat-and-ball game. This means that while a cricket pitch has only a single strip (the crease) where the batsman can play the bowlers, a baseball field has four separate strips where the batsmen can play the bowlers.
So, while cricket is played on a field, baseball is played on a field with four separate strips. Both games use round balls, but in baseball, there is a bat to hit the ball.
So, the whole game revolves around hitting the ball with the bat and getting it as far as possible.
The game is played between two teams – the home team and the visiting team – and the team batting first has to score a certain number of runs to win the game.
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players. The players take turns to bowl and hit the ball with a cricket bat.
A set number of balls are bowled by the bowlers and the batsmen try to hit the ball beyond the boundary and into the opponent’s field.
The captain of the team decides in what order the players bat, while the other members of the team wait in the ‘off’ lane and run when the batsman goes out. The team that scores the most runs wins the game.
A cricket match is played as a single innings, and the team with the most runs wins the innings.
History of baseball and cricket
Baseball and cricket have been on the planet for over a century. The first documented game was in the year 1544 in England, when people played a game using a ball and bat.
However, zero records exist about the exact rules of this game. It became popular in the US in the late 19th century, and in the early 20th century, the game was introduced to Asia and Europe.
Differences between Baseball and Cricket
Now that you know the basics about these two sports, let’s take a closer look at their basic differences.
– The Pitch – A cricket pitch is a circle of grass with a single strip called the crease where batsmen can hit the ball.
This pitch has nothing to do with the area where the game is played. In baseball, the pitch has four separate sections, with the field being a square of 60 feet per side and the home team’s section being between the two sides of the field.
– The Batsman – In cricket, the batsman is the person who hits the ball. When playing baseball, the batsman is the one who hits the ball with a bat.
– The Batsman’s Field – The cricket batsman has a rectangular field (strip) where he can hit the ball, but in baseball, the batsman’s field is also square (60 feet per side), and the only part of the field that is different from the rest is the home plate.
– The Pitcher – In cricket, the bowler delivers the ball. In baseball, the pitcher delivers the ball to the batter.
Conclusion
So, here are the differences between baseball and cricket.
Baseball is played on a field with four separate strips where the batsmen hit the ball with a bat while cricket is played on a field with a single strip where batsmen hit the ball with a cricket bat.
The batsmen’s field in cricket is rectangular and in baseball, it is also rectangular, but the only part that is different is the home plate.
So, what are you waiting for? Start practicing your batting skills and bowl those perfect balls for your team to win the game!