| In baseball, the visiting team always bats first. In cricket, who bats first is chosen by the team winning a coin toss. |
Extra Detail: There is a lot of strategy involved in electing whether to bat or field first. See Strategy and Tactics for a full discussion.
| In baseball, the terminology is "one inning, many innings". In cricket, it is "one innings, many innings". |
| In baseball, an inning refers to both teams' turns at bat. Each individual team's turn at bat is a half inning. In cricket, an innings usually refers to each individual team's turn at bat. "The first innings" may refer to either the first innings of team A, or team B, or the first innings of both teams considered together - the difference is understood by context. |
| In baseball, you cannot simply declare your inning to be over. You wouldn't want to anyway - there's no tactical reason. In cricket, you may declare your innings closed to avoid taking up too much time. |
At the start of an innings, all eleven players of the fielding team go out to field, two players of
the batting team go out to bat. The remainder of the batting team wait off the field for their turn to bat.
Each batsman wears protective gear and carries a cricket bat.
The 200 run threshold for following on applies in matches of 5 or more days duration. In a 3 or 4 day game, the
follow on threshold is 150 runs; in a 2 day game it is 100 runs; in a 1 day game it is 75 runs.
Extra Detail: Following On
In a match of 2 innings per side, if the side batting second scores 200 or more runs fewer than the side batting first
in the first innings, then the captain of the side batting first may request the side batting second to have its second
innings immediately following its first innings. This is called the follow on.
| In baseball, extra innings are added to break tied scores. In cricket, ties stand. Baseball also does not have the concept of a draw caused by running out of time. |
| In baseball, the ball is live between pitches. Runners may steal bases, and may be tagged out. In cricket, the ball is dead between balls. Batsmen may not steal runs, and may not be run out. |
| In baseball, a ball is one possible result of a pitch. In cricket, ball refers to the analogue of a baseball pitch. Every time the bowler bowls, it is a ball. A ball may also called a delivery. |
| In baseball, all fielders wear catching gloves. In cricket, only the wicket-keeper is allowed to wear gloves. Everyone else has to catch the ball in their bare hands. The bowler is analagous to a baseball pitcher. The wicket-keeper is analagous to a baseball catcher. |
The members of the fielding side disperse around the field at the orders of the team captain, to positions designed to stop runs being scored or to get batsmen out. One fielder is the bowler. He takes the ball and stands some distance behind one of the wickets (i.e. away from the pitch). Another fielder is the wicket-keeper, who wears a pair of padded gloves designed for catching the ball. He squats behind the opposite wicket, ready to catch the ball if the batsman misses it.
| In baseball, the batter must stand within the batter's box. In cricket, the batsman may stand anywhere he likes. |
| In baseball, the batter holds his bat over his shoulder, cocked ready to swing, and swings horizontally. In cricket, the batsman holds his bat with the end on the ground near his toes, requiring a backswing before swinging to hit the ball, and usually swings vertically. |
The batsman stands with his bat held down in front of the wicket, ready to hit the ball, which will be bowled from the other end of the pitch. The batsman usually rests the lower end of the bat on the pitch and then taps the bat on the pitch a few times as "warm-up" backswings. The non-striker simply stands behind the other popping crease, waiting to run if necessary.
| In baseball, the pitcher stands still and throws the ball. The batter is 18.44m (60' 6") away. In cricket, the bowler runs up and bowls the ball. The batsman is 17.68m (58') away. |
| In baseball, if one runner is out, the ball is still live and the fielding team may attempt a double play. In cricket, as soon as one batsman is out, the ball is dead, so double plays cannot be made. |
The striker may then attempt to hit the ball with his bat.
Extra Detail:
The bowler may bowl from either side of the wicket, but must inform the umpire and the batsmen if he wishes to change sides.
Bowling with the bowling arm closest to the wicket is called over the wicket,
and is most common. Bowling with the non-bowling arm closest to the wicket is called
around the wicket.
A bowler may abort his run-up or not let go of the ball at the delivery stride if he loses his timing or footing.
There is no penalty. A batsman may also also abort a ball during the bowler's run-up if unavoidably distracted
(e.g. by an insect or dust in the eye) - he does so by taking a deliberate and obvious step away from his batting stance
and usually waving a hand toward the umpire. In either case, the umpire signals dead ball immediately.
| In baseball, one pitcher pitches until he is relieved, then (usually) leaves the game. A succession of pitchers may pitch, but none return to pitch again. In cricket, bowlers rest in the field while other players bowl. They can then return to bowl more later. |
Consecutive overs are bowled from opposite ends of the pitch. The batsmen do not change ends, so the roles of striker and non-striker swap after each over. Any member of the fielding team may bowl, so long as no bowler delivers two consecutive overs. Once a bowler begins an over, he must complete it, unless injured or suspended during the over.
Extra Details:
If a bowler is injured or suspended during an over, the over must be completed by a different player from the fielding
team, chosen by the captain. Any player except the one who bowled the previous over may complete the over.
The next over must be bowled by a different player again.
There will generally be 5 or more players skilled at bowling in a cricket team. The captain usually alternates two
bowlers for a spell of overs, then replaces one or both of them so they can rest while
other bowlers take over. The choice of who bowls the next over is an important tactical decision, made by the captain.
Historically, the number of balls in an over has varied: