Discovering Cricket with Arif Patel

The game of cricket is played between two teams of eleven players each. Bat, bowl, and stumps are the main components of this team. The game starts with a toss, where one of the teams' bats and the other bowls. The aim of the batting team is to score high runs in the number of overs given while the bowling team aims to take wickets and restrict the batting team from scoring too many runs. Once an innings is complete, the tables are turned. The batting team bowls while the bowling team bats whereby the team batting second needs to cover up the runs scored by the team batting first. As per Arif Patel, this is how a layman understands the game of cricket.

While this is the basic concept and core idea of the game, there are a lot of other things that explain this game. Arif Patel who happens to be a prolific cricketer himself and a famous cricket expert explains more about the game; the various rules that batsmen need to obey to play properly, score runs legally, and help their team. 

According to Arif Patel UK, the main motive of a batsman is to score runs for his team, and there are certain different ways how he can score runs. 

• First, he can run across the pitch between the wickets and it gives them runs. The number of turns determines the total runs scored. 

• Second, when the batsman hits the ball and it crosses the boundary rope after touching the ground, four runs are awarded. 

• Similarly, when the batsman hits the ball and it crosses the boundary rope without touching the ground, six runs are awarded. 

Like Arif Patel Dubai says there are a lot more ways through which runs are awarded. These ways are essentially called extras and include wides, no balls, byes, and leg byes. It is a no ball: 

• When the bowler oversteps while bowling, 

• The ball is a full toss above the waist of the batsman, 

• The ball bounces more than once before reaching the batsman or 

• Or when a fielder is illegally positioned in the field. 

In all these cases, a single run is awarded alongside the other runs scored by the batsman. In a no ball, the batsman cannot be out apart from being run out or when he hits the ball more than once or obstruct a fielder or the bowler or directly handle the ball. A ball is not counted when a no ball is bowled.

Further, Arif Patel cricketer explains that a wide delivery is a ball where a single run is awarded along with any other runs scored. An umpire calls it a wide ball when they think it is pretty much difficult to play the ball. The rules for a wide ball are quite lenient in test cricket and quite strict in limited-overs cricket. The batsman can be dismissed by running out, stump, handling the ball, obstructing the field, or hitting the ball more than once when the ball is delivered. A ball is not counted when a wide ball is bowled.

Arif Patel describes bye as a delivery where runs are awarded based on how the batsmen take runs or the ball reaches the boundary without the batsman even hitting the ball. It is a leg bye when a ball hits a batsman's body apart from his hands or the bat itself. No extra runs are awarded in this case. In both cases, a ball is counted.

Arif Patel Dubai also gives clarity about various ways in which a batsman can be out or dismissed from the game. 

• Bowled- In this scenario, the stumps of a batsman needs to be bowled whereby at least a single bail needs to be removed. 

• Caught- This is a type of dismissal where the batsman hits the ball with his bat or the ball touches his arm and a fielder including the bowler catches the bowl before it touches the ground. 

• LBW- LBW or Leg Before Wicket, Arif Patel cricketer defines it as an act of dismissal where the batsmen illegally block the bowl that is bound to hit the stumps. The final call is by the umpire who needs to check whether the delivery's impact and pitching are in line and the ball is hitting the wickets. The final decision is a bit time-taking.

• Stump- This is done by a wicketkeeper when the batsman stays out of the pitch and the keeper removes the bails before the batsman comes into the pitch again.

• Run Out- This is done when the fielders combine and the batsman is dismissed by removing the bails before the batsman completes a run and comes into the pitch.

• Ball handling- This is a dismissal where the batsman willingly handles the ball after it has been bowled with his palms.

• Time Out- If an incoming batsman is not available at the pitch within three minutes of the previous dismissal; the batsman can be called out. 

• Hit the ball more than once- If the batsman hits the ball with his bat more than once, the batsman is called out.

• Field Obstruction- If a fielder or the bowler is obstructed by the batsman, it is a possible dismissal, the batsman is declared out.

There are many layers to the game of cricket and Arif Patel makes sure to keep you aware of everything in detail, creating a better understanding of the game.