WHAT IS CRICKET ?

Cricket : A Gentlemen's Game!

Cricket was invented in the vast fields of England, supposedly by shepherds who herded their flock. Later on this game was shown benevolence by aristocrats, and now has the stature of being England's national game. After a century now, cricket stands in the international arena, with a place of its own.

THE GAME

Cricket involves two teams with 11 players on each side. The captain who wins the toss decides whether his team bats or bowls first. If they bat first , their aim is to score a lot of runs and make sure the other team does not reach that score.

FORMATS OF THE GAME

Cricket is played in many formats , but the most popular are TEST CRICKET and ONE DAY cricket. In TEST cricket game goes on for 5 days, with each team batting twice - if time permits.

ONE DAY is the most popular format, with each team getting 300 balls to score runs. And the other team tries to outscore them within the same number of balls.

KEY PLAYERS

Three functions of the players are 1. BATSMEN, 2. BOWLING 3. FIELDING.

1. Batsmen - one who scores runs of the balls bowled by the bowler.

2. Bowler - One who bowls, and tries to get the batsmen "out" (dismissed from the ground).

3. Fielder - Players (10) who assist the bowler in achieving his goal, and prevent the batsmen from scoring runs.

How Cricket Game Started

the origins and facts about cricket

Origins of the game of cricket are lost in the mists of time. There is a reference in the household accounts of King Edward I in 1300 of a game much like cricket being played in Kent.

English game originated in the sheep-raising country of the South East, where the short grass of the pastures made it possible to bowl or roll a ball of rags or wool at a target. That target was usually the wicket-gate of the sheep paddock, which was defended with a bat in the form of a shepherd's crooked staff.

In reality there was actually a large number of different games played under a variety of local rules. The idea of a single past time evolving seamlessly into the sport we know and love is appealing but not very likely. However, hitting a ball with a stick does seem to have been a popular past time. Whatever the variety or origins of games played, records show Edward II wielding a bat, and it was suggested that Oliver Cromwell also played the game. In fact, "bat" is an old English word meaning stick or club. The earliest types of bat were much like a hockey stick - long, heavy clubs curved outwards towards the bottom. The design of the bat reflected the type of bowling that was prevalent at the time - fast, underarm bowls rolled along the ground. By the eighteenth century, the bat had developed into a heavier, longer, curved version of our modern bat - the handle and blade were carved out of a single piece of wood.

The first recorded cricket match took place in Kent in 1646 and, by the late 1600s fines were actually handed out for those missed church church to play. Cricket was popular and widely documented in England during the 1700s. In 1706 William Goldwyn published the 1st description of the game. He wrote that two teams were first seen carrying their curving bats to the venue, choosing a pitch and arguing over the rules. They pitched two sets of wickets, each with a "milk-white" bail perched on two stumps; tossed a coin for first knock, the umpire called "play" and the "leathern orb" was bowled. They had 4-ball overs, the umpires leant on their staves (which the batsmen had to touch to complete a run), and the scorers sat on a mound making notches.

First written "Laws of Cricket" were established in 1744. They stated, "the principals shall choose from amongst the gentlemen present two umpires who shall absolutely decide all disputes. The stumps must be Twenty-two inches high and the bail across them six inches. The ball must be between 5 & 6 ounces, and the two sets of stumps Twenty-two yards apart". There were no limits on the shape or size of the bat. It appears that 40 notches was viewed as a very big score, probably due to the bowlers bowling quickly at shins unprotected by pads. The world's first cricket club was formed in Hambledon in the 1760s and the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) was founded in 1787.

So during the 1760's and 1770's it became common to pitch the ball through the air, rather than roll it along the ground. This innovation gave bowlers the weapons of deception through the air, length, plus increased pace. It also opened new possibilities for spin and swerve. In response, batsmen had to masters shot selection and timing. One immediate consequence of this was the replacement of the curving bat with the straight one. All of this raised the premium on skill and lessened the influence of rough ground and brute force. It was in the 1770's that the modern game began to take shape.

The weight of the ball was limited to between 5 and a 1/2 and five and 3/4 ounces, and the width of the bat to 4 inches. The latter ruling followed an innings by a batsman called "Shock" White, who appeared with a bat the width of the wicket. In 1774, the first leg before law was published. Also around this time, a third stump became commonplace.

Links

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Twenty20 world cup 2007 - Time Table

Twenty20 world cup 2007 - Time Table

Here are the two group’s scenarios:
Group E - South Africa, England, New Zealand & India
Group F – Bangladesh, Australia, Sri Lanka & Pakistan
Super Eight Stage of twenty20 world cup 2007
Timing	Teams	Venue
Sun 16	13th Match, Group E – New Zealand v India	New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg
Sun 16	14th Match, Group F – Australia v Bangladesh	Newlands, Cape Town
Sun 16	15th Match, Group E – South Africa v England	Newlands, Cape Town
Mon 17	16th Match, Group F – Pakistan v Sri Lanka	New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg
Tue 18	17th Match, Group E – New Zealand v England	Kingsmead, Durban
Tue 18	18th Match, Group F – Australia v Pakistan	New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg
Tue 18	19th Match, Group F – Bangladesh v Sri Lanka	New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg
Wed 19	20th Match, Group E – South Africa v New Zealand	Kingsmead, Durban
Wed 19	21st Match, Group E – England v India	Kingsmead, Durban
Thu 20	22nd Match, Group F – Australia v Sri Lanka	Newlands, Cape Town
Thu 20	23rd Match, Group F – Bangladesh v Pakistan	Newlands, Cape Town
Thu 20	24th Match, Group E – South Africa v India	Kingsmead, Durban
Twenty20 World Cup 2007 - Semi Final
Timing	Teams	Venue
Sat 22	25th Match, 1st Semi Final – New Zealand vs Pakistan	Newlands, Cape Town
Sat 22	26th Match, 2nd Semi Final – India vs Australia	Kingsmead, Durban
Twenty20 World Cup 2007 - Final
Timing	Teams	Venue
Mon 24	27th Match, Final – INDIA vs PAKISTAN	New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg

~~ INDIA wins Twenty20 World Cup 2007 against PAKISTAN ~~

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The Perfect Day of Eating

Where do you find a diet that's low in sugar and calories, but loaded with protein, fiber, and flavor? Right here, that's where

7:00am

BREAKFAST

After a full 7 or 8 hours without food, your body craves a healthy dose of high-quality protein. Start your day right with at least 30 grams (g), along with plenty of slow-digesting carbs. Because your carbohydrate stores are low after an overnight fast, there's no better time to fill your tank. Just make sure your carbs come primarily from fruit and 100 percent whole-grain sources.

PROTEIN-PACKED OATMEAL

Prepare:

1 package Nature's Path Instant Flax 'N Oats

Mix in:

1 scoop strawberry whey-protein powder (Choose a product that's 100 percent whey protein, such as Optimum Nutrition 100% Whey Gold Standard; optimumnutrition.com.)

3 Tbsp 1% milk

Have on the side:

1 medium pear

1 c green tea or coffee (sweetened with Splenda)

472 calories, 32 g protein, 76 g carbohydrates, 8 g fat (1 g saturated), 9 g fiber

OPTION 2 SPICY OMELET

Make with:

1 c Egg Beaters

1 medium egg

1/2 c fresh spinach

2 mushrooms, sliced

2 Tbsp shredded light Cheddar cheese

1/2 c salsa

Have on the side:

1 slice 100% whole-wheat bread with 1 Tbsp Smucker's low-sugar jelly; 1 c V8 juice

421 calories, 37 g protein, 40 g carbohydrates, 11 g fat (4 g saturated), 5 g fiber

OPTION 3 STRAWBERRY-AND-BANANA WORKOUT SHAKE

If you work out first thing in the morning, choose this option, drinking half of the shake right before your session and half immediately afterward.

Blend together:

2 scoops vanilla whey-protein powder

6 oz Yoplait Light fat-free strawberry yogurt

8 frozen strawberries

1 large banana

Plenty of ice

491 calories, 52 g protein, 61 g carbohydrates, 6 g fat (1 g saturated), 5 g fiber

10:00am

MIDMORNING SNACK

Eating protein- and fiber-rich meals or snacks every 2 to 3 hours helps keep your blood-sugar levels normal. This not only improves your body's ability to burn fat, but also reduces risk factors for heart disease by lowering cholesterol and triglycerides. Frequent eating also prevents afternoon binges on useless calories, like the leftover Krispy Kremes from your morning staff meeting.

GRAPES, CHEESE, AND CHICKHEN

1 1/2 c seedless grapes

2 slices fat-free American cheese singles

4 oz Healthy Choice Chickhen slices

352 calories, 28 g protein, 51 g carbohydrates, 4 g fat (1 g saturated), 2 g fiber

OPTION 2 MEXI-TUNA

Mix together:

1 3 oz can (or packet) Starkist Premium Chunk Light Tuna in Water

3/4 c canned black beans

1/2 c salsa

1/2 c canned green beans

335 calories, 45 g protein, 41 g carbohydrates, 1 g fat (0 g saturated), 15 g fiber

OPTION 3 CHILI

Microwave:

1/2 can Hormel Less Sodium Chili with Beans

340 calories, 18 g protein, 30 g carbohydrates, 17 g fat (7 g saturated), 9 g fiber

Green Tea May Give Full Body Protection

AICR's most recent international conference unveiled new findings on the cancer-fighting power of green tea. Research now shows that a major component in green tea may short-circuit the cancer process more extensively than scientists had realized.

From American Institute for Cancer Research

Green tea is one of the substances in Asian diets that may provide potent protection against cancer, according to research studies. Even though green tea has yet to catch on in the U.S. and other Western countries as a daily drink of choice, a growing number of laboratories are exploring green tea's cancer-fighting effects on a cellular level.

One scientist who has spent the past several years studying a particular phytochemical found in green tea is Dr. Thomas A. Gasiewicz, Professor and Chairman of the Department of Environmental Medicine at the University of Rochester Medical Center.

Cricket World Cup 2007 Schedule

Cricket World Cup 2007 Schedule
	Group A	Group B	Group C	Group D
	St Kitts & Nevis	Trinidad & Tobago	St. Lucia	Jamaica
1	Australia (1)	Sri Lanka (2)	New Zealand (3)	Pakistan (4)
2	South Africa (5)	India (8)	England (7)	West Indies (6)
3	Scotland (12)	Bangladesh (11)	Kenya (10)	Zimbabwe (9)
4	Holland (16)	Bermuda (15)	Canada (14)	Ireland (13)
Warm-up matches
Date	Group WA	Group WB	Group WC	Group WD
	Jamaica Trelawny	St. Vincent	Trinidad, Brian Lara	Barbados, 3W’s
Mon 05 Mar	WI v KEN	ENG v BER	SA v CAN	SL v SCO
Tue 06 Mar	IND v HOL	AUS v ZIM	PAK v IRE	NZ v BAN
Wed 07 Mar
Thu 08 Mar	KEN v HOL	ZIM v BER	IRE v CAN	SCO v BAN
Fri 09 Mar	IND v WI	AUS v ENG	PAK v SA	NZ v SL
Sun 11 Mar: Opening Ceremony (Montego Bay)
Group Stage
Date	Group A	Group B	Group C	Group D
	St.Kitts & Nevis	Trinidad & Tobago	St. Lucia	Jamaica
Tue 13 Mar				WI v PAK
Wed 14 Mar	AUS v SCO		KEN v CAN	reserve day
Thu 15 Mar	reserve day	SL v BER	reserve day	ZIM v IRE
Fri 16 Mar	SA v HOL	reserve day	ENG v NZ	reserve day
Sat 17 Mar	reserve day	IND v BAN	reserve day	PAK v IRE
Sun 18 Mar	AUS v HOL	reserve day	ENG v CAN	reserve day
Mon 19 Mar	reserve day	IND v BER	reserve day	WI v ZIM
Tue 20 Mar	SA v SCO	reserve day	NZ v KEN	reserve day
Wed 21 Mar	reserve day	SL v BAN	reserve day	ZIM v PAK
Thu 22 Mar	SCO v HOL	reserve day	NZ v CAN	reserve day
Fri 23 Mar	reserve day	IND v SL	reserve day	WI v IRE
Sat 24 Mar	AUS v SA	reserve day	ENG v KEN	reserve day
Sun 25 Mar	reserve day	BER v BAN	reserve day
Mon 26 Mar		reserve day
Second Stage - Super Eight Series
Date	Antigua & Barbuda	Grenada	Guyana	Barbados
Tue 27 Mar	D2 v A1 (WI v Aus)
Wed 28 Mar	reserve day		A2 v B1 (SA v SL)
Thu 29 Mar	D2 v C1 (WI v NZ)		reserve day
Fri 30 Mar	reserve day		D1 v C2 (Pak v Eng)
Sat 31 Mar	A1 v B2 (Aus v Ind)		reserve day
Sun 01 Apr	reserve day		D2 v B1 (WI v SL)
Mon 02 Apr	B2 v C1 (Ind v NZ)		reserve day
Tues 03 Apr	reserve day		D1 v A2 (PAK v SA)
Wed 04 Apr	C2 v B1 (Eng v SL)		reserve day
Thu 05 Apr	reserve day
Fri 06 Apr	Good Friday
Sat 07 Apr			B2 v A2 (Ind v SA)
Sun 08 Apr	A1 v C2 (Aus v Eng)		reserve day
Mon 09 Apr	reserve day		D1 v C1 (Pak v NZ)
Tue 10 Apr		D2 v A2 (WI v SA)	reserve day
Wed 11 Apr		reserve day		C2 v B2 (Eng v Ind)
Thu 12 Apr		B1 v C1 (SL v NZ)		reserve day
Fri 13 Apr		reserve day		A1 v D1 (Aus v Pak)
Sat 14 Apr		A2 v C1 (SA v NZ)		reserve day
Sun 15 Apr		reserve day		B2 v D1 (Ind v Pak)
Mon 16 Apr		A1 v B1 (Aus v SL)		reserve day
Tue 17 Apr		reserve day		A2 v C2 (SA v Eng)
Wed 18 Apr		D1 v B1 (Pak v SL)		reserve day
Thu 19 Apr		reserve day		D2 v B2 (WI v Ind)
Fri 20 Apr		A1 v C1 (Aus v NZ)		reserve day
Sat 21 Apr		reserve day		D2 v C2 (WI v Eng)
Sun 22 Apr				reserve day
Team names for the Super Eight stage are indicative based on the top two teams from the Group Stage qualifying.
Semi Finals
Date	Semi Final 1	Semi Final 2
	Jamaica	St Lucia
Mon 23 Apr
Tues 24 Apr	Semi Final 1: 2 v 3
Wed 25 Apr	reserve day	Semi Final 2: 1 v 4
Thu 26 Apr		reserve day
Final
Date
Fri 27 Apr
Sat 28 Apr	Australia v/s Sri Lanka (Barbados)
Sun 29 Apr	reserve day