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Sport explainer

What is cricket?

Cricket is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of eleven, where one side bats to score runs and the other bowls and fields to end the innings.

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Quick facts

Type
Team bat-and-ball sport
Players
11 per side
Match length
T20: ~3 hours. 50-over: a full day
Origin
Southern England, 16th century; international matches since 1844
Cost to start
Club subs around $80–250 a season, plus match fees; a starter bat $80–150.
Fitness needed
Low continuous demand; bursts of sprinting and throwing.

Cricket explained

Cricket is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of eleven, where one side bats to score runs and the other bowls and fields to end the innings.

T20 is the short format that most new adult players start with: three hours, high scoring, and far easier to commit to than a full day.

Indoor cricket leagues run through winter and are a fast, forgiving way to learn the basics.

The rules that actually matter

You don't need the full rulebook to play your first session. These are the rules that shape every game of cricket.

  • Two batters bat at a time; the bowling side has eleven fielders
  • An over is six legal deliveries from one end
  • Batters are out bowled, caught, LBW, run out or stumped, among others
  • Runs come from running between wickets, or 4s and 6s to the boundary
  • The team with more runs when both innings finish wins

Equipment you need

Beginners consistently overspend here. This is the realistic starting kit list for cricket.

  • Bat
  • Pads and gloves
  • Helmet
  • Whites or coloured kit
  • Box

Formats you can play

Cricket isn't one thing. Picking the right format is the difference between enjoying your first month and quitting it.

  • T20
  • 40 and 50-over
  • Test/multi-day
  • Indoor cricket
  • The Hundred

Where it's played

Typical venues for cricket, and the places worth checking when you're looking for a session near you.

  • Cricket grounds
  • Club ovals
  • Indoor cricket centres
  • Nets

Why people take up cricket

Beyond the sport itself, these are the reasons adults commit to it.

  • Roles suit specialists — batters, bowlers, keepers, fielders
  • Strong club culture with social fixtures built in
  • Indoor leagues make it a year-round sport
  • T20 fits an evening rather than a weekend
  • Clubs almost always need extra players for lower XIs

Similar sports

If cricket isn't quite right, these sports attract similar players: Baseball, Rounders, Softball, Indoor cricket.

Your first month

  1. 01

    Week 1 — find a local club

    Almost every club has a colts or lower XI short of players. Email the club secretary — they always reply.

  2. 02

    Week 2 — indoor nets

    Nets are low-pressure and let you bat and bowl repeatedly with feedback.

  3. 03

    Week 3 — pick a discipline

    Focus on bowling accuracy or straight-bat defence. Trying to do everything slows both.

  4. 04

    Week 4 — play a lower XI match

    Turn up available for selection. Availability is the number-one selection criterion in club cricket.

Find people to train with

SportConnect is free: set your sport and level, browse players, coaches, clubs and gyms near you, and message the ones running beginner-friendly sessions.

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Frequently asked questions

Is cricket hard to learn?

Batting takes time; bowling and fielding get you picked much sooner.

How much does it cost to start cricket?

Club subs around $80–250 a season, plus match fees; a starter bat $80–150.

Do I need to be fit to play cricket?

Low continuous demand; bursts of sprinting and throwing.

How many players do you need for cricket?

11 per side. T20 is the standard format, but smaller variants exist: 40 and 50-over, Test/multi-day, Indoor cricket.

Do I need experience to join a club or session?

No. Most local clubs, gyms and open sessions run beginner groups and are used to people arriving with zero background. Say you're new when you message them — it changes how they set the session up for you.

Is SportConnect free?

Yes. Creating a profile, browsing players, coaches, gyms and events, and messaging other members is free.

How do I find people at my level nearby?

Set your sport, level and city on your profile, then browse players, coaches and gyms in your area. Filtering by level is the fastest way to find sessions you'll actually enjoy.

Find a cricket coach

A few sessions with a coach shortcuts months of guesswork. Every coach on SportConnect lists their sport, location, session formats, rates and availability, so you can compare before you message.

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Keep reading

How to get into lacrosseHow to get into mmaHow to get into yogaHow to get into padelHow to get into pickleballHow to get into boxingHow to get into runningHow to get into swimmingHow to get into cyclingHow to get into basketballHow to get into soccerHow to get into american football

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