Rules of Cricket

Scoring Runs

In baseball, when you hit the ball (into fair territory) you must run. In cricket, you never have to run. You choose to run only when you think it is safe to do so.

In baseball, the distance batters must run from one base to the next is 27.43m (90'). In cricket, the distance batsmen must run from one crease to the other is 17.68m (58').

Running

If a batsman hits the ball when it is bowled to him, he may attempt to score runs. He scores a run when both the batsmen run to the opposite wicket, swapping places. As soon as they both touch the ground behind the opposite popping crease, one run is scored, and they may return for another run immediately, if they wish. The fielding side attempts to prevent runs being scored by threatening to run out one of the batsmen.

Runs are credited to the batsman who hit the ball.

The batsmen generally carry their bats as they run, and turn for another run by touching the ground beyond the crease with an outstretched bat.

The batsmen stay at the wicket they end up at. So if they have run an odd number of runs, they have swapped ends and their striker/non-striker roles are swapped for the next ball (unless the ball just completed is the end of an over).

In baseball, you can tag out a runner between bases by touching him with the ball. In cricket, to get a runner out you hit the wicket with the ball. You don't have to be holding the ball - you can throw it at the wicket.

Being Run Out

If the batsmen are running between the wickets, and a fielder gathers the ball and hits a wicket with it, dislodging one or both bails, while no batsman is behind that wicket's popping crease, then the nearest batsman is run out. Specifically, the batsman must have some part of his body or his bat (provided he is holding it) grounded behind the crease to be safe. On the crease is not safe.

Boundaries

In baseball, if you hit a home run you still have to run the bases. In cricket, if you hit a 4 or 6, you score the runs without actually having to run.

In baseball, if you catch a fly ball and then fall over the home run fence, the batter is out. In cricket, if you catch the ball and then fall over the boundary, the batsman scores six runs and is not out.

If a batsman hits the ball and it reaches the boundary of the field, he scores four runs immediately. This is called a four.
If a batsman hits the ball over the boundary on the full, he scores six runs. This is called a six.

When a four or six is scored, the ball becomes dead. Fours and sixes are collectively called boundaries.

Extra Detail: If a fielder touches both the ball and either the boundary marker or anything beyond the boundary at the same time, the ball is deemed to have reached the boundary. This means the batsman scores a four if the ball has touched the ground since he hit it, or a six if it has not.

If a spectator encroaches on to the field and touches the ball while it is live, it is also considered to have reached the boundary.

Extra Detail: Overthrows

The batsmen usually stop taking runs when a fielder is throwing the ball back towards one or the other wicket. If no fielder near the wicket gathers the ball and it continues into the outfield again, the batsmen may take more runs. Such runs are called overthrows. If the ball reaches the boundary on an overthrow, four runs are scored in addition to the runs taken before the overthrow occurred.

Extra Detail: Short Runs

If, while running multiple runs, a batsman does not touch the ground beyond the popping crease before he returns for the next run, then the umpire at that end will signal one short, and the number of runs scored is reduced by one.