CRICKET

A game of ball which is generally played in England and the British provinces, but which is not very popular in the United States.  There are two opposite sides or sets of players of eleven men each.  At two points 22 yards apart are placed two wickets 27 inches high and consisting of three sticks called stumps.  As in baseball, one side takes the field and the other side is at the bat.  Two men are at bat at a time and it is their object to prevent the balls from being bowled so that they will strike the wickets.  To do this a broad bat is used made of willow with a cane handle, through which are inserted strips of rubber to give greater spring and driving power.  The batsman will either merely stop the ball with his bat or will attempt to drive it.  When the ball is being fielded the two batsmen exchange wickets, and each exchange is counted as a run, and is marked to the credit of the batsman or striker.  The batsman is allowed to bat until he is out.  This occurs when the ball strikes the wicket and carries away either a bail, the top piece, or a stump, one of the three sticks.  He is also out if he knocks down any part of his own wicket or allows the ball to do it while he is running, or if he interferes with the ball by any part of his person as it is being thrown, or if one of the opposing players catches a batted ball before it touches the ground, as in baseball.

When ten of the eleven men on a side have been put out it constitutes an inning, and the side in the field takes its turn at the bat.  The game usually consists of two innings, and at its completion the side having scored the greater number of runs is the winner.  The eleven positions on a cricket team are called bowler, wicket-keeper, long stop, slip, point cover-slip, cover-point, mid-off, long-leg, square-leg, mid-on.  The one at bat is, as in baseball, called the batsman.  The two lines between which the batsmen stand while batting are called “popping creases” and “bowling creases.”

CROQUET

A game played with wooden balls and mallets, on a flat piece of ground.  The game consists in driving the ball around a circuitous course through various wire rings called “wickets” and, after striking a wooden peg or post, returning to the starting place.  Any number may play croquet either independently or on sides.  Each player may continue making shots as long as he either goes through a wicket, hits the peg or post, or hits the ball of an opponent.  In this latter case he may place his ball against that of his opponent and, holding the former with his foot, drive his opponent’s ball as far as possible from the croquet ground.  He then also has another shot at his wicket.

A croquet set consists of mallets, balls, wickets, and stakes and may be bought for two or three dollars.  Experts use mallets with much shorter handles than those in common sets.  They are made of either maple, dogwood, or persimmon.  In place of wooden balls, championship and expert games are often played with balls made of a patented composition.  All croquet implements are usually painted in bright colours.  The game of “roque” is very similar to croquet.