Australian Cricket. A guide to the current game of cricket.

Australian's are mad on the game of Cricket during Summer. I qualify that by saying the average white Anglo-Saxon male. I mean what else could us men talk about around the barbecue. .Especially so when it comes to the contest between the Aussies and the Poms (Australia v England). Even workplaces install televisions so we do not miss a ball during the 3-5 day contest. Right now Australia is hosting the Ashes series and England to their credit are beating the Australian Team almost Hands Down this series. The Ashes contest is played between England & Australia every four years. The last time was in 2006 in England. England won that series and took back the ashes then after a 20 year series of losses. England just won the third Boxing Day Test held in Melbourne at the Melbourne Cricket Ground as such they retain the Ashes for another four years. There is still another test to go that will be held starting this Monday and will be placed at the Sydney Cricket Ground. The England Team are really desperate to win this match as is Australia wanting to salvage some pride. The five day game has received a upsurge in Interest as the Five Day Test is now played with the same zest of athleticism as the modern one day game. Modern professional cricket is a very organised sport. Cricket contracts can be quite lucrative reportedly as well as match fees of several thousand dollars per match well known players reportedly earn millions of dollars per year. As well touring teams now have many staff. Reportedly 20 support staff accompanied the England team on the tour of Australia this summer.

Cricket was played in southern England in the 16th century. By the end of the 18th century, it had developed to the point where it had become the national sport of England. The expansion of the British Empire led to cricket being played overseas and by the mid-19th century the first international matches were being held. Today it is still played widely especially in the former colonies of the British Empire. Often referred to as the Antipodes... West Indies, India, Sri Lanka, Australia & New Zealand. It is now second only to Soccer or association football in popularity as a global sport. Every Prime Minister of Australia seems to regularly scrabble to been seen at the cricket each January in Australia whether they are cricket tragics or otherwise.

Cricket is team sport which used a cricket bat and leather ball. Many variations exist, with its most popular form played on an oval shaped outdoor arena known as a cricket field at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard (20.12 m) long pitch that is the focus of the game. A game (or match) is contested between two teams of eleven players each. One team bats , trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the runs scored by the batting team

The objective of each team is to score more runs than the other team and to completely dismiss the other team. In limited overs cricket, winning the game is achieved by scoring the most runs, even if the opposition has not been completely dismissed. In Test cricket, it is necessary to score the most runs and dismiss the opposition twice in order to win the match, which would otherwise be drawn. In a one day game each team bats & bowls only once and or only fifty overs. An over consists six bowls or balls by a bowler to the batsman.

Getting the batsman out is the object of the bowler by hitting the wickets with the ball called being 'Bowled'.

Stumping is the fifth most common form of dismissal after caught, bowled, leg and run out It is governed by Law 39 of the Laws of Cricket.

Evey summer we have both state & National or international cricket contests. East of the eight states has a state team these compete with each other in a competition which used to be known as the Sheffield Shield. In the last ten or so years the Shield had had a sponsor so at the moment the sponsors name is Pura so it is known as the Pura Cup. From the State teams a national team is selected from all the best available players. The national team then plays other teams of the world either at home on on tour. This summer the English team is the touring team and will be involved in the ashes and then the one day series. A National team from another country will come to Australia to compete as well in the upcoming 'One day' 50 over series.

This year the Ashes series Major sponsor is Vodafone. Wednesday 5th of January 2011 is Jane McGrath Day. In memory of Glen McGrath's former wife Jane who died of breast cancer. The McGrath Foundation raises money to provide much valued breast cancer nurses who help closely sufferers of Breast cancer. 'Pink' coloured everything is the theme, clothing you name it even Vodafone advertising for the day.