Cricket
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A member of the New Delhi team raises his bat in celebration during the first Special Olympics Asia Pacific Cricket Tournament, held 1-6 December 2004 in Ahmedabad, India. [Photo by Ryan M. Murphy] |
Cricket has been an established team sport for several centuries; the modern form originated in England in the 18th century. Countries such as India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka consider it their most popular sport. Cricket is also a major sport in England and Wales, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Zimbabwe and the English-speaking countries of the Caribbean, while countries as diverse as the Netherlands, Kenya, Nepal, and Argentina boast club competitions. Although game play and rules differ considerably, the basic concept of cricket is similar to that of baseball — it is a bat and ball sport with the objective to score more runs than the opposing team, and a match is divided into innings during which one team bats and one team fields.
While a formal game of cricket can last from an afternoon to several days, Special Olympics cricket rules are based upon International Cricket Council (ICC) rules, modified from Twenty20 cricket. A "Twenty20 Game" consists of 20 overs per each side, a free-hit after a no-ball is bowled, short boundaries, batting-friendly pitches, and other rules designed to speed the game and attract crowds. A Special Olympics cricket match consists of 2 innings, one per team, each of 20 overs. Each player, except the wicketkeeper, bowls 2 overs, i.e., 10 x 2 = 20 overs.
Before pre-competition divisioning games can take place, Special Olympics event organizers obtain a Cricket Team Score for each of the teams participating — the average of the eight best individual scores from the cricket skill tests: batting, bowling, fielding-throwing, fielding-catching and fielding-stopping the ball. As in all Special Olympics sports, athletes are grouped in competition divisions according to ability level, age and gender.
 Cricket Facts
- The first Special Olympics Asia Pacific Cricket Tournament was held from 1-6 December 2004 in Ahmedabad, India — 21 teams from 20 states in India and one team from Pakistan participated, with more than 500 volunteers supporting the 36 matches.
- The First Special Olympics International Cricket Cup will be held in Mumbai, India, on 6-13 November 2006, marking the official launch of cricket as a recognized sport.
- Cricket will be a demonstration sport at the 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Shanghai, China.
- Kapil Dev, who led India to a World Cup victory in 1983 and was named Indian Cricketer of the Century in 2002, serves as honorary head coach for the Special Olympics Bharat (India) cricket team. "I think there is something for us to learn from [Special Olympics athletes] in their pure and genuine passion and love for the game," said Dev.
Cricket Event
- A 20 overs per side match, eleven players on each side.
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