Cricket

Famous Things

PRE-READING

A. VOCABULARY PREVIEW
Match the words on the left with the correct meanings on the right.

_____ 1. Commonwealth a) a rectangular area where the batter

stands and runs
_____ 2. spectator
b) a person who watches
_____ 3. outscore
c) an official who makes final decisions
_____ 4. oval related to scoring and rules
d) a long rounded shape, like an egg
_____ 5. pitch
e) to get a higher score
_____ 6. wicket
f) a player on the defensive team that
_____ 7. bail tries to get the batters out

_____ 8. fielder g) former members of the British Empire

_____ 9. bowler h) a set of three stumps topped with a crosspiece

i) the person who pitches the ball in a game of cricket
_____10. boundary line
j) the crosspiece that goes on top of the stumps in a wicket
_____11. umpire
k) a person you are competing against
_____12. opponent
l) the area where a field of play ends

B. WARM-UP QUESTIONS ☀

1. Do you play or have you ever played cricket?

QUICK FACTS
2. Do you know how many players are on a cricket team?
Sport: Cricket
3. Do you know where cricket originated?
Originated in: ____________________

4. Do you know where cricket is popular? Equipment: _____________________

Key Players on a Team: ___________
5. Is cricket a good spectator sport? _______________________________
Nickname: The Gentleman’s Game

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 Cricket
Famous Things
Cricket
1. Cricket is a team sport that uses a bat and a ball. It became popular
in Britain as early as the 13th century, and gradually spread to the
Commonwealth countries, including Australia, India, and South
Africa. Today, professional cricket is very competitive, and one of
the most popular spectator sports in the world.

2. Like baseball, the object of cricket is to outscore the other team in

runs. Unlike baseball, cricket is played on an oval field with a
rectangular pitch in the middle. Equipment includes a cricket ball, a
cricket bat, and two wickets. While a baseball bat is thin and
rounded, a cricket bat is flat and wide. Each wicket is made up of
three stumps with a bail on top. The wickets are placed at opposite
ends of the pitch like bases.

3. There are 11 players on each cricket team. The teams take turns being
fielders and batters. The batsmen score the runs, and the fielders try to
COMPREHENSION ✍
reduce the runs and get their opponents out. Unlike in baseball, the fielders
are bare-handed. The person who pitches the ball is called the bowler. In A. TRUE, FALSE, NOT MENTIONED
cricket, a pitch can bounce on the ground before it reaches the batter. Read the statements below. Are they
true, false, or not mentioned in the
4. The beginning of a cricket game is called the “first innings.”* Two players reading? Correct the false statements.
on the batting side stand in front of the wickets with their bats. The bowler
on the fielding team pitches the ball. When one batter hits the ball, both 1. Baseball and cricket have some
batters run to the opposite side of the pitch to score one run together. Batters similarities. _________
can run back and forth more than once if the ball is hit hard enough. Extra
2. Cricket originated in India.
runs are automatically awarded if the ball reaches or goes over the
boundary line. The fielders try to get the batsmen out. _________

3. In cricket, two bowlers work

5. Two umpires make the final decision about when a batsman is “out.” If the
together at the same time to score
ball hits the wicket, the batsman is out and a new batsman joins the other
runs. _________
batter. A batsman is also out or “caught” if a fielder catches the ball that a
batsman hit. If a fielder hits the wicket with a ball before the runner reaches 4. A batter scores extra points if he
it, the batter has been “run out.” Finally, if a batsman stands too far forward hits the ball past the boundary line.
and misses the ball, the wicket-keeper (like a catcher in baseball) can ________
“stump” the batsman by hitting the wicket before the batsman touches it.
5. A wicket-keeper in cricket makes a
6. When 10 players are out on the batting side, this is the end of the “first similar salary to a catcher in
innings.” In the “second innings,” the teams change roles, and the new baseball. ________
batters try to beat their opponents’ score from the “first innings.” The
length of the game depends on the type of cricket being played. Cricket 6. The second innings starts after 10
matches can last anywhere from six hours to five days. batters are out. _________

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 Cricket
Famous Things
VOCABULARY REVIEW
A. Choose the correct word from the left column on page 1 to
complete the following sentences. You may have to change the word forms or tenses.

1. We ______________ our opponents 5–1. It was an easy game.

2. In cricket, the batters run between two ______________ to score points.

3. ___________ catch the ball without gloves in the game of cricket.

4. An ______________ decides whether or not a batsman is out.

5. In cricket, the __________ is a rectangular box on an oval field.

B. Choose seven bolded words from the text. Using this vocabulary, write
a summary for a child explaining “How to Play Cricket.”
1.

2.

3.

4.
*Innings vs. Inning
5.
In the game of cricket, the term
6. “innings” is used rather than
“inning.” The “s” is used when
7. referring to the singular or plural
form.
Compare your summary with a partner’s summary.
Did you miss anything important? e.g., In the first innings, one
team bats while the other fields
and bowls.
DISCUSS
This is not the case in baseball.
1. Is cricket a popular sport in your native country? Why or why not?
In baseball the terms “inning”
2. How is cricket like baseball? How is it different? and “innings” are both used.
3. Would you rather watch or play a game like cricket? Give a reason
for your preference. e.g., In baseball there are nine
4. How do sports spread from country to country? innings. Both teams get a turn at
bat in each inning.
5. What injuries do cricket players likely get?

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 Cricket
Famous Things

ANSWER KEY

Lesson Description: Students read about the game of cricket. The lesson includes a reading, comprehension check,
vocabulary review, and discussion questions.

Note: A full-page reading is also available on page 5. VOCABULARY REVIEW

A.

Quick Facts 1. We outscored our opponents 5-1. It was an

easy game.
Sport: Cricket
Originated in: England 2. In cricket, the batters run between two
Equipment: ball, bat, wickets wickets to score points.

Key Players on a Team: bowler, batter, fielder,

3. Fielders catch the ball without gloves in the
wicket-keeper
game of cricket.
Nickname: The Gentleman’s Game
4. An umpire decides whether or not a batsman

VOCABULARY PREVIEW is out.

1. g 2. b 3. e 4. d 5. a 6. h
7. j 8. f 9. i 10. l 11. c 12. k 5. In cricket, the pitch is a rectangular box on
the oval field.

COMPREHENSION
A. TRUE, FALSE, NOT MENTIONED B.
1. TRUE. Individual answers. Encourage students to
2. FALSE. Cricket originated in England. use the vocabulary. Have students compare
summaries. Alternatively, you could work
3. FALSE. In cricket, two batters work together at the same
together as a class to build a summary on
time to score runs. the board together.
2. TRUE.
3. NOT MENTIONED.
4. TRUE. CLASS DISCUSSION
Individual answers.

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 Cricket
Famous Things

CRICKET

1. Cricket is a team sport that uses a bat and ball. It became popular in Britain as early as the 13th century, and gradually
spread to the Commonwealth countries, including Australia, India, and South Africa. Today, professional cricket is
very competitive, and one of the most popular spectator sports in the world.

2. Like baseball, the object of cricket is to outscore the other team in runs. Unlike baseball, cricket is played on an oval
field with a rectangular pitch in the middle. Equipment includes a cricket ball, a cricket bat, and two wickets. While
a baseball bat is thin and rounded, a cricket bat is flat and wide. Each wicket is made up of three stumps with a bail
on top. The wickets are placed at opposite ends of the pitch like bases.

3. There are 11 players on each cricket team. The teams take turns being fielders and batters. The batsmen score the
runs, and the fielders try to reduce the runs and get their opponents out. Unlike in baseball, the fielders are bare-
handed. The person who pitches the ball is called the bowler. In cricket, a pitch can bounce on the ground before it
reaches the batter.

4. The beginning of a cricket game is called the “first innings.”* Two players on the batting side stand in front of the
wickets with their bats. The bowler on the fielding team pitches the ball to a batter. When one batter hits the ball,
both batters run to the opposite side of the pitch to score one run together. Batters can run back and forth more than
once if the ball is hit hard enough. Extra runs are automatically awarded if the ball reaches or goes over the
boundary line. The fielders try to get the batsmen out.

5. Two umpires make the final decision about when a batsman is “out.” If the ball hits the wicket, the batsman is out
and a new batsman joins the other batter. A batsman is also out or “caught” if a fielder catches the ball that a batsman
hit. If a fielder hits the wicket with a ball before the runner reaches it, the batter has been “run out.” Finally, if a
batsman stands too far forward and misses the ball, the wicket-keeper (like a catcher in baseball) can “stump” the
batsman by hitting the wicket before the batsman touches it.

6. When 10 players are out on the batting side, this is the end of the “first innings.” In the “second innings,” the teams
change roles, and the new batters try to beat their opponents’ score from the “first innings.” The length of the game
depends on the type of cricket being played. Matches can last anywhere from six hours to five days.

Copyright 2012, Red River Press Inc. For use and photocopying by members of ESL-library.com only in accordance with membership terms. 5