Once a week I go cycling in the countryside with a friend. We cycle about 30 miles and visit 2 or 3 pubs. It’s my favourite day of the week.

Recently I visited the Friendly Inn, Frankton, Warwickshire, and noticed a plaque on the wall defining the rules of cricket. It was so good, I copied it down for this post.

If you’ve every been slightly confused by the rules of cricket, here they are in simple form:

You have 2 sides out in the field, one in and one out.

Each man that’s in the side that’s in goes out and when he’s out he comes in and the next man goes in until he’s out.

When they are all out, the side that’s out comes in and the side that’s been in goes out and tries to get those coming in, out.

Sometimes you get men still in and not out.

When both sides have been in and out, including the not outs – That’s the end of the game.

I hope this information is useful for any foreign visitors who want to enjoy the intricacies of a traditional English game. Now these rules have been explained to me however,  I’m no longer embarrassed by not understanding the game!  

John McNally