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The basics are actually pretty simple, though somewhat difficult to describe. :eyes:
There are two teams and the aim is to score as many runs as possible, the team with the greater number of runs being the winner.
One teams bats whilst the other team fields. One can only score runs whilst batting, so the two teams take it in turns to bat.
Whilst batting a team has two of its players on the field, the rest dozing off in the pavilion. Whilst fielding the team are spread over the field of play to try and frusting the batting team.
The aim of the fielding team is to get wickets, when they get the wicket of a batsman he has to leave the field and the next person on the team replace him. Given that 2 batsmen are needed and that there are 11 in the team, once the fielding team have managed to get 10 wickets the batting team has run out of batsmen and thus is "all out".
The scores are stated as being x for y where x is runs and y is wickets (though Australians refer to it as y for x). Thus if the batting teams has gained 50 runs, but has lost 2 wickets one would say "50 for 2". Depending on the type of game the match will continue until both teams have had a turn at batting and fielding (that is one innings); sometimes there is a limit to how long these can go on for (normally 50 overs), in which case once the time is up the teams swap over; the biggest form is Test Cricket (normally played between national teams) where there are 2 innings spread over up to 5 days - my idea of perfect bliss.
In the middle of the field there is a long narrow strip, at either end 3 small posts stand up with small pieces of wood (bails) balanced across them - this arrangement is called the stumps, if hit by the ball it will fall over, and the batsman has to defend it. One of the fielding team (the bowler, there will normally be about 4 or 5 bowlers in a team, taking turns) will run up and throw (bowl) the ball to the other end. One of the batsmen is standing there (he is "on strike") with his bat ready to hit the ball - the other batsman is waiting at the other end of the wicket. One throw of the ball in this manner is called a ball, six balls adds up to an over. At the end of each over the end of the wickets being used swaps, so the batsman who was dozing off is now on strike.
Runs can be scored in several different ways. If the ball is hit away by the batsman, and he runs to the far end of the wicket, the other batsman doing so too (so that they swap places), that is 1 run; if they do so twice, 2 runs &c. If the batsman hits the ball and it rolls along the ground to the edge of the field that is a boundary and is automatically worth 4 runs; if the batsman hits it and it flies over the boundary without touching the ground that is 6. If the bowler bowls the ball and it is too wide or he was too far forward that counts as 1 run, and the ball is taken again (i.e., doesn't count towards the 6 in the over).
Batsmen can have their wicket fall (i.e. be out) in several different ways. If the bwoler bowls the ball and it hits the stumps the batsman is "bowled out"; if the batsman stops the ball from hitting the stumps by deflecting it with his leg (rather than his bat) he is out L.B.W. (leg before wicket); if he hits the balls into the air and one of the fielding team catches it before it has touched the ground he is caught out; if he hits the balls and the two batsmen start to run to the other end, but the fielding team manage to knock over the stumps at one end before the batsman manages to get there then that batsman is run out.
Like I say, all very easy to understand...or maybe that's as clear as mud. In my experience it's only from watching the game that one can understand the various points being made; but it really is actually pretty simple - honest.
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