W: Hello, Mark. Have you ever played cricket?
M: No, never, but I once watched a game at the Cricket Club.
W: Did you enjoy it?
M: No, not much, though everybody else seemed to.
I found it very slow. Nothing much seemed to happen.
Perhaps that was because I didn't really understand what was going on.
W: It's a bit like baseball, isn't it?
M: Well, not really. In baseball there is only one man with a bat
but in cricket there are two.
W: Both at the same time?
M: No. They take turns.
They each stand at one end of the pitch in front of some sticks called "stumps" or the "wicket".
A member of the other team, the "bowler" throws the ball at the stumps.
The batsman tries to protect the wicket and hit the ball as far as he can.
W: What happens when he hits the ball?
M: The batsmen run to change positions. That's called a "run".
They do it as many times as they can.
W: What does the other team do?
M: One of them runs after the ball and throws it at the wicket.
If he hits it while the batsmen are still running, one of them is out.
W: That sounds a little like baseball.
M: Not really. I think baseball is more exciting.
W: Yes, so do I.