Cricket and baseball are the two games that are played on completely opposite sides of the world. Cricket is the most popular in India and the subcontinent and baseball finds its love in America.
Although cricket is played in other nations as well, and Baseball also finds its root in Japan, but without a doubt, it is in the USA and India where the games are cherished the most.
The ball was rolled (rather than bowled) towards the batsman in the early form of cricket, which was played with a club (formed like a hockey stick). However, the bowling style and bat design developed around the turn of the century.
Cricket, as we know it today, is not the same as it was in the past. Many rule changes have occurred in order to make cricket a safe and enjoyable game.
Baseball, on the other hand, can be traced back to the 1700s, when it was played in a triangular field rather than a diamond, and posts were used instead of bases.
Although the game originated in England, it was brought to North America by English immigrants.
Unlike cricket, the early form of baseball shared many similarities with current baseball.
Now, although they belong to completely different worlds there are few similarities between the two bat and ball based games.
Yes, that’s one of the similarities that they both are played using a bat and a ball.
Let’s find out what else they have in common and how they can also be polar opposites at times!
The similarities
A] In both sports, the distance between the pitcher/bowler and the batter/batsmen is similar. Baseball has a distance of 18.39 meters, whereas cricket has a distance of 20.12 meters.
B] In both sports, only one of the two teams’ players is on the field at any given moment.
C] Furthermore, the ultimate goal of both games is to score more runs than the opponent. In both games, the premise of hitting the ball and running is similar.
D] The roles of the players are also very similar between the two. A batsman/batter, a bowler/pitcher, a wicket-keeper/catcher, fielders, and umpires are all part of the team.
E] In terms of equipment, the balls used in both games have a cork core and are wrapped in leather.
The differences
A] Ground
Baseball requires a minimum distance of 250 feet from home plate to the next impediment, with suggested distances of more than 325 feet along the foul lines and 400 feet in center field, giving the players a field area of more than 100,000 square feet.
Cricket, on the other hand, is played on a field with no foul zones. The required width and length are 420 feet and 426 feet, respectively, for a minimum area of 140,500 square feet. As a result, cricket has a broader playing field than baseball. Plus, there are no constraints on the cricket field’s shape. It can be elliptical, oval, or more of a rectangle, as long as it satisfies the specified dimensions.
B] The bats
Baseball bats differ from cricket bats in how they are used to hit the ball. Cricket bats, for example, are generally constructed of wood and have a flat shape. Baseball bats, on the other hand, are typically long, thin, and round in shape, and are manufactured of a range of various materials.
C] Format
In cricket, there are 3 formats and the rules vary depending on the format. In T-20 and ODIs there are 2 innings, where who bats first or bowls is decided by toss. In the test format, each time bats twice and bowls twice. The fielding arrangement can be changed by the bowler to suit his style of bowling
Baseball, unlike cricket, is played in nine innings. Two teams of nine players fight to see who can score more runs than the other. Every inning, one team bats while the other bowls. The hitting team can have a maximum of four men on the field, whereas the bowling team must have a pitcher, a catcher, and seven fielders — four on the infield and three on the outfield.
In the end
So, there you have it! Baseball and cricket are very different games with few similarities. Both the games are massive and they cater to different audiences, nonetheless, both games are perfect the way they are.
Still, it would be interesting to see both the games co-create in some capacity. Because the potential to mix these two games of completely different worlds is massive and can be exploited.
Perhaps a baseballers vs cricketers match is exactly what we need in our lives!
