FOR THOSE WHO CAME IN LATE
                    (TM Lee Falk, 1911-1999)

                               THE
                             OFFICIAL
                     NOTHING OFFICIAL ABOUT IT
                             RSC/UKSC
                             CRICKET
                               FAQ
                           compiled by
                    ganesh1947@bigmailbox.net
                         Version  v3.8
                          Feb 28th, 2002



This FAQ is intended to serve both the uk.sport.cricket and rec.sport.cricket communities. It may not have answers to 
everything you need - it is just a collection of *frequently* 
asked questions and their answers.  

I am proud of a lot of the collated answers in this faq.
But there are questions whose answers are inevitably incomplete
and will sadly  become more so as time goes on. These answers will remain to help people get searching on the right lines. 

Corrections and additions are especially welcome; to be sure they are not lost you can email them directly to ganesh1947@bigmailbox.net


How to read?

   Read it as a proper HTML site at the "official" site. 
   http://go.to/rsc-faq
   
   You can also download the faq as a single document from
   http://www.faqs.org/faqs/sports/cricket/cricket-faq
   

Why this Plea?

   You know what this is about!

What's new?

   More additions to Scoring faqs.
   Duckworth-Lewis system!     
            

TABLE OF CONTENTS       

       QUICK ANSWERS
       I am new to cricket. Please explain it for me. 
       Where can I find the rules of the game? 
       Where do I buy tickets? 
       Is the A__ vs E___ test match live on the net? 
       How can I watch cricket in the USA? 
       What about playing cricket in the USA?
       Where can I buy merchandise?
       Any good cricket statistics software?


       DISMISSALS
       How does the LBW law work? 
       Explaination of Point of Impact clause(s).
       You can't be out LBW offering a shot, can you?
       How many ways of getting out are there?
       What are the 10 "standard" ways of getting out?
       What about the 11th out?
       Any instances of batsmen getting "retired out"?
       Can you be stumped off a no-ball?


       FAST BOWLING
       What's an extra yard of pace?
       So how much is a yard of pace equal to in mph?
       How are fast bowlers classified? 
       On what basis are they classified?
       Which is faster? Medium-Fast or Fast-Medium?
       But, shouldn't it be the other way around? 
       Why should it be the other way around??!
       What is the average bowling speed of a fast bowler?
       Which reminds me, how to convert from km/h to miles/h 
       Is there a website where bowling speeds are provided? 


       BATTING 
       What are the various crease marks?
       What's the legside and the offside?
       What are the basic field positions? 
       But there are many more positions than you have shown!
       What's the guard?
       What 's front-on and side-on batting? 
       What is shouldering arms ?
       What is a nightwatchman ?
       What exactly is a pinch-hitter?


       BOWLING
       What is Over the wicket? 
       What is a in-cutter? What's a out-swinger?
       What is reverse swing ?
       Misuse of the term reverse swing
       What is a googly/wrong'un ?
       What is a topspinner ?
       What is a flipper ?
       Who invented the flipper? 
       What is a chinaman ?
       Why is it called so? 
       What is a left-armer's googly called? 
       What is a armball ?

       MISC TERMS
       What is <some  cricketing term>?
       What was that "whatashot"?
       How did expressions like maiden, hattrick etc originate?

       COMMON MYTHS
       Wasn't Cricket once a part of the Olympics? 
       200 runs lead neeeded to enfore follow-on. Right? 


       SCORING FAQS
       How can I keep score using software? 
       Using traditional methods?
       Would you summarize the notation used?
       Any advice for someone starting out?
       Where can I download sample sheets/learn more?
       How to become a registered scorer?
       Other sites of interest?  

       BAT AND ITS CARE
       Any tips for buying my bat? 
       How do I "knock in" a bat? 
       I have a problem with water seeping into the bat. 
       The rubber grip on my handle keeps sliding up. 
       How do I put the grip on the bat? 
       How do I use the grip-applicator cone? 
       Is there a good online store to buy cricket equipment?

       MISCELLANEOUS  
       Where I can find the humorous description of cricket?
       What does it means when a cricketer is awarded his cap? 
       What do the numbers on the players' caps mean?
       Is there an online resource where these are available??? 
       Who takes precedence if 2 players debut in the same side? 
       What is the origin of terms like hattrick etc?
       I don't understand this Duckworth/Lewis method. 
       And finally ...