The basic rules of cricket establish a contest in which one team bats and attempts to score runs while the other team bowls and fields and attempts to prevent scoring and dismiss batters. Two batters from the batting team are normally on the field simultaneously, one at each end of the pitch, while a bowler delivers the ball to the striker and the remaining fielders position themselves around the field.
The batting team scores when the batters legally exchange ends, when the ball reaches the boundary, or through certain extras awarded under the Laws. The fielding side tries to end each batting partnership by taking a wicket through a lawful dismissal. MCC is the custodian of the Laws of Cricket, and its Laws provide the underlying framework used across the sport, while competitions can apply additional playing conditions. The rules are therefore more precise than the simplified description that one team simply hits the ball and runs, because cricket defines exactly when a delivery counts, when a run is completed, when a batter is out and how the ball remains in play.
A cricket match begins with the teams and officials establishing the playing conditions, followed by the toss, in which the captains decide which side will bat or field first according to the relevant competition rules. The batting side sends two batters to the pitch, while the fielding captain arranges the field and selects a bowler. The bowler delivers from one end toward the batter at the other end.
After each legal delivery, the ball becomes dead at the appropriate point before the next delivery begins. Six valid balls normally constitute an over, after which another bowler bowls from the opposite end. The two batters exchange ends when they complete runs, which determines which batter faces the next delivery. The fielding side attempts to prevent runs and create dismissals, while the batting side attempts to preserve wickets while accumulating a high score.
Runs can be scored in several ways. The most obvious method is for the batter to strike the ball and for the two batters to run between the wickets. A run is completed when both batters make their grounds at the opposite ends, subject to the detailed Laws. A ball reaching the boundary after touching the ground normally produces four runs, while a ball struck over the boundary without touching the ground normally produces six.
The batting team can also receive extras. A wide occurs when the delivery is judged too far from the striker to be a valid ball within the relevant requirements, while a no-ball occurs when the bowler breaches one of the applicable restrictions. Byes and leg byes can produce runs without being credited as runs off the bat. The exact scoring and validity consequences depend on the circumstances and Laws. This makes cricket scoring more complex than simply recording the number of successful strokes.
The fielding team can dismiss a batter in several recognised ways. Bowled occurs when the ball legally breaks the striker's wicket under the applicable conditions. Caught occurs when a fielder catches the ball before it touches the ground after it has been struck by the batter.
Leg before wicket, commonly called LBW, applies when the ball hits the batter's person rather than the bat and the detailed requirements concerning pitching, impact and whether the ball would have hit the wicket are satisfied. Run out occurs when a batter is outside the relevant ground and the wicket is fairly put down while the ball is in play.
Stumped occurs when the wicketkeeper legally puts down the wicket while the striker is outside the required ground and is not attempting a run. Hit wicket and several less common dismissals also exist. The detailed nature of these dismissals is why cricket appeals and umpiring decisions can require specialist knowledge.
An over consists of six valid deliveries under the standard Laws, although deliveries such as wides and no-balls do not count among the six valid balls and therefore require additional deliveries. ICC's published playing conditions state that only valid balls count toward the six balls of an over and that the umpire calls Over after six valid deliveries when the ball is dead.
The bowler changes ends after an over, and another bowler bowls the next over from the opposite end. Bowlers cannot simply continue indefinitely; competition rules regulate bowling changes and, in limited-overs cricket, the number of overs an individual bowler may deliver. The six-ball over creates a basic rhythm for cricket and helps organise field changes, bowler rotations, scoring rates and tactical planning. It also explains why cricket scoreboards frequently display scores alongside the number of overs completed.
The batting innings ends according to the particular format and circumstances. A team may be all out when the relevant number of batters have been dismissed, may reach the prescribed number of overs in limited-overs cricket, or may reach a target that ends the chase. In a T20 international, for example, each side has one innings and a maximum of 20 overs, with the innings also ending earlier if the side is all out or the relevant result is reached.
In longer cricket, innings can last much longer and are influenced by wickets, declarations, follow-on provisions and match time. The distinction between an innings and an over is essential: an innings is a team's complete batting period, whereas an over is a six-valid-ball unit within that batting period. A match can therefore contain many overs inside each innings.
Cricket also has rules governing the ball being dead, player conduct, fielding restrictions, substitutions or replacements, interruptions, appeals and the responsibilities of umpires. The laws are comprehensive because many unusual situations can occur, such as a ball becoming lodged in equipment, interference with fielders, accidental damage to the wicket or a batter leaving the field. International playing conditions can add restrictions or procedures specific to the format. The ICC updated its playing conditions for international cricket from 1 October 2026, incorporating changes associated with the new MCC Laws, illustrating that the detailed regulatory environment can evolve even though the basic structure of cricket remains stable.
The basic rules can therefore be reduced to a useful conceptual sequence without pretending that the full Laws are simple. The bowler delivers the ball, the striker attempts to score or defend, the batters may run, the fielders attempt to prevent runs and dismiss batters, six valid deliveries complete an over, and the batting innings eventually ends according to the format and match circumstances.
The side that accumulates the greater relevant score wins when the match rules produce a result, subject to ties, draws and format-specific procedures. Cricket's complexity arises from the detailed conditions attached to each event, especially dismissals, extras, legal deliveries and match-ending circumstances. MCC states that it is responsible for drafting and interpreting the Laws, while the ICC applies competition-specific playing conditions at international level.
