Batsman

From Cricipedia - The Cricket Encyclopedia!

A batsman in the sport of cricket is a player whose speciality in the game is batting. The skills required to be a good batsman vary with the type of cricket game being played and the situation of the game. Generally a batsman is required to score runs as quickly as possible without taking unnecessary risks and losing his wicket. At other times a batsman may be required to simply occupy the crease (stay in) as long as possible so as to prevent the bowling team from winning the game before time runs out.

The batting role

During the play of a cricket match, two members of the batting team are on the field, while their team-mates wait off the field. Those two players are the current batsmen. Each batsman stands near one of the two wickets at either end of the pitch near the centre of the ground.

The two batsmen have different roles:

• The striker stands in front of the wicket nearest him and attempts to defend it from balls bowled by the opposing bowler from the other wicket.
• The non-striker stands inactive near the bowler's wicket.

While defending his wicket, the striker may also hit the ball into the field and attempt to run to the opposite wicket, exchanging places with the non-striker. This scores a run. The two batsmen may continue to exchange places, scoring additional runs, until members of the fielding team collect and return the ball to either wicket. See run for further details.

While the striker's position is dictated by the necessity to defend the bowled ball from hitting his wicket, the non-striker typically takes a few steps away from his wicket as the bowler delivers the ball, in preparation to run.