Cricket Runs

Cricket Runs.

Runs were scored by running between the two wickets. A hole was cut in the ground, between the two upright sticks of the wicket. The batsman had to put his bat in this hole, at the end of every run. The batsman was ‘run out' if the wicket keeper put the ball into this popping hole, before the batsman got his bat into it. Many wicket keepers had their fingers hurt in this way. Also, the two upright sticks of the wicket were so far apart that the ball could pass between them. So a third stick was put in the middle of the wicket.

Now there was no space for a popping hole. Therefore, a new rule was made. The umpire had to hold up a stick. The batsman had to touch this stick, with his bat, at the end of every run. This too, however, led to many hurt fingers. At last, a ‘popping crease' was marked on the grass, in front of the wicket, as it is in cricket today.