Lacrosse and cricket are both stick and ball games, but that is essentially where their similarities end. Lacrosse has its origins with Native Americans in North America and cricket was created across the Atlantic in Europe and fostered in England. Lacrosse is similar to field hockey and has more physical contact to it, whereas cricket is believed by some historians to have influenced the development of baseball.
Players
The rules allow for 10 players on each lacrosse team in an official game. Each side consists of a goalie, three defenders, three midfielders and three attack players. During play, each team must keep three defensive players and the goalie behind the defensive area line. However, midfield players may switch positions with defenders at any time when the ball is in play.
Cricket teams contain 11 players per side. When one team is fielding, all of the players are on the field and may be positioned. However, the team chooses outside of the batting pitch. The offensive team in cricket is comprised of only two players. Each of the players stands in front of three sticks, called the wicket, and attempts to bat the ball beyond the boundary around the field.
Field of Play
A lacrosse field is 110 yards long by 60 yards wide, similar to a football field. It is divided into three sections: 35 yards for each defensive area and 40 yards for the midfield. The goal in each defensive area is 6 feet wide and 6 feet high, and is set 20 yards back from the midfield line. Cricket fields are circular and can vary in overall diameter depending on the size of the cricket grounds. At the center of the field is a 22-yard long tract of turf called the pitch. At either end of the pitch is a batting and return crease to delineate where the offensive players must stand.
Equipment
Players use more equipment in lacrosse than in cricket. All lacrosse players carry a stick with a netted cup on one end, called the crosse. They may also wear pads and face masks to protect themselves from the ball or contact with other players. Defensive players, typically, in cricket do not wear any gear. The wicketkeeper, or player who receives the ball from the bowler, wears a glove to catch the ball. Batters wear protective padding and helmets while on the field. They use a wooden or composite bat that resembles a long paddle to hit a solid, hard ball that is no more than 9 inches in circumference.
Scoring
Players score points in lacrosse by shooting the ball into the defending team's goal. Matches are divided into four 15-minute periods. A tie score at the end of the match is resolved with a sudden-death overtime goal.
Batters in cricket score runs for the offense by either hitting the ball over the field boundary or running the full length of the pitch. Every time the batter runs the pitch, it is worth a single run. Rolling the ball over the boundary line is worth four runs and hitting it in the air over the line is worth six runs. The defending team must deliver a preset number of "overs" to the offensive team during the game, with an over comprising six individual deliveries.
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