Researching Cricket - Help?

Hi everyone!

I'm researching cricket and trying to learn more about how it all works for a story I'm writing.

I was wondering if some of you might be able to help me out by explaining to me what exactly is going on with the Marlon Samuels situation at the moment.

I'm American, and we generally tend to view cricket as a form of baseball (which it very obviously isn't!) so if you equate a bowler to a pitcher, the idea of a pitcher being banned for pitching wrong - for his elbow being at the wrong angle - is ludicrous.

So, since the baseball comparison is wrong, could someone help me out and explain what's going on as you might do for a small child? 

Cheers,
Melanie

Samuels has been banned from "bowling" (ie pitching, in baseball jargon) because he "throws" the ball instead of "bowling" the ball.

In cricket, "bowling" the ball is distinguished from simply "throwing" the ball by a strictly specified biomechanical definition. It is against cricket rules to "throw". It is legal to "bowl". Samuels "throws".

Originally, the cricket rule was that the bowlers elbow joint must not straighten out during the bowling action. The bowler must hold their elbows fully extended and rotate the arm vertically about the shoulder joint - like a catapult - to impart velocity to the ball, releasing it near the top of the arc. Flexion at the elbow is not allowed, and any extension of the elbow was deemed to be a "throw" and so illegal.

In  2005, these bowling rules were relaxed. Biomechanical studies showed that almost all bowlers extend their elbows somewhat throughout the bowling action, because the stress of swinging the arm around hyperextends the elbow joint. A guideline was introduced to allow extensions or hyperextensions of angles up to 15 degrees before deeming the ball illegally thrown.

Samuels breaks even this rule, using an angle which is over 15 degrees.

That's a pretty good explanation.  If you're an American new to cricket best thing to do is get
hold of Tom Melville's book Cricket For Americans (1993).  It's now out of print but can find a used one
or at a library.  Does a great job explaining the game  from a baseball perspective.

Melanie as part of your research , please mention :

Baseball is really Rounders : a Girls game in England.

that was copied and renamed by MLB 

...also mention first Rasta overseas tour was to Land of Baseball in 1886...
and didn't win a single match!

sounds comical !  will try to get a copy

www.britannica.com/sports/rounders

                      http://cache4.asset-cache.net/gc/141483934-the-playing-field-for-rounders-an-old-gettyimages.jpg?v=1&c=IWSAsset&k=2&d=mvdghAuuWFbVRZlnbYJcyxkeqtcxsL1dVrcR%2B0lwQp5pGoA7tEXrrKtpS8WEREIvn%2FCQ0WkHByL%2Bj5kNQ9r5aQ%3D%3D

Ketchisauros!  Got nine bucks?  www.amazon.com/Cricket-Americans-Playing...ulture/dp/0879726067
Look who's on the cover!

Melanie  the researcher, thank you for the Link on Cricket for Americans ! ::LOL::