The 2003 Cricket World Cup is taking place and a champion will be crowned in the next 10 days. Not familiar with the sport? No surprise there. Most people in America have never heard of it. But it’s a sport that dates back to the 18th century. For most Caribbean islands as well as other nations across of the world, cricket is to them what baseball is to America.

”Cricket is a team sport for two teams of eleven players each. A formal game of cricket can last anything from an afternoon to several days. Although the game play and rules are very different, the basic concept of cricket is similar to that of baseball. Teams bat in successive innings and attempt to score runs, while the opposing team fields and attempts to bring an end to the batting team’s innings. After each team has batted an equal number of innings (either one or two, depending on conditions chosen before the game), the team with the most runs wins.”

To get an explanation of the game from an American’s point of view, go here.