Cricket Wallpaper, #1494

Cricket is a bat-and-ball sport contested by two teams, usually of eleven players each. A Cricket match is played on a grass field, roughly oval in shape, in the centre of which is a flat strip of ground 22 yards (20.12 m) long, called a Cricket pitch. A wicket, usually made of wood, is placed at each end of the pitch.Cricket has been an established team sport for hundreds of years and more than 100 countries are affiliated to the International Cricket Council, Cricket's international governing body. The sport's modern form originated in England, and is most popular in the present and former members of the Commonwealth. In many countries including Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the English-speaking countries of the Caribbean, which are collectively known in Cricketing parlance as the West Indies, Cricket is the most popular sport. In Australia, while other sports are more popular in particular areas, Cricket has been described as the "national sport" and has had a role in forming the national identity. It is also a major sport in England, New Zealand, South Africa and Zimbabwe. Many countries also have well-established amateur club competitions, including the Netherlands, Kenya, Nepal and Argentina.The Cricket field consists of a large, often circular or oval-shaped, grassy ground. There are no fixed dimensions for the field but its diameter usually varies between 450 feet (137 m) and 500 feet (150 m). The perimeter of the field, known as the boundary, is marked, often with a rope or a painted line.There are many different types and grades of Cricket; those played professionally at an international level are Test Cricket, One Day International Cricket and Twenty20 Cricket.