W: Hello, Mark. Have you ever played cricket? M: No, never, but I once watched a game at the Cricket Club. W: Did you enjoy it? M: No, not much, though everybody else seemed to. I found it very slow. Nothing much seemed to happen. Perhaps that was because I didnt really understand what was going on. W: Its a bit like baseball, isnt it? M: Well, not really. In baseball there is only one man with a bat but in cricket there are two. W: Both at the same time? M: No. They take turns. They each stand at one end of the pitch in front of some sticks called stumps or the wicket. A member of the other team, the bowler throws the ball at the stumps. The batsman tries to protect the wicket and hit the ball as far as he can. W: What happens when he hits the ball? M: The batsmen run to change positions. Thats called a run. They do it as many times as they can. W: What does the other team do? M: One of them runs after the ball and throws it at the wicket. If he hits it while the batsmen are still running, one of them is out. W: That sounds a little like baseball. M: Not really. I think baseball is more exciting. W: Yes, so do I.