>>Now you know why the rules to cricket are complicated - we just like things that way.
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>Robert;
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>We have a park about one and a half blocks from our house where they play cricket. I have heard about some cricket games lasting 3-4 days, but these guys only stay from sun up till sun down. Too bad the park does not have lights - if it did maybe I would get to see one of those multi day games.
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>I have been trying to learn something about cricket. So I looked at a rule book and watched a game. Things were happening in the game that I did not understand so I had a hard time. I may never understand cricket but I can at least watch it for a few minutes without becoming confused at what is happening. Could cricket be like English Grammar? There are exceptions to the exceptions! That may be a clue! :)
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>Tom

Well, it's a bit like rounders/baseball but with two bases only and you keep hold of your bat. The bowler gets six attempts (=an over) to bowl you out by knocking over the stumps, or you can be caught "out" or be sent out for a foul (such as blocking the stumps with your leg = leg-before-wicket). If he makes a mess of the bowling (throws it where you can't hit it =wide) you get a point (sometimes) and he has to bowl that ball again. At the end of six attempts you change ends and carry on. You stay "in" until you are caught out or the game ends.

When you hit the ball, you can (if you like) choose to run between the bases and score points. You can also score by hitting the ball a large distance (for 4 points) or a very large distance (for 6 points).

After a certain amount of time or overs (or whatever), the batting team become the fielders and vice versa.

That's it really, but there are, as you state, exceptions. There are some oddities in scoring - if you are far behind, the opposition can force you to play on as batsmen instead of swapping to become fielders.

As Nick points out, it's not a fast game (well, one-day games are considered fast).