Wicket

In the sport of cricket, the term wicket has several meanings:

The origin of the word is from wicket gate, a small gate. Originally, cricket wickets had only two stumps and one bail and looked like a gate, much like the wicket used in the North American game of wicket. The third (middle) stump was introduced in 1775, after Lumpy Stevens bowled three successive deliveries to John Small that went straight through the two stumps rather than hitting them.

The size and shape of the wicket has changed several times during the last 300 years; its dimensions and placing is now determined by Law 8 in the Laws of Cricket, thus:

There are also specified lengths for the barrel and spigots of the bail. There are different specifications for the wickets and bails for junior cricket. The umpires may dispense with the bails if conditions are unfit (e.g., if it is windy they might fall off by themselves). Further details on the specifications of the wickets are contained in Appendix D to the laws.

The wicket can be thought of as a target for the fielding team, as the bowler and fielders can dismiss a batter by hitting the wicket with the ball, in certain circumstances, and can prevent run-scoring by threatening to do so.

For a batter to be dismissed by being bowled, run out, stumped or hit wicket, their wicket needs to be put down. For run out and stumped, this has to be when neither batter is in the ground of the wicket. This generally occurs when a fielder throws the ball at the wicket, or hits it with ball in hand.

What 'putting down a wicket' means is defined by Law 29. A wicket is put down if:

The wicket is also put down if a fielder pulls a stump out of the ground in the same manner.