ESPN tried to explain cricket to Americans and the result is hilarious

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

In the lead-up to cricket's World Cup starting Saturday, the sports broadcaster ESPN has made a video to explain the sport to Americans.

Touching on the history of the sport, which the network says was "originally exported from England to her Majesty's colonies," the demonstration uses a nifty animation to give foreigners an idea of the sport.

Using the popular American sport of baseball as a comparison, ESPN starts with the basics.

Cricket is played on an oval field, a giant playing area 400 per cent bigger than a baseball field. Cricket has 100 per cent more batsmen than baseball, who score runs by sprinting between wickets rather than bases.

And then it sufficiently explains the more complex aspects of the sport. "Like baseball, players can be bowled or caught or run out as well as by leg before wicket, stumped, caught handling the ball or obstructing the fielder," the video says. "When 10 of the batsmen have been dismissed or have been delivered 300 balls or 50 overs, the team's innings is over and the opposition take their turn to bat."

See it for yourself.

On Thursday night Melbourne hosted the opening ceremony for the 2015 Cricket World Cup, which will see 14 nations battle it out over six weeks to decide the world champion on March 29.

The event was celebrated with a 5.5m puppet, dubbed "The Don," which moved to the music of an orchestra, representing the cricketers of the tournament, along with performances by Daryl Braithwaite, Jessica Mauboy, Tina Arena, and more.

Here are some pics of "The Don": 

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: The 4 things every modern gentleman should know about wearing cologne