This is the minimum recommended specification. This application may run on machines of lower specification as it does not contain sound or video however performance cannot be guaranteed. The application runs in a fixed size window.

The application was distributed on two 3½" disks with all files being copied to the hard disc during installation. An uninstall option is created to allow the application to be removed when no longer required.

DESCRIPTION

This description is taken from the user manual. It describes how the application is run and gives details of the ten questions that are asked. When the application is selected the first screen to be shown will be a Title Screen. To start the question sequence the left mouse button is pressed.

Name Input - the first screen shows brief instructions and asks for a name to be input. It is not essential to the program that a name is entered however if a number of different people are going to use the application it is required to allow results to be analysed. Type in a name then press either the <RETURN> or <ENTER> key.

Question 1 : Dead Ball - there are four parts to this question and they can be answered in any order. The answers are either YES or NO and buttons are provided to allow the answer to be selected. Only one attempt is allowed at each part. Once all four answers have been selected the next question will be displayed. The questions asked are fixed so that all users will see the same questions.

Questions 2/3 : Run Out - these questions demonstrate the use of animation to show a sequence of events following which a decision is entered. Once the starting position has been analysed the animation can be started by selecting a button. The ball will be bowled, hit and the batsmen will run. The action stops when a wicket is broken. The decision required is who, if anyone, is out. To make the decision click on the letter identifying the player who is out or the button marked NOT OUT if no one is out. Both questions contain three scenarios from which one is selected at random.

Question 4 : Scorebook Entries - four scorebook entries will be displayed and you have to decide whether they are correct, select YES, or incorrect, select NO. The answers can be given in any order. The questions asked are fixed so that all users will see the same questions.

Question 5 : Bowlers' Analysis - the ball by ball entries will be shown for three bowlers. The analysis showing overs bowled, maidens, runs, wickets and average for each bowler is entered by typing in the values from the keyboard. The questions asked are fixed so that all users will see the same questions.

Question 6 : Timing Fielders - there are five parts to this question and it relates to a fielder leaving the field, returning then being brought on to bowl. The time he leaves the field is always 2 p.m. and the time he returns is randomly generated between 2:01 and 2:29. The number of minutes past 2 p.m. when he would be allowed to bowl again must be entered.

Question 7 : The Follow On - there are three randomly generated parts to this question and it is programmed so that part 2 will not be displayed until part 1 is answered and part 3 will not be displayed until part 2 is answered.

• Part 1 randomly generates the number of days a match will last and asks a question based on that match
• Part 2 randomly generates the number of days a match will last then, based on the number of days, generates a score for the team batting first. The question relates to the number of days and score.
• Part 3 is based on a five day match and randomly selects the days on which no play took place then asks a question based on this.

Question 8 : Last Hour - the start and end times of an interruption during the last hour are randomly generated. The number of overs bowled so far are automatically calculated. The number of minutes lost, the number of overs lost and the minimum number of overs remaining must be calculated and entered. There is then a change of innings the time of which is randomly generated. The information for a change of innings must be entered and the correct number of overs remaining calculated and entered. If a mistake is made in the first part of the question the answer to the second part will be based on the incorrect information. Thus if an answer to the second part is correct according the answer given in the first part points will be awarded.

Question 9 : The Result - four questions are asked in which the result of a match has to be entered. The first two matches are one innings per side and the last two are two innings per side. The program first randomly decides on the result of the match and then generates random scores to create the result.

Question 10 : Signals - Correct and incorrect signals, based on the official signals described in Law, will be displayed. There are sixteen signals in all from which four will be randomly selected. A drawing will show the umpire making the signal and a speech bubble will contain the call. If the call, or lack of call does not match the signal then the signal is incorrect.

Final Score - the final page shows a certificate containing a score out of a possible 50 marks. For the purposes of this application every answer is deemed to be worth one mark. This does not accurately reflect the weightings in official examinations but is used in this presentation as an example of how the score can be kept.

This application demonstrates the use of animation, the use of the keyboard to enter answers and the use of a mouse to select both buttons or text to enter answers. Some of the questions are fixed showing that it is possible to present every user with the same questions as in an examination, others are random to demonstrate that every user, or the same user running the application more than once, can be shown different questions every time. Even in this small application there are over a million possible combinations of questions.

In October 2000 a new code of Law was introduced by the MCC. This makes over one hundred changes to the existing Law and so this application will become obsolete. To avoid confusion it is not intended to release further copies until it has been updated to reflect the new Laws.

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