Cricket rules

Please bring your student ID with you, it is required in order to play.

Game play is governed by the ‘Laws of Cricket,’ as developed by the Marylebone Cricket Club, with the following additions:

Players

Maximum of 6 players per team on the playing field at a time.

Playing Field

The pitch will be setup within the gymnasium with wickets positioned towards the alcove and the ‘playing area’ in front.

A ball is considered in play as long as it remains within the defined playing area. The playing area is constituted to be all space below the track on the back wall and the curtains. The ball is out of play if any part of it touches the grey paint or goes over the benches.

Game Length

Games are 6 overs long with 50 minute time limit. A 25 minute time limit will be enforced for each teams 6 overs. An over is 6 playable bowls of the ball.

Equipment

Ball – A “tape-ball” will be used (modified tennis ball).

Batting

Two batters at all times – one at the batting end, the other at the bowling end.

Upper-Boundary – Automatic Out: Any batted ball that leaves the court (entering the track), or that strikes the ceiling, lights, or above the grey paint is an automatic out. Any disregard for the well-being of others, or equipment, will result in removal from play at the official’s discretion.

Fielding

Aside from the bowler and wicket-keeper, fielders position themselves as they desire.

Scoring

Teams score runs when batters reach the opposite crease safely.

  • Batter: A run is completed when a batter hits the ball and then runs to the other end of the cricket pitch, getting past the crease.
  • Non-striking Batter: Must run opposite the ‘striking batter’.
  • Getting Out: The batters can run as many times as they like, but if a fielder hits their stump while they are outside the crease, the batter is out.
  • Walls: One run will be awarded if a batted ball hits the side walls or the wall behind the wicket-keeper. A run will also be awarded if the ball hits the back wall on a wide or legitimate delivery.

Scoring by Boundaries

Runs can be scored by hitting boundaries.

  • Bounce-to-Back Wall: Score 4 runs.
  • Direct-to-Back Wall: Score 6 runs.

Bowling/Pitching

A bowler has to bowl 6 bowls in an ‘over’. Maximum 1 over per bowler per game.

If a bowler fails to deliver a hittable ball, as below, runs will be scored:

  • No balls: When the bowler oversteps the crease, bowls in a dangerous manner or incorrectly, or if the ball rises above the batter’s head — score one run, and re-bowl the pitch.
  • A wide: When the ball goes outside the line indicated next to the wickets — score one run, and re-re-bowl the pitch.
  • A leg bye: When the ball hits the batter without contacting their bat, the batter may score by running.
  • A bye: When the batter runs without the ball coming into contact with their body or bat, they may score by running.

Fielding for Outs

  • Catching the Batter Out: When a fielder catches a ball off the batter’s bat before it has contacted the ground – called ‘catching on the full.’
  • Bowling the Batter Out: Bowling the ball and striking the batter’s stumps or bails.
  • Stumping the Batter: When the wicket-keeper fields a pitch and hits the stumps catching a batter out of their crease.
  • Run Out: When a fielder hits the batter/runner’s stumps while they are outside of the wicket crease.
  • Catching the Batter Out by 6: Should a fielder catch a 6 off of the wall using a single hand the batsman will be dismissed.
  • LBW: Leg before wicket rule will be in implementation, the official may rules a batter out lbw if the ball would have struck the wicket but was instead intercepted by any part of the batters body.
  • Hit Wicket: When the batter hits their own stumps while trying to hit the ball.

Tie-Breaking Procedure

There are no ties! In the event of a tie at the end of regulation, a bowl-out will take place.

  • A bowl-out is similar to a penalty shootout in soccer: Each team will be given five chances to bowl to open stumps and the team hitting the stumps the most times will advance.
  • Each bowler can only bowl once.
  • If still tied after five bowlers each, a sudden-death bowl out begins with each team taking one bowl until one hits and the other misses. The sudden-death bowler must be one of the initial five bowlers.
  • Both teams will be awarded one point in the standings for the tie – the winner of the bowl-out is awarded the additional point (total 2) for the win.