Forms of cricket

In cricket, other than Test matches, One Day International matches, Twenty20 matches and First class matches, other forms of the sport do exist. At all levels, the rules of cricket are often modified. At international or first-class levels this is usually in order to make the game more commercially attractive. More or less formal domestic club cricket matches are usually played over one to two days, either two innings per side or one innings per side with limited overs. At lower levels the rules are often changed simply to make the game playable with limited resources, or to render it more convenient and enjoyable for the participants. Variants of the sport are played in areas as diverse as sandy beaches to ice floes.

First-class matches

Main article: First-class cricket

A first-class match is generally defined as a high-level international or domestic match that takes place over at least three days on natural (as opposed to artificial) turf. First-class games are two innings per side. Like Test matches, if the game is not completed over the allotted time then it is drawn. Games where the teams have only one innings each are not first-class (including One Day Internationals).

A two-innings match of at least three days duration is granted first-class status only if both teams have first-class status. For example, Test matches, other games between two Test nations, games between two domestic teams deemed first-class in countries holding full membership of the ICC, and games between a Test nation's national side (or a team drawn from a national touring squad) and a first-class domestic team from a Test nation, are usually deemed to be first class. Matches between Kenya, one of the leading associate members of the ICC, and another team adjudged first-class are usually granted first-class status, but domestic matches in Kenya are not.

Among cricket statisticians, first class cricket is variously deemed to have started in 1660, 1772, 1801, 1815 or 1864. This ongoing controversy is described in the main article. The limited overs equivalent of first-class status is list A status.

Short form cricket

Cricket is also played in several different shortened forms, designed to pack as much action as possible into an hour or two. Such forms have evolved since the 1990s, and take cricket an additional step beyond one-day cricket.

See short form cricket for details about specific types of short form cricket.

List A cricket

Main article: List A cricket

List A cricket is to one-day cricket as first-class is to Tests. Most cricketing nations have some form of domestic List A competition. The over limits range from forty to sixty. The categorization of "List A" was only endorsed by the ICC in 2006; the Association of Cricket Statisticians and Historians created it for the purpose of providing a parallel to first-class cricket in their record books.

Club cricket

Club cricket is amateur, but still formal, cricket. The games are sometimes limited-overs, with each innings usually lasting between thirty and fifty overs. Other matches are played to time restrictions. Club cricket is played extensively in cricketing nations, and also by immigrants from cricketing nations. Club cricket often takes place on an artificial turf pitch, though the rest of actual field may be natural grass.

Other forms of cricket

Children playing cricket on a makeshift pitch in a park. It is common in many countries for people to play cricket on such pitches and makeshift grounds.

Indoor cricket is a variation of the game designed for indoor play.

Double wicket cricket is a variation of the game played by two teams. Each team consists of 2 players.

Kwik cricket is a high-speed version of the game, aimed mainly at encouraging youngsters to take part.

Backyard cricket, beach cricket, garden cricket and street cricket are terms applied to informal amateur cricket. The rules are often ad hoc, and the subtle and complex laws of cricket, such as those involving leg before wicket, penalty runs, and others, are ignored or modified. In India and Pakistan it is called gully cricket; 'gully' in Hindi means 'street'. It should not be confused with gully, which is a fielding position in cricket. Often, there are no teams, and each player plays for himself, and fields when he is not batting. Often, there is one wicket, and one bowling position, and no overs. If the batsman runs an odd number of runs, he is allowed to walk back to the wicket before the next ball is bowled.

French cricket is a game in which the ball is bowled at the legs of the batsman, with the batsman's legs forming the wicket. It is often played by children. A tennis ball is often used rather than the harder cricket ball. Much like beach cricket, the rules may vary wildly.

Tennis ball cricket This type of cricket is popular in the South Asian sub continent, USA and Canada. In this game a harder version of tennis ball is used. The number of overs in the game varies from 6 to 25 overs. Considering that the ball is not as hard as the professional cricket ball, the use of protective gear like gloves, pads and helmets is optional. As tennis ball cricket games are shorter when compared to the conventional version, it suits the US and Canadian lifestyle where one would see a large number of people participating. Where cricket pitches are not available, part of a baseball diamond is used as a pitch in most parts of USA and Canada.

Tape ball cricket This type of cricket is popular in Pakistan, Bangladesh and somewhat gaining popularity in other South Asian countries and Europe due to the export of the innovative idea from Pakistan. Tape ball cricket has been a cricket culture in Pakistan since the 80's. Pakistanis who have settled in the west have introduced this theme and have tape ball leagues throughout UK, USA, and Canada. In this game a tennis ball is covered with insulating tape. This results in a heavier ball. Fast bowlers can generate extra swing in both directions while finger spinners can produce turn. The game is usually a limited over match with 4-12 overs. In Karachi and Lahore regular tournaments are held. Night matches are common, especially during the month of Ramadan.

Catchy shubby cricket is a form of the game developed in Jamaica where roles are changed rapidly, so that all players can have a turn in a short time.

Kilikiti, also known as or kirikiti, or Samoan Cricket, is the national game of Samoa and is especially popular in New Zealand. The game is descended from the cricket brought to Samoa by British missionaries; teams of unlimited size follow rules opaque to outside observers in a game/dance/feast event that can last several days.

Non-stop (or continuous) cricket is a game involving one batsman, who, on hitting the ball, must run to a marker square to the wicket. The bowler may bowl as soon as the ball is returned, regardless of whether or not the batsman is still running.

Over-60s cricket founded in Australia, is for those over 60 years of age with slightly modified from standard rules.

Single wicket — a tournament for individuals. This is probably the oldest form of cricket as it involves one player against another. It has known periods of huge popularity, especially in the mid-18th century and in the first half of the 19th century. One bowls to the other for a fixed number of balls, or until the batsman is out, and then roles are reversed. The remaining tournament players act as fielders until it is their turn to bat or bowl. The winner is the one with the most runs, and that player moves to the next round to play the winner from another pair.

Vigoro is a form of cricket that also resembles baseball, mainly played by women.

Placa is an obscure variation, played in the streets of Caribbean countries like the Dominican Republic between two couples, usually making use of broomsticks as bats, rubber or tennis balls, and old license plates as wickets (with its ends twisted to make them stand up). The game is divided in alternate 3-out innings like in baseball. The first team to reach 100 or 200 runs wins. A similar version is played on the streets of Brazil and is known as Bats or Taco ('taco' being Portuguese for 'bat').

Trobriand cricket is the name given to the peculiar form of cricket played in the Trobriand Islands, in Papua New Guinea. Although cricket was introduced by the British as part of colonial agenda, it was adopted into local Trobriand culture and many modifications and cultural adaptations were made over the years. Some of these include: under-arm bowling; outs are celebrated with dances; the "home" team (the tribal community which organized a match) always wins; any number of players can take part in a match; players dress in traditional war costumes.

Cricket simulations without ball or pitch

Pencil Cricket

A one-person game played with pencils marked by hand to function as 'long dice'. A Japanese variant of these for use in other games are called 'battle pencils' . It may also simply be played with conventional dice. The aim is to generate scores and attribute them to imaginary players and teams by compiling a scorecard. The game has been marketed commercially featuring plastic or metal long dice (rollers) and playing rules .
See also Owzthat.

Calculator Cricket

Played on a calculator using the random key. the first digit after the decimal point is the runs scored. 7 (for e.g. 0.745) is out, unless it is followed by another number then another 7, which is a dropped catch (for e.g. 0.707). Add the runs up until a 7 comes up. It can be played by one player or you can compete against someone to get the highest individual or team score.

Test Cricket Variation

Another variation of Calculator Cricket is a slightly more complex, one player game, and is more orientated towards Test cricket simulation. Due to the complexity of the game, something akin to a proper cricket scorecard is required to keep track of scores. Any page from the back of your exercise book will do.

• Two teams of 11 players are chosen, and each player is arbitrarily assigned a "batting skill" number. For batsmen, this value ranges between 10 to 12, with better batsmen receiving a higher value. For bowlers, this value is usually 3 to 6.
• Flip a coin - heads team A bats first, tails team B bats first.
• The number of runs scored by one batsman in one over is calculated by [batting skill] * [random number] - 1, rounded down to the nearest whole number.
• If the result is below zero, the batsman is out.
• Bowlers are given "chances" when they are batting - they must accumlate three values less than zero (not consecutively) before they are considered out. Otherwise they will be out too quickly, and you will never see the tail wagging, as is common in today's cricket.
• To add realism, the next over is faced by the other batsman (i.e. they alternate strike). Although this may seem extremely tedious to type out on the calculator if you two batsmen with different skill levels batting, one can easily get around this by pressing [replay up/up arrow] which brings up the previous screen and then [equals/execute].
• Unfortunately, the overs have to be manually counted (90 overs in a day, hence 450 overs in total for a 5-day Test match).
• Once an innings is over, you can now simulate the opposing team's innings. Follow-ons and declarations can be made at the player's discretion.
• Variations can be added to this game, at the player's discretion, to factor in other variables.

Surprisingly, the run rates, overall totals, and length of matches are actually relatively realistic.

Armchair Cricket

A card game based on cricket. See main article.

Pub cricket

Also called Car Cricket. A travel game based on the names of public houses passed on the route. Runs are scored according to the number of legs, arms or other items featured in the pub name. The exact rules vary according to the participants. See main article.

Book Cricket

Popular with school children in Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka. The rules vary according to the participants. The runs are scored by flipping the book open and the last digit of the even-numbered page is counted as the number of runs scored. 8 (and sometimes 0) are assigned to special rules - typically losing a wicket. For example if the batting side opened the book onto page 26, then run scored would be six runs. In the 1950s a version of book cricket appeared in the U.K. in the Eagle comic. A page was chosen and each letter or symbol was counted according to a formula as follows:- a = 0 b = 1 c = 2 d = 1 e = 0 f = 1 g = 0 h = 1 i = 0 j = 3 k = wicket (lbw) l = 1 m = wicket (followed by a to l = bowled followed by m to z = caught n = 1 o = 0 p = 1 q = wicket (bowled) r = 1 s = 0 t = 0 u = 0 v = 4 w = 2 x = 4 y = 2 z = 4 A = 2 B = 4 C = 2 D = wicket (caught) E = 2 F = 4 G = 2 H = 1 I = 0 J = wicket (bowled) K = 6 L = 2 M = 4 N = 2 O = 0 P = 4 Q = no ball R = 4 S = 2 T = 2 U = 1 V = wicket (caught) W = wide X = 6 Y = 3 Z = wicket (stumped) . = 0 , = 0 etc etc etc. This produced a remarkably realistic scorecard with the majority of innings around 150 to 300 scored at about 4 runs per over.

Hand Cricket

Popular with school children in India. It is played with gestures indicating numbers. Only 2 people can play this game. If both the bowler and the batsman (chosen earlier) gestures the same number the batsman is out ,if not the number gestured by the batsman keeps on adding.

External links

• Official website