Rules for Underarm Cricket

Cricket is a bat and ball game originating in England, with evidence indicating that the game may have been played as long ago as the 14th century. Originally, the cricket ball was rolled along the ground much like in lawn bowling. This was changed in the mid-18th century to an underarm pitch. The underarm pitch has since been replaced by the roundarm and then overarm pitching methods that are the primary ball pitching methods used in the 21st century. Even though underarm pitching has been replaced, it's not illegal as long as use of the method is agreed upon before the match. Otherwise, normal cricket rules apply.

  1. Players on the Field

    • Cricket is played between two teams of 11 players. Each team has a captain who nominates his teammates prior to the match start. Only the 11 players selected at the start of the match may play on the field. More or fewer players may participate in the match but there may be no more than 11 players on the field at a given time. Players on the field consist of two batsmen on the scoring team and a bowler and fielders on the fielding team. The two batsmen on the field are the striker and the non-striker. The striker is the batsman who protects the wicket and strikes the ball into the field to allow the batsmen to score runs.

    Underarm Pitching

    • A pitch must be delivered by the bowler according to the method agreed upon before the pitch. The umpire determines the bowler's method, right or left-handed, overarm or roundarm, and informs the striker. If underarm pitching is to be allowed during a match it must be agreed upon by both teams prior to the match's start or any underarm pitch will be called no ball. Even if underarm pitching is permitted during a match, the ball may not be rolled or bounce more than twice when pitched.

    Innings

    • Prior to the match start it will be agreed upon how many innings will be played per team. Typically, this is one or two innings per team. An inning lasts ten outs.

    Scoring Runs

    • To score runs, the batsman designated the striker must hit the ball into the field and she and the non-striker run between the wickets until the fielders can return the ball to the bowler.

    Outs

    • There are multiple ways for a striker to be declared out or "dismissed." During the pitch, if the wicket is broken by the ball the striker is declared out. If the striker accidentally breaks the wicket during her turn at bat she is declared out. If a ball hit by the striker is caught the striker is declared out. Also, if a fielder breaks the wicket with the ball while batsmen are running and not back to their positions beside the wickets, the striker will be declared out.

    Overs

    • The bowler pitches the ball six times and this is referred to as an over. After an over the bowler is replaced by another bowler at the other end of the field and fielders also change sides accordingly. This has the effect of changing the non-striker on the scoring team to the striker.