Indoor cricket

About

Indoor cricket is a variant of and shares many basic concepts with cricket. The game is most often played between two teams each consisting of six or eight players.

Several versions of the game have been in existence since the late 1960s, whilst the game in its present form began to take shape in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

Conventional cricket has been played indoors at Docklands Stadium in Melbourne, Australia. The codified sport of indoor cricket is not to be confused with conventional cricket played indoors, or with other modified versions of cricket played indoors

History

Indoor cricket is a variant of and shares many basic concepts with cricket. The game is most often played between two teams each consisting of six or eight players.

Several versions of the game have been in existence since the late 1960s, whilst the game in its present form began to take shape in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

Conventional cricket has been played indoors at Docklands Stadium in Melbourne, Australia. The codified sport of indoor cricket is not to be confused with conventional cricket played indoors, or with other modified versions of cricket played indoors

 

Rules

As a minimum, every player, including the fielders have to wear an abdominal guard (box), with the person bowling the ball as an exception. The batsman is required to use batting gloves, primarily for preventing the bat from slipping out of the hands. Indoor batting gloves are readily available at cricket stores, however some indoor cricket facilities also provide basic non-slip gloves that can be shared during the game. Some players prefer to use hard ball batting gloves to prevent their hands from serious injury, as the indoor cricket ball can cause serious damage.

One optional security gadget is safety goggles to prevent any serious injury to the eyes. As the game speed is usually very fast and the play rigorous, it is a demanding cardiovascular activity. It is recommended to have a doctor checkup before taking up indoor cricket, especially in advance age and/or with any medical conditions. It’s fielders right of way when a shot is played, so the batsman/fielder has to be watchful to avoid collisions. Indoor cricket causes more sporting injuries than casual outdoor cricket, due to the proximity of the ball and fielders. Therefore, a sports/team insurance is important. Some indoor sports facilities provide these insurances as part of the indoor tournaments.

Equipments

The stumps used in indoor cricket are not, for obvious reasons, stuck in the ground. Instead, they are collapsible spring-loaded stumps that immediately spring back to the standing position when knocked over. The ball used in indoor cricket is a modified cricket ball, with a softer center. The ball also differs in that it is yellow to make it more obvious to see indoors against varied backgrounds. Both traditional outdoor cricket bats or more specialized lighter-weight indoor cricket bats may be used. The gloves are typically lightweight cotton with no protective padding on the outside. The palm-side of the gloves usually have embedded rubber dots to aid grip.