You don’t have to be Kevin Pietersen to play cricket occasionally well. You also don’t have to wait for that one nice day in the British summer in order to have a game. When it is wet and dull outside you can enjoy a good game of bedroom cricket with a bat, a small soft ball and a friend, your kids or a loved one. This version of the game, there may be others, was developed at the University of Wales, Lampeter by a number of students.
First, a note for the dirty minded. If bedroom cricket is some innuendo or such-like then sorry, you’re not going to find it here. This is a game of cricket and nothing sexual.
Setting Up your Bedroom Cricket Game
The most important part of defining the game of Bedroom Cricket is to find a good location. Ideally you want a long room or a room at the end of a long corridor. This is because you will need a good run up to deliver the ball. As damage can still be caused by the ball, no matter how soft it is, try to use a room that is not full of breakable objects. If possible use a room with space and a corridor with many connecting rooms. Nearby stairs are also good but be careful.
Next you need to set up the wicket. This means defining where the bowler has to release the ball when bowling. In the site where the game was developed this was the door frame. If the bowler over steps this line then the batter is awarded a free hit. The distance should be reasonable for both the bowler (not too far) and the batter (not too close). This is also the distance a batter needs to run in order to get a single run (and back for a double).
Decide on an object to represent the wicket and bails. This object gives the bowler a target to aim for. It also helps them decide if the batter has blocked the balls path to the wicket with his legs (LBW).
Rules of the Game
The basic rules work in a very similar way to other forms of cricket. In this sense if the ball hits the wicket, or the batter blocks the wicket with his leg (LBW) or the ball is caught before bouncing then the batter is out. The batter also scores points or runs for hitting the ball well and hitting certain targets or for getting runs. Bowlers can also change or take a break after every over (6 balls).
The game is typically played between 2-4 players but this can change depending on the venue. However, as most normal bedrooms are quite small it’s difficult to have a big game. This is typically a game of individuals with players taking it in turns to bat after a wicket is taken.
Basic runs are scored by hitting the ball, avoiding any catchers and running to the far end of the crease (the bowler’s end). However, the most fun part of bedroom cricket is creating bonus points worth 2, 3, 4 and 6 points. For example, hitting the ball into the bin might be worth 3 points, or hitting the ball past the bowler and into the corridor could be worth 2. To make it more fun make random challenges or assign points on other rooms off the corridor, the harder the room to hit the ball into, the more points its worth. The winner is the person with the most runs.
Bedroom cricket is a simple and fun way to pass an afternoon with a few friends. You will laugh, cry and shout with joy when you hit a sweet shot and make a target everyone else thought was impossible. Just remember, you’ll probably hit the bat into your toe with the very next shot and the ball will loop up into the bowler’s hands. How’s that?!
Mark Wollacott - Mark Wollacott is a thirty year old Brit from the Cotswolds. He began writing in 2000 when press-ganged into writing a play for the ...
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