Indoor Rules

The Game

Cricket, but turbo-charged.

Indoor cricket is a fast and furious version of the classic game, and it’s a great way of enjoying this traditionally fair-weather sport all year round.

Indoor cricket involves 2 teams of 8 players, on a much smaller pitch enclosed by netting, and matches feature 2 innings of 12, 6-ball overs.

For younger cricketers, indoor cricket can be a more exciting, exhilarating game and a great way to get into cricket without having to give up your weekends throughout the summer, or fork out for expensive kit.

ECB Indoor Cricket Benefits for Outdoor Cricket

Indoor Cricket, also known as Action Cricket, is an exciting team game that lasts for approximately an hour. It combines fun, fitness and competition, and its simplicity allows everyone to play!

For the Middlesex Junior Cricket Association the game also provides a much closer experience to outdoor cricket than the previous format. Examples of the skills that are worked on through this format include:

a. Batting

• Rotating the strike through the “Third Ball” rule which means that batters cannot face three consecutive dot balls.
• Running between the wickets as no runs are accrued for merely hitting a wall; a physical run between the wickets must also be completed.
• Picking gaps; with four fielders in each half of the pitch placement becomes more of a focus.
• Promoting a positive shot; no runs scored for hitting the back wall with an edge. More runs scored the straighter you hit promoting hitting through the line and using a full face.
• Using your feet to spinners; with turn and bounce on offer players have to react to balance the challenge.

b. Bowling

• Executing plans; with batters coming at you having to score runs consistent planning and watching the batters movements becomes more important.
• Practicing with a new “swing” ball; the use of a new Burley cricket ball per day rewards bowlers with strong actions and allows them to experiment with swing bowling, seeing instant results.
• Strengthening of action work; with a shorter run up available a greater focus is placed on strength at the crease and the action to generate pace.

c. Fielding

• Improving reactions; using spring loaded nets is like fielding inside a “Crazy Catch”.
• Constant involvement; with the ball always being live the concepts of backing up and aggressively looking for run outs become important. With no overthrows for hitting walls players are encouraged to throw the stumps down almost every ball!

d. Team Play

• With all players batting and bowling everyone gets to play their part in a team victory. For every game played you are guaranteed involvement – no more fielding on the boundary!

ECB Indoor Cricket Benefits for Outdoor Cricket

For participants there is the the addition of neutral umpires and when we have a fixed venue again the use of the tv scoreboards will add to the excitement of the game while on the field. Off the field the online league tables will also then become available and player statistics will allow players to track their personal and teams progress through the leagues.

Featuring weekly email reminders for fixtures, then team availability checks and a full statistics package the management system will take away the stress of running your side.

For Team Managers when the use of the online management system returns it will allow you to track player availability, confirm your teams and follow the league tables from start to finish. Featuring weekly email reminders for fixtures, team availability checks and a full statistics package the management system takes away the stress of running your side.

All of these services are available free of charge as part of the ECBIC package. (NB sadly some of these features are not available at the moment until a new permanent venue has been found.)

Cricket Basic Rules Introduction

1. The Game Format

• 8 players per side
• 24 overs per game, 12 per side
• Everyone bowls at least one over, with four bowlers able to bowl two
• Everyone bats for 3 overs even if somebody gets out

2. Batting / Scoring Runs

• You bat in pairs and face three overs as a partnership.
• The non-facer stands at the running crease, as shown on the court setup image opposite.
• If you are out you do not leave the court, you stay at the crease and continue to bat for the full three overs.
• Every time you are out your team loses five runs from the total.
• In order to score runs you must complete a run between the wicket (from the batting crease to the running crease) For this you will be given one run, please additional runs depending on where you hit the ball.
  • The back net at the keepers end is 0 runs, plus one for running = 1
  • The side nets before the half way line are 1 run, plus one for running = 2
  • The side nets after the half way line are 2 runs, plus one for running = 3
  • If you hit a side net and the subsequently the back net at the bowlers end you get a bonus run.
  • The back net if hit on the floor is 4 runs, plus one for running = 5
  • The back net if hit on the full is 6 runs, plus one for running = 7
• When there are two non scoring deliveries in a row the batters must run on the next delivery, unless that delivery is called a wide or no ball by the umpire. This is called 3rd ball and the scoreboard must change in this instance be that through an extra, a run being scored or a wicket falling.
• The ball is always live, with the exception of the end of an over or the fall of a wicket.

3. Fielding

• There are eight players in the fielding team.
• The field has to have four players in each half of the court before the delivery is bowled, with the running crease being designated as the half way line.
• Once the ball is released fielders are free to move in either half of the court.

4. Bowling

• Everyone has to bowl one over, with four bowlers allowed to bowl two.
• An over lasts six balls,

5. Extras

• At the batters end there are guidelines painted for leg side wide deliveries as shown to the right. The ball must be inside of these lines in order to be considered a good ball.
• On the offside the ball must simply be within the pitch.
• Only a ball which starts on the pitch but goes off of it before it goes past the batter will be called a wide ball.
• You can be run out and stumped off of a wide ball.
• There are four types of no balls that can be called. They are:
  • Full Toss: If the ball does not bounce in front of the batter and passes them at waist height or above this will be called a no ball.
  • Bouncer: If the ball pitches before the half way line this will be called a no ball. Note that his in only enforced at some Arenas. Please check with an Arena representative.
  • Ball Off The Pitch: If a delivery lands outside of the pitch area this will be called a no ball.
  • Fielding No Ball: This is when the team have more than the four players allowed in either half of the court. Being a social game this rule will come with a warning system before a no ball is called.
• You cannot be out caught or stumped off of a no ball but you can still be run out.
• Extras count as two runs to the total and are not rebowled at any stage.

6. Dismissals/ Getting Out

• Caught (anywhere except off the back net when the batter hits a 6)
• Run out • Bowled • Stumped

7. Skins

In order to keep the games competitive right until the last over teams play for “skins” as well as a win to earn league points. A skin point is won by outscoring your comparative batting opposites in each innings.

For example, if the team batting first make 20 for their first partnership the team batting second would be awarded a bonus skin point if they make 21 or more. Should they make 19 or less the team batting first would win the skin point. In the event of a tie, the point carries over and whoever wins the next skin gains two skin points. If the final skin is tied the team who won the third skin gain two points.

8. League Points

WIN: 3 Points Tie: 1 Point Loss: 0 Point
SKINS: 4 available per game

In the event of teams being tied at the end of the season for a league position the following ordering will be applied:

– Points – Skins Won – Run Difference (Runs scored minus runs conceded) – Runs Scored

For Clubs with more than 1 team in 1 age group

Player movement between teams. A reminder as to a notification that may have been missed earlier& which only applies to clubs with more than 1 team at 1 age group, unlike outdoors where there are hierarchical divisions, only a minor degree of seeding has been applied & as much as possible I have tried to keep teams from the same club apart & will continue to do so. As a consequence, players are no longer able to switch between teams as they were previously & once a player has played for one side that is who he or she must continue to play for.

Just to add this this not mean that a player cannot play for older age group teams involved in those competitions.

In Play Safety Considerations

While the Indoor Game requires less protective equipment than outdoors & only batting gloves & abdominal protectors are compulsory as protection against the indoor ball, the AICE do not condone additional protection ie pads & helmets are necessary & are discouraged due to the greater likelihood of fielders & batters colliding & the damage a helmet can cause. However, I’m also aware that not everyone is comfortable with this & as our playing area is larger than the purpose built arenas discretion whether helmets are worn by the participants lies with parents & coaches.