Playing Cricket With The Kids

The whole family reunited, the sun is glistering, and after the evening BBQ slothfulness, the young fellas are crying for some entertainment. “What about Playing Cricket with the Kids?”. This article will uncover how to conquer Backyard Cricket, as well as the requisite facilities and rules. Why should kids like Cricket?

It’s time to step out into the backyard with the bat, ball, and wickets!  Because all the kids want to enjoy their leisure time, and playing cricket in the backyard is a perfect way to go. And we all know that backyard cricket is one of the famous sports among people all the way down under in New Zealand. The love for this game is famous all over the planet.

Fun for All: A Family-Sport

Getting together in the backyard with kids and the family always remains a memorable shot. While playing cricket in the backyard brings a mesmerizing feel. Simultaneously, it brings happiness, enjoyment, and freedom feeling to the faces and inside the hearts.

This game brings all the kith and kins together for a spell, having adjustable rules that befit all skill levels. And that means anyone can get involved in this game, from older grandparents to younger toddlers – different rules can even apply to different skill levels so that no one will feel left out.

Since scoring acts as a second fiddle in this casual sort of cricket game, backyard cricket has removed the heat of competition among the more patent sibling face-offs, helps in maintaining the peace of the place. And that also means everybody is exhilarated to ‘give the go-ahead, having no worries about looking witless or losing.

Backyard cricket is one of the most popular ways of recreation & fun for families all across Oceania. Because it can be played anywhere, just like the backyard, park, or a beach. Simultaneously, there are no such special occasions or days for this game to be played.

It doesn’t matter whether having a picnic in the park, taking a sunbath on the beach, or organizing a BBQ gathering in the backyard. Backyard cricket will probably work anywhere – as far as you’ve got the right gear for this sport.

What you will Require –  for Backyard Cricket

It’s clear as a bell; you can’t play cricket without a bat and a ball in your hands, even if you don’t have a well-polished pitch. Thank the stars. Backyard cricket green-lights in all sorts of accessories to take the place of the hallowed wooden bat and a tennis ball.

In practical terms, as far as you’ve got something to bash the ball with (a wooden or plastic bat, a piece of wood, a tennis racquet: anything will do) and a ball (particularly a tennis ball is softer on the young ones’ hands and bounces better over grass), you’re pretty well set. You can play cricket without a bat and a ball, even without a well-polished pitch.

An example of a wicket is a chair, table, a footstool, or even a bush in your front yard. Personalized cricket stump stickers are free from about every sports store on the internet. Kids will love this idea. Backyard cricket green-lights in all sorts of accessories to take the place of the hallowed wooden bat.

Wait for a second; don’t forget to take wickets too! That’s where there is a need to be creative. A wicket can be anything at hand, from a chair from your porch or patio furniture set to a tree in your backyard. Trash bins are an ordinary choice, but most of us like the idea of drawing chalk lines on a fence or a wall (so you don’t need a man behind the stumps).

If desired, get a set of personalized cricket stump stickers from any online sports shop for your wheelie bin. Your kids & family will love this idea.

The Rules of Backyard Cricket

A recent Australian Recreational Sports Body survey revealed that backyard cricket is the number one ranked sport to play on Australia Day. This is also the main reason underlying most of the arguments made this day.

In the spirit of companionship, fair play, and a breathtaking good time, here are the official, undisputed, absolutely 100% final (unless your mom disagrees) rules & regulations of Backyard Cricket.

• Choosing & Selecting the Teams:

Before selecting the team members, keep in mind that both teams should be well-balanced in numbers, strength, and abilities. Always remember, Kids versus Adults is a terrible idea and will end the match in tears. In comparison, your German Shepherd or the Persian cat does not count as team members.

• Setting Up the Backyard Scenes:

Only tennis balls are allowed—no tape balls. You have to mark the crease clearly by chalk, a crack in the cement, or by a dead portion of grass. Most importantly, if the dog or the cat takes the ball inside the mouth, it is the bowler’s responsibility to clean off that drool. The best part of this game; there’s a super treat for the hosts. The host receives a home-ground cricket gear advantage – unless the visitor has bought round a bat having Boony’s signature on it.

• First Ball Not Out or Second Chance:

A batsman cannot be declared out of the first ball. This somewhat irritating rule has been devised to reduce the number of tears soaking the grass in your backyard.

• Tippity Run or Tippy-Go:

Tippity run, also known as French cricket or Tap and Run, is an exceptional rule to keep the contest entertaining and lively. · It means if the ball nicks or driven by the bat, you have to run, whether there’s barely any time for them to make it to the opposite end or not. Tears of young or adult ones will not be condoned. · Frenzied shrieks of “Tippity run! Tippity run!” can assist in reminding the batsman of the principles

• Underarm Bowling:

This rule is only authorized for players below the age of 12 and beyond the age of 78. The young ones will normally get tired after a couple of hours from the start of the game, so grin and bear it and give them have a go.

• One Hand, One Bounce:

As the backyard might be adhered to and has many things from where the ball can bounce off, the “one hand, one bounce” rule makes it more comfortable for players to grab the ball out without bothering about barriers. They can dismiss the batsman by catching the ball with one hand after it rebounded once, whether it’s off the ground, a tree, a fence or wall, a car, or any other obstruction. This rule helps in evading the batsman’s fascination to blow his own horn.

• Six and Out:

To dampen the spirit of players from executing gigantic hits, it’s worth implementing the six-and-out rule. This principle indicates that any hard-hit flings the ball sailing over the fence, into the pool, into the roof eaves, or anyplace it’ll be tough to recover tallies as six runs. The batsman has to retrieve the ball. Furthermore, any hit grabbed by the pooch or kitty comes under the “Six and out” rule. This rule is indisputable.

• Tree Fielders:

Tree fielder is a fabulous and funny prank when there aren’t quite some players to establish a reliable fielding side. The bowler seizes a chance to pick a specific number of trees or bushes to serve as fielders: if the ball goes into these benchmarks on the full, the batsman is gone.

• Catcher’s In:

This rule implies that the fielder who catches the ball and dismisses the batsman can be the next to bat – a magnificent bonus for getting those drowsier fielders to step up in the match! A big reward for the lazy fellas in the backyard.

• Safe:

If competing with just one batsman during batting, scream out “Safe, Safe, Safe!” if you want to get only one score before reaching home crease without being tapped out.

• Enforced Retirement:

The batsman has to make his way towards the pavilion immediately if any of the hits shatters a window, hurts a newly born plant, knocks the kitty (the puppy can manage it), hits a baby & provokes tears, dents a vehicle, or makes a landing on the yummy food.

• End of the Match:

• Talking about ending a backyard cricket match? Then there are some specific rules to keep in your mind before going home. For instance, an empty chilly bin is not a valid reason for ending the match. When the match is over, the game is declared over when the lunch is awaiting, whether all the balls have been lost or the sun has set.

The most beneficial thing about backyard cricket is it can be modified to fit your kid’s requirements. Depending on the number of players included, the age factor, and the experience, the skill, and the ability level, you can mould this backyard sport as friendly or as two-fisted as you wish.

Everyone has their own tailor-made rules of backyard cricket. Please inform us of personalized backyard cricket rules or other actions you like to do when the whole family gets together in our comments section beneath.

Drills to Gain Skills

When kids play cricket, it always helps them enjoy this game more if they have a fundamental level of cricketing skills and good knowledge. They will be able to engage in the game with a strong passion, have more self-confidence, and stay motivated to keep performing better and staying productive.

To be a good cricket player requires:

• Excellent hand-eye coordination.
• Acquiring the abilities to throw and catch a pass.
• Reliable batting and bowling technique.
• The energy and capacity to concentrate for sometimes longer durations.

These are some cricket practice exercises, which Australian Sports Camp coaches and mentors highly recommend, and these drills will surely help you and your kids get a good grip of the game.

1. Drill 1 – Batting: Hand-Eye Coordination & Batting Technique:

The very famous Blackcaps masterclass batsman Martin Crowe used to practice this drill each day as a teenager (and indeed, it worked for him) to improve his batting ability.

• Stand nearly 4 meters following a concrete wall and knock a tennis ball into the wall. When the ball bounces back, tap it again. When knocking the ball face side to the wall, feet shoulder-width apart, bat raised and ready to strike the ball. Hold the front elbow high when you strike the ball and hit straight through it, so it rebounds once before hitting the wall. Strike the ball as many more times as possible before losing control. Then you can also play with peers to see who can score the most hits.
  As you progress, consider using a golf ball to make the game more challenging.

2. Drill 2 – Fielding: Hand-Eye Coordination, Throwing & Catching Technique:

“Catches win matches”, so improving hand-eye coordination for catching and throwing is essential.

• Place two balls on the ground 3 meters in front of a wall.
• With the first ball, fling it at the wall, clap your hands, and when the ball bounces off the wall, grab it with two hands.
  Then, return the ball to the field, sprint to a marker 10 meters away from the wall, and return to the second ball.
  Then, return the ball to the field, sprint to a marker 10 meters away from the wall, and return to the second ball.
  Grab the second ball, chuck it at the wall, clap hands, and capture the ball with one hand.
  Place the ball on the field, sprint back to the 10-meter marker, and continue with the first ball.
  As you accelerate, try to go as many times as possible without missing the ball.
  At the second ball station, try catching with the non-dominant side.

3. Drill 3 – Bowling: The Bowling Technique:

Acquiring proper cricket bowling technique is challenging for kids, so they should consider getting the basics covered initially and then work on precision.

• With the dominant hand at the back, stand side on to the batsmen/wickets.
  Hold the ball under the chin with both hands and tilt head sideways to face the batsmen/target.
  Back and forth, switching weight from front to back foot in a fast, steady motion.
  Now, while you rock back, stretch the back arm, and as you rock forward, extend and draw down the front arm, whilst also the back arm comes over the head and launches the ball in the path of the batsmen.

Here is a video tutorial kids can watch to get the proper insights into this bowling drill. Click here to watch fast bowling tips.

We all know that this will take perseverance and training to feel comfortable on the field, and it’s crucial to watch and observe cricket stars, whether batsmen or bowlers, to see their techniques for some extra tips.

Following and practising these 3 cricket drills daily in your backyard will surely give your kids the fundamental skills they need to join in with cricket rivalries and have fun.

To conclude

And who knows? Maybe they would be stars in the sport after they grow up. Importantly, you have to be as passionate and devoted to their interest in the game of cricket as they are. Preparing kids with that individual training is just as crucial to improving their performance as team training. If not more, there are other sports like Soccer you could apply this same theory to.

So please take advantage of your backyard, carve it into a cricket pitch, and begin to train your kids and enjoy with your family.