Cricpong
From NimCity Wiki
Cricpong is a sport that combines the spirit of cricket with the skill of table tennis.
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General description
Cricpong is a version of table tennis with some of the rules, strategy and spirit of cricket. It can be played with 2, 3 or 4 players. In general, Cricpong is the perfect game for cricket fans who are table tennis players. The equipment required for Cricpong is the same as table tennis with the exception of one item, the wicket.
History
Cricpong was invented by Nimit Maru sometime in October of 2004. It came to life on the ping pong tables of Cerner Corporation in Kansas City, MO with the help of Jason Shanmugham and Mehul Doshi.
Equipment
The equipment required to play cricpong is similar to that which is required to play table tennis, with some additions. The required items are:
- A table tennis table
- Two table tennis paddles
- One table tennis ball
- A wicket
- A wicket can be any object that is appx. 3-4 feet in height and about 1 1/2 feet in width.
- Examples include a garbage can, a folding chair, or a box.
Setup
The setup of a Cricpong game is the same as table tennis except for the placement of the wicket.
The wicket is placed approximately six feet behind one side of the table tennis table. It should be placed in line with the center line of the table.
Game Structure
Like in cricket, in every Cricpong game, there is a batting side and a bowling side. At any given time, there is one person batting, and one person bowling. The batter plays on the side of the table with the wicket. There may also be one fielder on the bowler's side if there are two people on the bowling team.
The length of a Cricpong game is measured in overs. Each over consists of five serves. This is different from the length of a normal over in conventional cricket (which is six balls). The reason for this aberration is that table tennis players are accustomed to switching serve at five serves.
Game Play
A game consists of at least two innings (three when there are three players). Each side has one innings of batting and at least one innings of bowling. An innings consists of overs, and each over consists of five points (serves). During each point, the bowler serves the ball and then plays out the point with the batter in standard Table Tennis fashion. All the rules of standard Table Tennis apply during the point (with some exceptions, as outlined below).
A batter's innings continues until either she gets out (also known as being dismissed), or till the allotted overs for the innings have been completed. A batting side's innings ends when either all the batters have been dismissed (all out) or till the allotted overs for the innings have been completed.
The winner of the game is the side that has scored the most runs after all the innings are complete.
Scoring
Runs can only be scored by the batting side. Every point the batter wins results in two runs added to the batting side's total. If the bowler wins the point, then this results in a dot ball (or zero runs being awarded).
If a batter hits a shot that lands fair and flies untouched beyond the reach of bowler and fielder, then this results in two extra runs being awarded to the batting side, for a total of four runs.
The score is announced before every point in the form of "runs for serves." For example, if there had been 24 runs scored by a batter in 21 serves then the score is announced as "24 for 21."
Dismissals
A dismissal for a batter results from one of the following two occurrences:
- Caught — When the batter hits a shot that is on its way out, and a bowler or fielder catches the ball in mid-air. A bowler may also tap the ball up with his paddle before catching it.
- Bowled — When the bowler strikes a ball, and it hits the wicket behind the batter within one bounce on the ground. The ball does not have to be in; the bowler may smash the ball directly at the wicket. However, if the bowler does not hit the wicket and the shot was not "in", he loses the point and thus concedes 2 runs to the batter.
- The batter may block the ball from hitting the wicket with his paddle or body. There is no Leg Before Wicket (LBW) in Cricpong like in conventional cricket.
Notes
- A batter may be bowled off a serve only if the serve is in.
- A batter is given the freedom to catch or block shots headed out with her paddle or body. In general, she may not be penalized for simply protecting the wicket.
- If a ball is caught after bouncing off of any foreign surface (such as a wall or ceiling), the batter is not considered out.
Forms of the Game
Two Players
With two players, both people alternate batting and bowling during the two innings of the game. Each innings continues till either 5 overs (25 serves) have been completed, or till the batter has been dismissed. There is of course no fielder since the bowling side only has one player, but all the other rules of the game apply.
Three Players
When there are three players, each game consists of three innings. Each innings consists of six overs (or 30 serves). All three players rotate their turns at batting. The two players that are not batting in any given innings, comprise of the bowling side, and alternate in bowling and fielding each over.
Four Players
Four player Cricpong is a true "team" format of this game. Each team consists of two players. Both teams alternate batting and bowling. Each innings is eight overs long (40 serves).
On the batting side, there is a lineup of 2 players. The player designated to bat first in the lineup is called the opener. If the opener is dismissed before the completion of the alotted eight overs, the second player comes in to bat. The innings lasts till either all alloted overs are completed, or till all eligible batters are dismissed. On the bowling side, both players alternate as bowler and fielder for the duration of the innings.
Variation to the Four Player Game
One popular variation to the rules of the four player game aims to add enjoyment for the second batter in the lineup on the batting side. In this variation, the first batter may continue batting till either he is out, or till five overs (25 serves) are completed. In other words, if the opening batter is still not out after the fifth over has been bowled, he must retire temporarily and let the second batter bat. In this case, if the second batter is dismissed before the innings is complete, the first batter (who retired not out) may return to the game.
