Here’s Your Official Backyard Cricket Rule Book, Signed Off By Cricket Australia And Billy Bowden
What better way to celebrate Australia Day than with an Aussie barbecue and a friendly competitive game of backyard cricket?
This year, the legends at Optus are getting right around your BYC game, teaming up with UBER to deliver official umpires and now collaborating with ya mates at Cricket Australia to produce a trusty official rule book. Honestly, this bad-boy is well overdue.
Crafted with the independent expertise of one of the legends of the game, international cricket umpire, Billy Bowden, the official Australia Day Backyard Cricket Rule Book includes guide to some of the unspoken Aussie BYC traditions.
Billy Bowden, Optus’ official Australia Day umpire says that the beauty of the rules lies in its simplicity.
“If you want to see the heart and soul of cricket, then look no further than the nearest backyard, culdesac, driveway or quiet street on Australia Day.”
“Backyard cricket is almost as iconic as Australia Day itself and we want to make sure everyone can enjoy it. Now thanks to Optus’ Australia Day Backyard Cricket Rule Book all you have to do is kick start the barbecue, find an esky for wickets and scour for that perfect patch of grass for the pitch,” said Billy Bowden.
In classic Bowden form, there’s a couple of quirky rules in there worth considering along with some of the more obvious staples.
That includes:
- Six-and-out: If you hit it over the fence, you’re out and it’s your job to fetch the ball
- One hand one bounce: Nuff said.
- Ball Cleaner: If the ball becomes covered in excess slobber from the family pet, the bowler is solely responsible for cleaning the ball
- Auto Fielder: The batter is out if the ball gets stuck in clothes hanging on the clothesline
- Pool n’ Out: The batter is out if the ball is hit into the swimming pool on the full
- Graeme Wood: Any ball that is hit on a nominated tree (by the host) on the full, is deemed out caught ‘Graeme Wood’
- The Plum Pom: A batter cannot be dismissed on the first ball unless it is Australia Day and the batter is a ‘Pom’ or a ‘Kiwi’
- The Sledge: Sledging is permitted, but limited to personal in nature and must be directed at a family member or friend
- The Swing King: In situations where the batter is a Pom, the bowler is permitted to tape one side (only) of the tennis ball when bowling to assist with swing
- Kiwi Fruit: If a Kiwi’s batting, multiple people may bowl at the same time
Download the ‘Official Backyard Cricket Rule Book’ here.