The Advanced Laws for the Board Game of Wicketz Bowling

Condition of the ball and the spells permissible for bowlers

usually means that at least one pace bowler should be
© Nigel Collier 2011 included to take the new ball. He usually opens in harness with
a seamer for the first 10 overs. The seamer then stays on and
is joined by another seamer to take advantage of the extra
On the Laws swing of a newish but partially scuffed ball. At the end of the
Wicketz is a board game which attempts to simulate the game 20th over I usually keep on the second seamer but bring the
of cricket. The real game of cricket is very complex and some fast bowler back for a second spell or maybe try a third seamer
aspects do not lend themselves very well to simulation, be it on or all-rounder. The job of the openers is to take the shine off
computer or in the form of tabletop games. There are too many the ball and see off the danger period when the ball is
nuances, essential in the understanding and enjoyment of bouncing and swinging around. They should bat reasonably
playing cricket, which are simply impossible to encompass conservatively until they have at least played themselves in
satisfactorily in a simulation. (the 20 balls/runs rule). They really need to hang around until
the 21st over when the ball is kinder and the bowlers are not
There are the huge number of factors which occur
so fresh. This period up to the 60th over is the time to score
simultaneously during the delivery of a ball for example. Then
runs before the difficult period starts again with spinners
there is the fact that a Test match lasts for 5 days, how do you
coming into their own (especially on the 4th day and beyond)
reconcile this factor in a board game which seeks to faithfully
and then the arrival of the new ball again. Above all, plan
reproduce the drama and the slog of Test match cricket
ahead. Careful rotation of bowlers is the single most important
without being boring? Do you play the game 'ball by ball' like
job of the attacking player. It is essential to make sure that
Wicketz - if so, a five-day match can take about 10 hours to
bowlers are rested and are able to make best use of the ball
play. Or do you have a system which is quicker to play,
conditions when they arrive. This doesn't necessarily mean
determining play an over at a time . It's quicker to play but can
giving your best seamers the swinging ball, or your top spinner
lack excitement. Finding out you've bowled a hat-trick during
the turning ball - if you are playing conservatively this could
an over is no match for getting 2 wickets in 2 balls and then
mean bringing on your second-string bowlers when conditions
actually 'rolling' for a hat-trick.
are most favourable to compensate their relatively lower skill. It
There have been 'Subbuteo' and Subbuteo-like cricket is also crucial to avoid having a bowler hit out of the attack (it is
simulations. 'Test Match Cricket' by Peter Pan games was advisable to pull them out before they become too demoralised
good but its successor 'World Cup Cricket' is much scaled - unless there is no-one to take their place).
down and has a woefully inferior batting action. Test Match
was very much an action game and was extremely easy to
play but was unsatisfying as a simulation - with little scope for Fielding
reflecting the nuances of the game - and you needed 2 people The somewhat contrived 14 over rule was devised just to give
to play. opening batsman a bit of breathing space to negotiate the first
With its 'starburst' playing board and miniature playing pieces, few difficult overs. Playing defensively [to the new ball] tends to
Wicketz is a very satisfying game to play - it is tactile and 3- produce a lot of close catches which stifled the foundations of
dimensional - which not only gives it an advantage over a team's innings. Players of Wicketz using the advanced Laws
computer simulations (making it more 'sociable') but also helps will soon realize that scoring runs is hard and average scores
players see how the field is set when selecting strokes. It does are well below those found in real cricket - score of mid 200's
have its drawbacks however: there is not enough scope for being usual and individual centuries hard to come by. To
bowlers to select their delivery - a delivery is determined at encourage expansive play it is important to enforce the on-
random with no chance of choosing length, line or type of and off- side field settings and the 3 fielder rule (see Law 1.7)
delivery (off-cutter, in swinger etc.). rigidly - since packing the 1 and 2 rings stifled strokemaking. I
always make a note then when a player reaches 20 runs from
The method of getting batsmen out is unrealistic - all batsmen
less than 20 balls. Other noteworthy scoring targets are
are equally likely to give chances of getting out, it is only
individual 50s or team 100s in 30-over sessions.
during appeals that the relative skill of the batsman is taken
into account. Wicketz is a great game, I've been playing it very I always have a slip in at P1 where edges are abundant and a
regularly since 1994, but it could be so much better and more second slip/third man in at Q3 saving runs - a lot of low-risk
authentic - which its creator intends it to be. Of course there runs can be plundered with cuts in the Q row. N2 is the best
will always be the trade-off between making the game place for a gully as square cuts generally gravitate to this
authentic and retaining the tempo, making it easy and square. The square M1 is a favourite place for mishit strokes
enjoyable to play. on the off side but a slip, a 'keeper and a bowler occupy the
three spaces allowed in the 14 over rule when a seamer is
The following Laws have been devised and tested to try and
bowling. When a fast bowler is bowling the 'keeper standing
make Wicketz - in its original off-the-shelf form - more
back allows the short extra cover fielder at M2 to move into to
authentic. Modifiers such as overlays for the 'appeal' or
the favoured spot at M1. Much of the off drives go into the L
'delivery' dials, or updated cards may improve the game but
and K region; L2 is a great spot to limit runs in the opening
the following Laws just use the game as it arrives in the box.
overs of an innings but K1 is much more aggressive. The shots
The main method used by the Laws to alter the game is by
'in the V' (straight drives) are rarely successful and batsmen
modification of the number of rolls allowed on the 'appeal dial'.
play and miss more often than not. This area can be left open
I would be extremely keen to hear what you make of the Laws
if fielders are needed elsewhere, otherwise a man at I2 will be
and to know of any additions or modifications Wicketz players
kept busiest of all. On the leg side, C rarely sees the ball but B,
might like to make. Ultimately, one thing Wicketz is not, is
like Q on the off side, can be a good source of riskless runs
cricket. It is a board game in its own right. Therefore, though
from leg glances - a man in the deep at long leg B3 saves
most Laws have been devised to enhance its similarity to the
many runs. In the first 14 overs I post fielders at D3 and E2 to
real game, some Laws are devised to counteract/exploit some
discourage hooking but bring D3 in to a more aggressive D1
aspects which are unique to Wicketz.
later. A lot of defensive shots and mistimed hooks tend to pop
up to D1. The lack of men in the deep in C and D encourages
Hints and Tips in Applying and Playing with the Advanced hook shots but hooks seem to gravitate to square leg at E2
Laws where I permanently post a fielder (E2 and N2 are good places
for players with a 'Fielding Skill'). In mid wicket I place
Here are a few fairly disparate tips on playing with Wicketz with
someone at G2 when being defensive and someone at F1
the advanced Laws. If you play with some or all of the Laws I
would very much welcome your opinions on additions, when attacking. On drives and especially pull shots are difficult
to score from.
modifications or rewording. Please contact me.

[Realistic] Batting

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good length ball you're welcome to do (straight forward download - it's 3.83Mb
Defensive - Always play a defensive shot to a good length ball, but Acrobat is a fantastic piece of software and well worth the
it is too risky to play anything else. effort). For each session, I count out the cards into groups of 6
and then stack the 6-card groups into 10. Three of these
Attacking - the square cut is [wrongly] a safe shot against a stacks represent a session of 30 six ball overs. The remaining
good length ball unless you're playing the 'play-on' Law. It is cards are shuffled and kept to one side for things like cutting to
not considered unsporting to pay attention to the contents of decide the pitch condition, or cutting to consult the injury table,
previous cards. In other words, when you play a shot, have a or if a batsman wants to play at a no-ball.
look at the general content of the card, if you see a lot of
'bowled if a good length' or 'lbw if a good length' then the
chances statistically that the next card is less likely to be so The Advanced Laws for the Board Game of Wicketz
dicey - you should make a habit of getting a general feel for A combination of all or none of the following advanced Laws
the previous few cards and how risky a shot to a good length may be used for Wicketz. Opposing captains must agree
ball is. before a match which Laws are to be employed.
Yorker Length of a Match -- A match of Wicketz shall be not less than
Forget playing anything but a block to a yorker unless you're 450 overs duration or not more than 2 innings per side; each
very aggressive or it is a leg side delivery. If the line is good day consisting of 3 sessions, each of not less and not more
block, if the line is bad then leg glance. This remains a risky than 90 overs duration*. An additional 14 overs may be played
shot however. on the fifth day if a result seems likely.
Long Hop * If an innings comes to an end in the middle of an over, the
Depending upon the field which is generally heavier on the off remaining balls of that over shall be deducted from the 90
side I try to pull, hook or drive long hops through the on side overs for the day's play, i.e. the over shall be deemed to have
gap. been completed.
Bouncer
At a push you could have a go at cutting the bouncer if the Q 1.0 Fielding Laws
row is vacant but otherwise it is more realistic to take evasive
action (one must always bear in mind what is most likely to 1.1 Field positions in the first 14 overs
happen in the real game - though it is possible in Wicketz to off
drive a bouncer - there's nothing in the rules that says you For the first 14 overs of an innings, no more than 3 fielders,
can't - it's not really consistent with what would happen in the including the wicket keeper and bowler, may take up position
real game. You generally duck bouncers.) Hence the shots in the '0' or '1' ring of squares on the board of play.
which are not permitted to certain deliveries in the batting
Laws. 1.2 Position of Fielders according to the bowler
Defensive shots The type of bowler will dictate the fielding positions of himself
If you can help it, do not play back to a seamer/fast bowler and and the wicket keeper as follows:
do not play forward to a spinner. Lower order batsmen cannot
help this but you will rarely get an lbw appeal playing forward
to a seamer and you will rarely be stumped playing back to a Type of bowler Bowler's Keeper's
spinner. position position *
Spinner J0 or I0 A0
Experienced Players
Fast bowler ** K0 or H0 A2
I play using just about all the advanced Laws. The
'Experienced Player' Laws are really only applicable for 2 or Seamer *** J0 or I0 A1
more players. If playing one-player with the 'Experienced
Players' Laws try to weight the two sides equally by distributing
the number of extra Skills evenly (or for more realism, weight * This represents the 'keeper standing up to a spinner or back
the sides according to their current international standing, to a pace bowler as well as the increased follow-through of the
referring to the latest Wisden or Playfair Annual for guidance). pace bowler.
For example, If you're playing Robin Smith (my favourite ** A fast bowler is interpreted by the Law to be a bowler of
player!) give him a basic roll of 4, make pace bowling his genuine quick or fast-medium pace
favoured attack and spin his nemesis, make the rasping
*** A seam bowler is interpreted by the Law to be a bowler of
square cut his signature shot and make him field in close, say
medium-fast and medium pace
at square leg (his shoulder injury precludes him from fielding in
the deep). If you have Darren Gough in the team, he would in
all liklihood bat very differently to, say, Geoff Boycott. Try and 1.3 Saving Runs - adjacent fielders
play in the true style of the players in your team - some are
If one or more fieldsmen occupy a square adjacent to the
careful 'technique' players, some are belligerent
square in which a scoring ball lands then the number of runs
swashbucklers. It is possible, with a little imagination, to build
scored by that ball will be modified by -1.
up a pretty realistic 'feel' for an innings, especially using the
Laws on the factors which affect a batsman's confidence such
as playing and missing or being dropped; some players may Example
'scratch around' for their first 20 balls hardly scoring, others McDermott bowls a long hop to Dominic Cork who pulls him,
may be given a particularly torrid time by one bowler, others the ball going to square F3. Hughes is fielding at F2 and Boon
still may completely dominate a bowler and hit him out of the at E3, both adjacent to the ball. The result is that Cork scores
attack. A few words describing a batsman's innings could be 2; his 3 runs minus 1 (the modification to the runs scored is
entered in the 'Notes' section of the scorecard: simple always -1, irrespective of how many fieldsmen are adjacent).
summaries like, "lusty 70, full of boundaries on the off-side", or,
1.3.1 Extra Runs from an overthrow
"never looked comfortable against the turning ball", or,
"sensible innings". Be as realistic and as true to the game of Any extra runs occurring from an overthrow will still count,
cricket as you can, but enjoy playing above all. whether the shot scored runs or not.
I have designed my own scorecard which incorporates such Example
features as the 'Playing In' box where players can keep tally of If a ball is hit to square G1 with a fielder placed at H1 then no
the number of balls faced by an incoming batsmen. A copy is runs would normally be scored (1 modified by -1 for an
available (10kb) in PDF format, you'll need to download adjacent fielder). If overthrows subsequently result however
Adobe's excellent free Acrobat Viewer to see/print it which then any extra runs can be claimed by the batsman.

Wicketz – Advanced Rules … from replaycricket.com 2

 or '1' ring excluding the bowler, unless the current bowler is a
1.4 Ball going directly to a fielder pace bowler (Law 1.1).
If a ball goes along the ground (i.e. no 'catch') to a fielder
positioned in the rings 0, 1 or 2 then no runs are scored. If the Example: (this is complicated but bear with it)
fielder is positioned in ring 3 then a single is scored. It is the start of Sri Lanka's second innings and Alec Stewart
places Darren Gough out in the deep at Deep Square leg (G3).
Angus Fraser, who has a good arm, is placed out at Deep
1.5 Saving four-balls Extra Cover (L3). Mark Ramprakash is kept at Silly Mid-Off
A boundary of 4 runs may be saved by fielders positioned in (M1) for mishits. So England have complied with Law 1.1 (only
the same letter row in which the boundary has been hit. This, 1 fielder in the '0' or '1' ring) and also - as far as they can - with
as in Law 1.4, represents the ball travelling very quickly directly Law 1.7 (2 fielders in the '3' ring). This is OK whilst paceman
to a fielder, reducing the opportunity of scoring runs. Cork is bowling but then Ealham is brought on with his medium
pace. This brings 'keeper Stewart from A2 to A1 and thus
forces Ramprakash back from M1 to M2 (Law 1.1). As long as
The Law anyone but a pace bowler is bowling within the first 14 overs,
• If a fielder is positioned in the 0 or 1 ring and within then no fielder may be placed within the '0' or '1' rings.
the same letter row of the boundary stroke then 4
runs will be scored. This represents a shot coming In the 15th over Law 1.1 is no longer enforced and players are
right off the middle of the bat and the fielder being free to field anywhere. Stewart keeps Fraser at L3 and moves
too close to the bat to stop it. If the fielder has a Ramprakash around to F0, according to Law 1.7 he must also
'Fielding Skill' however (see Law 4.3) then a single now place an additional fielder in either the '0' or '3' rings - he
run is scored. moves Gough slightly finer to Deep Long Leg and Law 1.7 is
• If a fielder is positioned in the 2 ring and within the satisfied.
same letter row of the boundary stroke then no runs
will be scored.
2.0 Bowling Laws
• If a fielder is positioned in the 3 ring and within the
same letter row of the boundary stroke then a single
will be scored. 2.1 Bowling spells
The Laws on rest periods are quite complex and ungainly but it
is strongly recommended that they be incorporated into the
Example
game. They tip the game slightly more in the batsmens' favour
Hansie Cronje works a good length ball from Darren Gough
which is a much needed boost in a game whose Laws by and
through midwicket for 4 runs, the ball travelling through letter
large favour bowlers. The Laws also become very important if
row H. Angus Fraser, fielding at square H2 saves the runs
bowlers are injured or 'hit out of the attack'. It is then that the
however. The next ball is a long hop from Gough and Cronje
player realises the importance of selection and
square cuts the ball sweetly for another certain 4 through the
management of the attack - having depth in bowling,
letter row N. Graham Thorpe is positioned in the gully at
choosing second string bowlers or rotating his front line
square N1, too close to the bat to stop the four-ball. Had
bowlers wisely. The performance of the bowler will be affected
Graeme Hick, who has a Fielding Skill, been at the same
by the fatigue resulting from the length of his bowling spell.
position then he would have got a hand to it and taken the
Spin bowlers are not affected by fatigue and may bowl
pace off it - Cronje would have scored only a single.
unlimited spells. Seam bowlers may bowl a maximum of 10
overs before suffering from fatigue and a genuine quick [strike]
1.6 Catching a six bowler may bowl 6. For every over bowled (or part thereof)
additional to their maximum in a spell, a bowler will lose 1
A boundary hit for 6 may be caught (irrespective of whether or
'appeal' roll; that is the facing batsman will have any 'appeal'
not the batting card displays a 'catch') by a fielder positioned
roll modified by +1.
actually on the boundary ring containing the row letters. A
fielder positioned in this ring and in the same letter row of the
boundary stroke when a 6 boundary is hit the 'appeal' roll is Any bowler susceptible to fatigue (ie. any other than spinners)
made for the catch and all normal modifications apply. If the will need to spend a period of recovery between spells.
catch is not made then 6 runs will be scored. If the catch is
made then the batsman is out and the incoming batsman must
go to the bowler's end of the wicket - the two previous batsman Bowler Rest Period
will be considered to have crossed. Type

Seamer Equal to length of spell

1.7 Mandatory placings
The original Wicketz rules of leg-side and off-side fields still Pace 1.5 X length of spell rounded
up
stand - i.e. excluding the bowler and 'keeper, a leg-side field is
a field where the majority of fielders are positioned to the leg A bowler who is 'fatigued' will need to rest 2
side of the wicket and an off-side field is vice-versa. This field extra overs for every over he bowled
then dictates what shots may be played to balls on good and additional to his permitted spell.
bad lines (with the exceptions detailed in Laws 3.1 - 3.3). A ball
on a good line may only be hit to the side the field sets (an on-
side stroke played into the leg side field). A delivery on a bad If a bowler resumes bowling before his calculated recuperative
line may be played to either side of the wicket. period of consecutive overs has passed then his 'appeal' roll
modifier will return to what it was at the end of his previous
Additional '3 fielder' Law: In the interests of higher scores, 3 spell and will continue to reduce by 1 for every subsequent
fielders excluding bowler and wicket keeper, must be over of his current spell. He must also add the required rest
stationed in the '0' and '3' rings of the board: at least one period from his previous spell to the total of his current spell
fielder must be in each ring with the additional fielder stationed when calculating his next rest period.
in either of the rings at the discretion of the fielding captain.
All fatigue calculations are cancelled - and bowlers fully
During the first 14 overs of the innings however Law 1.1 takes refreshed - by the scheduled Intervals in play.
precedence: two fielders must be stationed in the '3' ring but
the third fielder may be placed anywhere except within the '0'

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Example note: players may want to consider withdrawing a bowler from
Courtney Walsh, a genuine fast bowler, has already bowled his the attack if it looks likely that he may be hit out by the
spell of 6 overs. He carries on bowling however and, in the 8th batsman. Of course, the bowler would then need to take a
over of his spell, Graham Thorpe spoons a shot to midwicket. mandatory end-of-spell rest period but this is preferable to
In the resulting 'appeal' roll Thorpe would normally have 4 rolls missing the rest of the session plus 10 overs.
but Walsh, having bowled 2 extra overs (or part thereof)
concedes 2 extra rolls to Thorpe making a total of 6. Thorpe
rolls a 'not out' on his second attempt. Example
In the 9th over after lunch, Dean Headley, bowling in the West
Indies, begins a spell. He is mauled in his first over by
Courtney's spell ends on completion of that over and he must Simmons and Campbell, being bludgeoned for 14 runs. Being
now rest for a minimum of 13 overs (his normal spell of 6 the first over of his spell however, he is given the benefit of the
multiplied by 1.5 makes 9, plus his extra 'fatigued' 2 overs doubt and stays on. In his second over he concedes a slightly
doubled - 9 + 4). more respectable 7 runs making a total of 21 from 2. In his
third over he is smashed for another 13 runs making 34 from 3.
His confidence shattered by the seemingly effortless West
Walsh however resumes bowling after resting for just 3 overs. Indies batting, he has to be withdrawn for the rest of the spell
At the start of this new spell then, the facing batman's 'appeal' and may not bowl again until the 11th over of the evening
roll will start at +3 (incrementing where it left off from his session.
previous spell). Courtney bowls 2 more overs and then rests.
Since he resumed bowling before he had recuperated, this
'fatigued' 2-over spell is doubled to 4 and then added to the 2.3 Condition of the ball
rest period carried over from his first spell - making 17 overs The age and condition of the ball will modify the 'appeal' roll of
(13 + 4). the facing batsman depending upon the type of bowler as
follows:
2.2 Bowler's frame of mind
The batsman's 'appeal' roll may also be modified by the Bowler Modifier Notes
current state of mind of the bowler he is facing. A bowler's Type
frame of mind will fluctuate according to the changing quality of
his bowling. The bowler's positive frame of mind is already Age of Ball - 1-10 overs
represented in the Batting Laws (beating the bat or producing
a chance). Fast -1 Ball hard and new - increased
bounce

2.2.1 Negative effects on psychology Seam none

The following modifications represent negative psychological Spin +1 Hard to impart spin to shiny
effects for the bowler. Each adds 1 to the facing batsman's ball
appeal roll and, as in the Batting Laws, they are cumulative.
Age of Ball - 11-20 overs

• Being hit for a boundary Fast none

• Conceding a No-Ball or Wide (each additional Seam -1 Some uneven wear
consecutive Wide and/or No-Ball thereafter adds (shiny/dull)- ball swings
another appeal roll)
Spin none

Any accumulated appeal roll modifications resulting from the Age of Ball - 21-60 overs
above Law will be reduced by one for every dot ball and will be
completely cancelled out by the batsman being beaten or Fast none
giving away a chance. Seam none
Spin none
2.2.2 Bowlers 'hit out of the attack'
A bowler who concedes a large number of runs in a spell may Age of Ball - 61-70 overs
be deemed 'hit out of the attack' - representing the damage
Fast +1 *see Ball soft
done to his confidence by brutal treatment at the hands of the
Law 4.3
batsmen. The number of runs a bowler must concede in a
'Old Ball
string of 1 or more consecutive overs to be hit out of the
Skill' for
attack are as follows (the runs must come from the bat - no
exception
extras - and the overs must be from a single spell, they may
not be transferred across spells): Seam none *see Law 4.3 'Old Ball Skill' for
exception

Overs Runs Overs Runs Spin -1 Ball worn and turning

1 18 6 58 Age of Ball - 71-75 overs

2 26 7 66 Fast +1 Ball soft

3 34 8 74 Seam +1 Ball soft

4 42 9 82 Spin -1 Ball worn and turning

5 50 10 90 Age of Ball - 76+ overs

All bowlers are modified to +1 as the ball is old and now
misshapen
A bowler who has been hit out of the attack must be
immediately withdrawn and rested for the rest of the session.
He may not be allowed to return to the attack before the end of
the 10th over of the following session. Here is an important 2.4 New ball

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A new ball will be available to the captain of the fielding side himself room to play the square cut and chopping the ball onto
when the current ball is greater than 70 overs old. his stumps.

2.5 Condition of the pitch The Law

There 3 basic kinds of pitch. Before the toss at the start of a If the card, on playing the square cut to a ball of a good length,
match the deck of batting cards will be cut and the top right shows any square on the board contained within the '0' ring but
hand 'runs' box noted and then the table below consulted to does not show a 'catch' then the batsman has got an 'inside
determine the state of the pitch. edge' and must then take an appeal roll to establish whether
he has played-on. All modifiers are counted as usual.

Card 0,1, 2 or 3 4 or 6 runs, 4 or 6 runs, 3.2 The Yorker

Result runs No Catch Catch
The following shots may not be played by any batsmen to the
Pitch Good Cricket Flat Wicket Crazy Paving yorker delivery:
Wicket Wicket • cut
• square cut
Captains are permitted to wait until the cut for the pitch has • hook
been made before selecting their final 11 players for the
• evasive action
match.

3.3 The bouncer

2.5.1 Old wickets taking spin
The following shots may not be played to the bouncer delivery:
Irrespective of the pitch condition at the start of the match,
following the lunch interval on the 4th day of a Test match all • leg glance
spinners will have an 'appeal' roll modification of -1. This • drive
represents the pitch drying out and the appearance of rough
patches in the seamers' follow-throughs favouring spin. • forward defensive
• block
2.5.2 Good cricket wicket
This pitch will offer something for both the batsmen and the 3.4 Standard (unmodified) 'appeal' roll values
bowlers. It is true and has pace and bounce being green on The number of rolls a batsman may make on the event of an
and around a length but will take some spin later in the match appeal before any modifications due to pitch, ball, bowler, etc.
when it dries and the seamers create some rough for the ball shall be as follows:
to turn (see Law 2.5.1). Throughout the match there will be no
modifications to the 'appeal' rolls due to the pitch.
Batting order Rolls
Moisture in the pitch 1-3 4
For the first 8 overs of each day - only on a good cricket wicket
- all seam and pace bowlers will have an appeal roll 4-6 3
modification of -1. This represents overnight moisture 7-9 2
'greening up' the pitch and helping the seamers.
10 - 11 1
2.5.3 Flat wicket
The lifeless wicket has 'draw' written all over it; it offers nothing 3.4.1 Minimum modified 'appeal' rolls
for the bowlers and a batsman should be able to stay at the At no time may a batsman's 'appeal' roll, after all modifications,
crease unless he gets himself out. All bowlers will have an number less than 1 (he can not be automatically given out on
'appeal' roll of +1. appeal).

2.5.4 Crazy paving wicket 3.5 Batsmen who bowl

The pitch is in poor condition and the batsman can never Batsmen may also bowl but those who do concede an 'appeal
consider himself 'in'. There are cracks which make the ball roll' modification of +1 to the player they are bowling to. All the
shoot through low or rear off a length. All bowlers will have an usual modifications apply with batsmen who bowl (ball, pitch,
'appeal' modifier of -1. Also, there is an increased chance of fatigue etc.)
batsmen being hit by the ball - see Law 3.7.

3.5.1 All-rounders
3.0 Batting Laws
All-rounders must justify their position in the line up on the
strength of both their batting and their bowling ability
3.1 Square Cut on a good length ball separately. An all-rounder's basic unmodified 'appeal roll' is
The square cut shot played to a ball on a good length should determined in the normal way by their position in the batting
carry with it an increased risk of losing a wicket. Currently, this line up.
attacking stroke is disproportionately 'safe' when compared to Unlike batsmen who bowl (see Law 3.5) they do not concede
other scoring shots played to a good length ball. Though the an 'appeal roll' modification to the player they are bowling to.A
square cut has an equal chance of carrying to a fielder and captain who includes an 'all-rounder' in his team must deduct 1
being caught as any other, a batsman playing this stroke is, 'appeal roll' modification from a batsman or bowler in his team.
under current rules and with the current set of cards, much
less likely to be out bowled or trapped leg-before. To bring the
level of risk involved in the square cut played to a good length Example
ball up to that of other attacking shots (and to make the game South Africa select Brian McMillan as their all-rounder and
more 'authentic'), the stroke should retain its chance of place him at 5 in the order, which gives him a basic unmodified
carrying to the 'keeper with an additional result of 'out, played- 'appeal roll' of 3. He concedes no 'appeal roll' modifications to
on' being introduced. This would represent the batsman giving the batsmen he bowls to but the South African captain must
deduct a an 'appeal roll' from another South African player to

Wicketz – Advanced Rules … from replaycricket.com 5

compensate the advantage. He chooses to deduct from Alan run an increased risk of being hit by the ball. On such a wicket
Donald so when South Africa are in the field, any batsman the 'not out' segment at the 9 'o' clock position will also be
facing Donald gains +1 to their 'appeal roll'. He could instead included in an injury roll. A batsman who has been hurt must
have deducted from Andre Hudson, the opener, giving him a immediatly select a batting card at random, note the number of
modification of -1 to his 'appeal roll' when he bats. runs displayed on that batting card, and should consult the
Injury Table below.
3.5.2 Wicket keeping all-rounders
Wicket keepers may also be 'all rounders' and choose to be 3.7.1 Injury Table
'batsmen who can keep wicket'.
Normally wicket keepers are considered to be 'keepers who Card Result
can bat'. Wicket keepers may not bowl. Score
'Keepers who can bat' are treated as normal batsmen in that
their basic unmodified 'appeal roll' is determined in the normal 0 Hurt, may remain at crease*
way by their position in the batting line up, and there are no
1 Shaken, must retire temporarily but may return
modifications to the opposing batsman's 'appeal roll' when the
later in the innings*
'keeper is taking a catch. 'batsmen who can keep wicket',
when batting, have their basic unmodified 'appeal roll' 2 Injured, must retire for rest of innings, may return
increased by 1 (the unmodified roll may not exceed 4 however, for the second innings where applicable*
so opening batsmen do not add 1) but must increase the
opposing batsman's 'appeal roll' by 1 when taking a catch. 3 Injured, misses rest of match
4 Injured, misses rest of current and next match
Example
Alec Stewart has been selected to play in the England squad 6 Injured, misses rest of series
as 'a batsman who can keep wicket'. He opens the batting with
a basic unmodified 'appeal roll' of 5 (4 as an opener plus 1
'Batting Skill' but, as an opener, no modification for being 'a *The batsman must bat with his 'appeal' roll modified by -1
batsman who keeps wicket'). When fielding, Steve Waugh
edges a catch to him off the bowling of Peter Martin; Waugh's Example
basic 'appeal roll' is 3 (middle order batsman) but Martin is Graham Thorpe is facing Alan Donald on a poor wicket. An
bowling with a ball 14 overs old (-1), has just beaten Waugh innocuous looking delivery rears off a length and Thorpe
with the previous delivery (-1) but is fatigued from a long spell needs to fend the ball from in front of his face ('evasive
(+1), Waugh's net 'appeal roll' is then 2 (3-1-1+1). Stewart action').
however, as 'a batsman who can keep wicket' concedes
another 'appeal roll' modifier to Waugh giving him a total of 3 He turns the batting card which shows the ball goes to D1 and
rolls. Waugh rolls 3 'outs' and so Stewart holds the catch. displays a 'catch'. Since the result is not a dot ball and 'catch'
is displayed on the card, Thorpe is required to make a single
appeal roll to determine whether the ball came off the glove.
3.6 Appealing Thorpe rolls 'not out' which confirms the ball is catchable.
An 'appeal' roll shall be made for the stumpings, catches, leg- He must now make a normal appeal roll (see Law 3.4) to
befores and run outs. 'Hit wicket' and 'bowled' do not require determine if Cullinan, positioned at D1, holds the catch (if a
an appeal (unless the 'bowled' is a result of 'playing-on' - see fielder had not been positioned here, Thorpe would be
Law 3.1) provisionally entitled to any resulting runs). On his third roll,
Thorpe rolls 'not out' so the chance is put down.
3.7 Batsmen hit by the ball Now Thorpe must determine the severity of the blow he has
received. He makes a single appeal roll, the dial stopping in
If the batsman attempts to take evasive action to a bouncer the 'not out' segment at the 9 'o' clock position. Since the
delivered by a pace or seam bowler then he is at risk of being wicket is poor, Thorpe has been hurt and must now turn a
hit by the ball. If the batting card turned when a batsman is batting card and consult the above table. The card displays a
taking evasive action reveals any letter beside the stroke (i.e. '3' - a nasty blow - so Thorpe must miss the rest of the match.
rather than a 'dot ball') then the batsman has been hit. There
are two factors to determine when a batsman is hit by the ball:
3.8 Batsman's frame of mind

• Did the ball hit the bat or gloves - if so it is The batsman's 'appeal' roll may also be modified by his current
'catchable'. state of mind which will fluctuate according to the changing
circumstances of his innings as follows:
• Is the batsman hurt by the delivery?

3.8.1 Batsmen 'playing themselves in'

Is the ball catchable?
A new batsman starting his innings will have an 'appeal roll'
If the batting card turned also displays 'catch' then an 'appeal modification of -2 for his first ball and then -1 for each
roll' must be made. If the dial stops in any of the 4 'not out' subsequent ball faced until a)his score reaches 20 runs or b)he
segments then the delivery shall be judged by the umpire to has faced 20 balls.
have come off the glove. In this event the batsman must make Batsmen must also play themselves in following an interval.
a subsequent appeal roll in the usual way. If no fielder is Following an interval a new batsman will have an 'appeal roll'
stationed in the segment and the ball is adjudged to have modification of -2 for his first ball and then -1 for each
come off the glove then runs may be scored as normal. Any subsequent ball faced until a)he has added 10 runs to his
runs scored from this delivery will not be counted however if a score or b)he has faced 10 balls.
subsequent injury roll determines that the batsman is 'injured'.
No-balls and wides count as balls faced and contribute to a
batsman 'playing himself in'. After facing the minimum number
Is the batsman hurt? of 'playing in' balls (20 or 10), if a batsman is still on nought
then he will remain batting with -1 to his appeal roll until he
After determining whether the ball was caught (see above) the
gets off the mark.
batsman must make a single 'appeal roll' to determine the
severity of the blow. Should the dial stop at the 'not out'
segment at the 3 'o' clock position, then he has been hurt. In 3.8.2 The 'Nervous Nineties'
addition, batsmen playing on a poor wicket (see Law 2.5.4) will

Wicketz – Advanced Rules … from replaycricket.com 6

When a batsman's score is greater then 89 but less than 100 forward to fast bowling and also to allow spinning deliveries to
his 'appeal roll' will be modified by -1 to represent the pitch and turn before selecting their stroke.
batsman's nerves. When the batsman's score reaches 100
runs or more he becomes 'rampant' and his 'appeal roll' is
modified by +1. This Law is applied again at 190-199 when his 3.11 Farming the strike
modification will be 0 (+1 for 100 runs and -1 for the extra 90) Batsmen may opt to 'farm the strike' in order to defend their
and again at 200+ when the modification will be +2. lower order colleagues. To farm the strike, a batsman simply
elects to take fewer runs (be they off the bat or extras) than on
offer in order to retain strike at the end of an over. Boundary
3.8.3 Batsmen hit by the ball strokes may not be reduced.
A batsman who is struck by a ball (see Law 3.7) will have his
'appeal roll' modified by -1 for the next delivery
Example
Jimmy Adams and Kenny Benjamin are batting at No.5 and
3.8.4 Playing and missing and dropped catches No.10 respectively for the West Indies. Adams is keen to take
When a batsman is beaten by a bowler (being made to play most of the strike and hits the 5th ball of Angus Fraser's
and miss) then, for the next delivery he faces immediatly after current over through midwicket for 2 runs. He elects to take
being beaten, his 'appeal roll' will be modified by -1. only one of the runs however, thus leaving Benjamin to face
only one ball from Fraser. Benjamin keeps the ball out and so
When a batsman is dropped (when he makes a successful the play changes ends with Jimmy Adams once again on
'appeal' roll in the event of a catch attempt) then, for the next strike.
delivery he faces immediatly after being beaten, his 'appeal
roll' will be modified by -1.
These Laws are cumulative. If the batsman is beaten, hit or 4.0 Experienced players
dropped (or any combination of those) twice in succession A player's abilities will change as he progresses through his
then his modifer will be -2 and so on. The batsman's 'appeal cricketing career, gradually improving his game through
roll' can not be lower than 1 however (see Law 3.4.1). All experience.
modifiers accrued in this way are reduced by 1 for every dot
ball faced by the batsman and all such modifiers are Players with Test match experience accrue skills reflecting
immediatly cancelled if any runs are scored by the batsman. their growing international status, skills and maturity. A player
may add skills to his repertoire according to his experience but
may also lose skills when he becomes past his best.
Example
Jason Gallian, a middle order batsman with a basic 'appeal roll'
of 3, is facing Ian Bishop. There are no other modifiers to take 4.1 Improving players
into account (pitch, ball etc). He has played and missed twice A player may gain one of the skills from the Skills Table (4.3)
in a row (which puts his 'appeal roll' down to 1) and has now at the following stages of their Test career: On completion of
just been dropped by Richie Richardson in the slips but his 40 Test innings, 80 Test innings and 100 Test Innings.
'appeal roll', already at 1, can not be any lower. Gallian plays a
backward defensive shot to the next ball he receives, putting
his 'appeal roll' up to 2 (+1 for a dot ball) and then on-drives 4.2 Players past their best
Bishop for three which cancels out all other modifiers he has A player must also lose one of the skills he has accrued once
(in this case just 1) as a result of playing and missing and he completes 120 Test innings, and loses a skill again on
being dropped. completion of every subsequent 10 innings thereafter. Once all
of his accrued skills have been depleted, then he permanently
loses 1 off his basic unmodified 'appeal roll'. Batsmens' (1-7 in
3.9 Batsmens' favoured attack the batting order) unmodified 'appeal rolls' may not fall below 2
Some batsmen will prefer to play against spin bowling rather as a result of them being past their best however and non-
than fast bowling or vice versa. A batsman who prefers playing batsmens' (8-11 in the order) may not fall below 1.
against one style may choose to 'favour' that style and may
have an 'appeal roll' modification of +1 when facing his
favoured style of attack. He will also however have an 'appeal Example
roll' modification of -1 when facing his least favoured style of Graham Gooch, as an opening batsman, starts with a basic
attack. 'appeal roll' of 4. Having played 226 innings in his career, his
abilities would have developed as follows:

Example
Robin Smith feels uncomfortable against spin bowlers but likes Innings Result total skills
to have the fast, short-pitched deliveries whistling past his
ears. Consequently, against spin he loses 1 from his 'appeal <40 - 0
roll' but gains 1 when facing the quicks. There are no modifiers 40 +1 skill 1
for medium/seam bowling.
80 +1 skill 2
3.10 Defensive shots against balls of a good length 100 +1 skill 3
Only 'frontline' batsmen (batting order 1-6) will have the
120 -1 skill 2
confidence to play forward to seam/fast bowling and the skill to
play back against spin bowling. 130 -1 skill 1
Therefore, players batting at number 7 downwards in the order
may not play the backward defensive shot against spin 140 -1 skill 0
bowlers (representing a lesser able batsman not reading the 150 -1 'appeal' 'appeal' = 3
spin and getting forward to smother the ball) and may not play
the forward defensive shot against fast/seam bowlers 160 -1 'appeal' 'appeal' = 2
(representing a lesser able batsman being forced back onto his
toes and allowing the faster delivery to come on to him). >160 no result, as a frontline batsman his basic
'appeal' roll' may not fall below 2 (see above)
Frontline batsmen may play both forward and backward to any
ball of a good length. They have the skill and confidence to get

Wicketz – Advanced Rules … from replaycricket.com 7

4.3 Skills Table

Skill Description
Batting Skill* +1 to batsman's 'appeal roll'

Bowling Skill* -1 from a defending batsman's 'appeal roll'

Fielding Skill -1 from a defending batsman's 'appeal roll' when the player with the Fielding Skill is attempting a catch (may
not be used in run out appeals).
The fielder with this skill may also save runs (see Law 1.5) and may catch a batsman's 'Signature Shot' (see
below)

Positive frame of The batsman with a 'positive frame of mind' does not have to 'play himself in', is not affected by 'nervous
mind nineties', 'playing and missing' or 'being dropped' (see all Laws in 3.8).
He also gains 2 extra 'appeal rolls' rather than 1 when he is scores a century ('rampant', see Law 3.8.2) but
only 1 for each subsequent 100 scored.

Signature Shot A batsman may have a stroke which he particularly likes and at which he excels, this is his 'Signature Shot'.
A batsman playing his Signature Shot may be out in any of the usual ways but may only be caught by
fielders with a 'Fielding Skill' (see above).
A fielder without a Fielding Skill receiving a 'catch' ball from a batsman's Signature Shot may only save runs
- no runs being scored from a catchable shot.

The 'Jaffa' A bowler may have a favoured delivery at which he particularly excels, this will be his 'jaffa' delivery.
Every 'jaffa' delivery (when it occurs as a result of a standard delivery roll) will be treated as a 'good length
ball' on the batting card and carries an additional ''appeal roll'' modification of -1 for the batsman facing it.

Old Ball Skill Some experienced seam/pace bowlers (Waqar Younis for example) can derive movement with old balls.
Bowlers with this skill actually have an appeal roll of -1 rather than +1 when bowling with a ball of 61-70
overs old. This reverts back to a +1 modification when the ball is older than 70 overs.
Bowlers may not acquire this skill until they have already acquired a Bowling Skill (see above)

'Keeping Skill This skill can only be acquired by wicket keepers and represents a tremendous athletic ability behind the
(right or left) stumps.
'Keepers with this skill can take catches and save runs in the square of the board adjacent to their own within
the same number row.
The skill only applies to one square on either the right or the left of the keeper, this may not be changed and
must be specified in writing before the match starts.
This skill may be acquired a second time enabling the 'keeper to apply the skill to both sides of the wicket.
Example
Mark Boucher is standing at square A2 to the bowling of Pollock who is running in to the facing batsman,
Atherton. Pollock bowls a very good delivery which cuts back and goes straight through Atherton taking a
faint inside edge. The ball carries to square B2 where Boucher, who has a 'Keeping Skill on the left side,
leaps across and holds a spectacular catch.

*These skills may be accrued more than once but no more than twice.

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