Topend Sports Logo

Backyard Cricket Rules

Backyard cricket is part of many Australian's upbringing. The rules of backyard cricket will vary with every backyard (or park, playground or street), but here is a list that many a game is based on.

ball trackingball tracking
  1. One hand off the house: Catches must be taken one-hand if the ball comes off the house/tree/fence.
  2. Six and out: If you hit it over the fence you're out and you have to get the ball.
  3. No LBWs: Too contentious, unless dad agrees to umpire.
  4. You can't go out first ball: This is to stop your kid brother from blubbing or to give granny a chance.
  5. Last man's tucker: You can bat by yourself if you are the last remaining batsman.
  6. Tip-n-run: You have to run if you hit it.
  7. Magic wickets: You can run out a batsman batting alone by hitting the wicket at either end.
  8. Auto Wicky: if you play in front of a wall and nick the ball behind you, you can be given out assuming a wicket keeper would have caught it.
  9. Automatic runs: If you hit certain backyard landmarks - a fence or shed perhaps - you are awarded a prearranged number of runs.
  10. One hand one bounce: Catches can be taken one-hand if the ball only bounces once


Related Pages

send us a comment Any comments, suggestions, or corrections? Please let us know.

Old Comments

Commenting is closed on this page, though you can read some previous comments below which may answer some of your questions.

Sport Extra

Check out the 800+ sports in the Encyclopedia of Every Sport. Well not every sport, as there is a list of unusual sports, extinct sports and newly created sports. How to get on these lists? See What is a sport? We also have sports winners lists, and about major sports events and a summary of every year.

 → How to Cite