VIDEO TUTORIALS
ABOUT THE SPORT OF WIKITBALL
WIKITBALL is the most exciting form of cricket created to date. Created for the bat and ball sports world, outdoors or indoors, on a scalable circular pitch and with a central wicket, WIKITBALL creates constant excitement and dynamic action.
Twelve players, nine of whom are bowlers/pitchers (PELTERS) play against a Trio of batters who guard a circular wicket and attempt to score runs. The purpose of the game is for each team to score as many runs as possible in a mutually decided amount of six ball overs. The team with the highest amount of runs at the end of the game wins.
WIKITBALL was created to have everyone play all at once. Sometimes players in the field hardly touch the ball. With WIKITBALL, everyone is in the game, all at once. WIKITBALL was also created to enhance the great bat and ball sports by pronouncing those two visually exciting aspects of the sport, batting and bowling/pitching.
In WIKITBALL, the field is condensed making action happen a lot faster. With 9 Bowlers/Pitchers (Pelters) and 3 Batsmen (Trio), the sport is action packed. Now everyone is included. When a batteris out, his entire Trio is out, rotating all the batters on the team much more quickly. That way, everyone gets to bat more often. Our aim is to get more people playing this great inclusive bat and ball sport.
THE FIELD
THE RULES OF WIKITBALL
GAME DURATION & BATTING TIME
The game of WIKITBALL can consist of (8), (12) or (16) six ball overs.
An over is when (6) balls have been bowled or pitched to the batting team by the fielding team.
There is a 1 minute break between overs.
One team bats for the agreed amount of overs then the fielding team bats. Each team is trying to score as many runs as possible within the alloted number of balls bowled or pitched.
In WIKITBALL, all players get to bat, all players get to bowl/pitch and all players get to field.
(3) players bat at the same time as a single unit called a TRIO.
There are (4) TRIOS on each team. Each team consists of 12 players.
Depending on the agreed amount of overs, here's how long a TRIO can bat.
(8) OVER GAME - Each of the (4) TRIOS will bat for (2) overs or 12 balls.
(12) OVER GAME - Each of the (4) TRIOS will bat for (3) overs or 18 balls.
(16) OVER GAME - Each of the (4) TRIOS will bat for (4) overs or 24 balls.
NOTE: If a TRIO is outed, the next up TRIO comes in, finishes the balls of that particular over and proceeds to bat their allotted amount of overs.
THE FIELD
The OFFICIAL WIKITBALL FIELD is a 100’ diameter pitch. (Scalable fields can be created for indoor and junior games) There are (2) circular boundary rings inside the main 100‘ diameter circle.
THE BOUNDARY - The 100'(foot) Circle - The 100' circle marks the entire field where the game takes place. Balls are PELTED (pitched or bowled) to the batters from this line.
MIDFIELD - The 60’(foot) circle - The 60’ circle marks the boundary for the (3) Floaters. Floaters must stay outside of this boundary and may only enter to catch or fetch a ball AFTER the ball is pelted by a Pelter. SEE FLOATERS.
CREASE - The 12‘(foot) circle - The 12’ circle marks the boundary of the crease. The crease is used like in traditional cricket where a batter can be stumped or run out if caught outside the crease boundary. As well, the crease is used as a line for scoring runs in conjunction with the 60’ boundary. To score one run, the batter must place his bat outside the 60’ diameter ring then come back to place his bat inside the 12’ diameter ring to score (1) run. SEE SCORING RUNS
THE PLAYERS
Total number of players per team is (12) - (4) Trios
BATTERS - There are (3) batters (a TRIO) up to bat at the same time. They all guard the Central Wicket while attempting to score runs. When a batter is bowled or caught as in traditional cricket, the Trio is out. A new Trio comes in to bat. There are (4) TRIOS on a team. NOTE: Each Trio bats as a single unit. As a batter prepares to hit the ball thrown to him, the other members of the Trio step back flanking the batter in case of a wide ball which they too are allowed to strike. As well, if a batter is ready to strike a ball being thrown, one or both of the other Trio members can attempt to make a run to the 60‘ boundary and back to the Crease for (1) or (2) runs depending on how many players decide to run.
PELTERS (BOWLERS/PITCHERS) - There are 9 Pelters whose job is to pelt the ball to the batters as well as field the ball. They may throw the ball via traditional cricket style overhand bowling, pelting the ball similar to a baseball pitcher or underhand. Pelters may not completely enter the 100’ boundary when pelting. At the release of the ball, one foot of the Pelter throwing the ball must be outside the 100 ft boundary. Pelters may field and throw the ball inside the 100’ boundary but may only pelt to a batter with one foot outside the 100‘ boundary. Pelters may also switch positions and become floaters at anytime.
FLOATERS - There are (3) Floaters who play inside the 100’ and outside the 60’ boundaries. Floaters help pass the ball around the field to confuse the TRIO and to set up plays with the PELTERS who then pelt balls to the TRIO. Floaters may not pelt to the batters but may catch and retrieve balls either to create an OUT or to return the ball to the Pelters. Floaters may toss the ball to any Pelter for pelting. Once the ball is pelted, Floaters may move into the 60’ boundary area to field the ball hit by a batter. Floaters may also switch positions and become Pelters at anytime.
MANAGING THE MATCH
UMPIRES
An umpire controls the match using a whistle and hand signals. There is one Umpire and 2 secondaries who help to make calls from the opposite areas of the field where the main umpire’s view is obscured by distance and by players on the field. The umpires are spread out equally around the outside of the 100 ft boundary. They should naturally be positioned between and set back from the Pelters. The main umpire makes final decisions.
STARTING & PLAYING THE GAME
After a coin toss to see who bats first, the umpire starts the game by giving the ball to one of the Pelters. The Pelter holds the ball up in the air and yells “BALL” This alerts the Batters as to where the ball is at the start of the game. The Umpire blows the whistle and the game starts. The Pelter can opt to pelt the ball to the batters or pass the ball. Fielders are allowed to pass the ball up to THREE times then the ball must be pelted by a Pelter to the Batters. Once the ball is pelted to the batters, that counts as ONE ball towards the SIX ball over.
PLAY SCENARIOS
#1 - If a batter hits the pelted ball for an automatic FOUR or SIX runs over the boundary, the ball is collected, passed to a Pelter and the Pelter repeats the same motion by holding the ball up in the air yelling “BALL”. The Umpire blows the whistle and the game resumes starting a new ball in the over. NOTE: The game cannot resume until the Umpire blows the whistle.
#2 - If a pelted ball is hit by a batter to any fielder on a bounce and any batter is trying to score single runs, the fielder can opt to try and hit the central wicket with the ball before the running batter places his bat over the crease line. If the fielder hits the wicket before the batter’s bat makes it across the crease line the Trio is out but the ball sitting on the central wicket must fall to the ground for the out to count.
#3 - If the batter hits the ball on a bounce and it is caught by a fielder and no batters are running for single runs, the ball is tossed back to any Pelter, the Pelter repeats the same motion by holding the ball up in the air yelling “BALL”. The Umpire blows the whistle and the game resumes starting a new ball in the over.
#4 - If a Pelter starting the play has the ball and the whistle is blown and a batter decides to score single runs before the ball is pelted, the Pelter can opt to pelt the ball to the batter engaging him or, throw the ball to an inside fielder (Floater) who can try to hit the wicket from another angle. This will count as ONE ball towards the SIX ball over. The Pelter can ONLY do this if a batter is running to score single runs.
ENDING AN OVER
After the SIXTH ball is pelted and the play has been completed for that ball, the OVER is completed and the umpire blows the whistle THREE times signifying the over is complete. There is a one minute break then another OVER starts.
ENDING THE GAME
After the agreed to amount of overs is completed for the batting team, there is a 10-20 minute break and the teams switch sides. The fielding team of the previous set of overs now bats. Once they have completed their overs, the runs are tallied and the team with the most runs wins.
SCORING RUNS
Runs may be scored in a variety of ways.
THE BATTING TEAM
SCORING (1) RUN - To score (1) run a batter must run to the 60’ (MID-FIELD) boundary, place his bat over the 60’ boundary, run back and place his bat over the 12’ (CREASE) boundary.
If all (3) batters decide to run and make it back to the crease, they would score (3) runs.
NOTE: A batter does not have to hit the ball to run... he can run at any time and the remaining 2 batters of the TRIO can protect the wicket as he runs.
NOTE: As a batter runs, any fielder on any part of the field may try to hit the wicket to make an OUT. Note that the ball must fall off the wicket for the Trio to be out.
SCORING (4) RUNS - To score an automatic (4) runs the batter must hit the ball on (2) or more bounces clearly over the 100’ boundary.
SCORING (6) RUNS - To score an automatic (6) runs the batter must hit the ball on (1) bounce clearly over the 100’ boundary. This thrown ball must be delivered on a bounce.
EXCEPTION - If the ball is bowled/pitched by a Pelter on a full toss... meaning it does not hit the ground before reaching the batter, the batter can hit the ball over the 100‘ boundary without the ball bouncing inside the field for 6 runs.
OVERTHROW - If the ball is over thrown by a fielder and exits the field, batters can run up to (4) times as fielders run to retrieve the ball. Batters can score up to 12 runs, 4 runs each.
THE FIELDING TEAM
There are (5) ways the fielding team can score runs.
1 - If the ball is delivered to the batter on a bounce and the batter hits the ball over the 100ft boundary without it bouncing, the fielding team is awarded 6 runs.
2 - If a Pelter pelts the ball and hits the wicket, knocking the ball off the stumps, the fielding team scores 12 runs.
3 - If a batter is trying to score single runs and a fielder hits the wicket with the ball before the batter’s bat makes it across the crease line, the fielding team scores 12 runs but the ball sitting on the central wicket must fall to the ground for the 12 runs to count. Note that the entire Trio is out.
4 - If a batter accidently hits the wicket with his/her body or bat, and the central wicket ball falls to the ground, the fielding team scores 12 runs.
5 - If a fielder catches the ball hit by a batter without the ball hitting the ground,
the fielding team scores (6) runs.
KEEPING SCORE
SCORE KEEPERS / DRONES - There is always (1) dedicated score keeper preferably up high with clear visuals of the TRIO at bat. If available, drones may fly directly over the central wicket to video tape the game and as a tool for keeping score.
OUTING A BATTER
When a batter is out, the entire TRIO is out and another TRIO enters the game. Batters are subject to most of the rules of traditional cricket. He may be OUT by the following circumstances:
• By the ball of the central wicket dropping to the ground after the wicket is hit by a ball pelted by a Pelter.
• By hitting the ball with the bat or the ball bounces off his body and is caught without hitting the ground by a fielder.
• By hitting the wicket with his bat or body, making the ball of the central wicket drop to the ground.
• By the Batter's body and bat being caught outside the crease and a fielder hits the wicket making the ball of the central wicket drop to the ground.
PELTING-(BOWLING/PITCHING)
Only Pelters can bowl/pitch the ball to batters and must have at least one foot outside the 100’ boundary when throwing the ball. Launching the ball to the wicket can be accomplished in a variety of ways. The Pelter may bowl the ball as in traditional cricket or may pitch or pelt the ball as in the game of baseball. He/she may pelt underhand or overhand. The ball can be thrown on a bounce or full toss delivered to the batters within the 12‘ CREASE boundary. Any ball pelted outside the 12’ boundary will not be considered a ball pelted but simply a ball passed to other fielders.
PENALTIES
ADD A BALL- When a Pelter pelts the ball with both feet inside the 100’ boundary as he releases the ball. An extra ball is added to the over as a penalty. Runs scored from the penalty ball count but an OUT from the result of the penalty ball does not count.
Balls pelted above the waist of the batter are subject to an ADD A BALL penalty at the discretion of the Umpire.
TIE GAME
In the event of a tie game, each team bats for (3) overs with (2) batters. Once a batter is out the other team bats. The team with the most runs in those 5 minute innings wins.
WINNING THE GAME
The game is won by the team who scores the most runs after each team bats for the agreed amount of overs.
DOWNLOADEDABLE
SCORE CARD
THE EQUIPMENT
WHAT YOU NEED TO PLAY WIKITBALL
You can learn how to play WIKITBALL in 10 minutes. The equipment used are 3 bats, a central wicket and a rubber ball. Our rubber balls are designed to be of a specific weight for reaching the wicket from the outside boundary with good speed but light enough not to hurt anyone playing if accidentally hit by the ball.
CENTRAL WICKET
The centerpiece of the WIKITBALL field is the central wicket. Easy to set up and easy to replace stumps after someone is bowled. This wicket can be used on all surfaces including grass, asphalt, concrete and indoors in gymnasiums.
(3) CRICKET STYLE BATS
For outdoor use in standard 100' diameter fields, a wooden bat is used with a soft low bounce rubber ball. Wt 100 - 120 grams.
Recommended age is 13 to adult.
For indoor use with a 50' diameter pitch, a smaller and lighter plastic bat is used with a light tennis type ball.
Recommended age is 9 - 12
