Although the game is called bucket cricket, playing with a round or square metal drum that stands about 14 inches high and 9 inches across is more satisfying. Use a bat of a piece of wood approximately 20 inches long and 2.5 inches wide. We’re using a tennis ball or a rubber ball of a similar size.
Here are the ways you can earn runs in the game:
- For each bowl made, the batsman scores one run unless they get out with that bowl.
- If the batsman hits the ball, they gain an additional run.
- A bowler can fake a bowl (pretend to throw without releasing the ball), which still counts as one run.
- The ball may be deliberately passed across the circle, adding one run.
And here are the ways a batter can be out:
- If the ball hits the drum, the batsman is out.
- If a fielder catches the ball, the batsman is out.
- If the batsman plays on and hits the drum, they’re out.
- If the batsman falls off the drum, they’re also out.
Other rules:
- The bowler must deliver the ball underhand from outside the circle.
- If the bowl doesn’t reach the circle’s edge, an umpire will instruct a nearby player to retrieve the ball for the next bowl.
- No balls are called if the bowler’s body touches the floor within the circle or if they throw rather than bowl underhand.
- A batsman cannot be out on a no ball.
Once all the members of the first patrol have batted, they return to their positions in the circle, and their total score is recorded. Then, it’s the next patrol’s turn to leave the circle. If you have an uneven number of scouts in patrols, you can even things out by allowing some scouts to bat twice.
Ah, this takes me back, playing cricket with whatever we had lying around. The dimensions for the drum and bat seem spot on. Gotta say, it’s a genius way to keep the game lively with mates. Cheers to The Busy Scouter for putting this out there.
Hey, MickTheBrick, ever tried using different balls for a twist in the game? Like a softbal?
SportySpice, yeah mate, tried it once. Ends up a whole different game, but still loads of fun.
Oh brilliant, next we’ll be using a trash lid as a bat. Innovation or just plain stingy, you decide.
Interesting setup, but wouldn’t the metal drum make a lot of noise? Wondering if there’s a quieter alternative for those of us in flats.
This game sounds fun but I’m a bit confused about the scoring. How exactly do you earn runs in bucket cricket?
never thought of using a tennis ball for cricket, always stuck with the classic. might give this a go next time the lads are round.
I’m intrigued by the choice of materials mentioned. However, wouldn’t durability be a concern, especially with a metal drum? What are the safety considerations here?
got to say, sounds like a butchered version of cricket. why not play the real deal instead of this makeshift game?
imagine playing bucket cricket in an alleyway, with the echo of the ball hitting the drum. it’s like music, or maybe just noise, but it’s something.
The concept of bucket cricket is quite fascinating. It appears to be a resourceful way to enjoy the sport without access to traditional equipment.
love the idea of reusing stuff we already got. way to go for making cricket eco-friendly!
if we start using kitchen utensils next, i’m totally in. imagine a frying pan for a bat? that’d be a hit!