Cricket · Game · Tactics & match play

Short-form team game with conditions

Two teams play a short-overs match with an inner ring, fielding limits and scoring conditions that reward strike rotation, accurate bowling and sharp fielding.

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Start / 5
Time
60 min
Players
12–18
Age
U12+
Area
Full or junior-size ground
Equipment
4 balls (hard or incrediball to suit the group)2 sets of stumps12 cones for the inner ring4 helmet with faceguard, pads and gloves (hard ball)1 keeping gloves and pads4 bats9 bibs1 scorebook or whiteboard

Setup

  1. Two teams of six to nine. Mark an inner ring with cones about 25 m from the pitch (scale it down on a junior ground; check your association's junior format for pitch and boundary sizes).
  2. Agree the innings length before starting, e.g. eight overs a side, with batters retiring after a set number of balls so everyone bats.
  3. Agree the house conditions up front. One example: in the first two overs only two fielders may be outside the ring; after that, up to three.
  4. Everyone bowls at least one over and no one bowls more than their association's workload guidelines allow.

How it runs

  1. Play to the Laws, with the house conditions on top: no more than two leg-side fielders behind the popping crease at any time, wides and no-balls cost two runs and are re-bowled.
  2. Scoring conditions (pick two or three): a wicket costs the batting side five runs; runs scored through the ring count double; every dot ball bowled earns the fielding side a point.
  3. The fielding captain must set the field before each over and change it within the house fielding limits.
  4. At halfway, take two minutes for each team to talk tactics: which bowler finishes, which areas are scoring, who backs up where.
  5. Swap innings. The team with the higher score after conditions wins.

Coaching points

  • Batting side: use the ring. Look for the gaps inside it for quick runs and the space over it only when the field allows.
  • Bowling side: bowl to the field you set; if fielders are back, keep it straight and full to stop easy singles.
  • Captains: know how many fielders you have outside the ring and behind square before every ball.
  • Non-striker: back up as the ball is bowled but stay in the crease until it's released, or risk being run out.
  • Fielders: walk in with the bowler, back up every throw and call loudly.

Common mistakes

  • Fielding captain forgetting the ring limits and having to move a fielder after the bowler has started the run-up.
  • Batters trying to hit every ball over the ring and getting caught.
  • Bowlers over-pitching or drifting to the pads under pressure; keep a simple plan.
  • Losing track of the score and the conditions; appoint a scorer from the batting team.

Say it: “Know the ring, use the gaps.”

Make it harder

  • Fewer overs, or set the batting team a target to chase.
  • Captains must change a bowler after every over.
  • Add a 'big over' where the batting side can call double runs, but a wicket costs ten.

Make it easier

  • Incrediballs, a shorter pitch and smaller ground.
  • No dismissals in the first over; batters swap ends after each over to share the strike.
  • Coach helps each captain set the first field.

Reviewed by the Sportdify coaching team.