What Are The Rules For Womens Softball Cricket?
Guide To Womens Softball Cricket Free Scoresheet and Rules. Whether you are a player or coach setting out on the journey of women’s softball cricket, this guide will help you set up for a fantastic days cricket. All forms of softball cricket are shortened formats of traditional cricket, using a soft cricket ball and plastic bats. Womens Softball Cricket is generally for 6 players per team but, there you can play with 8 players too. The boundaries are shorter than a traditional game and allow players to develop into the hard ball game, should they choose.
What Are The Rules For Softball Cricket?
The rules for softball cricket are extensive but designed to provide a fast, fun environment for women to enjoy the game of cricket. As such, many go on to play hard ball cricket too.
- The wicket should be 19 yards long with the batting and bowling creases clearly marked with a water based paint.
- Stumps can be plastic but preference is for wooden stumps – either spring loaded pop up stumps or ones that are inserted into the ground. Bails should be used when available.
- The boundary is expected to be a minimum of 35 yards on all sides. Although, smaller boundaries are acceptable for multi-club/wicket tournaments where space may be limited. If playing a league format, check the rules for that competition, as some insist on boundaries of 40 to 45 metres.
- Teams consist of 6 players per side. All players must bat for 2 overs, in pairs.
- A minimum of 4 bowlers per team must be used, with a maximum of 2 overs per player. However, local rules can suggest all players bowl at least one over, to ensure they get the chance to develop the skills under pressure.
- Each team should provide an umpire and a scorer. Although the umpire can double up and score at the same time as umpiring.
On Field Rules For Womens Softball cricket
- The width of wides should be agreed before the game or tournament starts. It may be helpful to paint lines either side of the stumps to show the agreed limit before a ball becomes a wide. 2 penalty runs are given to the batting team for every wide bowled, with no extra ball. However, in the final over of the team innings (6th over) 2 runs are given and an extra ball is bowled too. Therefore it is probably worth considering using your best bowler for the final over of the innings.
- No-Balls incur a penalty of 2 runs to the batting team with no extra ball being bowled. As with wides the final over of the innings shall incur a penalty of 2 runs and the ball is bowled again. A no ball, is a ball that (1) bounces 3 times or more before reaching the batting crease, (2) is above waist height without bouncing, when it reaches the batter, at the batting crease (3) if the ball fails to land on the cut strip when bowled. As players develop the maximum 2 bounce rule for no balls can be reduced to 1 but must be agreed before the game or tournament starts.
- Players can take turns to be the wicket keeper during a game. Wicket keeping gloves are optional and can be worn if a player prefers.
Should Womens Softball Cricket Matches Start With 200 Runs?
- Teams should start with a score of 200 runs. At the fall of a wicket the batting team loses 5 runs and the batters swap ends (unless it is the end of an over). Batters can be out bowled, caught, run out, stumped and hit wicket. It was pointed out that starting on 200 runs was patronising to the women players, I disagree. Women’s softball cricket should be used as a form of cricket to develop players towards the hard ball format. As such, trying to keep a positive score and a positive mindset is paramount to developing players of all ages.
Further Rules Apply For Womens Softball Cricket
- Byes and leg byes are scored as normal.
- LBW’s (Leg Before Wicket) do not apply in women’s softball games.
- Run outs apply
- We like to use the local rule that when a player has faced 3 consecutive balls without scoring, this includes no-balls and wides, the batters swap ends. This ensures all players get a fair share of the deliveries available.
- When a wicket falls, the batters should swap ends. This applies to the following dismissals – bowled, caught, stumped and hit-wicket.
- Free hits do not apply when no ball is bowled.
- All fielders except the wicket keeper or fielders behind the wicket on the off side, must be at least 8 yards from the middle stump.
- All overs must be bowled in both innings before a winner can be determined. The winning team is the team with most net runs at the end of the game i.e. total runs scored minus 5 runs per wicket lost.
What Size Wicket Is Used for Womens Softball cricket?
The length of wicket used in womens softball cricket varies across the UK. However, it is generally thought that a 19 yard strip is the best option. This distance is measured from stump to stump. Most wickets for softball are cut into the outfield so as no damage to the main square is incured. Batting creases should be marked out with a water based paint. The stumps used are standard height wooden stumps, plastic stumps set into a water filled base or wooden spring loaded stumps.
There are no set rules for the size of boundary, as this can vary from club to club, depending on the amount of pitches used and size of ground. It is expected that a boundary of at least 25 yards is provided on all sides, although if space allows 35 yards is preferred.
What Type of Ball is Used in Womens Softball Cricket?
The cricket ball used in womens softball cricket is generally a soft plastic foam core ball, with a realsitic seam. The best known brand name for one of these cricket balls is an Incrediball. However, the design of these balls have been copied by many other manufacturers and given their own brand name. Examples of suitable softball cricket balls include (Amazon Affiliate Links Provided Where Available)
- OneGlobal Pink Softballs
- Kookaburra Softaball
- Readers Supaball
- Aero Incrediball
- Serious Cricket Pink Soft Ball (Direct to website – Not an affiliate link)
The balls used in womens softball cricket tend to be pink, although other colours are available. The size used can be junior or adult sized. At this time there are no softballs available in a size between these 2 options, unlike with hard ball cricket. The softballs have a soft foam core and a plastic stitched outer layer. They are designed to be used without cricket protection (such as batting gloves or pads). It is generally thought these balls don’t hurt however, they can still sting your hands or bruise legs.
Download Our Free Scoresheet For Womens Softball Cricket
Scoring in womens softball cricket uses a different scoring system to the 11 a-side format. These free scoresheets are for the 6 player games, where batters, bat for 4 overs per pair. However, they can be used for 6 over matches too. There is ample space to include the correct scoring symbols and a helpful guide to recognise the umpire’s signals.
Scoresheet developed for Softball Cricket Games by Staffordshire County Board – may be freely copied provided you credit Staffordshire ACO
How To Format A Womens Softball Tournament.
Softball tournament’s for women and juniors should be fun, fast and encourage participation and sportsmanship. As such, time spent on the side watching others play should be limited. Ideally a tournament would consist of 8 or 9 times. With 8 teams you should create 2 groups of 4, with 9 teams have 3 groups of 3 teams.
If space allows cut a minimum of 3 wickets within the playing area, to maximise playing time. Each game should take no more than 1 hour – that’s 30 minutes per innings. For an 8 team tournament each team will play 3 group games. Then if time allows, the top in each group could play off in the final game, with the 2nd place teams playing a game against each other to determine the 3rd and 4th place teams. You could also do this with the teams that finish 3rd and 4th in each group too.
For 9 team tournaments, have 3 groups of 3 and cut 3 playing surfaces. That way 1 team from each group sits out each round of matches. Each team will play 2 games in the group stage. Then the top in each group can play each other to determine the overall winner. Again this would be 2 further games each. The teams finishing in 2nd place play other 2nd place teams and the same with teams finishing in 3rd place.
These formats keep non playing time to a minimum and give each team at least 4 matches. It also allows your club to offer food and refreshments throughout the day, to boost club funds.
If you want to know more about Super 8’s Cricket we have a useful guide here
