Unreliable Idea # 28 Kanga Cricket

Games that encourage participation are springing up in all sports: tryrugby; minileague... etc BUt amongst the first in Oz was Kanga Cricket. Cricket Australia commissioned a set of plastic cricket equipment and I purchased a set in 1990 for $90. There were two sets of stumps, two bats and I ordered several of the yellow rubber balls. It was designed so that unlike a tennis ball the rubber ball would only bounce as high as a cricket ball and be easier for the novice to hit. Its the lunchtime entertainment at the Test Cricket but is also played in primary schools across the country. It realy opened up the game to the novice, girls and kids frightened of the ball. They included a hitting tee for youngre kids and now produce bats with rubber grips and bigger size.

A set can be doubled to play rounders or four wicket grids with a central bowler and it provides hours of fun!! Many a bus trip has been enhanced with a quick whip out of the cricket set in the park for a twenty to forty minute hit. Youth Groups, Kids Clubs etc could buy several sets and get quite a number of kids involved at once. Start four games and rotate teams, set up four wickets and one central bowler. Batters rotate around the four wickets when a run is hit and new batters race to guard their stumps by replacing anyone who gets out BUT the bowler can bowl once they have the ball!!
Kookaburra and others now manufacture kits and many are available at K-Mart.