What is backyard cricket?
Backyard cricket is an informal version of cricket played by Australians in backyards, parks and beaches, especially during summer and Christmas holidays. It uses flexible rules that vary from family to family.
Players often use a plastic bat, a tennis ball and a wheelie bin or chair as the stumps. The game can be played with just a few people of all ages.
Local rules are a big part of backyard cricket. Common rules include one hand, one bounce, which allows a catch after the ball bounces once if it is caught with one hand, and rules about hitting the ball over the fence.
A summer tradition
Backyard cricket is often played at family gatherings on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, before or after watching the Boxing Day Test on television.
Many famous Australian cricketers, including Don Bradman and Ricky Ponting, practiced as children in backyard or street games. Bradman famously practiced by hitting a golf ball against a water tank with a cricket stump.
The game is about having fun more than strict competition. Disputes about rules and dismissals are part of the tradition. Backyard cricket is also played on beaches, where a fielder in the water is a common sight.