What is stoolball?

The game of stoolball, over 500 years old, is the forerunner of cricket. It's played with similar equipment on any grass area with a 90 yard diameter boundary.

The pitch is 16 yards long. Bowling is underarm from a bowling crease 10 yards from the batsman's wicket and teams consist of 11 players - either ladies or mixed.

Stoolball is comparatively cheap and doesn't need an immaculately maintained pitch, which is great for schools. The equipment can even be set up on a playground.

The wickets are wooden boards on stakes and the ball, aimed at the wicket, does not hit the ground before reaching the batter. Teams usually have eleven players, with one team fielding and the other batting. The bat is the shape of a table tennis bat, made of willow with a long, sprung and spliced handle.

The scoring and rules are similar to those of cricket, with the batting side defending the wickets. There are runs, boundaries, catches and run-outs

Want to know more about the game and its origins? Then click on 'What's it all about?' on the left