AU721186B3 - A portable cricket pitch - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A PETTY PATENT Name of Applicant: Actual Inventor: Address for Service: Invention Title: Treacy Stuart TEITZEL CULLEN CO., Patent Trade Mark Attorneys, 240 Queen Street, Brisbane, Qld. 4000, Australia.

A PORTABLE CRICKET PITCH The following statement is a full description of this invention including the best method of performing it known to me: A PORTABLE CRICKET PITCH This invention relates to a portable cricket pitch which can be manufactured at or size of a normal size cricket pitch, but may also be the full length of a cricket pitch, and which provides an opportunity to provide a pitch for cricket at any suitable level location such as a garden, a local park or a beach where no fixed pitch exists. The pitch can be used for cricket or similar games such as vigoro wherein a pitch is used.

A proper cricket pitch has a particular hardness and bounce to enable cricket to be played properly. While informal games can be played on grass, it is found that a regulation cricket ball is too hard for the soft grass and will not travel in a proper manner. For this reason, softer tennis balls are used for informal games.

When using regulation cricket balls, the pitch must be able to withstand the impact of the ball and must provide suitable bounce to the cricket ball. Fixed cricket pitches provide this either by having a concrete cricket pitch (typically found in parks), or having a more expensive compacted cricket pitch which requires higher maintenance. The concrete pitches are sometimes covered in artificial turf to soften the impact.

The expense of fixed cricket pitches and the requirement for continual maintenance, and also the ever present problem of vandalism, means that cricket pitches are not widely available in parks.

Beach cricket is another enjoyable game finding popularity in Australia, and fixed pitches are of course not possible on beaches. However, the softness of the beach sand is such that a proper game of cricket or vigoro involving adequate bouncing of a cricket ball or a tennis ball cannot be played on a beach.

It is an object of the invention to provide a portable cricket or vigoro pitch (hereinafter called cricket pitch) which may overcome at least some of the abovementioned disadvantages or provide the public with a useful or commercial choice.

In one form, the invention resides in a portable cricket pitch which comprises an elongate rectangular flexible base mat which can be rolled up when not in use, and which can be unrolled over the ground to provide a cricket pitch, the base mat having an upper surface which is substantially smooth, and a length sufficient to emulate a game of cricket.

In a more particular form, the invention resides in a pitch wherein the base mat is formed of an outer larger rectangular mat portion and an inner smaller rectangular mat portion which is inlaid in the outer mat portion, the inner portion extending between wickets on the mat.

The cricket pitch is made such that it can be rolled up when not in use and can be carried in the boot of a car for transportation.

The cricket pitch typically has a length which approximates or of a normal size cricket pitch (normal size 22 yards). While a full length pitch is envisaged, this will increase the weight and size of the roll, and when bowling, the cricket ball rarely strikes the ground in the first quarter of the pitch length. Therefore, it is considered that an adequate game of cricket can be emulated using a A or length portable cricket pitch. If a full size pitch is required, the remaining length can be grass or the ground surface on which the game is played. On the other hand, an enjoyable game of cricket can be emulated using a A length or length pitch, this type of game typically being more enjoyable for smaller children where a full length pitch may be too long for a small child to efficiently bowl to the batsman.

The pitch is formed from an elongate rectangular flexible base mat. The length of the mat can vary from between say 8m to the full length of a conventional cricket pitch, but is typically between a A length and length of a conventional cricket pitch. The mat is rectangular as this provides easier rolling and unrolling of the mat, and there appears to be little advantage in having the mat of shapes other than rectangular. However, the ends of the mat may be rounded if desired (possibly to avoid sharp edges or edges which curl up), and if necessary, attachment means may be provided to allow the mat to be pinned to the ground. The width of the mat can vary to suit and can be between 1m for the smaller size pitches and up to 2 or 3m if a full size pitch needs to be emulated. Of course, the larger mats will be more expensive, somewhat heavier and maybe more difficult to transport.

The thickness of the mat can vary to suit but the thickness should be such to provide an adequate surface to allow a game to be played, and should be thick enough to allow the mat to be rolled and unrolled and used without a high risk of damage. For instance, the mat should not be too thin to be nothing more than a thin piece of plastic over the ground as this will not provide an adequate playing surface. The thickness of the pitch will depend somewhat on the choice of materials with the denser heavier materials allowing the pitch to be less thick, while the lighter materials possibly requiring the pitch to be somewhat thicker. The pitch should have a thickness of at least 5mm and up to 50mm depending on the materials used.

A preferred thickness is between 5 to 30mm, it being appreciated that the thicker the material, the bulkier the rolled up pitch will be when requiring transportation.

The pitch may be formed of rubber or plastics material or mixtures thereof. Synthetic rubbers may form part of the pitch. Recycled rubber material such as rubber crumb may also be used. The pitch may be formed from cushion materials such as closed cell foams, or flexible, but fairly tough plastics such as polyethylenes, and polypropylenes, or other compositions. The mat may be reinforced by a mesh, threads, wires, rods, or alternatively by a reinforcing sheet. The mat may be formed from a laminate of materials bonded together either chemically and/or by heat.

In one form of the invention, the central portion of the mat, which is the portion where the ball should bounce more often and where the batsman may strike the mat most often, has an inlay of a material which may be more suitable for this type of use. For instance, the inlay may be formed from harder more wear resistant material which may be stiffer. If the entire pitch was made of this material, it may be difficult to roll up the pitch when not in use. However, by having a smaller insert of this material, the overall mat can have improved wear characteristics with the inlaid portion being tougher and the remainder of the mat being more flexible, and thus also more ground hugging.

Wickets may be provided on the cricket pitch. It is envisaged that the mat has a wicket attachment means such that wickets can be attached in an upright position to the mat. For instance, the mat may be provided with a mounting which will allow the wickets to be supported vertically from the mat. In a preferred feature, the wickets may be selfrighting possibly with some form of spring mechanism.

An embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to the following drawings in which Figure 1 shows a portable cricket pitch rolled up.

Figure 2 shows the pitch in an unrolled configuration.

Figure 3 shows in greater detail attachment of wickets to the pitch.

Referring to the drawings, there is illustrated a portable cricket pitch 10 which comprises an elongate rectangular flexible base mat 11. The base mat has an upper surface 12 which is substantially smooth and the mat has a length sufficient to emulate a game of cricket.

By emulate is meant that the mat need not be the full length of a conventional cricket pitch but instead may be 2 lengths, lengths or other lengths which will still allow an enjoyable game of cricket to be played. The flexible base mat, in the embodiment, is formed from an outer larger rectangular mat portion 13 and an inner smaller rectangular mat portion 14 which is inlaid in the outer mat portion. Inner mat portion 14 extends between the wickets 15 and provides a pitch-like surface for the game. The outer mat portion 13 can be made of a more flexible ground hugging or ground clinging material.

In the embodiment, wickets 15 are supported by a mount 16 built into the inner mat portion 14. It is envisaged that the wickets will be selfrighting with a spring mechanism and able to be screwed or fixed to the mat in a suitable manner.

When not in use, wickets 15 can be laid flat with the wickets extending across the mat and the mat can then be rolled up as illustrated in Figure 1 with wickets 15 being in the centre of the mat. The mat can be simply unrolled at a desired level area to form a temporary cricket pitch to 6 allow an enjoyable game to be played. The mat can be rolled over soft ground such as beach sand, hard ground and even slightly undulating or rocky ground with the mat smoothing out minor undulations in the ground.

It should be appreciated that various other changes and modifications can be made to the embodiment described without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Claims (3)

1. A portable cricket pitch which comprises an elongate rectangular flexible base mat which can be rolled up when not in use, and which can be unrolled over the ground to provide a cricket pitch, the base mat having an upper surface which is substantially smooth, and a length sufficient to emulate a game of cricket, the base mat being formed of an outer larger rectangular mat portion and an inner smaller rectangular mat portion which is inlaid in the outer mat portion, the inner portion extending between wickets on the mat. 1o

2. The pitch of claim 1, wherein the inner smaller rectangular mat portion contains a mount to support wickets in a generally upright position.

3. The pitch of claim 1 or claim 2 substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings. DATED this 14th day of April 2000 Treacy Stuart TEITZEL By his Patent Attorneys CULLEN CO. U- oi