GB2114899A - Board game simulating cricket and the like - Google Patents

Abstract

The apparatus includes a board (1) having a central area (2) carrying representations of ball delivery and striking areas (4, 5) and squares with lettering indicating e.g. methods of taking wickets or scoring "extras" in the game of cricket and an outfield area (3) covered with regions such as squares incorporating numerals indicating scores or lettering indicating e.g. further methods of taking wickets. In playing the game a "bowler" propels a counter from a bowling area (5) aiming to land that counter on the opposite wicket (4) or a wicket-taking square thereat. If he is unsuccessful the "batsman" propels the counter into the outfield area aiming to land it on a scoring square and to avoid a wicket-taking square. Instructions on a square only apply if a major portion of the counter lands on the square. The game may be adapted to simulate baseball or rounders. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements relating to board games It is the object of this invention to provide a board for a game which will illustrate one of the batting sports such as cricket, baseball or rounders. In the playing of these sports a ball is propelled by a bowler or pitcher and a player on the other side attempts to strike the ball and place it in a region of the field away from fielders who will be distributed throughout the field, thus providing the striker with time within which he may run to other positions and thus achie.ve a score.

According to the present invention there is provided a board for a game representing cricket, baseball, rounders or some other batting sport, the board having a central area illustrating ball delivery and striking areas over which a counter is to be propelled by players representing the delivery and striking sides respectively, and surrounding regions carrying, within independently defined areas, designations of scoring and penalty strokes, into which regions the striking player will aim to propel the counter.

In the playing of a game using such a board it is envisaged that the counter will be propelled by the players by the use of an additional counter which will be employed to flick the playing counter over to other areas of the board. However it will be appreciated that other means of propelling the counter may be employed and indeed the counter need not necessarily be a flat disc or the like but could be a solid body (e.g. of cubic or even round shape) which may be propelled by some means requiring skill on the part of the player.

Ideally the central area will include portions designating penalties to be applied to the striker.

The type of designations applied generally to the board will of course depend on the game being represented. For example, if the board is meant to represent the game of cricket then the central area could include the designation of two wickets whilst the surrounding regions will carry designations indicating numerical scores and methods of taking wickets. If the game board is meant to represent the game of baseball or rounders, then the board could carry, amongst others, designations illustrating bases. The independently defined areas appearing on the board could, for example, be in the form of squares, circles or diamonds.

Preferably the central area will lie substantially along one of the central axes of the board but it could be placed diagonally on the board. In the latter case, the independently defined areas will preferably be diamond shaped.

The game board may also include movable pieces representing fielders for distribution over the board, the landing of the counter on which will indicate a dismissal of the striker. As part of the total equipment for playing the game, the game board may also include a counter whose size is comparable with the size of the independently defined areas. In this case it is intended that designations appearing on the board will only apply if at least half of the counter covers the defined area of one of those designations.

The invention may be performed in various ways and preferred embodiments thereof will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a general illustration of some features of a game board constructed in accordance with this invention; and Figure 2 illustrates detailed features of some areas of a game board of this invention.

The board 1 shown in either Figure 1 or Figure 2 will incorporate a central area 2 and surrounding region 3 which will be covered by squares carrying the types of designations illustrated in Figure 2. For ease of representation the squares, and some other features, have been omitted from Figure 1 and have only partly been shown in Figure 2. The central area 2 incorporates illustrations of two wickets 4 between which is the playing pitch. As can be seen from Figure 2, the playing area carries lettering such as B for "bowled", LBW (on one of the squares) for "leg before wicket", and a square labelled ST for "stumped". There are also squares carrying the lettering LB for "leg bye" and NB for "no ball".

In the playing of the game, the bowler will place a counter on the large area 5 carrying the letters B and the representation of one of the wickets and will then use another counter to flick the main counter towards the other end of the playing area 2 in an attempt to land that counter over the representation of the other wicket 4 or on the ST or LBW squares. If the counter lies over part of the other wicket 4 or at least half of the counter overlies one or other of the ST or LBW squares then the opposing batsman is adjudged to be out.

Otherwise the opposing player of the game has an opportunity to propel the counter 6 (as shown in Figure 1) to a region of the general outfield 3 with a view to landing that counter on one of the squares carrying a numerical representation of a score. If he is successful in causing the counter to land so that at least half of the counter overlies one of the scoring squares then he achieves that score. However the general outfield will also carry designations for types of dismissals and if at least half of the counter should overlie one of these squares then the batsman will be out. Such dismissal squares may carry any of the following designations: C for "caught" CW for "caught at the wicket" RO for "run out".

Some squares will carry other letters which indicate scores for the batting side as follows:- BY for "bye" Wfor"wide".

As an alternative feature, the player for the bowling side could be provided with cards carrying the letter F, each of the same size as the squares covering the outfield and is allowed to place these cards anywhere over the outfield to represent fielders. If a counter, after it is played by a batsman, lands so that at least half of the counter overlies a card carrying the letter F then that batsman is adjudged to be caught out by that fielder. The disposition of such fielders is illustrated by way of example in Figure 1.

Preferably, however, the board will be as shown in Figure 2, with fixed positions for fielders represented by the squares carrying the letters C, RO or CW. These particular squares could also carry numerals indicating the position in the batting order on a scorecard for the members of the fielding side.

Counters 6 are also shown in Figure 2. Thus, in Figure 2, it will be seen that a major portion of a counter 6A overlies a square carrying the number 2 and thus the batsman has scored two runs.

However a counter 6B is shown landing on the outfield with a major portion covering the square labelled C and thus that batsman will be out "caught". In a large number of cases the counter will land in such a way that it covers portions of several squares but in no case does more than half of the counter overlie one of the squares and no dismissal is achieved by the bowling side. In this instance no score is achieved by the batsman.

By playing the game in the manner described above, it is possibie to simulate a complete game of cricket, applying the official rules of cricket; thus for example, balls will be "bowled" from each end alternately in groups of six indicating separate "overs". It will be appreciated that the batsman can only be dismissed directly by the bowler if the counter propelled by the bowler lands on a portion of the opposing wicket 4 or on the squares ST or LBW. The batsman can get himself out by propelling the counter to the squares C, CW, ST, RO (or onto a square covered by a card carrying the letter F, in the alternative version shown in Figure 1). Additionally if he should move the counter so that it lands on a portion of his own wicket 4 then he will be out "hit wicket".

It will be appreciated that the board could be modified so as to represent the game of baseball or rounders. In this case the central area will illustrate pitching and striking regions, and, for example, the normal bases could be distributed around the outfield. The striker would aim to propel his counter so as to land initially on first base, and if he was successful immediately, he would then be allowed to try for second base.

Areas of the outfield could carry instructions of various types, for example allowing the striker another attempt to reach the base he is aiming for or penalties instructing him to return to the previous base and stay there. There would also be areas indicating that he is caught out and again there could be movable cards for the fielders who would be placed by the player controlling the pitching side.

Claims (9)

1. A board for a game representing cricket, baseball, rounders or some other batting sport, the board having a central area illustrating ball delivery and striking areas over which a counter is to be propelled by players representing the delivery and striking sides respectively, and surrounding regions carrying within independently defined areas, designations of scoring and penalty strokes, into which regions the striking player will aim to propel the counter.

2. A game board according to claim 1, wherein the central area includes portions designating penalties to be applied to the striker.

3. A game board according to claim 1 or claim 2, including movable pieces representing fielders for distribution over the board, the landing of the counter on which will indicate a dismissal of the.striker.

4. A game board according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the central area lies substantially along one of the central axes of the board or diagonally of the board.

5. A game board according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the independently defined areas are in the form of squares, circles or diamonds.

6. A game board according to any one of claims 1 to 5, for representing the game of cricket wherein the central area includes the illustration of two wickets and the board carries designations indicating numerical scores and methods of taking wickets.

7. A game board according to any one of claims 1 to 5 for representing the game of baseball or rounders wherein the board carries designations illustrating bases.

8. A game board according to any one of claims 1 to 7, including a counter whose size is comparable with the size of the independently defined areas.

9. A game board substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.