Crocker (sometimes spelled Croccer) is a team sport played between two large teams, with origins in cricket and baseball. It is a casual sport not played formally, but is often found on British summer camps.
Rules
Teams
Crocker is played between two teams of undefined size, typically between 10 and 50 per side. Teams are not necessarily exactly even, though they are usually of similar size. A lack of skill on one side may be compensated by a numerical advantage.
The Field and Players
Crocker fields vary in size and often take advantage of whatever space is available. A generally agreed setup involves a semicircular bowling and batting area marked out with cones. The batsman stands in the middle of the flat edge of the semicircle, while the bowler stands opposite on the curved edge. A wicket is set up behind the batsman, as in cricket, usually made of four cricket stumps to create a wider target, or alternatively a chair may be used as the wicket.
Fielding Team: Behind the stumps stands a wicket-keeper (sometimes two). At either corner of the semicircle are two more stumps between which the batsmen may run. The rest of the fielding team stands in front of the batsman and outside the semicircle. Typically only six players are allowed on the edge of the semicircle at any time.
Batting Team: Apart from the batsman, batting players are not allowed on the field. They line up several metres behind the batsman. Some variations include a "disrupting rule," whereby five members of the batting team may enter the field to disrupt fielders, subject to restrictions: they must not touch the ball with their hands (unless inside the semicircle), there must be no physical contact with fielders, and they may not interfere with the ball when it is returning to the bowler.
Equipment
Equipment is often improvised. The ball is typically football-sized, though a softer ball (e.g., a volleyball) may be used to prevent injury. The bat is usually a baseball bat or rounders bat, though cricket bats are also used.
Play
The bowler bowls the ball, attempting to hit the stumps. Unlike cricket, the bowler can bowl continuously as soon as the ball is received, regardless of whether the batsman is in position. The ball must bounce in front of the batsman before being hit. If the ball does not bounce (a "full toss"), the batsman cannot be out. The bowler and the six fielders on the edge of the semicircle are rotated at regular intervals (every 10 to 30 balls bowled).
Methods of Dismissal
- Bowled: The bail is knocked off the stumps, either by the ball or by the batsman.
- Caught: The ball is hit and caught by a fielder without touching the ground.
- Leg Before Wicket (LBW): The batsman is given half-out for LBW twice.
As soon as a batsman is out, the bowler may immediately bowl to the next batsman, even if the next batsman is not ready.
Winning the Game
Crocker is won by the team with more runs at the end of the match.
Special Rules
Common special rules include:
- A batsman may not be out on their first time attending the camp or event.
- A batsman may not be out to a ball bowled too fast.
- A batsman may bat on behalf of a spouse who is not available.
- If the batsman hits the ball behind the wickets, only one run may be obtained.
Tactics
Tactics are limited but include fielders dispersing to avoid clustering, batsmen tapping the ball to exploit fielders having to run into the semicircle, and hitting the ball into the ground to prevent catches.
References
The game is referenced in sources such as Games with Bats or Sticks, The Games Compendium - Other Games, and Ball and Catch Games.
