Cricket

Contributed by Adam Lambert

This is a solo cricket game simulating a Test Match. The concept could also be adapted to play One Day Cricket. This game is somewhat simpler than traditional two-player card cricket.

Required: One standard pack of 52 cards plus 2 jokers - 54 cards in all - plus pencil and paper for scoring.

Shuffle the pack. Start by turning over the top card and add runs to the batsman's score according to the card drawn and continue turning over the top card, accumulating the batsman's score until a wicket card is drawn.

Scoring Cards:

Card numbers 1-10 of all suits are scoring cards. Picture cards are 'extras' (Jack = Leg bye, Queen = Wide, King = No Ball)

Wicket taking cards:

Jokers are wicket taking cards; they can get out any batsman. Diamonds can also remove batsmen, depending on the batsman's position in the batting order.

A diamond becomes a wicket taking card if the number on the card is less than or equal to the batsman's position number. Otherwise it remains a scoring card.

E.g. Batsman One would be out if either a joker was drawn, or Ace of diamonds, but a Two of diamonds would score 2 runs.

Batsman Two would be out if either a joker, Ace of diamonds or two of diamonds was drawn ... and so on.

Batman Ten would be out if either a joker, or any diamond of value ten or less was drawn ...

When the pack runs out, that is the end of the day's play. Shuffle the used card pile and continue until all batsmen are out or until five days have been completed.

Examples of scoring sequences:

Batsman One:

6, 5, 4, 10, JOKER = 25 RUNS - Joker is the wicket taking ball, in this case 10 counts as runs, as it is higher number than batsman's position number. (Batsman One can only be removed by Ace of diamonds or joker)

Batsman Two:

9, 9, 8, 3, 4, A, 2 = 34 RUNS - 2 is the wicket taking ball as it is the same value as batsman's position, 3D & 4D count as runs

Batsman Seven:

QH (1 extra), 2, 9, 4, 8, 5 = 23 RUNS - 5 is the wicket taking ball as it has lower value than batman's position. (Batsman seven can be removed by any one of the following cards: A, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, Joker)