Patent Application
20080116634
The present invention relates to a board game based on the sport of cricket.
Cricket has a strong following of players and supporters who have become familiar with the rules of play. Since cricket is a seasonal game, there is potential amongst its supporters for a board game that can be played indoors by way of relaxation and yet act as a reminder of days on the field.
Various attempts have been made to develop games that emulate cricket. Typically the board is designed as a representation of the cricket field. See for example GB 600539 (EDWARD GEORGE BRAY) 12 Apr. 1948 and WO 02/094398 A (CARYL PIENAAR) 28 Nov. 2002. This leads to a need for a complex set of rules which are quite different from those used in the normal game.
In Bray and also in WO 2005/110560 A (VYAS, BHAVIK MANHARIAL) 24 Nov. 2005 pieces, representing players move step-by-step over the squares of a board. In Vyas the position of the player's piece on the board determines various events that may occur during a game. However, Vyas requires a die with 10 faces to act as a ball in the game. This ball has faces which determine the number of runs (from 0-6) or whether the ball is a no ball or wide. Movement over the board is dictated by the accumulated runs of the player.
The present invention provides game apparatus for first and second players comprising a board having an array of squares defining a path of travel for a playing piece, a plurality of playing pieces representing team members belonging to each player, a random number generator, a set of cards having questions relating to the game of cricket, and a score keeping means, wherein some of the board squares carry numbers representing a number of runs scored by a team member whose piece lands on the square and some of the squares represent events in the game, the score of each team member being determined by the accumulated runs on the squares on which his piece lands during its travel across the board as determined by the number generator, which is operated six valid times in succession for each player in turn.
in order that the invention may be well understood, an embodiment thereof, will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which:
The game is played on a board 2 as shown in
The game is played between two players who each have a team or side, preferably made up of eleven members as in the conventional game of cricket. Each member of the team is represented by a playing piece. The game is designed to emulate as closely as possible a limited overs cricket game between two sides. The throw of the die emulates the bowling of a ball in an over of cricket. Therefore, the die is rolled for each player six valid times in succession to represent an over in the game.
The board has sixty four squares arranged in an eight by eight array to define a conventional zigzag path for a playing piece which starts at the bottom left hand corner square 12 and moves along each row in turn. The number of squares moved during each ‘move’ is determined by the throw of the die. Therefore, a move can be described as a ball in the over. Some of the squares are left blank and a playing piece that lands on such a square will score no run for that ball. Other squares are marked with events that can occur in the game of cricket.
In the board illustrated, the squares which represent runs are as follows
There are an additional twelve squares which have no numbers and no event and these represent a maiden ball where no run is scored.
Some of the events represent a team member, batsman, losing his wicket
When a player's piece lands on such a square, the other player selects a card from the deck 8 and asks the question printed on it of the first player. If the first player answers it correctly, then his team member is not out and the over continues. If the first player answers incorrectly or cannot answer, then his team member is out and he must continue the over with his next team member (if he has one) who starts at the starting square 12.
The board also has four squares which represent the event ‘no ball’. When a player's piece lands on such a square, the score of the team member is increased by one “extra” as in the conventional game of cricket and another ball is bowled in the over. Therefore, in playing this game, the rules of cricket are reinforced rather than the players learning a different set.
A batsman receiving a ball which the wicket keeper does not collect cleanly resulting in byes is represented by squares with the word “Byes” and a number which is the number of byes scored off that ball. The board has squares which represent a batsman receiving a ball resulting in byes as follows:
This combination of events in a cricket match represented in a graphical manner is what makes this board unique. When taken with how the game is played, the board can be considered a cricket pitch with a fielding team and a batting team. Each event depicted is a direct result of a bowler bowling a ball to a batsman and the batsman taking some action with the approaching ball which results in the event:—runs scored, batsman loses his wicket, a maiden ball, byes or no balls.
The scoring device 10 can be a standard cricket score pad or a mechanical device which facilitates the addition of the runs. The game can be used to help scorers develop their skills. The scoring device can include compartments for playing pieces representing the members of each team that waiting to go in and those which are “but”.
Before the game the players decide on
At the start of the game, the players roll the die to decide whose team shall bat first. The player with the highest number will bat first. He is the batting player and his team at the batting team. The other team is the fielding team and the other player is the fielding player. The batting player places his first team member at the starting square and the die is thrown. The other player may act as bowler while the first player moves his piece
Six valid throws of the dice constitute an over. The number of throws of the die will be equal to the number of overs times 6. i.e. six overs will require thirty six legal throws of the dice to complete a game. Each throw of the dice simulates a ball bowled.
Each new batsman starts at the starting position and moves around the board. After each throw of the die, the batting player notes the number on the upper face of the die and then moves his playing piece that number of squares along the predefined path on the board. The batting player notes the value of the square on which his piece lands.
At the end of the over (six valid throws of the die), the roles are reversed, the batting player become the fielding player and the fielding team becomes the batting team. The new batting team throws the die and play commences as before.
A batsman continues to bat until he is out, if he reaches the last square on the board, the batsman simply continue from the start position.
The game is over when all the overs are bowled in which case the team with the highest score wins; or a team is bowled out, in which case that team loses.
It will be appreciated that numerous variations are possible within the general principles described. For example, the die may become any random number generator, such as a multi-sided spinning top.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK 0622910.8 | Nov 2006 | GB | national |
