Doubles cricket is a variation of cricket that has a lot in common with Box cricket that is popular in Mumbai. All the rules of regular 50-over cricket apply unless explicitly called out here.
The playing area
Ground
The ground is any small playground. It can be mud, concrete, or turf. A typical ground would be a 5-a-side football ground.
Pitch
Playing pitch: The playing pitch will be a maximum of 8-yards.
Midpoint line: The pitch will have a line drawn at the midpoint.
Pitching box: A pitching box will be drawn around the playing pitch. The box must be at a distance greater than half the distance to the boundary.
Wide indicators (batting end): These are lines drawn on either side of the stumps at the batting end to indicate when a ball is bowled wide. These will both be at half-bat length, that is the length of the bat minus the handle.
Wide indicators (bowling end): These are lines drawn on either side of the stumps at the bowling end. The bowler must be between the line and the stump at the time of delivering the ball. These will both be full-bat length, that is the length of the bat including the handle.
Equipment
Batter
Must have
Regular cricket bat
Crotch guard
Other regular cricket equipment may be used, if required.
Bowler
Tennis ball
Team
Each team will have two players
Playing rules
Each game will have six (6) teams of two members each.
Batting order: Decided by drawing lots.
Umpiring order: Reverse of batting order.
On field players
One team (2 people) batting
One team (2 people) umpiring
Four teams (8 people) bowling/fielding
Each team faces four (4) regular cricket overs of six (6) legal deliveries.
Each over is bowled by a different team.
An over is split 50:50 legal deliveries between the two members.
When a member of a team is bowling, the other member will keep wickets.
Scoring
Batting
Scoring rules are primarily the same as in regular cricket, with the following exceptions:
When the batter hits the ball, the first bounce should land within the pitching box.
If the first bounce is outside the pitching box, the batter is considered to have lost their wicket.
If the ball hits a fielder who is standing inside the pitching box, it is considered a legal bounce.
However, if the ball hits the fielder and it caught before the next bounce, the batter is considered to. have lost their wicket.
When a member of the batting teams loses their wicket, the team scores a -5.
Bowling
The bowling is done underarm.
At the time of delivering the ball,
The bowler should have one foot behind the line of the stumps and one behind the popping crease. Else, illegal delivery.
The bowler's leg should be straight. No bent knees. Else, illegal delivery.
The bowler's arm should be straight. No bent elbow. Else, illegal delivery.
After the ball leaves the bowler's hand, the first bounce should be after the midpoint line. Else, illegal delivery.
At the time of passing the batter, the ball should be within wide indicators (batting end). Else, wide delivery.
Illegal delivery: All rules that pertain to a no ball in regular 50-over cricket apply, except:
The batsman can score a direct boundary which will fetch six (6) runs.
Wide delivery. All rules that pertain to a wide ball in regular 50-over cricket apply.
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