Indoor stoolball

1. Teams

1. 1.1 Teams shall be composed of eight players.
2. 1.2 A match shall be of one innings per team, for a maximum of eight overs.
3. 1.3 The fielding team may rotate the fielding positions so that players have an opportunity to play in all positions.

2. Scorers

The scorer shall keep a count of the number of runs scored by each batter so that they retire at the right time.

3. Equipment and the field of play

1. 3.1 Bowling is always to one wicket (see guideline 6.1) and this means that the striking batter's wicket shall be placed as near to one wall as possible, leaving just enough room for a wicket-keeper to stand comfortably.
2. 3.2 Wickets shall be weighted (for example, using small sandbags) to prevent them from falling over and causing injuries.
3. 3.3 The bowling crease shall be marked using strips of sticky tape.
4. 3.4 The ball shall be a coloured plastic stoolball or any ball suitable for the surroundings, such as an Incrediball (a padded rounders ball) or a tennis ball.

Guidance for umpires on guideline 3

Ordinary wickets and measurements are used. The distance between the wickets looks rather long when indoors but it is important to keep to the correct measurements.

4. Method of scoring

1. 4.1 When the ball is hit by the batter:
   1. 4.1.1 If the ball hits any wall, including the back wall behind the wicket-keeper, two runs plus the number of runs completed by the batters shall be scored.
   2. 4.1.2 If the ball does not hit a wall, the number of runs completed shall be scored.
2. 4.2 When the ball is not hit by the batter:
   1. 4.2.1 Two are scored if the ball hits the back wall behind the wicket-keeper.
   2. 4.2.2 If the batters run then the number of runs completed shall be added to the score.
3. 4.3 An overthrow hitting any wall scores two runs plus the number of runs completed.

5. Batter's innings

1. 5.1 At the end of each over the batters shall change ends.
2. 5.2 Any batter who scores 25 runs (or an appropriate score to be agreed before the start of the match) shall retire but may return at the end of the innings if all other batters are “out” and they may continue batting with the last batter until the end of the allotted number of overs.
3. 5.3 If seven members of a team are “out” before the completion of the team's allotted number of overs and no batters have retired, the last batter shall bat on with the penultimate batter remaining as a runner only.

6. Bowling and the over

1. 6.1 Bowlers bowl to the same wicket all the time.
2. 6.2 No player shall bowl more than one over.

7. Dead ball

If a ball is trapped (for example, in netting or wall bars), two runs shall be scored and the umpire shall call and signal “dead ball” to prevent more runs being scored.

8. The batter is out

1. 8.1 The batter shall be out “caught” if, having hit the ball, it is caught by a fielder after it has hit a wall or ceiling, provided the ball has not touched the ground.
2. 8.2 The last batter shall be given “run-out” if the penultimate batter, playing as a runner, is “run-out”.