-
A
= Calculating
the the length of the
bat: Find
that lumpy bit of bone
at the top of your
leg. The length of
the bat should be from
the ground to about
there.
-
B
= Calculating
the length of the handle: Hold
your hand as in the
picture above and measure
the distance between
the bottom of your
little finger and the
top of your pointing
finger 1.
Your handle should
be about two and a
half times this distance.
C
= Calculating
the width of the handle: Hold
your hand as the picture
above. Measure the
distance from inside
your thumb to the first
foldy bit on your pointing
finger 2.
This is the width of
your handle.
D
=Calculating
the width of the bat:
The width
of your bat will be
about two and a half
to three times the
width of your handle.
-
E
= Rounded
Shoulder: Round
off the shoulder of
the bat, where the
handle meets the body,
to add some strength
to your bat, and the
bottom of the bat so
that you don't bang
off the corners.
Note:
These are suggested measurements
only. As your design should
be comfortable for you
some adjustments may be
required.
Making
your bat
- The
bat can be made from
old cardboard cartons
or, if you have the
resources, from something
like 10 mm (3/8" plywood). Draw
out your full size
design, using the measurements
above, on a sheet of
brown paper or newsprint.If
using old cardboard
cartons build up layers
of board to about 2
mm thick using the
method shown on our Ping
Pong Paddle page.
If using plywood mark
out your design and
cut out.If using old
cartons it might be
a good idea to glue
a strip of wood down
the back of the bat
from the top of the
handle to the bottom
of the bat to add some
strength.Tidy up the
basic bat and wind
electrical tape or
a non slippery packaging
tape around the handle
until it feels really
comfortable.
- To
protect your bat from
moisture you may wish
to paint it. Then add
stickers to suit.
Making
a Scrunch Cricket ball
-
You
will need access
to pink food colouring
and an old newspaper
(Please make sure
that everyone has
read it).
The newspaper should
not be the shiny kind
or have too much colour.
-
Make
at least six Scrunch
Cricket balls so
you have a few spares
for the dog (or in
case you lose or
break some).
-
Take
a full double page
of newspaper.
-
Put
on some rubber gloves
and an apron in case
you get yummy colours
all over you.
-
In
a glass bowl or old
plastic bowl put
one big mug full
of cold water.
-
Put
two capfuls of colour
in and mix it all
up. You can add more
colour if you wish
but we are trying
to save money.
-
Take
six or more of the
pages and, one by
one, get them very
wet in the bowl.
-
When
each is very wet
scrunch it up into
a ball kind of thing
and put it aside
to dry where it won't
be in the way or
stain anything.
You
can air dry them or have
an adult dry them slowly
in the oven. When fully
dry they will be sort of
hard and bounce on the
floor with a delicious
thunk.
Making
the wickets
You
will need two sets of wickets
and these should be about
90 cm (about a yard) high
for adults or less depending
on the size of the players.
Their full width should
be around 15 cm or 6".
For those not familiar with
cricket the wickets normally
consist of three round stick
looking things that are banged
into the ground with two
little dowel kind of things
balanced on top (the bails).
When the bails are knocked
off the batsman is out. In
the origins of the game these
represented the fort that
was being protected, by the
batsman, from the siege,
the fielding side.
You can use six, three for
each end, lengths of 25 mm,
about 1", dowel or make a
similar structure from cardboard
or old tree stumps if you
must. |
