Cosmic Celebrity Cricket

1. Introduction

The players are aliens living on the Planet Flungo, in the far distant future. TV and radio transmissions from Earth have at last reached Flungo, and are popular amongst the inhabitants. Their favourite programme is "Test Match Special" and whilst they are waiting the 32,478 million years it will take Mrs. Snodgebucket from Chipping Sodbury to receive their request for one of her Dundee cakes, they are passing the time by running limited overs competitions.

As the Flungonians consist entirely of protoplasmic gunge, they cannot actually play cricket themselves, so they construct living replicas of beings they see on Earth TV, and take great pleasure in coming up with the most bizarre teams.

The postal game is for 4 players and takes 9 rounds. The first round consists of each participant selecting his 18 players. These may be real, imaginary, live, dead, human, animal or whatever. The only restriction is that they must have appeared on TV or radio. In turn 1, the teams are published in the zine, and any duplicates sorted out. The draw and tosses are made, so that each player knows who he is playing and on what pitch for the start of turn 2.

Turns 2-5 are the two semi-finals played concurrently, followed by the final and 3rd/4th play-off concurrently played in turns 6-9. Matches are 40 overs a side. Each innings consists of 2 turns - the first 30 overs then the last 10.

This game has been based on "Dice Cricket" by Bill Samuel (circa. 1986), which is quite realistic and designed for two players rolling dice. The postal version sacrifices some realism in order to make it a bit simpler and quicker to play by mail.

2. Squad

At the start of the game, each player is issued with a squad of 18 players which he must name.

Each squad consists of the following:

Star Batsmen: 2 (Batting 20+d6, Bowling 2d6, Fielding d6)

Batsmen: 4 (Batting 18+d6, Bowling 2d6, Fielding d6)

Wicketkeepers: 2 (Batting 16+d6, Bowling 0, Fielding 2+d4)

Star All-rounders: 1 (Batting 18+d6, Bowling 18+d6, Fielding 2+d4)

Batting All-rounders: 2 (Batting 16+d6, Bowling 12+d6, Fielding d6)

Bowling All-rounders: 2 (Batting 12+d6, Bowling 16+d6, Fielding d6)

Star Bowlers: 2 (Batting 2d6, Bowling 20+d6, Fielding d6)

Bowlers: 3 (Batting 2d6, Bowling 18+d6, Fielding d6)

3. Bowling Adjustments

Each bowler is assigned a random style of "spin"," medium pace", or "fast". This is important because of the pitch and the weather. The pitch conditions are known before the team is picked, but not the weather.

Pitch (D6):

1 = Perfect batting strip - all bowlers at -2

2 = Nice pitch for batting - all bowlers at -1

3,4 = Average

5 = Cracked - spin bowlers at +2

6 = Uneven bouncer - fast bowlers at +2, medium bowlers at +1

Note that no pitch is used more than once in the competition.

Weather (D6):

1,2,3,4 = Normal

5 = Overcast - medium bowlers at +2, fast bowlers at +1

6 = Hot and dry - spin bowlers at +1

Note that it never rains or becomes too dark to play (the Flungonians can control the weather).

4. Fielding

Fielding scores are used in the event of a run out chance, or a difficult catch.

5. Start of Game

At the start of turn 2, each player must choose his 11 to play the match. The team must contain at least one wicketkeeper. The toss will have been made in turn 1, so each player will know if he has to supply batting or bowling orders initially.

6. Batting Orders

On the first turn of each match, the batting order must be supplied. This cannot be changed. Each batsman must be assigned a batting style, as follows:

Defensive - this reduces the chances of being out, but less runs are scored

Normal - sensible batting

Aggressive - this is quite risky but ups the run rate

Wahoo - caution to the wind!

If not specified, the default is "normal". See GM's section for more details.

Free-format conditional orders can be supplied, e.g. "After 20 overs, if I have lost 3 wickets or less all batsmen will be "aggressive", but will reduce to "normal" when the 6th wicket is lost."

At over 31, you get a chance to amend your orders.

7. Bowling Orders

The bowling player must decide who is going to bowl which overs. No bowler may bowl more than 8 overs or 2 overs in succession.

8. GM's Section

8.1 Ball by Ball

For each ball, roll 2D6 of different colours, assigning them as dice 1 and dice 2.

Table 1

* roll D6 - 1,2,3 = 1 run; 4,5 = 2 runs, 6 = 4 runs

All other combinations represent a "dot ball".

8.2. Batting Style Modifiers:

Defensive - dice 2 becomes a D8, and if it comes up 7 or 8 a dot ball results.

Normal - both dice are D6 as in table 1,

Aggressive - dice 2 becomes a D8, and if comes up 7 or 8 matches dice 1 (e.g. 5,7 = howzat!)

Wahoo - as aggressive, but a D10 is used for dice 2.

8.3. Howzat!

First the method of possible dismissal is determined.

Table 2 - How Out (D10)

1, 2 = caught by wicket keeper

3, 4, 5 = caught by other fielder

6, 7 = bowled

8 = lbw

9 = run out

10 = other D6 - 1,2 = run out, 3,4 = stumped, 5 = hit wicket, 6 = hurt

8.3.3. Run Out

In the event of a run out, roll a D10 to see which player is attempting the throw (skipping the wicket-keeper who is assumed to be manning the stumps). Roll a D6, subtracting 1 if the batsman is in "aggressive" mode, and 2 if in "wahoo". If this number is less than or equal to the fielder's fielding skill - the batsman is out.

8.3.4. Hurt

If "hurt" is indicated, the batsman has been injured and is out for the rest of the game (unlimited substitute fielders are available).

8.3.5. Skill Check

For all other results, a check must be made that the chance has actually occurred - i.e. at this point a 6 or 7 implies a ball has been bowled which may or may not hit the stumps depending on the relative skills of the batsman and bowler.

This check is done by calculating the following

H = 10 + bowler's skill rating - batsman's skill rating

n.b. don't forget the pitch and weather modifiers.

Next roll a D20, if this is greater than H, no chance has occurred, otherwise proceed as follows (note that 1 is always a chance, and 20 is always in).

8.3.6 Catching Chance

First roll a D6: 1-4 = easy catch (OUT!), 5-6 = hard catch

Next, if it's not the wicket keeper, roll a D10 to determine the catcher. Easy catches are always made, for a hard catch, roll a D6 which must be less than or equal to the fielder's fielding skill, otherwise the catch has been dropped

8.3.7. Bowled, Stumped, Hit Wicket Chance

Always out.

8.3.8. Lbw Chance

The batsman is out unless a 1 is rolled on a D6 indicating the umpire has given the batsman the "benefit of the doubt" .

By Richard Smith 1998