There’s no doubt cricket is an exciting, fun game to play. It involves adrenaline-inducing ball speeds, plenty of sprinting around the field, and plenty of chances to help your team gain runs on the scoreboard.

However, as with most sports, it’s essential to know how to play the game properly and safely to avoid personal injuries and keep your teammates safe in the process.

Here are four ways to ensure you stay safe during your next cricket game.

Ensure good preparation

Before you hit the field, make sure you’ve trained properly and are warmed up. Both of these activities will help you prevent injuries, and will ensure you’re using techniques that will help limit stress or strain on your muscles in both the game and in the long run. Make sure you also drink plenty of water, and that you’ve eaten enough to sustain yourself and provide energy throughout the game.

Learn some cricket stretches for warming up.

Alter rules for kids or beginners

If you’re playing with children or people who are relatively new to the sport, make suitable adjustments to the rules of the game so they are at less risk of injury (or so the game is a little shorter and more manageable for their ability level). This could include switching out batters more frequently so everyone can have a turn, allowing every player to have a turn bowling, and spacing fielders further away from the batter to encourage safety.

Learn and maintain good technique

By learning the best techniques for the game before you hit the field, you’ll have training in the safest way to complete different cricket skills. For instance, if you learn and maintain good techniques for batting, you’ll be able to limit the risk of injury or strain to your lower back. The same goes for bowling – by consistently practicing good, safe bowling techniques, you’ll be able to protect your shoulders and chest from strain or potential injury.

Discover easy-to-learn cricket techniques.

Always wear the correct equipment

Wearing the correct equipment is the best way to stay safe and prevent potential injury out on the field. This equipment includes:

• A helmet with a faceguard (when keeping wicket, fielding in close, or batting). Adjust your face guard to match the size of the ball – the ball shouldn’t be able to pass between the helmet peak and the face guard.
• Body padding, leg pads, forearm pads, a box, and gloves (when battling).
• Comfortable fitting cricket shoes that provide adequate support.

If you’re unsure about the equipment you’ll need for your next cricket game, consult a professional by stopping in at a local cricket shop.

Play this game best (and safely) with equipment from Meulemans Cricket Centre

Meulemans Cricket Centre have you covered with all the products you’ll need to level up your cricket skills, and stay as safe as possible when out on the field. Browse the full cricket range online, or head to their South Perth Store or Joondalup Megastore for further assistance, or to view products in-store.

It’s no secret cricket is one of the most popular sports in Australia.

Filled with good sportsmanship, incredible physical ability and a range of specialised skills, cricket is clearly an entertaining game for the general public to watch and play in their spare time.

To further prove this, here are five key reasons why cricket is the best sport.

With cricket, you can hit in any direction

Whereas spots like tennis and baseball require players to hit straight with a level of precision and control, cricket allows its batters to hit in any direction. This means you won’t be restrained to a specific way of hitting the ball, and you’ll be given the freedom to act more instinctively when in the batting position.

There’s a version of cricket to suit everyone’s ability and patience level

Older cricket purists can enjoy longer test matches, where as younger cricket fans who don’t dedicate as much time to the game can enjoy watching shorter scratch matches or one-off games.

On the flip side, if you’d rather play cricket, there are amateur options like the popular Aussie tradition of backyard cricket. This game can be altered to suit any skill level and can take as long or as little as the player's desire.

Cricket can be played using any ball

Whether you play with an official, seamed cricket ball or a rolled up piece of paper, cricket is versatile enough to be played with any sort of ball. This means you can get a little creative – a tennis ball, a rolled up napkin, or even a rubber ball are acceptable balls to hit in a game of backyard or social cricket.

This rule doesn’t apply to games like basketball, football or volleyball, as you’ll require a specified ball for each of these sports.

People of all ages and sizes can play cricket

Particularly with amateur varieties like social or backyard cricket, the game doesn’t discriminate against ages, shapes or sizes. People can play cricket well into their 60’s, and as long as you’re willing to give it a go, anybody can play a game. If you don’t have specialised bowling or batting skills, there will always be a place for you out on the field.

Cricket thrives off of good sportsmanship

Though the game relies a lot on individual skills and abilities, the sportsmanship of cricket teams is incredibly commendable. No matter if they’re winning or commiserating, cricket players are known to band together as a team and exhibit good sportsmanship to everyone on the field – including the opposing team.

Play this great game with equipment from Meulemans Cricket Centre

Meulemans Cricket Centre have you covered with all the cricket products you’ll need to level up and master your cricket skills – whether on a professional pitch or simply in the backyard. Browse our full range of cricket gear online, or head to South Perth Store or Joondalup Megastore for further assistance, or to view products in-store.