Archive:Crickit
| First played | 1700s, older predecessors |
|---|---|
| Characteristics | |
| Contact | Yes |
| Team members | 6 per side |
| Mixed gender | No |
| Type | Ball sport, Indoor and Outdoor |
| Equipment | Personal protection equipment (optional), ball |
| Presence | |
| Country or region | Southern Fals Empire |
Crickit (Thaaft: kriggit, literally "slap-with-tail-ery") is a ball sport traditionally played by the As people in the far south of the Fals Empire since around early 18th century, initially only involving the use of the tail, and a hard, solid ball with the shape of a slightly flattened sphere, played on a large grassy field (usually around 100x100m). Since the 1950's a version of the game with the additional use of a short single-handed bat has become semi-popular as well.
In traditional crickit, which remains the most popular form, two teams vie each other for the highest score. The teams are made up of two guards each holding an end of a stick roughly 1,5m long, the length of which serves as the scoring area; and four attackers, who attempt to launch the puck with their tail into a man-height area over or under opposing team's guards' stick, which will score them a point. The guards in their turn attempt to maneuver in ways to prevent this from happening, with assistance from their own attackers who will try to simultaneously block the puck and steal it with the aim of moving it toward the opposite team's goalstick.
Games usually last 50 minutes or cap out and end at 20 points for whichever team achieves that score first. Kicking or grabbing the puck results in an infraction – players are only allowed to move it around and launch it with the tail or by deflecting it with their torso, upper legs and arms, or their tail.
Opponents are allowed to taunt and curse at each other, and it is expected that such provocations are disregarded. A resulting altercation is therefore considered the fault of the person provoked. Opponents may come into direct contact intentionally, provided it is not using excessive force or any part of the body being accelerated. Illegalities include things such as slapping, beating, scratching, kicking, tail-whacking, chest-bumping, running into someone to knock them over, or boxing an opponent in with more than two players (generally).