Danish longball

Danish Longball (sometimes called Swedish longball) is a bat-and-ball game founded in Denmark. It is popular in British secondary schools, and is played recreationally by scouts and by the British Navy and Australian Navy. It is also a popular sport at U.S. summer camps.

Play

To English-speakers Danish Longball may be described as a hybrid of baseball and cricket, in which each team takes turns batting and fielding. In British secondary schools in particular, an element of dodgeball is incorporated, with a player being "out" if he is hit with the ball (outside of the safety zone) below the head whilst aiming to get a run.

Field of play

The batting field has two parts: Inside and outside a square (or circle). Fielders can position themselves inside or outside of the square.The fielder who fields the ball cannot move with it rather they must pass it to another fielder in a better position to hit the runner.

Equipment

• ball, usually a tennis ball
• bat
• optional safety pads

Rules

The bowler pitches (either as in Baseball, Cricket or general underarm) the ball to the batter, who must use his bat to hit the ball. The ball must be hit within the field of play - the square - but is permitted the bounce or roll out. The batter must then run to the other side of the square to a "safe zone". The runner may rest in safety, but to earn a "run" he must make it safely back to the original side of the square without getting out. Each side bats its entire line-up. Five rounds of play are recommended.

When played in Britain it is usually an alternative to Cricket, so timed innings may be used along with a set of stumps (though usually not a cricket ball, as the risk of injury is significantly raised rather than a tennis ball).

A player is out if his hit is caught by the fielding team, if he hits the ball outside the square, or if the fielders hits a runner outside of the safe-zones with the ball. The player is also out if he/she runs outside the side lines of the square.

A variant of the above is sometimes used: if a fielder hits a runner with the ball outside of the safe-zones then the entire batting team is out.

External links

• Danish Longball: A Novel Game to Introduce the Batting/Fielding Games Category, University of British Columbia, 2007