New competition has it taped
A new initiative from Cricket Shropshire has seen a couple of indoor Tape Ball competitions staged at Shrewsbury Sports Village.
The most recent featured teams from four Shropshire schools – Madeley Academy, Charlton School at Wellington, New Road Academy at Wrockwardine Wood in Telford and Thomas Adams School from Wem who came out on top in the most recent competition.
Tape ball cricket has its origins in the bustling streets of Karachi in the 1970s and has become increasingly popular around the world with games.
If features tennis balls wrapped up in electrical tape to give them extra weight and swing – replicating the behaviour of a real cricket ball.
Cricket Shropshire Community Coach Tyler Ibbotson said: ““Tape ball cricket’s massive in places like India and Pakistan. You just wrap a tennis ball in electrical tape and you’re good to go.
“It’s quick, exciting, and you can play it pretty much anywhere. It doesn’t hurt like a hard ball, but you can still bowl it at real pace—some even hit 90mph!
“It’s the perfect in-between for softball and hard ball cricket.”
Tape ball cricket’s accessibility and low cost made it a grassroots phenomenon which has spread rapidly and grown in popularity.
There are no pads or gloves needed, but the fast-paced format helps players hone their reflexes, shot selection and bowling skills.
Wasim Akram, Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Amir all credit tape ball cricket for shaping their early development as world class fast bowlers.
Thanks to Chance to Shine for helping fund the initiative.
