One of the reasons that cricket is such a popular game among hundreds of millions of people is because the rules are easy to learn and follow. Cricket is about as straightforward as they come, and it has allowed people from all walks of life to enjoy the game, regardless of their backgrounds.

For many decades, the rules of cricket were in something of a flux, often being changed depending on who was playing. But eventually, official, and international rules were announced that applied to almost all games played on a professional level. Most of the rules are well-known to most people, but there are some rules that are so strange and obscure that even some of the most passionate cricket fans haven’t heard of them.

Kicking The Ball

One of the strangest rules of them all applies to fielders that happen to kick the ball over the boundary rope. If this does occur, then 5 penalty runes are given to the team that is batting. It’s a strange rule that not many people understand, because the batting team automatically gets 4 runs if the ball leaves the boundary anyway, meaning that they receive a double reward if a fielder on the opposite team does this. This is why fielders will go to great lengths to ensure that they don’t accidentally kick the ball over the boundary and ruin the round for their team.

Hitting The Ball Twice

It’s probably not something that most people have considered, but there is a rule that address the scenario of the batsman hitting the ball twice in a single run. Known as Law 34, if the batsman hits the ball wilfully a second time, they are automatically considered out. This rule only applies if the ball has not been touched by a fielder on the opposite team.

There are some exceptions to this rule, however. If the batsman hits the ball in order to guard his wickets, then he won’t be out. And if he is given permission by a fielder to hit the ball a second time, he also won’t be considered out. It’s almost certainly a difficult rule to keep in check when playing in a professional and fast-paced game, and it might even alter the odds when checking out the latest Australian Open odds offered by bookies.

Dead Ball

The laws of cricket dictate that if a batsman knocks a ball into the air and it encounters an object of any shape or form while it’s still in the air, then it’s considered a dead ball and is not formally counted. No runs will be added to the tally, and the batsman will not be out if this occurs.

This rule might be a bit perplexing to some when we consider that if a ball encounters an object on the ground, then it is not considered a dead ball. This rule only applies if the ball happens to make contact with something while it is in the air.