Growing up with a backyard to kick a ball around and a lawn big enough to mow a cricket pitch to bowl a few Shane Warne leggies is one of the quintessential ingredients to being an Australian kid. From birth we are encouraged to get outside and take part in the celebration of sport – and so may that continue.

When looking for your first family home, make sure there is plenty of space for the kids to run around and enjoy the fever that is backyard cricket. If you are planning to bless your first born with a few more siblings too, the backyard will become a zone of busy competitive fun! Here are some of the great backyard rules to keep in mind for when you are umpiring the kid’s matches:

1. A pitch shall be mowed – preferably with a push reel mower.
2. All dog droppings must be removed – especially near the bowling crease.
3. Bowling and batting creases shall be outlined with the use of a budget white spray paint can.
4. The washing line – with the cleanest, whitest sheet you have available – is to be the wicket keeper. Auto-wickey is a sure in.
5. White wrist and headbands, along with Zinc on nose and lips is to be encouraged.
6. Bucket hats will also be donned to protect from the hot summer sun.
7. National anthems are to be sung by both teams before match commences.
8. No-balls, no more than half a meter, will be ignored yet slightly frowned upon.
9. Window on the full is out, without exception.
10. 1 hand 1 bounce is to be undertaken when encouraging good defensive batting techniques.
11. Back fence on the full is 6, over the fence is 6 and out – you must also fetch the ball to claim the 6 on the scoreboard.
12. 6 ball overs are to be the norm, although when someone has the wind behind them expect a possible 10 – 12 ball over without question.
13. Weird and wonderful features of the backyard are to be high scoring zones – i.e. hitting mums garden gnome is 20 runs or dissecting the apple tree into the pool is 50 runs.

The great thing about backyard cricket is that no backyard is like the next, which means there is always much unique fun to be had by playing the great game with your kids and with old mates.