Activity: Womba-Ball (Cricket Style Game) – Striking, Throwing, and Catching
Grade Level(s): 3rd-5th
Content Objective
Unit: Womba Ball - Striking, Throwing, and Catching
Standards Addressed
Maintain safety within personal space while using
implements.
Follow rules, directions and etiquette.
Demonstrate and apply throwing catching and striking skills.
Use video to peer and self assess movement skills.
Key Vocabulary
Overhand Throw
Technique
Catching Technique
Batting/Striking
Technique
History of Cricket
Important/Relevant
Questions
Some 5th grade boys
attempt to showoff by
throwing too hard. I tell
the batting teams to not
lift their bat off the
Frisbee until the
thrower reduces their
speed. It is rare that a
thrower would not ease
up on the power, since
the only way to score
points is to become the
batting team; and there
x
x
1.
2.
3.
4.
Movement, Competence & Understanding
Physical & Personal Wellness
Emotional & Social Wellness
Prevention & Risk Management
Students demonstrate and apply throwing,
catching, striking, and safety skills in WombaBall (a lead-up for softball). Use video analysis
for self and others.
Description of Activity
Safety Considerations
If you play indoors, there
should be no more than four
games at one time. Use soft
and safe balls and bats. No
throwing the bat. Actually,
you must run WITH the bat.
X
Activity Time: Multiple Lessons
Language Objective
Womba Ball can be a complete unit involving throwing, catching, striking, fielding and
cooperation. This unit could take 5– 8 lesson days. It depends on how many days you need to
devote to skill development and teaching the game of Womba-Ball in a progression that works
for your students. Below I have created a six day unit. The first two days are skill development.
The third day is a combination of skill development and learning the game of Womba-Ball. The
fourth and fifth days are playing the game. The sixth day could be an assessment day.
Womba-ball is derived from variations of Cricket. From the wicket-gates of sheep pastures of
14th Century England to the 21st Century powerhouse fields of South Africa, India and Pakistan,
cricket is played the world over. The game of using a shepherd's staff to protect a gate from a
ball of wool has come along way!
Womba-ball is a modified version of the Australian-playground favorite, Kanga-ball, to give
students various opportunities at developing batting, throwing, catching, base-running, and
fielding skills related to this fast and fun game. This game is easily suitable for 4-20 players of
all age and skill levels and great for picnics and family outings!
Materials
Played Inside:
4 bowling pins per game
Two soft bats per game
Two Frisbees per game
One soft and safe low bounce
ball (Yarn balls work well).
Played Outside:
Substitute 12”-18” cones with a
ball balanced on top of each
cone (when playing on grass).
The ball must fall off the cone
for an out.
On concrete use partially filled
two liter soda bottles or cones.
Softball gloves if you have them.
However, gloves are not
required.
Assessment Tool
Checklist
NOTE:
The best playing surface is either your gym or any asphalt surface. If played on grass the
wicket will need to be modified. I use cones with balls balanced on the top.
Exit Slip
x
Peer Assessment
Post-Test
Pre-Test
Equipment used: "UltraFoam Bats" and "UltraFoam No-Bounce" balls. Indoors I like
yarn balls instead of the UltraFoam No-Bounce balls (yarn balls are safer). Bowling pins
can be purchase with sand in them. Also, two liter pop bottles with water will work. You
will need frisbees.
For a group of 24 students you would need 4 field set-ups: 8 bats, 4 balls, 8 frisbees, and 16
pins.
Rubric
x
Self Assessment
Skills Test
x
Teacher Obser.
Written
is no way that will
happen if the current
batter does not lift their
bat off the Frisbee.
I remove the student
from the game if the
issue is not resolved.
Lesson #1
2-person partner groups
1)
2)
3)
4)
Partner overhand throw and catch. Emphasis catching skills as much as throwing.
Partner under-hand toss and grounder catching work.
Partner under-hand toss and pop fly catching.
Partner overhand throwing at partner's wicket (one bowling pin) for accuracy (this person
is called a "Bowler") while other partner is catching from BEHIND their one wicket
(bowling pin)
Tip: Have Bowlers yell out, "Womba" whenever they knock a pin over so that you hear
them being successful.
5) Both partners now have a 2 bowling pin wicket. There should be a 1 inch gap between
the bowling pins. The opposing player’s wicket should be about 25 feet apart (or what
ever distance will allow the greatest success). Each player is trying to knock over their
opponent’s wicket. Each players acts as a Bowler (throwing from BEHIND their own
wicket), and catcher (From BEHIND their own wicket). Continue to focus on catching
skills in the ready position stance from behind the wicket.
Lesson #2
3-person partner groups.
Designate the following positions: bowler, batter, and catcher. The bowler is trying to knock
over the two wickets (spaced 1" apart), batter is trying to protect the wickets by the batting ball
away. The catcher is working on catching the bowled ball.
Introduce proper batting form.
Bowler gets into ready position immediately following their throw to the batter.
The ball can be hit in anyway, even a bouncing ball from the ground. The ball can also be hit in
any direction (there is no foul territory in cricket) to keep the ball from hitting the wicket.
A caught ball on the fly by the catcher or bowler is an out.
Note: If the batter knocks over one, or two wickets at ANYTIME then one or two outs
(respectively) are called. Three outs or 10 pitches indicates a three player rotation. The bowler
to batter, batter to catcher, and catcher to bowler.
Now introduce the Frisbee.
The frisbee is used as another way the batter can protect his/her wicket. The frisbee is placed 6"
– 12” inside from the wicket. If the batter has the barrel end of the bat in the frisbee then no outs
can be called, even if wickets are knocked over by the bowler. Basically, the batter does not have
to swing if they don't like the pitch, or are not ready.
Again, three outs or 10 pitches indicates a three player rotation. The bowler to batter, batter to
catcher, and catcher to bowler.
The bowler and catcher work together to get the batter out.
If the catcher catches the bowled ball they can now either knock over the wicket(s) for out(s),
OR set the ball inside the frisbee for an automatic 3 outs!
Lesson #3, #4, and #5
During lesson #3 or #4 would be a good time to introduce and practice cut-offs and backing up
skills.
Students will now play the entire game of Womba-Ball.
With a field set-up of two bowling pins, a frisbee, and a bat positioned about 25 feet from
another set of two bowling pins, a frisbee, and a bat.
Students should be in 6 person groups. Assign the following positions: One partner team as
bowlers, a second partner team as batters, and a third partner team as outfielders.
The bowlers split up to each take up a position behind a set of wickets. The batters split up to
each take position of a batter, and the two outfielders are separated to either side of the mid-field
of the established wickets.
The Object: The BOWLERS AND OUTFIELDERS WORK TOGETHER TO GET THE TWO
BATTERS OUT, 3 outs indicates a three team rotation.
They do this by overhand throwing the ball to knock over the two bowling pins 25' away. The
other bowler acts as the catcher. The catcher picks up the ball and throws it back to the other set
of wickets 25' away, and so on until three outs, or the batting team scores 10 runs. Base-running
skills are introduced here!
What creates 3 outs?
A) Caught pop fly =1 out
B) Knocked over wicket (bowling pin) = 1 out
C) Two knocked over wickets (2 bowling pins) = 2 outs
D) Remember, a knocked over wicket is from a bowled ball, a thrown ball, and/or a wicket
Knocked over by the batter in the process of batting or running.
E) A ball placed in the frisbee is an automatic 3 outs.
Runs are created by the batting team when one of them hits a bowled ball; both batters run and
exchange positions (they carry their own bat with them while they run!). Each exchange = 1
run. Batters can exchange positions an unlimited number of times for each hit.
When 3 outs occur, or 10 runs are scored, the three teams rotate positions: bowlers to batters,
batters to outfielders, outfielders to bowlers. If you keep track of score, each partner group keeps
their own score.
You can play in groups of 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12. However, the more groups you have the more
standing around. In my class of 24 students you would have six players (3 teams per field), with
a total of 4 fields set-up. If I have more students then I would suggest groups of 6, 6, 6, and 8 for
example.
With a group of 8 you will have two sets of outfielders, with each set facing each other
perpendicular to the line of play between the batters and bowlers - 20' apart from each other.
This just means that with rotation outfielders will rotate twice.
With uneven teams I do the following rotation:
On first rotation: 2 Bowlers, 2 Batters, and 3 Outfielders. Bowlers rotate to Batters, Batters rotate
to Outfielders, and then the 3 Outfielders do rock-paper-scissors. The two winners rotate to
Bowlers. The non-rotating Outfielder stays put. The two rotating Batters-to-Outfielders do rockpaper-scissor with the winner joining the non-rotating Outfielder to make a set.
On next rotation the two Outfielders rotate to Batters, while the remaining Outfielder rotates to
the emptied Outfielder position awaiting the result of the 2 Batters-to-Outfielders results of rockpaper-scissor.
This would be a good unit to us iPads to video student’s overhand throw or batting skills
and use an app like Slo Pro, Ubersense, or CoachMyVideo to self and/or peer assess those
skills.
Photos Below