As part of the ‘Around the World in English week’ (AWE), some students in the lower Primary school have been learning to play ‘a very English game’, called rounders. Rounders is part of the ‘Striking and Fielding’ family of games, with clear similarities to the American games of Baseball and Softball. In each of these games, there are two teams competing against one another; one team is fielding, with the other batting, or striking a ball. The opposing teams aim to score as many points, ‘rounders’, or runs, as they can, in order to outscore the other team. The winning team is the one with the most points.
Key skills in the game include catching and throwing, along with striking and hitting skills. Participants need to hit the ball with power, but just as important is the ability to hit the ball with accuracy into areas of the field (pitch) where there are least fielders. Tactics and cognitive skills are also required as the players need to consider things such as player positions and bowling rotations.
Another very English game is Cricket, which at is most basic form, is two teams trying to outscore one another. There are many different formats of Cricket. Many see the pinnacle of the sport as the ‘Test Match’… a game that lasts up to five days… and often ends up as a draw!?
Anyone for Rounders at the next Parents’ Sports Day?
