Rounders is a sport which originated in Great Britain and Ireland. The game is regulated by the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) in Ireland and the National Rounders Association (NRA) in England. Both regulating bodies operate a slightly different, although broadly similar, game-play and culture. Competitions are held between teams from both traditions with games alternating between codes, often with one version being played in the morning and the other being played in the afternoon.

Game-play centres around innings where teams alternate at turns being batters and fielders. A maximum of nine players are allowed to play in fielding positions at one time. Points ("rounders") are scored by the batting team by completing a circuit around the field through four bases/posts without being put 'out' - for example, by a ball they batted being 'caught-out' or touching a tagged base/post.

The sport is very old and it has been documented as early as the seventeenth century. The earliest nationally formalised rules of play were devised by the GAA in Ireland in 1884. Liverpudlian and Scottish associations were formed in 1889. The NRA were not formed until 1943. Baseball (both the "New York game" and the now-defunct "Massachusetts game") as well as softball evolved from rounders (see origins of baseball) and bear a striking resemblance to the GAA version of the game. In fact, the earliest literary mention of rounders calls the game "base-ball." Rounders is now played on all levels from school-level to internationals.

Overview
Although it is generally considered a school game, rounders is played at international level. Currently, teams from Canada, England, Ireland, the Isle of Man, Scotland and Wales compete against each other. However, recent international developments include the establishment of a Pakistan Rounders Association. Early in 2006, they held their first national competition. There are plans to develop the game in other Asian countries and it is understood that Zimbabwe also has a national body responsible for rounders.

In 2008, the Rounders World Cup will be held in Sheffield, England. The final will be played on Sunday 29 June 2008 at the Don Valley Stadium, Sheffield.The matches will be played to NRA Rules. Further details from the NRA.

Current All-Ireland Men's Senior champions are Erne Eagles (Cavan) and Senior Women's champions are Bagenalstown (Carlow). Earne Eagles (Cavan) are Minor Men's champions. Castlebar (Mayo) are Minor Women's champions. Limekiln (Dublin) are Senior Mixed champions and Cuchulainns (Carlow) are Minor Mixed champions.

Common rules
While the GAA and NRA codes differ, they share much in common:

Equipment: The ball is hard with a cork centre and covered in white leather and is comparable in size to a tennis ball (a standard tennis ball or "soft" rounders ball is often substituted in school games). Bats are similar in shape to baseball bats and can be made from wood or aluminium. Four bases are laid-out in a diamond shape and a fifth marker is placed in-line between 'home' and second base as the bowlers stand. Sometimes, people play an unofficial version called 'football rounders.' The principle of the pitch is the same, however, there is no need for a bat and ball, just a football.

Players: The fielding team is allowed to field up to nine players. These need to include one bowler and one backstop/catcher. Other outfield players take positions at each of the bases or elsewhere on the field.

Bowling: The bowler bowls the ball with an underarm pendulum action to the batsman. It is a "good" ball if it passes within reach on the striking side between the batsman's knees and shoulder (GAA)/top of the head (NRA). Otherwise, it is called a "no-ball" or "bad" ball. The ball is also "bad" if it is thrown into the batter's body or wide of the batting box. A batsman may try to hit a bad ball but is not required to.

Bases/posts: Bases (or posts in the NRA game) are safe areas where batsmen may not be sent out. Only one batsman at a time may occupy a base. Batsmen may run between bases when a batter receives a good ball to advance further around the circuit.

Scoring: A rounder is scored if a member of the batting team complete a circuit of the bases without being put 'out.'

A batsman is out if:

a ball he hit is caught
runs to (NRA) or touches (GAA) a base that had been 'tagged'/'stumped' by a fielder carrying the ball

Rounders. (2007, January 4). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 04:13, January 9, 2007, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Rounders&oldid=98423856

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