Games People Play

As Summer is here (Summer is clearly here in my opinion: I do not accept that Summer begins on 21st June. How could it begin on the longest day of the year?) the boys are playing more in the garden (which is looking lovely, despite football damage to the borders).

They are still playing more on bloodthirsty internet games, but at least they do go outside. Likewise, I am playing more on internet poker games (mind you, that is generally when it's dark).

In any case, the top-rated game at the moment is table-tennis - the "new" table is still a bit of a novelty. Wins by Dad are now a rarity. The competition between Matt and Harry is quite even.

But there are other games on the roster - there is ping-pong (yes, that is different to table-tennis: I only discovered this recently) and badminpong (in which, we use the table tennis bats, ball, net and table but the rally consists entirely of volleys: 116 is the record).

Then there is TABLE table tennis. In this, one half of the folding table is folded up into the vertical position as if one were playing in one-player practice mode. However, the vertical section is manned by the other player who manipulates it slightly to create speed and direction cues for the ball.

In other words, one player uses a standard bat and plays the ball onto the upright half-table but the second player actually PLAYS the table and conducts the rally in this way. After a while you find that the natural flex of the table and the ability to modulate the speed and amplitude of the nudges allows quite a nuanced game.

This week, on the way back from the bottom of the garden, Matt and I invented swing-cricket.

The equipment needed is a football, and a 2-seater garden swing seat. One player (the bowler) has the football and the other (batter) sits in the seat leaving half of the chair open. The bowler kicks the ball towards the empty part of the seat.

Depending on the speed and height of the shot, and the skill of the batter, many results are possible. The most resounding effect is if the seat is swung in such a way as to make a sweet connection with the incoming ball producing a strong rebound which may travel for 4 (rolls onto the patio) or even 6 (lands beyond the gravel path without bouncing).

Of course, such a shot may be caught.

A yorker can strike the cross-beam below the seat and result in a clean-bowl. Other rules are quite complex depending on the way the ball hits and interacts with the various parts of the seat.

A full set of rules for an international match have not yet been agreed at the governing body, but a $200MM series to be funded by a secretive billionaire is being discussed.