Rules of Rounders

The bowler, or 'feeder', bowls the ball with an underarm pendulum action to the batter. The ball is deemed a 'good' ball if it passes within reach on the striking side between the batter's knees and the top of the head. Otherwise, it is called a 'no-ball' or 'bad' ball. The ball is also regarded as bad if it is thrown into the batter's body or wide of the batting box. A batter may try to hit a bad ball but is not required to do so. A player is not out if a no-ball is caught and can't be called out on first base.

When a batter leaves the post, each runner on a post may run to the next and succeeding posts. A post runner cannot be declared out when standing at a post. The batter must keep in contact with the post to avoid being declared out. A rounder is scored if one of the batting team completes a circuit without being out. The NRA rules state that a half rounder is scored if half a circuit is completed by a player without being put out, or if the batter has not hit the ball but makes it all the way to the fourth base. A batter is out if a fielder catches the ball cleanly; the batter reaches a base that had been 'stumped' by a fielder; the bat is dropped whilst the batter is running; the batter leaves the base before the bowler has bowled the ball; the batter is 'run out' by the next batter

The ball circumference must be 190 millimetres (7.5 in) and the bat no more than 460 millimetres (18 in) in length and 170 millimetres (6.7 in) in diameter. The NRA places a weight-limit of 370 grams (13 oz) on the bat. The bases are laid out in a manner similar to a baseball diamond, except that home base is a separate base, at right-angles to third base and the batsman's base. Each base is marked with poles, which must be able to support themselves and stand at a minimum of 1 metre (3 ft 3 in)

If a ball is delivered well, batters must try to hit the ball and must run regardless of whether the ball is hit. If the ball is hit into the backward area, the batter may not pass first post until the ball is returned to the forward area. A batter that hits a no-ball may not be caught out or stumped at the first post. Batters may run on 'no-balls' but do not have to. Each batter, except the last in each inning, is entitled to receive one good ball: the last batter is entitled to receive three good balls unless he or she is caught out.

One rounder is gained if the player reaches the fourth post and touches it before the next ball is bowled and is not caught out and hit by the ball. A half rounder is gained if: the player reaches the fourth post having missed the ball; the player reaches the second post having hit the ball; if a batter is obstructed by a fielder whilst running; or if the same batter has two consecutive no balls.

A batter is out if a fielder catches the ball after it has been hit and before it touches the ground, a fielder touches the post of the base halfway up (or higher) whilst running to it, or another batter runs to the same base or overtakes a batter, in which case both batters are out.