Stoolball is an early form of cricket that originated in southern England. It involves hitting a ball with a bat or stick towards a target stool or chair. Stoolball was first recorded being played in the 15th century and was popular especially with milkmaids who used their milking stools as wickets. While not as widely played today, stoolball is still enjoyed in some English villages as a leisurely summer game. Below are 44 riddles about this historic bat and ball game to test your stoolball knowledge. See if you can figure out the answers!
Stoolball Riddles
Riddle 1
Q: What was stoolball originally called because of the milking stool wicket?
A: Stool-ball
Riddle 2
Q: In stoolball, what does the batter use to hit the ball?
A: A bat or stick
Riddle 3
Q: Which English county is stoolball most associated with today?
A: Sussex
Riddle 4
Q: What object is used as the wicket in stoolball?
A: A stool or chair
Riddle 5
Q: Which side always bats first in stoolball by tradition?
A: The home team
Riddle 6
Q: What are the 2 main scoring areas in stoolball?
A: Leg-side and off-side
Riddle 7
Q: How many posts or stools are there for each wicket in stoolball?
A: 1
Riddle 8
Q: How many players are there in a stoolball team?
A: 11
Riddle 9
Q: What shape is the stoolball pitch?
A: Square
Riddle 10
Q: What are stoolball fielding positions called?
A: Stoolsmen and stoolwomen
Riddle 11
Q: Which hand is the ball pitched underarm with in stoolball?
A: Right hand
Riddle 12
Q: How wide is the stoolball pitch?
A: 50-60 yards
Riddle 13
Q: What are the 2 main ways to get batters out in stoolball?
A: Caught out or stumped
Riddle 14
Q: How big is a stoolball ball?
A: 4 inches in diameter
Riddle 15
Q: What is a hobbler in stoolball?
A: A fielder who collects missed balls
Riddle 16
Q: What century did stoolball first appear in English writings?
A: 15th century
Riddle 17
Q: What was the original stoolball wicket made from?
A: A milking stool
Riddle 18
Q: What are the 2 sections of a stoolball bat called?
A: Blade and handle
Riddle 19
Q: Who has the first innings in stoolball?
A: The home team
Riddle 20
Q: What sport developed from stoolball?
A: Cricket
Riddle 21
Q: What wooden object was sometimes used instead of a stool as the wicket?
A: A post
Riddle 22
Q: In which season is stoolball played?
A: Summer
Riddle 23
Q: What surface is stoolball played on?
A: Grass
Riddle 24
Q: What were the original stoolball bats made from?
A: Wood
Riddle 25
Q: Which team bats after their opponents in stoolball?
A: The away team
Riddle 26
Q: Name the defensive shot in stoolball analogous to the cricket block.
A: Dead bat
Riddle 27
Q: Stoolball fielders try to get batters out. What are they called?
A: Bowlers
Riddle 28
Q: What are the 2 main defensive shots in stoolball?
A: Dead bat and leg block
Riddle 29
Q: How far apart are the stoolball stumps?
A: 1 yard
Riddle 30
Q: What does the stoolball batter need to do to score 1 point?
A: Hit the ball into the off-side scoring area
Riddle 31
Q: How many points is a leg-side hit worth in stoolball?
A: 2
Riddle 32
Q: Traditionally, which farm workers played stoolball during their breaks?
A: Dairymaids
Riddle 33
Q: Which team bats second in stoolball?
A: The away team
Riddle 34
Q: What is the other name for the stoolball bat?
A: Stick
Riddle 35
Q: Whatobject is the stoolball ball pitched towards?
A: The wicket stool
Riddle 36
Q: What hand is the stool used as a wicket placed to the right or left of?
A: Right hand
Riddle 37
Q: Stoolball uses underarm bowling. What type of bowling does cricket use?
A: Overarm
Riddle 38
Q: How many fielding positions are there in stoolball?
A: 11
Riddle 39
Q: Which team has their innings first in stoolball?
A: The home team
Riddle 40
Q: What are the 4 scoring areas of the stoolball pitch called?
A: Off-side, far-off, leg-side and full pitch
Riddle 41
Q: What are the 2 main defensive shots in stoolball?
A: Dead bat and leg block
Riddle 42
Q: How many players are there in a stoolball team?
A: 11
Riddle 43
Q: What was the stoolball wicket traditionally made from?
A: A milking stool
Riddle 44
Q: Stoolball was first recorded being played in what century?
A: 15th century
Conclusion
I hope you enjoyed these 44 riddles about the classic English bat and ball game of stoolball! Let me know if you were able to figure out all the answers about the equipment, players, scoring, and history of this ancestral sport related to cricket. Stoolball is not widely played today, but it holds an important place in the history of English pastimes and gives us a glimpse of how people had fun in past eras.
