Stinning

Stinning is a low-contact team sport originating in and most popular in Great Nortend. It first developed in the 17th century and is a form of football played on a round, oval field wherein the goal is to kick (known as striking) with the feet or legs a small leather ball between two posts (known as metes) set at either end of the field, around three quarters of the way between the centre of the field and the boundary.

Players are arranged in two teams of eleven a side. The aim is for players to advance the ball, known as a stone, up the field by either striking, carrying, bouncing, passing or rolling it. The player must strike, however, the stone cleanly between the metes for a goal to be counted. If the stone should hit a mete and then pass through, a half goal is counted. If the stone, after passing through the metes, reaches or passes the boundary fence of the field, four goals are counted.

Stinning, along with cricket, are considered the national sports of Great Nortend. It is a very popular sport, and is the traditional sport played in winter, cricket being played during the summer. It became popular in the late 19th century as a recreation for cricket players during the winter seasons. Thus, the rules of stinning were established to provide for eleven men a side, the same as in cricket, and the use of the cricket green as the field.

Laws of Stinning

Playing field

A typical village stinning-cum-cricket green.

The field in stinning is known as a green, and is practically the same as a cricket green. It is generally oval shaped, though it can be round as well. The size of greens vary, depending on local use and custom; however, most stinning and cricket greens are between 400 and 500 ft in their largest axis.

The centre of the green is marked by a line, perpendicular to the longer axis of the green. Three quarters of the way from this green to the ends of the green, opposite each other, are set in the ground four tall posts at each end known as metes. These are traditionally made of wood and painted white. They are set around 22 feet apart, and up to 22 feet high. The four metes are not connected together, and must be set securely enough in the earth as to not be liable to fall over.

Duration

Stinning matches are split into thirds. Each third lasts for an hour, leading to a total playing time of three hours. In between thirds are the breaks, which last twenty minutes each. Thus the duration of an average stinning match is nearly four hours.

Teams

Teams consist of eleven players on the green at any given moment. These are usually allocated in the roles of captain, three defenders, three midgreeners, three forwarders, and one metekeeper. Each of the three defenders, midgreeners and forwards can only stray within their allocated strip, and behind the metes. The captain plays during the match and serves as the team's coach whilst also traditionally acting as a follower to the ball. The roles and responsibilities of the other team members are relatively self explanatory.

Players wear white flannel trousers, white shirts, ties, stinning caps, leather gloves and a stinning vest. The stinning vest is a white woollen knitted pullover, with coloured stripes according to the team's colours. These same colours are used for official stinning blazers as well as the playing cap. The metekeeper wears a vest in the team's colours without any white. Players wear leather boots, similar to football boots without studs.

Ball

The ball, is a round leather ball similar to a modern-day association football. It is, however, dyed red and somewhat smaller, being only around six inches in diameter. It is also rounder and smoother. It is not, however, a cricket ball.

Goalscoring

A player scores a goal when he, by any means, kicks or punts the ball through a pair of metes which the other team is defending. If the ball flies cleanly between the two centre metes, defined as when the ball 'flies in a smooth arc, unpeturbed by collisions with a mete, from one side of the portal created by a pair of metes to the other', the team scores a goal, signified when an umpire waves two white flags. If the ball happens to hit a mete whilst passing through the portal, or if it passes cleanly through two side metes, a half goal is scored, and an umpire waves a single white flag.

Boundary

If, after a goal is scored, the ball continues to travel, and manages to travel to and touch the edge of the green without being touched, the team scores an extra three goals of a total of four goals, signified when the under umpire crosses two white flags above his head. If such occurs after a half goal, the team scores another half goal for a total of one goal, signified when the umpire holds a single white flag to the side.

Fouls

There are a number of types of foul in stinning. Most fouls result in the ball being either returned to the centre of the green, and given to the captain of the non-feasing team, or given to the nearest player of the non-feasing team. When a foul affects an attempted strike, the umpire may award a free strike to the non-feasing team.

• Throwing the ball. The ball may only be punted with the fist.
• Picking up the ball with the hands from the ground.
• Bouncing the ball with the hands.
• Running 'excessively' with the ball held.
• Dropping the ball intentionally.
• Allowing the ball to be taken past the boundary, except when a goal or half goal has been struck.

Certain fouls are considered 'offensive fouls' and results in the dismissal of the player without replacement.

• Unreasonably battering or assaulting another player or an official.
• Complaining, yelling, cursing, spitting or acting in an ungentlemanly manner.
• Failure to heed the umpire's lawful directions.
• A player leaving the green without permission from the umpire.

Tackling

Players are not permitted to tackle other players intentionally. Tackling is defined as grabbing the body or person of another player, or acting so as to collide with him. A tackle must, however, be appealed to the umpire who will if satisfied a tackle occurred. A tackle is considered a foul.

Starting or restarting play

The umpire starts play by placing the ball in the centre of the green, with all players on their own 'side' of the green. The senior umpire removes his hat and bows to the players, who must return the courtesy. When the umpire replaces his hat, the match starts.

If after a foul occurs the ball is returned to the centre, the non-feasing team's captain will be able to start play after the umpire nods, at his reasonable leisure.

Officials

An under umpire signalling a goal.

There are three officials in a normal match of stinning: one senior umpire and two under umpires. The senior umpire follows the ball in play, whilst the under umpires each watch their allocated mete. An umpire wears a white coat over black trousers, and a white hat. Under umpires signal to the senior umpire by means of hand gestures or flags.

Competitions

Stinning is played in Great Nortend at an amateur and professional level. At a domestic level, the Cricket and Stinning League comprises the national winter stinning tournament or competition, in addition to the summer cricket competitions. Its top level, Division I, comprises the top sixteen cricket and stinning clubs in the country. Stinning is also played on an international level, although it is not as popular as other sports.