Rules

Racquetball is a racquet sport played with a hollow rubber ball in an indoor or outdoor court. Unlike most racquet sports,  such as tennis and badminton, there is no net to hit the ball over, and, unlike squash, no tin (out of bounds area at the bottom of front wall) to hit the ball above. Also, the court’s walls, floor, and ceiling are legal playing surfaces, with the exception of court-specific designated hinders being out-of-bounds The USA Racquetball, USAR, is the national governing body for the sport of racquetball, recognized by the U.S. Olympic Committee and is committed to excellence and service to our members.  In its 2007 USAR Official Rules of Racquetball, the governing body provides ball specifications and ball selection rules.

Bowling is a sport where a weighted ball is rolled down an alley and is aimed at a target of ten pins. The goal being to knock over all 10 pins in the first role. The Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) regulates the bowling balls that can be used in PBA Tour competitions.  With nearly 4,300 members representing 13 countries, the PBA considers itself the “major league” of bowling in the world.  In addition to size and weight, the PBA rule for bowling ball specifications also covers balance, holes, surface, plugged equipment, gripping materials, and damaged equipment.

The International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) is the governing body for all national table tennis associations.  As such, the ITTF oversees the rules for the sport. ITTF rules regarding the physical specifications of the ball and the replacement of damaged balls are used by USA Table Tennis.

USA Table Tennis (USATT) is the national governing body for the Olympic sport of table tennis in the United States.  It is affiliated with the International Table Tennis Federation(ITTF).  The laws imposed by USATT conform substantially to the International Table Tennis Federation ITTF Laws and Regulations for International Competition.

Water polo is a team water sport. The game consists of 4 quarters in which the two teams attempt to score goals by throwing the ball into their opposition’s goal, with the team that scores the most goals winning the game. A team consists of 6 field players and one goalkeeper in the water at any one time. In addition to this, teams may have substitute players, including up to one substitute goalkeeper. Water polo is typically played in an all-deep pool, and players need considerable stamina and endurance to play the game. When it comes to water polo, there is one major difference, regarding the ball, between the 2007-08 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) rules and the 2007-08 National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) rules.

Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players each on a field at the center of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. Each team takes its turn to bat, attempting to score runs, while the other team fields. United States of America Cricket Association (USACA) governs cricket play in the United States.  At the high school level, USACA works in conjunction with the Public School Athletic League (PSAL) in organizing a league for high school aged players.  The PSAL bases its Cricket Rules and Regulations on the MCC Laws of Cricket and the ICC playing conditions for One Day International matches.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) is the international governing body for the game of cricket, with 104 member countries as of their 2008 – 2009 roster.  The ICC plays by the MCC Laws of Cricket with certain exceptions stated in ICC Playing Conditions.  The three types of contests governed by the ICC are Test Matches, One Day Internationals, and Twenty20 Matches.  The changes below are the ICC exceptions to the MCC Laws of Cricket.

Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC)has been the custodian of the Laws of Cricket since the Club’s formation in 1787.  As such, the MCC will publish 2000 Code 3rd Edition – 2008 which will become effective 1 October 2008.  This version of the Laws of Cricket remains unchanged regarding the specifications for the ball.  Other cricket councils may issue rule changes based on this primary source.

Tennis is a sport that is either played individually or in pairs. The object of the game is to play the ball so that the opponent is unable to play a return. The International Tennis Federation (ITF) is the governing body of the game of tennis and its duties and responsibilities include determination of the Rules of Tennis. The United States Tennis Association (USTA) comments have the same weight and force in USTA tournaments as do ITF Cases and Decisions.  The USTA Friend at Court: The USTA Handbook of Tennis Rules and Regulations rules that the type of ball and the ball change pattern must be consistent within a tournament.

Friend at Court, the US Tennis Association Handbook of Tennis Rules and Regulations, defines specifications for the weight, size, rebound and deformation for four types of tennis balls.  Fast, medium, slow and high altitude types are defined.