Most cricket formats don’t change the core of the game, but some more unusual variations reduce the importance of all-rounders or even turn cricket into an individual contest.
While cricket has a range of formats, they usually follow the same principles and fall into one of two categories. A declaration game (such as a test or other first-class game) spans multiple days; an innings can end by declaration or losing 10 wickets; and a game can be drawn regardless of the scores. A limited overs match (such as a one-day or T20 game) is held on a single day with a fixed number of overs; an innings can end by completing the full allocation of overs or losing 10 wickets; and a game cannot be drawn (though it can be tied.)
Even less conventional formats usually only change this a little bit. The Hundred is effectively just a slightly shorter T20 game, the only real differences being the way the change of bowlers and the change of bowling ends works.
The most mainstream format that changes cricket more fundamentally is in the Caribbean 6IXTY. While other 10-over games exist (sometimes called T10), they still use the core rules of cricket. The 6IXTY is different as an innings ends when six players are dismissed, meaning a maximum of seven players will need to bat for a team. This changes the balance of the game in a couple of ways: it removes the effects of the tail (the last few batters in the order who are usually not skilled at batting), and it means teams can select four specialist bowlers with no need to worry about their batting ability. It also means batters need to play a little safer than in other 10-over formats.
Another significantly different format (which is less mainstream) is Last Man Stands. This is a variation on a T20 game, played with a maximum of 20 overs in an innings but only 8 players on each side. Another big difference is that all 8 batters must lose their wicket to end the innings. Unlike in ordinary cricket, the last batter remaining can play alone without a partner. They can get boundaries as normal but can only get runs by running to the non-striker’s end and back again, scoring two runs. They can’t run a single (or any odd number) and can’t be run out at the non-striker’s end. The format also has a few other rules tweaks, most notably that a six scored off the final scheduled ball of the innings counts double, scoring 12 runs.
Historically the most popular alternative format was the single wicket game. The rules have varied significantly over time, but the basic concept is that two individual players compete against each other. The first player bowls to the second player, (with neutral players acting as fielders) until they are dismissed. The players then switch roles and the second player bowls to the first player. Either the first player beats the second player’s score and wins, or the first player is dismissed before reaching this target and loses.
The format was popular with crowds historically when it featured star players, usually great all-rounders. In late 20th century games the rules would often be tweaked to avoid the risk of games being over too quickly and disappointing paying crowds. One variant was a double-wicket game where the opponent effectively had two “innings” each, combining the scores. Another was to have a knockout tournament with multiple players having a series of single wicket games, usually with a limit on the number of deliveries such as 10 overs.
In the 1980s the format was modernised for an event that tried to find the world’s best player. The basic concept was to have a group of competitors bowling a certain number of deliveries (eg two overs) to every other player, again with neutral players as fielders. A dismissal would not end the “innings” but would affect the points scoring. This varied between contests, particularly as some players figured out ways to “game the system”. However, the main principle was that players would earn points for scoring runs and take wickets and lose points for conceding runs or being dismissed.
Perhaps the ultimate in unusual variations was Cricket Max. This changed almost every element of the game, including the number of players in a team (13, though only 11 on the pitch while fielding), only five players on a team being allowed to bat (with the potential for multiple appearances), no LBWs, a rule that batters must score 20 runs in their first 25 balls or be dismissed as “struck out”, a score of 12 runs for clearing the boundary, and a zone outside the boundary where a catch would not be a dismissal, but would reduce the score to 6. Many of these rules appeared to be derived from the principles of baseball. The format was used mainly in New Zealand and was relatively short-lived in popularity.