In this specification the term"cricket wicket"is used to denote one or more elongate cricket stumps adapted to extend in an upright position relative to a surface on which a game of cricket can be played, and which will hereafter be referred to as a"cricket playing surface".

Two types of cricket wicket stumps are known namely, the type having a pointed end for being driven into the ground and the type having a fixed base permanently connected to the stumps. The first type is used for outdoor cricket and the second type is used for indoor or so-called action cricket. A disadvantage of the first type of stumps is that it is relatively difficult or impossible to drive the stumps into relatively hard ground or concrete surfaces. Another disadvantage of the stumps of the first type is that the "breaking"characteristics depend on the relative hardness of the ground, i. e. the softer ground, the easier the cricket wicket made up of these stumps would"break".

A disadvantage of the second type of stumps is that their"breaking" characteristics are different from the cricket stumps of the first type.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a cricket wicket assembly with which the aforesaid disadvantages can be overcome or at least minimised.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a cricket wicket assembly comprising at least one elongate stump; a separate support for holding the stump in an upright position relative to a cricket playing surface; and securing means for releasably securing the stump to the support.

The securing means may comprise a magnet located on either one of the stump or the support and another magnet or magnetisable member disposed on the other one.

Alternatively the securing means may comprise a first formation provided on the support for releasably mating with a second formation provided on one end of the stump. The first formation may comprise a socket formation for releasably receiving said one end of the stump. Alternatively the first formation may comprise a protrusion and the second formation may

comprise a recess extending axially into said one end of the stump, for releasably mating with the protrusion.

Further alternatively the securing means may comprise two releasably interengagable components of which one is provided on the support and the other on the stump.

The interengagable components may comprise a press stud-type arrangement.

Alternatively the interengagable components may comprise the co-operating parts of a hook-and-pile strip-type arrangement.

It will be appreciated that there may well be numerous other manners in which such a stump may be so secured to the support, the only condition being that the securement must be such that the stump (s) will be in the appropriate position and interrelationship as required by the rules of the game of cricket and that the force required for"breaking"such wicket must be substantially the same as that which is required for"breaking"a conventional type of wicket.

Further according to the invention, the support is provided with locating means for locating the support relative to said playing surface.

The locating means may comprise one or more apertures through which nails can be driven into said playing surface in order to locate the support relative to the surface.

Alternatively the locating means may comprises prongs protruding from the support and which can be driven into said playing surface in order to locate the support relative to the surface.

Further alternatively the support may be adapted to be trapped in the set body of a settable material.

Further alternatively the support may include one or more legs which extend substantially parallel to said playing surface when the support is located thereon, the legs serving to keep the support stable relative to said surface.

The above stump may be a first stump and the cricket wicket assembly may include a plurality of substantially identical stumps.

According to further aspects of the invention there are provided a cricket wicket support and a cricket stump as hereinbefore described.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will now be described further by way of non-limiting examples with reference to the enclose drawings wherein: figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of a cricket wicket assembly according to a first embodiment of the invention; figure 2 is an assemble perspective view of the assembly of figure 1; figures 3a-d are detailed drawings of four variations of the cricket stumps of the cricket assembly of figure 1; figure 4 is an alternative embodiment of a support of the cricket wicket assembly of figure 1; figure 5 is an exploded perspective view of a cricket wicket assembly according to a second embodiment of the invention; figure 6 is an assembled perspective view of the assembly of figure 5; figure 7 is a perspective view of an alternative support of the cricket wicket assembly of figure 5; figure 8 is a partially cross-sectional partially exploded side view of a lower part of a cricket wicket assembly according to a third embodiment of the invention; figure 9 is a perspective view of a lower part of a cricket wicket assembly according to a fourth embodiment of the invention; and figure 10 is a perspective view of a lower part of a cricket wicket assembly according to a fifth embodiment of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION Referring to figures 1 and 2, a cricket wicket assembly according to a first embodiment of the invention is generally designated by reference numeral 1.

The cricket wicket assembly 1 includes a set of three elongate stumps 12; a separate support 10, for use on a cricket playing surface 11 to support the stumps 12 in parallel equally spaced apart relationship in order to support two crickets bails 13 on the upper ends thereof.

The support 10 comprises an elongate flat strip of magnetisable metal 14 of which the length is substantially the same as that of the wicket defined by the stumps 12.

The strip 14 is provided along its lower face with locating means in the form of two spaced apart transversely extending sharpened prongs 15 by means of which the support 10 can be secured to the surface 11 by driving the prongs 15 into the surface 11 in a manner so that the upper face of the strip 14 is located horizontally.

The upper face of the strip 14 is demarcated with three circles 16 which are spaced apart the exact distance as the distance required between adjacent stumps 12.

Referring further to figures 3a to 3d, each of the stumps 12 is provided at its lower end with securing means in the form of a magnet 17 of which the leading end is flat, so that when a stump 12 is located with said free end of its magnet 17 exactly in one of the circles 16 on the strip 14, the stump 12 will be supported on the strip 14 in an upright position through the magnetic attraction between the magnet 17 and the metal of the strip 14. A cricket wicket can hence be erected.

As can be seen from figures 3a to 3d, there are various ways of securing the magnets 17 to the stumps 12, such as by inserting the magnets 17 into a socket formation 12.1 (figure 3a) extending co-axially into the stump 12.

Alternatively the magnet 17 can be secured to the stump 12 by a layer of glue 12.2 (figure 3b). Further alternatively the magnet 17 is provided with a central hole 17.1 (figure 3c) and the magnet is secured to the stump by a screw 12.3. Yet further alternatively, the magnet 17 can be bonded to a metal cup 17.2 (figure 3d) which is connected to the stump 12P by a screw 12.3, and wrapped in a plastic sleeve 17.3. It will be appreciated that the metal cup 17.2 greatly enhances the attracting capabilities of the magnet 17.

As will be appreciated, the strength of the magnet 17 will be so chosen that the force required to"break"the wicket will be substantially the same as that required for a conventional type of cricket wicket.

Referring to figure 4, a support according to an alternative embodiment for the cricket wicket assembly 1, is generally designated by reference numeral 10A. The support 10A is similar to the support 10, with the exception that the support 10A includes locating means in the form of two legs 22A instead of the two prongs 15, and which are connected by a metal strip 14A. Three circles 20A are also demarcated on the strip 14A. The legs 22A extend substantially parallel to said playing surface 11, when the support 10A is located thereon, the legs 22A serving to keep the support 10A stable relative to said surface 11.

Referring to figures 5 and 6, a cricket wicket assembly according to a second embodiment of the invention is generally designated by reference numeral 1 B. The cricket wicket assembly 1 B is substantially the same as the assembly 1, except that instead of the three circles 16, the upper face of the strip 14B of the support 10B is provided with three upwardly extending socket formations 18B. The socket formations 18B are each adapted to receive said lower end of one of the stumps 12B slidably in order to support it in said upright position.

It will of course be appreciated that in this embodiment of the invention said lower end of a stump 12 will not be provided with a magnet as in the case of the embodiment shown in figures 1 to 3.

It will also be appreciated that in this embodiment strip 14B may, if required, be of a material other than metal.

For the rest, however, the cricket wicket shown in figure 6 is erected in substantially the same manner as that described for the first embodiment of figures 1 and 2.

Referring to figure 7, a support according to an alternative embodiment for the cricket wicket assembly 1 B, is generally designated by reference numeral 10C. The support 10C is similar to the support 10B, with the exception that the support 10C includes two legs 22C instead of the two prongs 15B, and which are connected by a metal strip 14C.

It will be appreciated that the supports 10A and 10C of figures 4 and 7 can be utilised on a playing field other than a formal cricket field, such as in a street, back yard, etc. It will also be appreciated that instead of the two manners of securement between the stumps 12 and the support 10 described above, other securing means may be provided.

For example, referring to figure 8, the securing means may comprise a protrusion or spigot 24D provided on the support 10D and a complementary socket formation 26D for releasably mating with the spigot 24D, and provided by the lower end of the stump 12D.

Further for example, the securing means can comprise two releasably interengagable components of which one is provided on the support and the other on the stump. Referring particularly to figure 9, the interengagable components comprise a press stud-type arrangement generally designated by reference numeral 28.1 and 28.2. Alternatively, referring particularly to figure 10, the interengagable components comprise the co-operating parts of a hook-and-pile (VELCRO@) strip-type arrangement 30.

Still referring to figure 10, the support 10E is provided with a locating means in the form of two holes 32, through which nails can be driven into said playing surface 11 in order to locate the support 10E relative to the surface 11.

It will be appreciated that in appropriate circumstances the support can be mounted in a more permanent manner to the playing surface by trapping it in the set body of a settable material such as concrete, provided on such playing surface. It will be appreciated further that in such instance support can be utilise with or without the prongs 15 or legs 22, or provided with other formations (not shown) for improving the anchoring of support to such a body.

It will be appreciated still further that variations in detail are possible with a cricket wicket assembly according to the invention without departing from the scope of the appended claims. For example, the stumps can be moulded from a plastics material as shown in figure 3d. Further for example, the stumps may be tubular (not shown) and may be provided with opposite end caps, respectively adapted for receiving the bails and the magnet.