View source for Bete-ombro

{{Short description|Popular Brazilian form of street cricket}} 

[[File:Bets.jpg|thumb|350px|Two batters stand at opposite [[wicket]]s, which are plastic bottles here.]] 

'''Bete-ombro''', also known as '''bets''', '''tacobol''', '''pau na lata''',<ref>{{Cite web|date=2019-05-27|title=CJ muda rotina dos jovens de Demerval Lobão|url=http://ipads.org.br/cidadaniajovem/2019/05/27/cj-muda-rotina-do-sabado-para-100-inscritos-em-demerval-lobao/|access-date=2020-09-06|website=Cidadania Jovem|language=pt-BR}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Castro|first=Paulo V. de|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=G0IODAAAQBAJ|title=Selective Memory: Very Selective!|date=2016-04-20|publisher=Xlibris Corporation|isbn=978-1-5144-5710-8|language=en}}</ref> or '''taco''' (all of these names having a word meaning "bat" in them), is a Brazilian [[bat-and-ball game]]<ref>{{Cite book|last=Cruz|first=Paulo|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SCP5DwAAQBAJ&pg=PT30|title=Águia madrinha|date=2020-08-25|publisher=Viseu|isbn=978-65-5674-166-6|language=pt-BR}}</ref> closely related to [[cricket]].<ref>https://olimpiadas.uol.com.br/noticias/redacao/2012/08/07/esporte-ingles-fracassado-perde-seu-templo-e-o-verao-para-a-olimpiada.htm"No Brasil, o críquete chegou reduzido a um esporte de rua para a molecada com nomes como "taco", "bets", "tacobol" ou "bete-ombro", tendo as balizas improvisadas sobre o asfalto com garrafas pets, latinhas ou armação de gravetos."</ref><ref>http://www.cricketbrasil.org/vitoria-cricket-club-no-gazeta-online/"Saiba mais sobre o esporte [cricket], que parece com brincadeira brasileira

Bola, taco e o alvo a ser protegido. Se você é daqueles que costumava brincar com os amigos na rua, o cricket pode lhe parecer familiar. Nascido na Inglaterra, e segundo esporte mais popular do mundo – atrás apenas do futebol -, o jogo lembra uma antiga brincadeira de criança: o tacobol, bete-ombro ou bets. Mas apesar das semelahanças iniciais e da popularidade que tem no mundo, esse "jogo de gringo" ainda é novidade para os capixabas."</ref> Two teams of two players each take turns batting and fielding. The batting team runs between two [[wickets]], which are generally plastic bottles (or more reminiscent of cricket, three small wooden sticks propped up so that they all lean on each other),<ref>http://www.educacaofisica.seed.pr.gov.br/modules/conteudo/conteudo.php?conteudo=392"Para jogar bets, são necessários [...] dois alvos (podem ser garrafas plásticas, latas de refrigerante ou pedaços de madeira apoiados em forma de tripé; tradicionalmente eram três ramos sem folhas de cerca de 30 cm) "</ref> while the fielding team can [[run out]] batters by hitting a wicket with the ball before the closest batter reaches it. (As there are only two players on the batting team, teams swap as soon as a batter is out.) [[Bowled]], [[stumped]], and [[caught]] are other forms of [[dismissal (cricket)|dismissal]]. 

[[Prince Harry]] played it on a trip to Brazil.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The global game: The answer could lie in the streets|url=https://www.thecricketer.com/Topics/premium_features/the_global_game_the_answer_could_lie_in_the_streets.html|access-date=2020-09-06|website=www.thecricketer.com}}{{Dead link|date=May 2021 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://zimbio.com/photos/Prince+Harry/Prince+Harry+plays+cricket+local+kids+Brazil/CWJLKDiqHoh|title = Prince Harry Photostream}}</ref> Taco has been credited with helping to grow and influence [[Brazil women's national cricket team|women's cricket in Brazil]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=How 15 Brazilian cricketers changed the game for future generations {{!}} Sporting News Australia|url=https://www.sportingnews.com/au/amp/cricket/news/brazil-cricket-women-central-contracts-teaching-future-generations-world-cup-tilt/valw7g9wv1s014b6vxrqual5e?|access-date=2021-08-22|website=www.sportingnews.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=How cricket is gaining new ground in Brazil|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/how-cricket-is-gaining-new-ground-in-brazil-1272337|access-date=2021-08-22|website=ESPNcricinfo|language=en}}</ref> 

== Overview ==
There has been a "World Cup of Bets" held in Brazil, with teams from four cities, in 2016.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2016-11-27|title=Vencedora do Mundial de Bets diz que ficou feliz de recordar a infância {{!}} Curitiba e Região, Notícias|url=https://www.tribunapr.com.br/noticias/curitiba-regiao/vencedora-do-mundial-de-bets-diz-ficou-feliz-de-recordar-infancia/|access-date=2020-09-18|website=Tribuna PR - Paraná Online|language=pt-br}}</ref>

When introducing cricket to Brazilian audiences, Brazilian media sometimes compare it to bete-ombro. <ref>{{Cite web|title=Gringos fomentam "pai do bete-ombro" no Paraná|url=https://www.gazetadopovo.com.br/esportes/gringos-fomentam-pai-do-bete-ombro-no-parana-98unzaoejcdw37sbch5j6lowe/|access-date=2020-09-18|website=Gazeta do Povo|language=pt-BR}}</ref> Bete-ombro may have been more popular in the 1990s than it is now. <ref>{{Cite web|title=Grupo de amigos organiza campeonato amador de bets|url=http://www.gcnoticias.com.br/esporte/grupo-de-amigos-organiza-campeonato-amador-de-bets/6970216|access-date=2020-09-18|website=www.gcnoticias.com.br}}</ref>

=== Rules ===
Each of the two fielding players stands behind one of the wickets (called "alvos" (targets) or "casinha" (small house)<ref>https://vamosbrincar.org.br/brincadeira/jogo-de-bets/"A {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210122101127/https://vamosbrincar.org.br/brincadeira/jogo-de-bets/ |date=2021-01-22 }} dupla que possui a bola tem por objetivo derrubar a "casinha" através do lançamento da bola, conquistando assim o "betes"."</ref> in Portuguese), and each of the batters in front of one of the wickets. Whichever fielder has the ball throws it to the batter at the opposing wicket, with the other fielder being a de facto [[wicketkeeper]]. The batter may try to hit the ball; if he misses, he must place his bat in his [[crease (cricket)|crease]] to avoid being [[stumped]] (unlike cricket, the batter's body can't be used for this purpose),<ref>https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/17651931/toby-chasseaud-meets-people-work-develop-cricket-brazil"as in cricket, batters can be bowled, run out and stumped - as Prince Harry recently found out the hard way. The prince was visiting a favela in Rio, called Complexo do Alemão, where members of Cricket Brasil and the fledgling Carioca CC were teaching children the basics of cricket. When the kids played their more familiar ''taco'' with Harry, he survived seven balls before being stumped by the keeper. Although standing in his crease, Harry had not grounded his bat, thus falling victim to another difference between the two games."</ref> which is generally a circle drawn on the ground in front of the wicket.<ref>http://www.educacaofisica.seed.pr.gov.br/modules/conteudo/conteudo.php?conteudo=392"Uma circunferência de 60 centímetros de diâmetro é desenhada em volta de cada alvo, formando a base."</ref> If the batters decide to run, they must cross bats with each other every time they pass each other, with the batters scoring a point every time both of them run from their crease to the opposing crease.<ref>http://www.educacaofisica.seed.pr.gov.br/modules/conteudo/conteudo.php?conteudo=392"Durante o tempo em que a dupla adversária corre atrás da bola, a dupla de rebatedores pode ficar alternando de lado no campo, *sempre batendo os tacos no meio da quadra* e sempre encostando o taco na circunferência da casinha, validando o ponto."</ref>

Similar to the [[Bat flip#Cricket]], there is the "wet or dry" method of deciding which team bats first in bete-ombro: first, one side of the bat is wetted, and then the bat is thrown up in the air. The team that correctly calls whether the wet or dry side of the bat will fall face-up chooses whether to bat or bowl first. (Unlike a cricket bat, both sides of the bete-ombro bat are flat, so it wouldn't be possible to call "Hills or Flats"). <ref>https://www.blogadao.com/as-regras-do-jogo-de-taco/"Existe também o "molhado ou seco". Cada rebatedor molha um dos lados de seu taco. A dupla adversária escolhe entre molhado ou seco e o taco é arremessado para o campo adversário. Se os rivais acertarem, eles ganham o direito de começar rebatendo." </ref>

There is a rule reminiscent of [[strikeout]]s in [[baseball]]: if the ball goes behind the batter 3 times, then they are out.<ref>m.efdeportes.com/articulo/o_jogo_de_bets_aprendizagem_regras_e_fundamentos/263"Os jogadores com as Bets, ataque, não podem rebater para trás da "casinha" em que estão defendendo mais de 3 (três) vezes, se isso acontecer a dupla adversária, defesa, terá o direito as Bets. (Regra do 3 para traz)."</ref> The game ends when one team gets 12 or 25 points, though there may be additional conditions. <ref>http://portaldoprofessor.mec.gov.br/fichaTecnicaAula.html?aula=26345"O jogo acaba quando uma das Duplas conseguir marcar 25 pontos (betes), ou 12 pontos para jogos mais curtos"</ref>

== In culture ==
In some parts of Brazil, the expression "largar os betes" (to drop the bats) is used to mean "to give up".<ref>{{Cite web|last=Reis|first=Dalmir Jr.|title=Brincadeiras do Passado: Taco / Bets|url=https://www.propagandashistoricas.com.br/2014/01/brincadeiras-do-passado-taco-bets.html|access-date=2020-09-02|website=Propagandas Históricas {{!}} Propagandas Antigas}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[Plaquita]] - a very similar version of cricket played in the Dominican Republic

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuuN-BC0E_o (video) Educando - Largandos os Bets]

{{Forms of cricket}}
[[Category:Street cricket]]
[[Category:Sports originating in Brazil]]