Aunt Sally
Aunt Sally is a pub game played almost exclusively in Berkshire and Oxfordshire – described by comedian Mark Steele as cricket in reverse as you throw the ‘stump’ at the ‘ball’. A league was formed in Abingdon in 1960, originally with a rule that all teams had to be based in Berkshire. In 1974 Alan Drover, landlord of the Kings Arms was elected chairman of the league so, clearly, Steventon teams were taking part then.
Today the Sports & Social Club and the North Star continue to represent the village in the league, both having won numerous trophies over the years. They also compete each year for the Bob Day Cup, currently held by the North Star.
The most likely beginnings of the game dates back to when pub landlords would tie a chicken to a post with a length of string and charge drinkers a penny a throw, with the person who killed the bird able to take it home for Sunday lunch. Obviously, the landlord would want a long piece of string to keep the game going longer while the drinkers wanted a long shorter one to increase their chances of winning.
I doubt the chicken was ever asked for an opinion.
How to Play
In Aunt Sally, the single white stubby skittle, about 6 inches high and 2 and 3/4 inches in diameter, is called a “dolly” or “doll” and the round-ended projectiles, of which there are six, are 18 inches long, 2 inches in diameter and are called “sticks”.
The doll is positioned on top of a “swivel” which is inserted into a hollow rod (the “iron”) driven into the earth so that the top is two and a half feet above the ground – the top of the doll is therefore two stick lengths high.
Swivel, Iron, Doll, Sticks
The players throw the sticks, underarm or roundarm, at the doll from behind a line known as the “hockey” (or “oche”) which is 10 yards (30ft) from the iron.
Each turn consists of six throws and a ‘doll’ is only counted as long as the stick hits the doll before the iron.
Normal league play has two teams each consisting of eight players and three legs or “horses” are played. Each horse consists of each member of each team having one turn so that each team makes 48 throws.
with thanks and adapted from the Oxford Aunt Sally League
