A cricket
pitch is the central strip of the
cricket field between the
wickets. The
pitch is 22 yards (20.12 m) long and 10 feet (3.05 m) wide. The surface is very
flat and normally covered with extremely short grass though this grass is soon
removed by wear at the ends of the pitch.
In amateur matches, artificial
pitches are commonly used. These can be a slab of concrete, overlaid with a
coir mat, or artificial turf. Artificial pitches are rare in professional
cricket - only being used when exhibition matches are played in regions where
cricket is not a common sport.
The pitch has very specific markings delineating the
creases, as specified by the
Laws of Cricket.
The word wicket is often used to refer to the pitch. Although
technically incorrect according the Laws of Cricket (Law 7 covers the pitch and
Law 8 the wickets, distinguishing between them), cricket players, followers, and
commentators persist in the usage, with context eliminating any possible
ambiguity. Track is yet another synonym for pitch.
Protected Area
The protected area or danger area is the central portion of the
pitch - a rectangle running down the middle of the pitch, two feet wide, and
beginning five feet from each popping crease. Under the Laws of Cricket, a
bowler must avoid running on this area during his follow-through after
delivering the ball.
If a bowler runs on the protected area, an
umpire will issue a warning to the bowler and his team captain. The umpire
issues a second and final warning if the bowler transgresses again. On the third
offence, the umpire will remove the bowler from the attack immediately and the
bowler may not bowl again for the remainder of the
innings.
The protected area is protected in this way because the ball normally bounces
on the pitch within this region, and if it is scuffed or damaged by the bowler's
footmarks it can give an unfair advantage to the bowling side. The rule does not
prevent the bowler or any other fielder from running on the protected area in an
effort to field the ball; it only applies to the uninterrupted follow-through.
State of the pitch
If the grass on a natural pitch is longer or more moist than usual, the pitch
is described as green. A green pitch favours the bowler over the
batsman as
the
ball can be made to behave erratically on longer or wet grass. Most club and
social cricket is played on pitches that professional cricketers would call
green.
A sticky wicket is a pitch that has become wet. This causes the ball
to behave erratically, particularly for the slower or
spin
bowlers. However, the pitch is now generally protected from rain and dew
preceding and during games so that a sticky wicket is rarely seen in
first-class cricket. The phrase, however, has retained currency and extended
beyond cricket to mean any difficult situation.
As a match progresses, the pitch dries out. The Laws of Cricket prevent the
pitch from being watered during a match. As it dries out, initially batting
becomes easier as any moisture disappeares. Over the course of a four or five
day match, however, the pitch begins to crack, then crumble and become dusty.
This again favours bowlers, particularly spin bowlers who can obtain large
amounts of traction on the surface and make the ball spin a long way.
This change in the relative difficulties of batting and bowling as the state
of the pitch changes during a match is one of the primary strategic
considerations that the captain of the team that wins the coin toss will take
into account when deciding which team will bat first.
Covering the pitch
The pitch is said to be covered when there are covers on it to protect it
against rain or dew. Whether covers are used or not significantly affects the
way the ball comes off the pitch, making the issue a controversial one. Law 11
of the Laws of cricket provides that during the match the pitch shall not be
completely covered unless provided otherwise by regulations or by agreement
before the toss. When possible, the bowlers' run ups are covered in inclement
weather to keep them dry. If the pitch is covered overnight, the covers are
removed in the morning at the earliest possible moment on each day that play is
expected to take place. If covers are used during the day as protection from
inclement weather or if inclement weather delays the removal of overnight
covers, they are removed as soon as conditions allow.
Preparation and maintenance of the playing area
Law 10 of the Laws of cricket sets out rules covering the preparation and
maintenance of the playing area.
Rolling the pitch
During the match the pitch may be rolled at the request of the captain of the
batting side, for a period of not more than 7 minutes, before the start of each
innings, other than the first innings of the match, and before the start of each
subsequent day's play. In addition, if, after the toss and before the first
innings of the match, the start is delayed, the captain of the batting side may
request to have the pitch rolled for not more than 7 minutes, unless the umpires
together agree that the delay has had no significant effect on the state of the
pitch. Once the game has begun, rolling may not take place other than under
these circumstances.
If there is more than one roller available the captain of the batting side
shall have the choice. There are detailed rules to make sure that rolling, where
possible, is conducted so as not to delay the game, but, if necessary, the game
is delayed to allow the batting captain to have up to 7 minutes rolling if he so
wishes.
Sweeping
Before a pitch is rolled it is first swept to avoid any possible damage by
rolling in debris. The pitch is also cleared of any debris at all intervals for
meals, between innings and at the beginning of each day. The only exception to
this is that the umpires do not allow sweeping to take place where they consider
it may be detrimental to the surface of the pitch.
Mowing
Both the pitch and the outfield is mown on each day of a match on which play
is expected to take place, if ground and weather conditions allow. Once a game
has begun mowings are carried out under the supervision of the umpires.
Footholes and footholds
The umpires are required to make sure that bowlers' and batsmen's footholes
are cleaned out and dried whenever necessary to facilitate play. In matches of
more than one day's duration, if necessary, the footholes made by the bowler in
his delivery stride may be returfed or covered with quick-setting fillings to
make them safe and secure. Players may also secure their footholds using sawdust
provided that the pitch is not damaged or they do not do so in a way that is
unfair to the other team.
Other matters
Law 10 also provides that the pitch is not watered during the match and that
the creases are re-marked whenever either umpire considers it necessary.
Practice on the field
Players are not allowed to practise bowling or batting on the pitch, or on
the area parallel and immediately adjacent to the pitch, at any time on any day
of the match. Practice on a day of a match on any other part of the cricket
square is only permitted before the start of play or after the close of play on
that day, but must cease 30 minutes before the scheduled start of play or if it
is detrimental to the surface of the square.
Typically players do practise on the field of play, but not on the cricket
square, during the game. Also bowlers sometimes practise run ups during the
game. However, no practice or trial run up is permitted on the field of play
during play if it could result in a waste of time. The rules concerning practice
on the field are covered principally by Law 17 of the Laws of Cricket.
Related usages
The word pitch also refers to the bouncing of the ball, usually on the
pitch. In this context, the ball is said to pitch before it reaches the batsman.
Where the ball pitches can be qualified as pitched short (bouncing nearer
the bowler), pitched up (nearer the batsman), or pitched on a length
(somewhere in between).
Unlike
baseball, the word pitch is not used to mean the act of propelling
the ball towards the batsman. This is usually referred to as a ball or a
delivery. (Also, the word ball does not imply anything about the
accuracy of the ball.)
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