Pitch (cricket)
The cricket pitch is the part of the playing field between the two wickets , roughly in the middle of the cricket field . It is the most important area of the square. Artificial turf is often used in the amateur sector today, but in professional cricket it is always played on natural turf. The remaining and largest part of the playing field is always made of natural grass.
Dimensions
The pitch is 22 yards (20.12 m) long, exactly the distance between the wickets, and 10 feet (3 m) wide. The surface is very flat and usually covered with very short grass that wears off very quickly during a game.
On the two narrow sides of the pitch, the two wickets each stand in the middle of a line called a bowling crease , which is 8 feet and 8 inches long (2.64 m). Four feet in front of the wicket, i.e. H. in the direction of the other wicket, there is a parallel line at least 12 feet (3.63 m) long, the Popping Crease . At right angles to the first-mentioned lines, exactly adjacent to the bowling crease, there is a return crease on either side that begins at the popping crease and extends at least 4 feet (1.22 m) behind the bowling crease.
Strictly speaking, the visible white “lines” are only the line markings; in the case of the return crease, the actual lines are the inner edges and the other two lines are the rear edges (away from the more distant wicket).
The pitch is also often referred to as "wicket". This is not technically correct in terms of the rules, but in the respective context a mix-up with the "correct" wickets is practically impossible.
Square
Due to the heavy use of a natural grass pitch, a number of pitches must be used over a season, sometimes up to a dozen. These are next to each other in the central area of the square, Square , called applied and uniformly used in the season as possible. A centrally located pitch is generally used for important games.
Pitch coverage
According to Rule 10 of the Laws of Cricket pitch may only be covered during the game when the game rules or arrangements before Toss (coin toss) explicitly permit. The approach of the bowler, however, should always be covered if possible in damp weather. At the beginning of a game day or if the pitch has been covered during a break in play due to rain, the covers will be removed as soon as the weather permits. In professional cricket, pitch covers are the norm today.
Protected area
The protected area , called the Danger Area until 2000 , is a narrow strip that runs along the center of the pitch. It is 2 feet wide and starts and ends 5 feet before the Popping Creases. It is in this area that the ball usually hits the throw, and damage beyond normal use would give the bowler an unfair advantage over the batsman .
The bowler is therefore not allowed to walk into this area after the throw. Should this happen, he and his captain will be warned for the first two offenses. After the third incident, he is no longer allowed to bowl in the current innings , even if this happens in the course of an overs . However, the relevant rule does not prohibit the bowler or any of the other field players from entering this area in the further course of the game to play the ball.
State of the pitch
The condition of the pitch has a great influence on the game, as the ball almost always hits the pitch before the batsman when it is thrown. Especially in multi-day games, it often happens that a pitch that is easy to play for the batsmen at the beginning gives the bowlers more and more advantages as the game progresses.
Before the game, the so-called toss , i.e. H. by tossing a coin between the two captains, drawing lots to determine who can decide which team to start batting. The fact that the state of the pitch can change significantly during the course of the game has a great influence on this decision.
Drop-in pitch
Drop-in pitches were first introduced at the WACA Ground in Perth . During the cricket season, a prepared pitch, which is located in a steel structure, is installed in the stadium. It allows other events to take place in the stadium outside of the cricket season without affecting the pitch. However, the pitches set up with it are sometimes heavily criticized. The biggest point of criticism is that because the earth mass of the pitch is enclosed in a steel tub, it has additional hold and does not break up after several days. Since the latter helps the bowlers to achieve wickets, it can lead to a rather uninteresting course of the game.
Derived terms
In English, derived from the noun pitch , the throwing of the ball by the bowler on this pitch is also described with the verb to pitch . In this context, a ball that hits the striker far in front of the striker is called pitched short , a ball that hits relatively close to the batsman is called pitched up, and a ball placed at the middle distance is called pitched on a length .
Unlike in baseball , the word pitch does not describe the throw itself, but in cricket the terms ball or delivery are used .
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ India vs Australia: What is a drop-in pitch and how is it different from a regular one? ( English ) India Today. December 14, 2018. Retrieved December 8, 2019.
- ↑ Peter Lusted: Steve Smith warns MCG curators ICC poor pitch rating means they must do more to help bowlers ( English ) ABC. January 3, 2018. Retrieved December 8, 2019.
- ↑ Boring and lifeless: Cricket NSW slams plans for drop-in pitch at the SCG ( English ) Cricinfo. July 2, 2019. Retrieved December 8, 2019.