Cricket field

A
cricket
field
is
a
large
grass
field
on
which
the
game
of
cricket
is
played.
Although
generally
oval
in
shape,
there
is
a
wide
variety
within
this:
some
are
almost
perfect
circles,
some
elongated
ovals
and
some
entirely
irregular
shapes
with
little
or
no
symmetry
–
but
they
will
have
entirely
curved
boundaries,
almost
without
exception.
There
are
no
fixed
dimensions
for
the
field
but
its
diameter
usually
varies
between
450
feet
(137
m)
and
500
feet
(150
m).
Cricket
is
unusual
among
major
sports
(along
with
golf,
Australian
rules
football
and
baseball)
in
that
there
is
no
official
rule
for
a
fixed-shape
ground
for
professional
games.
On
most
grounds,
a
rope
demarcates
the
perimeter
of
the
field
and
is
known
as
the
boundary.
A
standard
cricket
field,
showing
the
cricket
pitch
(brown),
close-infield
(light
green)
within
15
yards
(13.7
m)
of
the
striking
batsman,
infield
(medium
green)
inside
the
white
30
yard
(27.4
m)
circle,
and
outfield
(dark
green),
with
sight
screens
beyond
the
boundary
at
either
end.

A
perspective
view
of
the
cricket
pitch
from
the
bowler's
end.
The
bowler
runs
in
past
one
side
of
the
wicket
at
the
bowler's
end,
either
'over'
the
wicket
or
'round'
the
wicket.
The
Cricket
pitch
dimensions

Within
the
boundary
and
generally
as
close
to
the
centre
as
possible
will
be
the
square
which
is
an
area
of
carefully
prepared
grass
upon
which
cricket
pitches
can
be
prepared
and
marked
for
the
matches.
The
pitch
is
where
batsmen
hit
the
bowled
ball
and
run
between
the
wickets
to
score
runs,
while
the
fielding
team
tries
to
return
the
ball
to
either
wicket
to
prevent
this.

Field size

The
ICC
Standard
Playing
Conditions
define
the
minimum
and
maximum
size
of
the
playing
surface
for
international
matches.
Law
19.1.3[1]
of
ICC
Men's
Test
Match
Playing
Conditions
as
well
as
ICC
Men's
One
Day
International
Playing
Conditions
states:

19.1.3 The aim shall be to maximise the size of the playing area at each
venue. With respect to the size of the boundaries, no boundary shall be
longer than 90 yards (82.29 meters), and no boundary should be shorter
than 65 yards (59.43 meters) from the centre of the pitch to be used.

In
addition,
the
conditions
require
a
minimum
three-yard
gap
between
the
"rope"
and
the
surrounding
fencing
or
advertising
boards.
This
allows
players
to
dive
without
risk
of
injury.

The
conditions
contain
a
grandfather
clause,
which
exempts
stadiums
built
before
October
2007.
However,
most
stadiums
which
regularly
host
international
games
easily
meet
the
minimum
dimensions.

A
typical
Test
match
stadium
would
be
larger
than
these
defined
minimums,
with
over
20,000
sq
yd
(17,000
m2)
of
grass
(having
a
straight
boundary
of
about
80m).[2]
In
contrast
an
association
football
field
needs
only
about
9,000
sq
yd
(7,500
m2)
of
grass,
and
an
Olympic
stadium
would
contain
8,350
sq
yd
(6,980
m2)
of
grass
within
its
400m
running
track,
making
it
difficult
to
play
international
cricket
in
stadiums
not
built
for
the
purpose.
Nevertheless,
Stadium
Australia
which
hosted
the
Sydney
Olympics
in
2000
had
its
running
track
turfed
over
with
30,000
seats
removed
to
make
it
possible
to
play
cricket
there,
at
a
cost
of
A$80
million.[3]
This
is
one
of
the
reasons
cricket
games
generally
cannot
be
hosted
outside
the
traditional
cricket-playing
countries,
and
a
few
non-Test
nations
like
Canada,
the
UAE
and
Kenya
that
have
built
Test
standard
stadiums.

The pitch

Most
of
the
action
takes
place
in
the
centre
of
this
ground,
on
a
rectangular
clay
strip
usually
with
short
grass
called
the
pitch.
The
pitch
measures
22
yards
(20
m)
long.

At
each
end
of
the
pitch
three
upright
wooden
stakes,
called
the
stumps,
are
hammered
into
the
ground.
Two
wooden
crosspieces,
known
as
the
bails,
sit
in
grooves
atop
the
stumps,
linking
each
to
its
neighbour.
Each
set
of
three
stumps
and
two
bails
is
collectively
known
as
a
wicket.
One
end
of
the
pitch
is
designated
the
batting
end
where
the
batsman
stands
and
the
other
is
designated
the
bowling
end
where
the
bowler
runs
in
to
bowl.
The
area
of
the
field
on
the
side
of
the
line
joining
the
wickets
where
the
batsman
holds
his
bat
(the
right-hand
side
for
a
right-handed
batsman,
the
left
for
a
left-hander)
is
known
as
the
off
side,
the
other
as
the
leg
side
or
on
side.

Lines
drawn
or
painted
on
the
pitch
are
known
as
creases.
Creases
are
used
to
adjudicate
the
dismissals
of
batsmen,
by
indicating
where
the
batsmen's
grounds
are,
and
to
determine
whether
a
delivery
is
fair.

Parts of the field

For
limited
overs
cricket
matches,
there
are
two
additional
field
markings
to
define
areas
relating
to
fielding
restrictions.
The
"circle"
or
"fielding
circle"
is
an
oval
described
by
drawing
a
semicircle
of
30
yards
(27.4
m)
radius
from
the
centre
of
each
wicket
with
respect
to
the
breadth
of
the
pitch
and
joining
them
with
lines
parallel,
30
yards
(27.4
m)
to
the
length
of
the
pitch.
This
divides
the
field
into
an
infield
and
outfield
and
can
be
marked
by
a
painted
line
or
evenly
spaced
discs.
The
close-
infield
is
defined
by
a
circle
of
radius
15
yards
(13.7
m),
centred
at
middle
stump
guard
on
the
popping
crease
at
the
end
of
the
wicket,
and
is
often
marked
by
dots.

See also

List
of
Test
cricket
grounds

References

1.
"Cricket
Rules
and
Regulations
|
ICC
Rules
of
Cricket"
(https://www.icc-cricket.com/about/cricket/rules-a
 nd-regulations/playing-conditions) .
www.icc-cricket.com.
Retrieved
27
March
2019.

2.
"Archived
copy"
(https://web.archive.org/web/20100801013856/http://www.vip-flags.com/largestflag_
vip.htm) .
Archived
from
the
original
(http://vip-flags.com/largestflag_vip.htm)
on
1
August
2010.
Retrieved
16
August
2010.
A
flag
measuring
340ft
x
510ft
i.e.
173,400
sq.ft
(19,266
sq.
yds)
was
unveiled
at
the
National
Stadium,
Karachi.
This
video
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfbOUUYohxc >
shows
that
the
rectangular
flag,
when
fully
unfurled,
comfortably
fit
within
the
playing
area.

3.
"CSA
rules
out
cricket
at
FIFA
World
Cup
venues
|
Cricket
|
ESPN
Cricinfo"
(http://www.cricinfo.com/sout
hafrica/content/current/story/472979.html) .
Cricinfo.com.
Retrieved
3
January
2016.

Retrieved
from
"https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?
title=Cricket_field&oldid=1022802130"

Last
edited
21
days
ago
by
John
of
Reading

Content
is
available
under
CC
BY-SA
3.0
unless
otherwise
noted.