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Introduction

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Cricket Pitches

Abstract

There are no published or written guidelines or quantifiable standards for the preparation or construction of a turf pitch. The majority of cricket pitches in the continental and subcontinental regions are typically prepared and set out based on the extensive experience that groundsmen and curators have amassed in the field of pitch making. By interacting with the weather factors present within and above the pitch surface, dominant clay minerals with exchangeable cations and a proportionate amount of clay, silt, and sand are viewed as the genes that control the pitch’s behaviour by regulating its cracking or crumbling patterns, WHC, surface density, compression levels, etc. It is said that a uniform, high-quality pitch is necessary for playing excellent international cricket. A decent cricket field should allow for a competitive match between the bat and the ball. It ought to be suitable for stroke play and have a good pace, consistent bounce, and excellent ball carry. Above all, it should be goal-oriented, and the surface shouldn't ever become hazardous for the batsman or unplayable.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    BCCI Curators Certification Course Manual, Second Edition, 2013, P. 15.

  2. 2.

    ICC pitch and outfield monitoring process, October 2010 and ICC playing handbook, 2012–13.

  3. 3.

    ICC playing handbook, 2012–13, standard test match playing conditions, p. 28.

  4. 4.

    ICC playing handbook, 2012–13, standard ODI playing conditions, p.64 and 113.

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Singh, S.B., Singh, D.N., Ray, S.K., Nagaraj, H.B. (2023). Introduction. In: Cricket Pitches. Springer Transactions in Civil and Environmental Engineering. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-2913-9_1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-2913-9_1

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