Probably more than in any other sport cricket results are determined by the state of the pitch that the players play on. You may think that to look at it a large Green space is all that is actually required but the area around the wicket is a very, very important part of the game. In fact games can be won and lost purely by misreading the state of the pitch that you are required to play on. It’s no wonder the groundskeepers are under a lot of pressure to make sure that the pitch is well maintained. They will always want to have some decent Mountfield spares and DIY spares parts in place for the mowers to make sure everything is tip top.
Cricket is a game that has been around for a very long time. Therefore it is not surprising to find that many matches are decided not only on a coin toss and an inability to read the weather forecast but also the state of the pitch is a deciding factor. Put simply if the grass is long in the outfield the ball will slow quicker thus reducing the chances of scoring 4 runs. 4 runs are called when the ball hits the boundary rope. Those few runs, if denied, can make all the difference between victory and defeat.
Around the wicked itself; if this has deteriorated then the ball will spin and turn in such a way that the Batman will have trouble reading it. You will often see swing and spin bowlers aiming for rough patches and cracks in the turf. Conversely you will also see Batsmen doing some “gardening”. This is where the Batsman attempts to firm down the ground with their bat.
