The cricket field consists of a large, often circular or oval-shaped, grassy ground. There are no fixed dimensions for the field but its diameter usually varies between 450 feet (137 m) and 500 feet (150 m). The perimeter of the field, known as the boundary, is marked, often with a rope or a painted line.
The pitch
A perspective view of the cricket pitch from the bowler's end. 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 10 × 66 feet (3.05 × 20.12 m). The longer dimension of the pitch is also a unit of length known as a chain.
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 and to determine whether a delivery is legal.
The nature of the pitch
Pitches vary in consistency, and thus in the amount of bounce, spin, and seam movement available to the bowler. Hard pitches are usually good to bat on because of high but even bounce. Dry pitches tend to deteriorate for batting as cracks often appear, and when this happens spinners can play a major role. Damp pitches, or pitches covered in grass (termed "green" pitches), allow good fast bowlers to extract extra bounce and seam movement. Such pitches tend to offer help to fast bowlers throughout the match, but become better for batting as the game goes on.
Parts of the field
For some limited-over matches, there are two additional field markings. A painted oval is made 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 line, commonly known as the "circle", divides the field into an infield and outfield. Two circles of radius 15 yards (13.7 m), centred on each wicket and often marked by dots, define the "close-infield". The infield, outfield, and the close-infield are used to enforce fielding restrictions.
Placements of players
Fielding positions in cricket for a right-handed batsman. The named positions are only indicative: the fielders may stand anywhere. The bowler and wicket-keeper are always in roughly the same position, and there are only nine other fielders, so there are always many unprotected areas.
Fielding positions in cricket for a right-handed batsman. The named positions are only indicative: the fielders may stand anywhere. The bowler and wicket-keeper are always in roughly the same position, and there are only nine other fielders, so there are always many unprotected areas.
The batting team always has two batsmen on the field. One batsman, known as the "striker", faces and plays the balls bowled by the bowler. His or her partner stands at the bowling end and is known as the "non-striker".
The fielding team has eleven players on the ground. One of them is the current bowler. The wicket-keeper, who generally acts in that role for the whole innings, stands or crouches behind the wicket at the batting end. The captain of the fielding team spreads his or her remaining nine players — the fielders — around the ground, positioned according to the team's strategy.
The pitch
A perspective view of the cricket pitch from the bowler's end. 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 10 × 66 feet (3.05 × 20.12 m). The longer dimension of the pitch is also a unit of length known as a chain.
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 and to determine whether a delivery is legal.
The nature of the pitch
Pitches vary in consistency, and thus in the amount of bounce, spin, and seam movement available to the bowler. Hard pitches are usually good to bat on because of high but even bounce. Dry pitches tend to deteriorate for batting as cracks often appear, and when this happens spinners can play a major role. Damp pitches, or pitches covered in grass (termed "green" pitches), allow good fast bowlers to extract extra bounce and seam movement. Such pitches tend to offer help to fast bowlers throughout the match, but become better for batting as the game goes on.
Parts of the field
For some limited-over matches, there are two additional field markings. A painted oval is made 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 line, commonly known as the "circle", divides the field into an infield and outfield. Two circles of radius 15 yards (13.7 m), centred on each wicket and often marked by dots, define the "close-infield". The infield, outfield, and the close-infield are used to enforce fielding restrictions.
Placements of players
Fielding positions in cricket for a right-handed batsman. The named positions are only indicative: the fielders may stand anywhere. The bowler and wicket-keeper are always in roughly the same position, and there are only nine other fielders, so there are always many unprotected areas.
Fielding positions in cricket for a right-handed batsman. The named positions are only indicative: the fielders may stand anywhere. The bowler and wicket-keeper are always in roughly the same position, and there are only nine other fielders, so there are always many unprotected areas.
The batting team always has two batsmen on the field. One batsman, known as the "striker", faces and plays the balls bowled by the bowler. His or her partner stands at the bowling end and is known as the "non-striker".
The fielding team has eleven players on the ground. One of them is the current bowler. The wicket-keeper, who generally acts in that role for the whole innings, stands or crouches behind the wicket at the batting end. The captain of the fielding team spreads his or her remaining nine players — the fielders — around the ground, positioned according to the team's strategy.
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