Different strokes for different folks

International cricket is currently being played in Australia, South Africa and Pakistan. It is interesting to note the characteristics of the pitches and the manner in which the visiting teams cope with them.

The Gabba in Brisbane has one of the fastest wickets in the world

The two factors that determine success in the game stem from being able to exploit the pitch conditions. Due to weather patterns and the soil profile, nature of pitches in countries are bound to vary. The better batsmen and bowlers will fare well consistently in all types of conditions.

It is the bowlers who have to do more to exploit unfamiliar and on occasions unresponsive pitches. Some surfaces provide more assistance to the quicker bowlers whilst others assist the spinners more. A question to pose is what type of pitches breed better players?

Only a small percentage of players ultimately reach the level of representing their country. There are thousands who play the game from junior level and it is the pitches they play on, that determines their future in the game.

It is therefore vital to prepare surfaces that give an opportunity for batsmen, pace and spin bowlers to be able to develop their craft. At school and club level when games are played over two days or more, the standard of pitches are very important.Not much attention is paid to this aspect which in fact is the heart of the matter. Pitches where the ball regularly keeps low and slow pace, never help in producing complete cricketers.

The main ingredient that determines the manner in which a pitch behaves is the layer of top soil. Top soil used all over the world has a content of clay which is what helps bind the surface together. The higher the clay content the better the binding ability.

Now the Lankan bowlers will find the New Zealand wickets an intriguing challenge

Australia is the country that has top soil with the highest clay content – in the region of eighty percent. South African pitches have the next highest clay content and of the “loam” used on English pitches have the least – a percentage in the mid fifties. In the sub continent the content is around the sixty percent mark. This gives an idea and the reason for pitches in Australia and South Africa to have more pace and bounce. A couple of islands in the West Indies also do have such tracks, but theirs is a mixture, in the manner in which the surfaces behave.

The moisture content is also a telling factor. This accounts for the excessive seam movement during this early season, in England, New Zealand, and a couple of venues in Australia, Melbourne and Tasmania. The moisture from the rain in winter and spring takes awhile to dry out completely and this provides an advantage for seam bowlers.

Also, the length and freshness of grass that is left by the groundsman determines seam movement. The lack of grass on pitches in the sub continent accounts for spin bowlers having to come into the attack early and bowl long spells.

In Sri Lanka there is the possibility of producing pitches that can be reasonably quick and bouncy. One requirement is to ensure that there is between four to six inches of top soil on all turf pitches. Regular maintenance of top dressing with crushed and sieved top soil and replacing damaged areas is a must. Committed efforts by ground staff to put in the hours of work is also a must. To abstain from shaving the grass to just a stubble is also necessary.It is pitches which contain pace and bounce that will breed a whole crop of quality cricketers.