Lesson 12 of 14

Reading a Pitch Before the Toss

6 min read•2/19 sections

Five things to look for in 60 seconds.

Grass length and colour (green = ; brown = /turn).

at the ends ( variability later).

Footmarks from earlier matches (spinner's target).

Hardness by key-press (hard = ; soft = grip and low ).

Surface (dampness aids both and early).

Technical Breakdown

19-section schema

'' comes from the Old English 'piccean' — to fix or plant — referring to the strip 'pitched' between the wickets.

MCC's Laws (first codified 1744, current 2017 edition) set the 22-yard and playing-area dimensions cricket still uses today.