How to Make a Cricket Pitch

The pitch is to cricket what the mound is to baseball. A cricket pitch is a flat rectangular strip 22 yards long and 10 feet wide. Wickets are placed at both ends of the pitch and batsmen and bowlers, one of each at each end, take turns bowling and batting. The speed at which the ball bounces off the pitch influences how the bowlers move the ball around. The cricket pitch can be green, bouncy or slow, but it is crucial that the surface is hard enough to allow the ball to bounce consistently.

Things You'll Need

  • Tape measure
  • Level
  • Shovels or backhoe
  • 1/2 inch gravel
  • Grass roller
  • Coarse sand
  • "Bulli" or clay mixture
  • Fine grass plugs
  • Fertilizer
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Instructions

    • 1

      Measure, clear and level the space for the pitch. The pitch must be exactly 22 yards-by-10 feet, and must be level in the center of the cricket ground. Excavate the pitch to a depth of 12 inches. Dispose of the excavated soil elsewhere.

    • 2

      Lay a bed of half-inch crushed gravel. The gravel bed should be enough to make a level three inches thick or up to six inches thick in areas where rainfall is heavy. Use heavy rollers to compact the gravel and use a level to ensure that the entire surface is even. This layer will help promote drainage.

    • 3

      Add a layer of coarse sand about three inches deep. The sand will fill the air holes between gravel pieces. It also acts as a filter to prevent the top layers from sinking into the gravel layer. The sand should be dry when applied, leveled, and rolled to compact it as much as possible.

    • 4

      Install the top layer or "bulli." This is the most important element and is made up of a clay/sand/loam mixture. The properties of the cricket pitch will be determined by this layer and it is essential to have the mixture designed specifically for your climactic conditions. Lay this clay mixture in two-inch thick layers and roll and compact it before laying the next layer for a total of four to six inches.

    • 5

      Plant the grass if desired. Cricket pitches do not always have a grass covering -- grass is only recommended in cool wet climates. Plant plugs of a fine type of grass four inches apart. Top dress with a thin layer of bulli and roll lightly. Top dress and fertilize the grass regularly. Roll the pitch after rain or watering. If you do not require grass, roll the pitch regularly to ensure proper compaction. Do not use the pitch until the grass has grown or a field hockey ball bounces to a uniform height on any part of the pitch.