Cricket - Not all about the Cherry and the Willow!

Cricket – Not all about the Cherry and the Willow!: If you are to explain to a novice about what exactly is cricket in simple terms, you would go for the age old norm and say it is a contest between the bat and the ball with two teams of eleven players each involved in it. Only if it was actually this simple. The element of non artificiality is perhaps the highest in cricket as compared to any other outdoor sport. The only one which comes close is tennis with different courts offering various new dimensions. In cricket there are numerous factors which are out of our control and cannot be manipulated. This gives it the unpredictability which we associate with cricket matches. All these factors are as crucial as some of the more discussed strategic philosophies and ideas. They provide the game an air of excitement and challenge the players to adapt their skills to suit the conditions. This also helps distinguish the great players from the ordinary ones. Here we take a look at the integral factors which impact a cricket match: 1. The Pitch: Cricket Pitch. (© Getty Images) Two absolutely similar and equally strong teams could play each other on two different sets of pitches and the results would be entirely opposite. This is courtesy the 22 yards which is the centre of all the action and its nature. The sight of subcontinent teams going overseas and losing comprehensively is a familiar one these days. But when we see Australia coming to India and loose 4-0 we know that each one is lion in their respective dens but a rabbit outside it. While the ball swings in England like the road turns in India, South Africa offers steep and spongy bounce for the pacers. Subcontinent teams are often welcomed with a nice reception of grass carpets. Australia will inevitably offer more bounce and seam movement than anywhere else, though it also means the ball coming on to the bat and the freedom to play through the line. As soon as you land in India, it won’t take much time to recognise that the pitch has just had a shave. The only grass you will find will be in lawn near the team hotel. Don’t be surprised at a ball which keeps low, because that one actually bounced a bit. The ones which keep low won’t leave you surprised, they will give nightmares. There are no cracks in the pitches in India. Yes, you read it right! Rather there are pitches in the cracks. Another interesting aspect is the varying nature of the surfaces in the same country. While Mohali will offer nice carry and pace, the Wankhede might turn square on occasions. Perth could make you jump and hop, while Adelaide could be a batting paradise. So the next time you see one sided results in international cricket do not blame the players alone. You see they are brilliant in their conditions but out of their waters everybody struggles. And those who can perform on tour go on to be the real achievers. 2. The Venue: Cricket Stadium. (Photo Source: Google) This is yet another important element of the game. It has many sub elements interwined in it like the size of the boundaries, the capacity of the stadium, the outfield etc. The World Cup final of 2015 was a perfect manifestation of how a bigger ground can expose some of your potential weaknesses. A side which was unbeaten in the whole tournament just collapsed on the big day. The venue is what gives you the most discussed word in recent years – ‘home advantage’. It is not surprising for a local team to outclass the opposition in their own conditions. The home side certainly knows how to best use the ground to their advantage. Similarly playing at the Wanderers in South Africa might make you wonder how could that gently hit ball go for six, and you later have the aerodynamics expert telling you its all due to the altitude at which the stadium is located and the ball does travel much more in the air compared to other venues. Shorter boundaries and fast outfields inevitably mean high scoring games. A match in the Chinnaswamy stadium of Bangalore might make the bowlers look mere spectators as the batsmen clear those almost ‘illegal’ boundaries with ease. The crowd and its strength also matter as acknowledged by the greatest of cricketers. While it could make the home team overcome a precarious situation, it could also mean extra pressure for them. 3. Wind and Moisture: Cricket Stadium. (©Getty Images) Talking about windy stadia one has to mention New Zealand. An account of the wind speeds is proved by the fact that cricket games here have much heavier bails than the normal ones to help them stay on in the frequent strokes of wind during the match. The sea breeze in the coastal areas often brings the swing bowlers into the game. Sri Lanka is a perfect example of this. The flow of wind and its direction often dictates from which end captains operate their strike bowlers. Apart from all this the wind also brings much needed relief for players in humid conditions. Moisture in the pitch helps the fast bowlers a great deal and causes visible discomfort to the batsmen. 4. Temperature: Nobody recognises its affect better than the Asians. While the sun brings the sub continent spinners into the game, it also negates any swing or movement making it easier for the batsmen on foreign soil. A cricket match in England might play out very differently when the sun is out and when the clouds occupy the sky. High temperatures also demands more fuel from the players out in the middle. Dehydrations are very common instances in such situations. Similarly a very cold and chilly morning in Delhi might make it look like Belfast with the ball seeming all around. Extremely hot weather down under equates to cracks which would widen as the test match progresses. 5. Dew: Dew. (Photo Source: Deccan Chronicle) It plays a crucial role in day night matches. Due to this the toss becomes vital and the team batting second has a distinct advantage if the opposition has a potent spin bowling attack. The dew, to put it simply takes the spinners virtually out of the game. They can’t grip the seam firmly since it comes wet and thus struggle to land the ball where they wish. It also amounts to the ball coming skidding off the pitch and therefore making stroke-play easier. Anti dew sprays have somewhat helped negate its affect but not taken it completely out of picture. 6. Rain and Inclement Weather: Rain plays spoilsport at Bangalore. (Photo Source: BCCI) The opening up of the heavens completely change the dynamics of a cricket match. While it gives distinct advantage to the chasing side, it also alters the playing conditions a fair bit. And our dear friends Duckworth and Lewis do not come on to the horizon until it rains. While it is disappointing for the crowd, it also robs them off seeing a complete fixture. Sometimes those 6 over games look nothing short of a drama. They are hardly cricket you see. You can’t be farther from the drops if the match is in England. While the cricket season in Australia is comparatively drier you are never sure of what the rain gods have in offer for you. Building closed stadia is perhaps the way to go in future. Follow us on Twitter here – CRICKET TRACKER ON TWITTER

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Cricket - Not all about the Cherry and the Willow!

3. Wind and Moisture:

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