How to Prepare a Cricket Pitch

Cricket is one of the most popular sports, loved by millions of people around the globe. One of the most iconic aspects of cricket is the pitch, a rectangular playing surface that is specially prepared to be flat and hard, with extremely short grass. Although professional cricket pitches take copious amounts of time, money and effort to prepare, you can easily create a low-budget, easy-to-maintain cricket pitch in your own backyard!

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Considering a Cricket Pitch

1
Choose your location. If you're planning to make your pitch in your backyard, consider the maximum possible length you can get. A traditional pitch is 22 yards, or about 20 metres. Remember to leave some space at the ends, for the bowler's run-up. It's also important to consider the locations of windows, and close fences that might be prone to the ball being lost over.
- If you're only going to play one way, you might consider putting one end of the pitch against a fence. This will allow for a longer pitch, and you'll also be able to play without a wicket-keeper.
- Playing diagonally may be the best option if you're strapped for space.
- Depending on what type of ball you're planning to use, you may want to consider putting the batting end close to your house, so the ball is hit away from the building (and your precious windows!).
2
Assess the season and forecast. It's best to begin preparing your pitch in spring or summer, when the grass is actively growing and won't be too negatively affected by low-mowing or rolling.
3
Understand the work that is required. Although it is relatively easy to create and maintain a pitch, it can still be a time consuming process, depending on how professional you want your pitch to perform and appear. Rolling, mowing, painting and watering can all take time out of your daily schedule, and, once again based on what you want from your pitch, can be expensive.
- Although it may take hundreds of hours to completely refine and perfect a professional playing surface, there's definitely scope to greatly reduce this for a backyard pitch, as you're most likely not going to need a world-class playing surface for your next summer barbecue!
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Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Preparing a Cricket Pitch

1
Mark out your pitch. Use string line and some stakes to mark out the sides of your pitch, measuring at either end to ensure the lines are parallel.
2
Ensure your playing surface will be level. If you've got any undulations or bumps in your lawn, it's worth leveling the lawn to ensure you don't get any uneven or unexpected bounce from your pitch.
3
Begin mowing. Drop your mower down a notch or two, and begin the mow the length of the pitch. You want to mow as low as possible without completely killing or destroying the grass.
- If your grass is excessively long, it's best to start this step with a rotary mower on your normal height setting, and move down from there.
- Mow the grass as short as possible, to get the maximum bounce from the pitch, with the added bonus of it looking like a professional pitch you might see on TV! Make sure you don't hit dirt though, you don't want to completely destroy your grass.
Warning: Don't mow too much at one time. This may reduce the effectiveness of your mower and can be damaging to the grass. Mow once, check the height of the lawn, drop the height a notch and go again.
4
Reduce your height of cut. Get your lawn as low as possible, without destroying it. If you have a cylinder mower, bust it out now to get the lowest and cleanest cut.
- It can be beneficial to wait a few days between each cut, to give your grass a chance to recover.
- It's best to cut your pitch both longways and sideways. This will ensure an even cut across the whole surface and will reduce the chance of missing any areas^{[1]XResearch source}
5
Begin rolling. If you've got a roller, you can roll your pitch to increase its hardness and bounce. This will make it much more like a professional pitch, but isn't necessary for a successful pitch. Be sure to roll the entire length, working up and down longways, before going sideways to ensure you get maximum coverage.
- Vary the path you use to get your roller on and off the pitch. This will ensure you aren't rolling a hard-packed path into your normal grass around the wicket.
6
Water your pitch. After cutting your grass down as low as possible, and compacting it with a roller, you'll want to give the pitch a drink to help the grass recover as much as possible. Water for short intervals of around ten minutes, then leave it to soak in for half an hour, before watering again.
- You're looking for depth of moisture, which is obtained by short watering sessions with breaks to allow water penetration, rather than a long watering session with no rest. Pitches perform best with a moisture depth of around 4 inches, so this should be your goal^{[2]XResearch source}.
7
Paint the markings on your pitch. Use a can of marking paint and spray the lines for the creases. If you want a professional feel, you can use two lengths of timber, spaced evenly apart, and paint between them. This will give crisp, clear lines that will enhance the overall feel of your pitch.
- Make sure you use a paint that is specifically labelled grass marker or similar. This will ensure there are no toxins in the paint that will harm your grass.
8
Set up stumps! If you've got traditional wooden stumps and bails, you may need a stump gauge (a metal, three-pronged device that creates three stump holes) to ensure your stumps are evenly spaced, as well as making them much easier to drive in. Alternatively, pick up a set of free-standing metal stumps, and just place them in position!
- It's best to remove the stumps after playing. This will reduce weathering of your stumps, and make it easier to work on improving your pitch.
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Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Maintaining a Cricket Pitch

1
Water your pitch. Although how much water your pitch needs will vary depending on your soil type, you should supply small amounts of water over a few days to allow it to soak in and penetrate your soil.^{[3]XResearch source}
2
Mow your pitch. You'll want your grass to still be alive and healthy without growing too long, so you should mow once or twice a week, or whenever you feel it's needed.
- There isn't really a rule here, as it varies greatly depending on your grass, soil, weather conditions and use of the pitch.
3
Roll your pitch. This will compact the surface and make it much easier to play on. You don't really need to roll your pitch regularly, once every fortnight or so is enough. If you've got a game coming up though, it can be beneficial to spend 15 minutes or so compacting the wicket to ensure maximum performance.
Never roll your pitch after watering, or if it's wet to the touch. Doing so can squish and muddy up your wicket, completely destroying the surface! Allow a day or so for the pitch to dry out after watering.
4
Re-paint the markings. Over time, the paint will begin to wear off from both use and weather, so you'll need to repaint the markings whenever appropriate. This will enhance the look of your pitch, and reduce the likelihood of any 'No, I was in!' arguments!
5
Keep off your pitch if it's worn. If you've been enjoying your pitch for more than a few days or hours in a row, it may begin to wear down. Pitches can crack, crumble, die and literally break apart if they're not given time to recover between intensive use, so it's important to give your grass time to heal and recover to ensure the longevity of your wicket.
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Tips

Don't cut your pitch too low at one time. Give it a few days to recover so you can assess how the grass is handling the stress. You don't want your lawn to die.
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Lay off your pitch for a few days if you begin to see excessive wear and tear. Water the grass, and allow it to recover.
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Things You'll Need

A fine-leaf, slow-growing turf grass, although almost all varieties can work for a homemade pitch
A standard rotary mower
A cylinder or reel mower (optional, but highly recommended. These are quite expensive and require a lot of maintenance)
A roller (optional)
Stringline and stakes (optional, but highly recommended)