One of the most fascinating elements about a cricket game is the pitch. This is especially the case for games that are played over multiple days, such as test matches. We have different styles of pitches around the world, and these are all affected by the weather in some way.
From the swing of England to the bounce of Australia and spin of India, each pitch is different. Local weather will change the pitch over the five days of a test match and this can have a huge effect on who wins the game.
What Weather Affects Cricket Pitches?
All weather affects cricket but some conditions more than others will affect the pitch. Dry and hot conditions will really dry the pitch out and give the batsmen something to think about on the latter days of a test match.
With hot weather, expect a pitch to crack which will lead to areas of the pitch that will react well to spin bowling and also give the seamers some variable bounce. You can find out where the hottest places in a country are by viewing stats on a daily basis. Often on pitches after many days of very hot and dry weather we will see balls keep low, bounce high and turn dramatically.
Pitches that have the opposite and have rain on them can often really struggle for both bounce and spin, often proving to be dead. These pitches are known for offering a challenge for both batsmen and bowlers because the bowlers have little to work with, but there is the odd gremlin in the pitch for batsmen.
Lastly, we have cloud cover, and the more cloud we have the better this is for swinging the ball. A pitch that offers bounce combined with a very cloudy day can give seam bowlers an excellent opportunity to take wickets while making things incredibly tough for batsmen.
This is a typical example of what the weather can do to a pitch. From time to time, we find ourselves with conditions on the pitch and in the air that both suit bowlers and when this is the case it can heavily influence the outcome of a test match.
How to Read a Cricket Pitch
Reading a cricket pitch is always good for people, and it will help you understand how a test match is going to be played and why things are happening. Those betting on cricket with bookmakers such as those listed on betfromindia.com can use their pitch knowledge as an advantage when placing bets.
This knowledge should be able to help you work out who is going to be batting at the best time, who will be under pressure and when you think the bowlers are going to strike. A test match is played over five days and we could see very different conditions across the five days to make all players think about things.
The weather can play a huge impact in determining the result of a cricket game by setting the pitch up to play in a certain way.
