Unique ways to dry a cricket pitch in India
Cricket, being one of the longest forms of the game, requires optimal playing conditions, especially when you consider that today’s players often dive all over the field to save crucial runs. The condition of the playing surface is crucial for the smooth running of matches.
Currently, the Sahid Vijay Singh Pathik Stadium in Greater Noida has witnessed some unconventional methods of drying out the cricket pitch. Due to persistent rain overnight, the mid-wicket and end areas have turned muddy, ruining all the efforts put in on the first day. With no drainage facility at the stadium, the ground-keepers have resorted to innovative techniques to prepare the pitch for play.
One such technique involved removing wet turf from the affected area and replacing it with patches of grass from the practice field.
Below are five unique techniques employed in India to dry cricket pitches:
1. Grass implantation
On the second day of the Test match between Afghanistan and New Zealand, the groundskeepers used an innovative method to dry out a section of the pitch. They removed the wet turf and replaced it with patches of dry grass from the practice area. While this helped alleviate the problem, it created a risk of uneven bounce inside the 30-yard circle, which could affect the performance of the players.
Unique ways to dry a cricket pitch
2. Electric fans for drying wet spots.
Meanwhile, when multiple wet spots were observed within the 30-yard circle, ground crews used three electric fans to dry the affected areas. This method proved helpful in speeding up the drying process.
3. Prick stumps in wet areas
Another technique was to spike wet areas with stumps. Groundskeepers used this method to speed up the drying of the field and make it ready for play as quickly as possible.
4. Hair dryers to dry the tar
Earlier, during the T20 match between India and Sri Lanka in 2020, the groundsmen used hair dryers to dry the pitch after heavy rain. This unusual method caught the attention of netizens for its creativity in dealing with the humid conditions.
5. Use a heavy roller on a sponge to dry wet areas.
On Day 2 (September 10, 2024) of the Afghanistan vs New Zealand Test, the fielders were seen drying a wet spot at the Greater Noida Stadium by placing a sponge over it.
6. Use of irons
During the India vs Sri Lanka match in 2020, the ground staff also used household irons to dry the wet areas of the pitch, especially in areas where water had seeped in and caused dampness.
First published: September 10, 2024 | 12:35 pm IS
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