Pitch, creases and wickets

Law 6 and Appendix C — The pitch

The standard pitch is 20.12 m long and 3.05 m wide, between the bowling creases. Where a neighbouring artificial pitch lies closer than 1.52 m to the centre line, the pitch on that side ends at the meeting of the surfaces. An artificial playing surface must be at least 17.68 m long and 1.83 m wide. National governing bodies set junior pitch lengths.

The Ground Authority selects and prepares the pitch before the match; the umpires control its use and maintenance during play. A change of pitch requires the umpires to find continued play dangerous or unreasonable and both captains to consent.

Law 7 and Appendix C — Reading the lines

At each end there is a bowling crease, a popping crease and two return creases, marked in white. The legally relevant edge matters when judging a player’s position.

• Bowling crease: its back edge defines the end of the pitch; the line is 2.64 m long.
• Popping crease: its back edge is 1.22 m in front of the bowling crease. It is marked at least 1.83 m either side of the centre line and is legally unlimited in length.
• Return creases: their inside edges run at right angles to the popping crease, 1.32 m either side of the centre line. Marking extends at least 2.44 m behind the popping crease; they too are legally unlimited.

Law 8 and Appendix D — Stumps and bails

Each wicket has 3 wooden stumps and 2 wooden bails, centred on a bowling crease opposite the other wicket. Overall wicket width is 22.86 cm. Stumps stand 71.12 cm above the surface, with a diameter between 3.50 and 3.81 cm. Bails may project no more than 1.27 cm above the stumps.

A bail is 10.95 cm overall: barrel 5.40 cm, longer spigot 3.50 cm and shorter spigot 2.06 cm. Approved safety devices may limit how far a bail travels. Junior dimensions are set by the national governing body. If conditions require, umpires may remove bails at both ends and restore them when possible.