The longer the format of the match the greater the role pitch conditions will play

Shortly before a cricket match starts the captains of both teams walk fifa 15 coins together to the wicket. The captain of the team playing at home tosses a coin in the air, and while the coin is in flight the captain of the team playing away from home calls ‘heads’ or ‘tails’. If the away captain calls correctly then he has the choice of batting or fielding first. On the other hand, if the away captain calls incor- rectly then the home captain gets the choice.

Whether a coin lands heads or tails is pure luck, of course, but the choice of whether to bat or field first is a big test of the captain’s acumen.

The captain’s decision on whether to bat or bowl first has a lot to do with his assessment of the state of the pitch, and the weather conditions.

If the pitch or the weather looks like it will favour pace and swing bowling then the captain winning the toss is likely to choose to bowl first.

Tell-tale signs of a pitch and weather conditions that favour bowling first include:

Grass on the pitch: This factor could aid the bowlers in moving the ball off the seam.

A little moisture on the wicket: Dampness in the pitch, perhaps caused by early morning dew, could also encourage seam movement.

Cloudy conditions overhead: Cloud cover and a humid atmosphere can encourage the cricket ball to swing in the air, making play more difficult for the batsman.

However, on the flip-side, if the conditions look like they favour batting then the chances are the captain will decide to bat first; called in cricketing circles having a knock!

Tell-tale signs of a batting-friendly pitch and weather conditions include:

Dry and grassless pitch: The ball is unlikely to deviate much off the seam – though if deterioration takes place later in the game then spin bowlers may have some success.

Sunny and dry overhead conditions: The ball is less likely to swing, so making the opposition field on a hot day can be a sure-fire way to fatigue the bowlers and the fielders – cricket can be a cruel sport!

Just because a pitch starts out as a paradise for batsmen doesn’t mean it will end the game like that. As the match progresses, dry pitches often deteriorate. The spikes used by bowlers and the impact of the ball on the pitch can make the turf crumble. This sort of surface can lead to uneven bounce, aid spin bowling and make the pitch harder to bat on successfully. Conversely, if the pitch starts off damp and green, a few days sunshine can soon turn it into a batting paradise – all dry and grassless!

The longer the format of the match the greater the role pitch conditions will play. For example, during the five days of a test match the condition of the wicket can change enormously, but in twenty20 games, which are over in a few hours, there really isn’t much time for conditions to change much. However, this doesn’t mean winning the toss isn’t important in twenty20 and one-day matches: See ‘Looking at One-Day Captaincy’ later in the chapter for more on the leadership skills needed in shorter games of cricket.