Generally the ground or field can be divided into three parts. They are
- 22 yards pitch.
- Infield or Inner Circle.
- Outfield or outer circle or boundary circle.
The length of the pitch from wicket to wicket has to be 22 yards. And no less or more than 22 yards should be there.
INFIELD
From the center of the pitch the radius of Inner Circle or Infield has to be 30 yards. You can call it as a 30 yards Inner Circle.
OUT FIELD
Relating to boundaries ICC has clear indications and rules. From the center of the pitch the radius of outer circle or the length of the boundary should be minimum 60 yards and maximum 90 yards.
Example
- In a 60 yard ground we have In circle=30 yards and Out field=30 yards.
- In a 90 yard ground we have In circle=30 yards and Out field=60 yards.
=>Infield=30 yards
Out field=35 to 50 yards
=>Infield=30 yards
Out field=50 to 60 yards
But now according to new ICC rules, new grounds should have minimum 70 yards of radius from the center of pitch, then only they will be recognized for International Cricket Matches.
Pitch Measurement:-
At either end of the pitch, 22 yards (20 m) apart, are placed the wickets. These serve as a target for the bowling (aka fielding) side and are defended by the batting side which seeks to accumulate runs. The pitch is 22 yards (20 m) or one chain[24] in length between the wickets and is 10 feet (3.0 m) wide. It is a flat surface and has very short grass that tends to be worn away as the game progresses. The "condition" of the pitch has a significant bearing on the match and team tactics are always determined with the state of the pitch, both current and anticipated, as a deciding factor.
Each wicket consists of three wooden stumps placed in a straight line and surmounted by two wooden crosspieces called bails; the total height of the wicket including bails is 28.5 inches (720 mm) and the combined width of the three stumps is 9 inches (230 mm).
Four lines, known as creases, are painted onto the pitch around the wicket areas to define the batsman's "safe territory" and to determine the limit of the bowler's approach. These are called the "popping" (or batting) crease, the bowling crease and two "return" creases.
The stumps are placed in line on the bowling creases and so these must be 22 yards (20 m) apart. A bowling crease is 8 feet 8 inches (2.64 m) long with the middle stump placed dead centre. The popping crease has the same length, is parallel to the bowling crease and is 4 feet (1.2 m) in front of the wicket. The return creases are perpendicular to the other two; they are adjoined to the ends of the popping crease and are drawn through the ends of the bowling crease to a length of at least 8 feet (2.4 m).
When bowling the ball, the bowler's back foot in his "delivery stride" must land within the two return creases while his front foot must land on or behind the popping crease. If the bowler breaks this rule, the umpire calls "No ball".
The importance of the popping crease to the batsman is that it marks the limit of his safe territory for he can be stumped or run out (see Dismissals below) if the wicket is broken while he is "out of his ground".
