There
are certain rules regarding the measurement of the ball, bat, pitch, wicket
and the creases. There is a boundary for the playing area. The boundary is marked
either by a white line, a rope laid on the ground or a fence. Sometimes flags
and posts are used instead of a boundary line.
The
Ball
The
ball will be leather skinned and its weight must not be less than 155.9gms and
not more than 163gms. The circumference of the ball must be in between 22.4cm
and 22.9cm.
The
Bat
Usually
a wooden bat of weight 2 lb 40z is used. It should be 10.8cm in width and 96.5cm
in length including the handle.
The
Wickets
Each wicket is 22.80cm in width and consist of three wooden stumps with two
wooden bails on the top. The wickets should be pitched opposite and parallel
to each other at a distance of 20.12m between the center of the two middle stump.
The stumps stand 70cm tall and each bail is 11.1cm in length.
The
Pitch
The
pitch is at the center of the field. It is the area of the ground
between the bowling
creases one on either side and it is 3.04m in width and 17.68m in length. The
pitch shall not be changed during a match unless it becomes unfit for play.
Bowling
and Popping Creases
The
bowling crease is marked in line with the stumps at each end and is
2.64m in length. The popping crease which is the back edge of the crease
marking, is in front of and parallel with the bowling crease. The back edge
of the crease is 1.22m from the center of the stumps and extended to a minimum
of 1.83m on either side of the line of the wicket. The return crease
is marked at each end of the bowling crease at right angles to it and extend
forward to join the popping crease and a minimum of 1.22m behind the wicket.