The Cricket Pitch is by far one of the most important elements of the game. After all, that’s where all the action takes place during a cricket match! Despite that, the length, width, and other dimensions of a cricket pitch are often one of the lesser-known details about the game. So, in this post, we help you understand the complete dimensions of a cricket pitch.
The length of the Cricket Pitch is 22 yards (20.12 meters or 66 feet). This is the distance from wicket to wicket on either end of the Pitch. The width of a Cricket Pitch is 10 feet (3.05 meters).
While the above paragraph gives you a brief on the length and width of the cricket pitch, there are several other measurements that take place on a cricket pitch before the match begins. Let’s take a deep dive into the measurements of each and every element on a cricket pitch.
Cricket Pitch Measurements
As I mentioned above, there are several measurements for various elements on a cricket pitch that pitch curators, umpire, players and the spectators have to be aware about.
Let’s start with the dimensions of a cricket pitch.
What is the Length of a Cricket Pitch?
On a cricket pitch, the most important measurement is the length of a cricket pitch itself. In order to establish and set up other elements such as crease, wickets etc. on a cricket pitch, one has to be aware of the exact length of the cricket pitch.
One thing that you have be aware about is the fact that cricket is a colonial game, and traditionally follows old measurement systems such as yards. However, cricket pitches in the modern day are also measured with modern measurement systems such as the metric system.
Let’s look at all the various measurements for a cricket pitch –
Cricket Pitch Length in Yards –
The length of a cricket pitch is 22 yards whereas the width of the cricket pitch is 3.33 yards.
22 yards is the distance between the two wickets on both ends of a cricket pitch. The complete length of a cricket pitch including the extra space behind the two wickets is approximately 24.6 yards.
| S. No | Dimension Measured | Size (in yard) |
| 1 | Length of a cricket pitch from wicket to wicket | 22 yards |
| 2 | Length of a cricket pitch from crease to crease | 19.3 yards |
| 3 | Length of a cricket pitch from edge to edge | 24.6 yards |
| 4 | Width of the cricket pitch used during the game | 3.33 yards |
| 5 | Total width of the cricket pitch | 4 yards |
The above table gives a detailed breakdown of all the measurements of a cricket pitch.
Cricket Pitch Length in Meters
Since yard as a measurement is a traditional method and not easily to measure, people also often look for measurements of a cricket pitch using the modern metric measurement system.
A cricket pitch is 20.12 meters in length and 3.05 meters in width.
| S. No | Dimension Measured | Size (in meter) |
| 1 | Length of a cricket pitch from wicket to wicket | 20.12 meters |
| 2 | Length of a cricket pitch from crease to crease | 17.68 meters |
| 3 | Length of a cricket pitch from edge to edge | 22.56 meters |
| 4 | Width of the cricket pitch used during the game | 3.05 meters |
| 5 | Total width of the cricket pitch | 3.66 meters |
The above table highlights the detailed measurements for various aspects of a cricket pitch in meters.
Cricket Pitch Length in Feet
Another common method of measurement of a cricket pitch is in feet. It is not as common as the metric unit of measurement. Nevertheless, let’s look at the measurements of a cricket pitch in feet.
A cricket pitch measures 66 feet in length and 10 feet in width.
| S. No | Dimension Measured | Size (in mtr) |
| 1 | Length of a cricket pitch from wicket to wicket | 20.12 (66 feet) |
| 2 | Length of a cricket pitch from crease to crease | 17.68 (58 feet) |
| 3 | Length of a cricket pitch from edge to edge | 22.56 (74 feet) |
| 4 | Width of the cricket pitch used during the game | 3.05 (10 feet) |
| 5 | Total width of the cricket pitch | 3.66 (12 feet) |
Cricket Pitch Length in Steps
There are, at times, instances when you don’t wish to measure the exact pitch and you would just like to get on with the game! Perhaps, you may not have the measuring tools handy. So, how does one measure the length of the pitch in such a scenario?
One of the easier things to do is just measure the length of the pitch using your feet and by counting the number of steps.
An average adult can cover 10 meters in approximately 13 walking steps. Thus, in order to measure the length of the cricket pitch, you will need to take 26 steps!
The various dimensions including the length of a cricket pitch in steps can be understood from the table below –
| S. No | Dimension Measured | Size (in steps) |
| 1 | Length of a cricket pitch from wicket to wicket | 26 steps |
| 2 | Length of a cricket pitch from crease to crease | 23 steps |
| 3 | Length of a cricket pitch from edge to edge | 29 steps |
| 4 | Width of the cricket pitch used during the game | 4 steps |
| 5 | Total width of the cricket pitch | 4.75 steps |
Please note that the measurement in steps should be taken by counting the number of steps while walking at a moderate pace. Additionally, the cricket pitch dimensions using the steps measurement will only be approximate.
Various Elements of a Cricket Pitch
There are various elements such as white lines, stumps and bails on either end of the Cricket Pitch. In order to understand the complete measurements, we must first understand what elements must be measured, and the names of such elements.
A cricket pitch is a rectangular area present in the middle of a cricket ground. Various elements that can be seen on a cricket pitch are as follows –
- Crease
- Bowling Crease
- Popping Crease
- Return Crease
- Wickets
- Stumps
- Bails
Crease
During a game of cricket, a pitch is marked with a few white lines known as the “Crease“.
There are 3 types of crease on a cricket pitch each serving a different purpose than the other –
1. Bowling Crease – The bowling crease is the line on which the wickets are put in a game of cricket. It is the line that is perpendicular to the length of the pitch and marks the beginning of the actual cricket pitch on which the game shall be played.
2. Return Crease – The return crease is marked by two parallel lines but perpendicular to a bowling crease. The two return crease are drawn on both sides of a wicket on a cricket pitch. The return crease serves a dual purpose.
- Wide Ball – To indicate if the ball delivered by the bowler is too wide to play (otherwise termed as a “Wide Ball”)
- Back foot “No Ball” – To indicate a back-foot “No Ball” by a bowler. This type of decision is given when a bowler’s back foot crosses the return crease on the sides of the pitch while delivering the ball.
3. Popping Crease – A popping crease is the line in front of the bowling crease but runs parallel to the bowling crease. Just like the return crease, the popping crease also serves a dual purpose –
- Front foot “No Ball” – One of the key purposes of the popping crease is to determine if the bowler has delivered a front foot “No Ball”. This can happen if the front leg of the bowler crosses the popping crease completely while delivering the ball.
- Line of Safe Zone for the batsman – The popping crease also serves as the extent of the safe zone for a batsman. At any given point in time during the game, at least some part of the batsman (including the bat he/she may be holding) needs to be inside the popping crease.
Wickets
A cricket pitch shall also have 2 set of wickets during a cricket match. A wicket in cricket is described as a set of 3 stumps and 2 bails.
As represented in the above image, a set of two bails rest on top of the stumps to form a wicket. There are a total of 2 sets of wickets that can be seen on a cricket pitch.
The Dimensions of the Crease for a Cricket Pitch
Getting the correct dimensions of a crease on a cricket pitch is as important as getting the dimensions right for the pitch itself!
| S. No | Dimension Measured | Size (in mtr) |
| 1 | Length of the return crease from the middle stump | 1.32 (4 ft 4 in) |
| 2 | Distance of the popping crease from the stumps | 1.22 (4 feet) |
| 3 | Distance between the two return crease | 2.64 (8 ft 8 in) |
The Dimensions of the Wicket on a Cricket Pitch
While we take a look at all the various dimensions involved in the wicket size and measurement, it is important for us to note that each bail has a barrel, longer spigot and a shorter spigot (as a result of the barrel).
| Dimension Measured | Size (inches) | Size (cms) |
| Height of the stumps | 28 | 71.10 |
| Minimum Thickness of each stump | 1.375 | 3.49 |
| Maximum Thickness of each stump | 1.5 | 3.81 |
| Total width of the wickets | 9 | 22.90 |
| Overall length of bails | 4.3125 | 10.95 |
| Length of the barrel of the bails | 2.125 | 5.40 |
| Length of the longer spigot of the bails | 1.375 | 3.49 |
| Length of shorter spigot of the bails | 0.8125 | 2.06 |
Does the Length of the Cricket Pitch Change Ever?
Even though the type of the pitch may vary from ground to ground based on the constituents used while laying the pitch, the actual dimensions of the pitch remain standard and do not change irrespective of any country, stadium or league.
However, the size of the pitch does change for junior cricket in some countries as approved by their respective cricket boards. The length of the cricket pitch used for junior cricket has been a subject for debate for a long time. In fact, there has been a study conducted specifically to measure the impact of altering the pitch length on batting, bowling and fielding. The research has been published in the International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching
So, how does the length of the cricket pitch differ when it comes to junior cricket? The details have been illustrated in the table below –
| Age Group | MCC | ECB | CA |
| Under 7 (U-7) | – | 16 yards | – |
| Under 9 (U-9) | 18 yards | 18 yards | 15.3 yards |
| Under 10 (U-10) | 18 yards | 19 yards | 15.3 yards |
| Under 11 (U-11) | 20 yards | 20 yards | 17.5 yards |
| Under 12 (U-12) | 20 yards | 21 yards | 17.5 yards |
| Under 13 (U-13) | 21 yards | 21 yards | 19.7 yards |
| Under 14 (U-14) | 21 yards | 22 yards | 22 yards |
| Under 15 (U-15) | 21 yards | 22 yards | 22 yards |
| Under 16 (U-16) + | 22 yards | 22 yards | 22 yards |
MCC – Marylebone Cricket Club, ECB – English & Wales Cricket Board, CA – Cricket Australia
Related Questions –
Q. Who decides that the Length of the Cricket Pitch should be 22 yards?
The length of the cricket pitch has been set as part of the code of specific rules known as the “Laws of Cricket”. These laws are essentially the rules of the game of cricket and are globally accepted.
The earliest known laws for the game of cricket were drafted in 1744. Since 1788, these laws ave been owned and maintained by its custodian i.e. the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC). MCC is a private club based in London and was previously cricket’s official governing body; a role that is now taken up by the International Cricket Council (ICC).
The laws have been amended in total of seven times. However, the length of the cricket pitch has remained 22 yards.
Q. Why is the Length of the Pitch 22 yards?
22 yards is equivalent to 1 chain in the Imperial Measurement System. This type of a measurement system was followed across the British Empire. Since the game of Cricket was invented in Britain, the length of the cricket pitch was standardized to 1 chain which is equivalent to 22 yards.
You may wonder why 1 chain was picked specifically. If you take a careful look at the imperial measurement system, even though the chain is definitely not the lowest unit of measurement, it is a perfect size for a cricket pitch. A yard (which measures 3 feet) is too small for a pitch, and a furlong (which measures 10 chains or 220 yards) is way too long!
